Atarisoft

Atarisoft was the name used by Atari to sell its games for a variety of computers, including the TI99/4A.

Console Version 2.2

Some TI99/4a consoles would not run Atarisoft modules due to changes made by TI in console version 2.2

Corrupt screen characters

Some Atarisoft games had "corrupt" large characters on some consoles as Atari's programmers were reading the large character definitions directly instead of using a location table, and on some consoles this was 4 bytes out. When queried Atari indicated that their games all worked on their console. Singular.

For games where the title screen only was affected it was not a big problem, but in Picnic Paranoia you could not read the scores.

The same error was seen in one Milton Bradley module, Sewermania, which did not affect game play.

Advertised but never seen

Some Atarisoft games were advertised for the TI (packaging shown in adverts) but there has been no evidence they were ever converted to run on a TI99/4a.

Games released

Some released Atari games include:

Protector 2

A very simple game, with simple graphics.

There is a tiny non-important program bug, but the module suffers from poor game design.

You may select level of difficulty at the beginning, but you score no extra for higher difficulty levels, and once you have accomplished your task, that is that. The task is to move people from one city to another while an alien craft is picking them up and dropping them into a volcano. Stage two involves moving them from the 2nd city, which is now being engulfed in lava, to a further place of safety. There are a few aliens trying to stop you too.

Pac Man

The classic game which followed Invaders in the arcades all those years ago.

There was even a pop record Pac Man Fever.

This is a faithful reproduction of the arcade game. with graphics which come very close to matching the arcade version.

However. the speed is low. Screen set up is painfully slow (is the module written in basic?) and the critters do not move too fast.