Does anyone else remember how much more difficult computer games were in the 80's?

Classic example: Defender (the shockwave version of which has taken over the office at the moment - will we ever get any work done?). It's absolutely rock solid. The aliens move so fast that if you try to match speeds you can no longer reasonably control your ship, and the sheer size of the level means that it's a desperate race to try and save all the little dudes from abduction.

An incredibly simple game, but the brain melting difficulty means that you are either yelling abuse at the monitor or leaping about hooting in triumphant joy.

I don't often find this with more modern games. There are very few frustratingly difficult, yet rewarding to play, games on the market. Although a lot of work goes into the graphics and presentation, the gameplay is often lacking. Even well-developed games like Metal Gear Solid 2 have big flaws that detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

One of the best things about going to visit my brother is the fact that the spare room has an Atari 2600 console hooked up and ready to play. There's nothing quite like a quick game of Ms Pacman or Asteroids. Or, indeed staying up 'til 4 a.m trying to get past level 9 of Galaxians.

Bo"Robot Tank is teh suck, though"urne