Great Classic

I love the simplicity of Circus Atari.. Just pop the balloons - But don't fall! Basically, anyone can pick this up and start playing without reading the game manual. Simple to play, but takes some skill to master.

There are 3 parallel rows of balloons for you to pop. The higher the row, the more points you get for popping them. You bounce your clown on the teeter-totter to send him flying up towards the balloons. The closer to the edge of the teeter-totter you land your clown, the higher he will fly up. After you clear a row of balloons, it's replaced by another. Clearing the top row will earn you an extra clown.

To fully enjoy the game, you should have a set of paddle controllers that work properly. With a good set of paddles, your teeter-totter should glide across the screen, not pause or stutter. This is most important as you start clearing rows of balloons in a single volley - As you clear the rows without falling, your clown will be picking up more and more speed as he bounces off the teeter-totter. You'll have to be quick and precise to avoid hitting the ground.

For the time this game was released, the graphics are done well, with nice vibrant colors. Circus Atari is all about the gameplay though - It's so satisfying to send your clown flying through the air clearing rows of balloons. If you own an Atari 2600, this classic should be in your collection.