The Krystof.IO Gaming Bucket List

Last Updated on October 12, 2022.

I’ve played quite a few games over the years – from Atari 2600 to Commodore 64 to the days of PC Gaming. Along with some console and arcade action mixed in, I wanted to gather a list of games I used to play, games I was interested in but never able to procure, or games I missed that look interesting enough. This list is not exclusive and there are plenty of modern games I won’t have here (like ARK), as it’s more retro focused – probably no later than early 2000s.

It’s the list of games I want to at least try and possibly complete before the end. As I wrap notable ones up, I’ll write my thoughts, possibly post some archive play-through footage, and create a Quick Bytes page with the link next to each entry.

My Status Values

• Blank – Any status
• Not Started – I haven’t started my re-play or playthrough yet.
• On Hold – Probably come back someday, just taking a break from this one.
• In Progress – Something I’m actively playing within the last month.
• Completed– As finished as I’ll get for now. (if it’s a finite game, I’ll have a percentage – if it’s not, I’ll have a high score)
• Abandoned – Found a breaking bug, or just couldn’t handle the gameplay. For whatever other reason, I’m out and unlikely to come back.

ID	Box	Title	Platform	Series	Genre	Year	Status	Rating	Port
ID	Box	Title	Platform	Series	Genre	Year	Status	Rating	Port	About URL	Video URL	LaunchBox DB Notes	My Notes	Last Played	Publisher	Developer
1		Berzerk	Atari 5200		Shooter	1984	Not Started		Berzerk	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berzerk_(video_game)		After a routine space exploration mission goes awry, you find yourself marooned on the planet Mazeon. To add insult to injury, the robotic residents are out to kill you. Now you're forced to fend off these relentless robots as you move through endless mazelike environments. In Berzerk, the goal is to make your way past the electrified walls forming each screen while using your laser gun to blast the hostile threats known as Automazeons. Firing your weapon involves pointing the joystick in one of eight directions and pressing a button. You can also lead robots into walls and even into their own shots to defeat them.			Atari, Inc.	Stern Electronics
2		Centipede	Atari 5200		Shooter	1982	Not Started		Centipede	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centipede_(video_game)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8c-OHTo1U0	The player moves the character about the bottom area of the screen and fires laser shots at a centipede advancing from the top of the screen down through a field of mushrooms. Shooting any section of the centipede creates a mushroom; shooting one of the middle segments splits the centipede into two pieces at that point. Each piece then continues independently on its way down the board, with the first section of the rear piece becoming a new head. If the head is destroyed, the section behind it becomes the next head.			Atari	Atari
3		Choplifter!	Atari 5200		Shooter	1984	Not Started		Choplifter!			In this prototype version of Choplifter for the Atari 5200, the player assumes the role of a combat helicopter pilot. The player attempts to save hostages being held in prisoner of war camps in territory ruled by the evil Bungeling Empire. The player must collect the hostages and transport them safely to the nearby friendly base, all the while fighting off hostile tanks and other enemy combatants.			Atari	Dan Gorlin
4		Congo Bongo	Atari 5200		Action, Platform	1983	Not Started		Congo Bongo	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Bongo		In the first of three screens, you must climb the cliffs of Jungle Mountain in order to get to Congo Bongo, the jungle gorilla. You must also cross a bridge and jump a chasm. Along the way, Congo will throw coconuts at you, and monkeys will try to jump on your back. The monkeys slow you down tremendously, but a couple of jumps will send them scurrying.			Sega	Sega
5		Defender	Atari 5200		Shooter	1982	Not Started		Defender	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defender_(1981_video_game)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZM3aDxFcfI	Defender is a two-dimensional, side-scrolling shooting game set on the surface of an unnamed planet. The player controls a space ship as it navigates the terrain, flying either to the left or right. A joystick controls the ship's elevation, and five buttons control its horizontal direction and weapons. The object is to destroy alien invaders, while protecting astronauts on the landscape from abduction. Humans that are successfully abducted return as mutants that attack the ship. Defeating the aliens allows the player to progress to the next level. Failing to protect the astronauts, however, causes the planet to explode and the level to become populated with mutants. Surviving the waves of mutants results in the restoration of the planet. Players are allotted three chances (lives) to progress through the game and are able to earn more by reaching certain scoring benchmarks.			Atari	Atari
6		Dig Dug	Atari 5200		Action	1983	Not Started		Dig Dug	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dig_Dug	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd6TTrVdm7s	The objective of Dig Dug is to eliminate underground-dwelling monsters by inflating them until they pop, or by dropping rocks on them. There are two kinds of enemies in the game: Pookas - A race of round red monsters (said to be modeled after tomatoes) who wear yellow goggles. Fygars - A race of green dragons who can breathe fire. The player's character is Dig Dug, dressed in white and blue, and able to dig tunnels through destructible environments. Dig Dug is killed if he is caught by either Pooka or Fygar, burned by a Fygar's fire, or crushed by a rock. A partially inflated monster will gradually deflate and recover after a few seconds, during which time the player can pass safely through it. The monsters normally crawl through the tunnels in the dirt but can turn into ghostly eyes and travel slowly through the dirt. The last enemy on a level will try to escape off the top left of the screen. More points are awarded for popping an enemy further down in the dirt (the levels are color-coded). In addition, Fygars are worth double points if exploded horizontally, since they can only breathe fire horizontally in the direction they are facing. Extra points are also awarded for dropping rocks on enemies in order to eliminate them rather than inflating them. If one enemy is killed by the rock, it is worth 1000 points. The next two add 1500 points each, and any after that add 2000. The act of digging is itself worth points, giving 10 points for each block dug, so some players do as much of it as possible in situations where the threat from the remaining monsters is minimal. After the player drops two rocks, fruits and vegetables and other edible bonus items, such as Galaxian flagships appear in the center of the play field, and can be collected for points if the player is able to reach them before they disappear. These edible bonus items will appear even if the rocks fail to hit any enemies. In some versions of the game, the most points attainable from a single bonus fruit is 8,000 from the pineapple.			Atari	Namco
7		Frogger	Atari 5200		Action	1983	Not Started		Frogger	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogger		Your task in this arcade conversion is to guide a frog across a treacherous road and river, and to safety at the top of the screen. Both these sections are fraught with a variety of hazards, each of which will kill the frog and cost you a life if contact is made.			Parker Brothers	Sega Enterprises
8		Gremlins	Atari 5200		Action	1986	Not Started		Gremlins	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gremlins_(video_game)	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of4FjKRo024	Gremlins is an action game based on the Steven Spielberg movie of the same name. The game takes place just after midnight when there are Gremlins and Mogwai running around Billy's living room! You control Billy from a 3rd person point of view. On each level, your goal is to catch all of the Mogwai and return them to their cage (located in the upper right corner of the screen) and to destroy all of the Gremlins with a sword. Each level has a time limit - at 6:00 am when the sun rises. You move on to the next level by completing your tasks or just surviving until 6:00, although more points are awarded for the former. You will also receive bonus points for each Mogwai returned to the cage. On many of the levels there will be various types of food lying about the screen. If a Mogwai eats any food, it will turn into a gremlin. There may also be puddles of water; if a Gremlin or Mogwai runs into the water, it will split into two. Some levels also contain a refrigerator or popcorn machine which will throw food out onto the screen, or a television which will distract the Gremlins. You also begin the game with a limited number of flash cubes; if you get into trouble, you can use these to temporarily stun all of the Gremlins and Mogwai. As the levels progress gameplay becomes faster and the Gremlins and Mogwai more numerous.			Atari	Atari
9		Joust	Atari 5200		Platform	1983	Not Started		Joust	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joust_(video_game)	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06VotTif2iE	In Joust, players take control of a knight with a lance who rides their flying ostrich (or stork, for Player 2) to do battle against computer-controlled evil knights who ride atop vultures. Players must flap their steed's wings to hit the enemy from a higher jousting point to destroy the vulture and its rider. Once the enemy has been hit, an egg falls to one of the platforms below. The heroic knights must destroy the eggs before they hatch and release new and increasingly more difficult knights. The three strengths of enemy knights are Bounder (red knight), Hunter (white knight), and Shadow Lord (blue knight). These enemy knights are not the only challenge to be found in the game. Players must also contend with crumbling platforms, lava trolls who attempt to pull knights into the fire, and the dreaded "unbeatable"(?) pterodactyl.			Atari, Inc.	Williams
10		Kangaroo	Atari 5200		Platform	1982	Not Started		Kangaroo	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_(video_game)		Baby Roo has been kidnapped by monkeys, and it's up to Mama Roo to come to the rescue! Your kangaroo starts out at the bottom of the screen. You need to guide the kangaroo up the various ladders and platforms to the top where Baby Roo is being held captive. The monkeys will be trying to stop you by throwing or dropping apples and knocking you off the platforms. Your kangaroo has boxing gloves, however, and can knock out the monkeys with a single punch! Along the way various types of fruit can be collected to earn bonus points.			Atari	Atari