Thanks to Atari, Plaion and their Atari 2600+ console, which revives classic hardware from the 70s, adding only a hint of modern convenience (an HDMI port and compatibility with the later Atari 7800 console’s cartridges), several old games are getting a fresh chance at the spotlight.

The Atari 7800 wasn’t an outright disaster like its predecessor, the Atari 5200, it still failed to make much of a dent against the then-dominant Nintendo, and even struggled to hold its own against Sega’s Master System, which itself didn’t really gain a foothold in the US (though it was strong in plenty of other territories).

Just 59 games were produced for the Atari 7800 during its lifespan, though it’s perhaps surprising that production didn’t cease until 1992, with Atari having launched the console in 1986.

It means that much of the console’s library will be new to fans picking up the Atari 2600+, outside of games they’ve tried in compilations such as Atari 50 or the Evercade Atari collections.

Fatal Run, released in 1990, has just hit retail again, having never been released outside of Europe before. Though it was also released on the Atari 2600 simultaneously (again, just in the EU), that port was a bit over ambitious, and hasn’t been re-released. Of course, with the new hardware being compatible with both the 2600 and 7800, why wouldn’t Atari/Plaion go straight for the most technically advanced version?

At first glance, Fatal Run looks like a typical 8-bit racer, and it even feels like that initially too. However, it’s actually more akin to Atari’s classic futuristic road combat arcade game, Road blasters, albeit with a bit more depth.

In Fatal Run, you’re tasked with transporting a vital vaccine to different cities in a post-apocalyptic world, with the number of people who survive in each city dependent on how quickly you get the vaccine there. Your car is equipped with various bits of armour and has a choice of weapons and other equipment, with which to defend yourself from the hostile drivers you’ll find on the roads between each city.

When you reach a city, you can access their store, being able to spend the cash you’re paid to deliver the vaccine. Each store has their own levels of stock and different items, and you can repair, reload and upgrade your car there as much as you want, providing you have the money to do so.

Fatal Run starts off pretty slowly, and takes a good few stages to really get going. At the beginning, you always feel on the cusp of running out of ammo, unable to pay for repairs (it’s got an excellent, logical and very comprehensive damage system) or struggling to pay for fuel, and your car just feels sluggish and unresponsive to begin with. It’s not the greatest opening set of stages by any means.

Yet soon enough, you’ll find once you’ve upgraded your tyres, brakes or engine (or maybe all of them) that the sensation of speed and the ability to actually stay on the road increases dramatically. You’ll come to rely on the dwindling amount of ammo on offer at different shops, and will instead likely outpace hostile drivers or even be strong enough to just ram them before they explode.

Each stage then starts to go at lightning speed, with runs between cities usually taking a minute or so.

Though you might think it’d feel repetitive, the core gameplay loop, as basic as it is, suddenly becomes incredibly addictive.

It’s definitely not perfect from an audiovisual perspective; some of the colour schemes for certain stages are either garish or way too dark, even hampering what you’re able to see every now and then. Sound effects are incredibly basic, and a bit grating, too. It can also, feel a bit like you and the opposing vehicles, which includes the addition of riders on motorbikes later on, are floating above the road, rather than driving on it.

Weapons are a bit flat too; with little in the way of visual feedback, you’ll struggle to tell if you’re actually damaging your targets, which is a bit of an issue when your ammo is constantly so limited.

Yet the sensation of speed is really well done, especially as you approach the final stages of the game. Get yourself equipped with the best tyres, engine and armour and nitro boosts and you’ll satisfyingly smash through your missions at very high speed.

The cut scenes as you approach and leave cities are nicely done too, looking smooth and layered in motion, and there’s a gorgeous, if very brief, ending sequence once you’ve managed to get your vaccine delivered to all 32 cities.

A password system, which gives you a password after every four completed stages, is also a welcome addition; during the era this game is from, it wasn’t unusual to expect to have to start every game from the very beginning, but that’s not necessary here, thankfully.

Despite its numerous issues, I’ve had an absolute blast with Fatal Run. Though it didn’t take me long to reach the ending, I had so much fun doing it, and will happily do so again too. It’s great that this underappreciated, long forgotten title has been re-released, as it’s now more accessible than it’s ever been.

Even though Fatal Run doesn’t give the best first impression, it’s actually a game that’s well worth spending time with, and I for one am happy to see that it’s made a welcome, albeit long overdue, comeback.

The Atari cartridge re-releases are exclusive to Amazon in the UK. You can buy Fatal Run from Amazon UK here.

Enjoyed what you’ve read? Want to support my blog? There’s no pressure of course, but every penny helps to keep this site running, as I earn no income from my writing here (though I may earn small fees from affiliate links posted on my pages).

However, I’d be truly grateful for any support that you could offer – and it’s easy to do so at either of these links: Ko-Fi.com/geekmid or PayPal.

Any donations are truly appreciated – and I also appreciate you taking the time to read my articles. Thank you so much!