Backgammon (Atari 2600)

Backgammon probably isn't one of the most exciting Atari 2600 games but it does have the distinction of being one of the first board game adaptations to a video game system. It was released fairly early in the life of the Atari 2600. The cover art style will also look familiar as it was done by Chris Spohn who did the cover art for pretty much all of Atari's early games.

I don't know how many backgammon video game variants there have been but this one is pretty thorough, especially given the limitations of the system. It can be played against another player or against the computer. I vaguely remember my Dad teaching me backgammon when I was pretty young but I don't remember much about it and I don't think I have played since. Atari's version includes eight variants including what was once a popular variant called Acey Ducey which involves faster paced play and I suppose is therefore more exciting.

Reviewers at the time rated it reasonably well. It was described as something more for the beginning or intermediate player so I suppose that related more to the difficulty of the computer opponent. It's an Atari 2600 game so the graphics aren't going to be spectacular or anything but then the graphics for backgammon are pretty straightforward and the Atari presents them well enough.

As far as its value today as a game to actually play, I would say most people wouldn't want to bother. Having said that, if you love the Atari 2600 and enjoy backgammon, then there is no reason not to give it try. It's not a particularly hard game to find so it's not expensive when it comes to looking for an original. It has also been re-released in various ways over the years, including on a variety of Atari Flashback consoles so it is pretty easy to find and play if you want to give it a try.

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