In a fit of nostalgia I picked up an old Atari 2600 and about 100 game cartridges. While the kids are all off being Guitar Zeroes and Wii-ners I’m reveling in the primitive graphics and grating 4-bit sound effects that defined the cutting edge of my youth. It’s quite satisfying to re-collect the titles I used to own and filling in the gaps, even though I play just a handful over and over. In fact there’s one game I could easily give up the rest for if forced to narrow down the stack.

Yars’ Revenge was released by Atari in 1981. While the company typically concentrated on substandard home versions of popular arcade hits, movie tie-ins and board games, occasionally a unique idea pushed the console to its limits. Several titles defined now-popular gaming genres while others were singular oddities. Howard Scott Warshaw’s Yars’ definitely falls in that category.

It’s easy to overlook how revolutionary Yars’ was when compared to today’s high resolution, highly complex video games. Only a few items occupy an empty black space. The minimal display doesn’t even include a player’s score or remaining lives. Stripped of all unnecessary elements it is extremely focused and intense, despite its relatively unhurried pace. There’s no countdown clock or landmark goal to add urgency. A hypnotic throbbing drone replaces a traditional bouncy soundtrack. The flat blocky avatar and enemies are contrasted by a psychedelic strip of rainbow-colored noise dividing the screen. It’s easy to zone out to the zen atmosphere of this strange game.

A small comic book included with the package provides a bizarre back-story about super-evolved houseflies defending their adopted planet from hostile aliens. It attaches a creative mythology to the crudely rendered blobs of pixels. A vinyl record was also released that dramatically narrates the Yars’ tale. The album is pretty cheesy but the game’s cool box art looks great as a large cover.

The Yar itself is very responsive to Atari’s simple joystick, constantly flapping its wings at a hummingbird’s rate. Its nemesis taunts in a slow and deliberate back and forth slide. A small yet menacing missile haunts the hero that tries to chip away at the enemy’s shield. The basic interaction allows for a surprising variety of tactics. Another surprise is the inclusion of an easter egg revealed through a specific pattern of motions. (Incidentally, the term “easter egg” was invented to describe a hidden feature in another favorite Atari game, Warren Robinett’s Adventure.) Each successful round is rewarded with a dazzling full-screen explosion. Considering its unusual premise and absorbing gameplay it’s no wonder that Yars’ Revenge became Atari’s best-selling original title, and one I find enormously replayable.

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