Getaway (Atari 800XL Game)

 Getaway is a fantastically well-done game. Think of it as an 8-bit version of Grand Theft Auto. You are a robber who drives around picking up cash and loot and avoiding the cops. The cash is little dollar signs along the road and you drive through them to pick them up, resulting in a very satisfying "Ka-ching!" sound. To start picking up loot (where the real money is) you have to first pick up the white panel van. The van drives randomly around the screen and can sometimes be a bit of a bother to pick up. Once you pick up the van you can start looking for diamonds. When you collect all three diamonds, you can pickup another panel van and start collecting crosses which are worth even more than diamonds. Pick up all three of these and another van and you'll move up to even better loot. I don't know how far this pattern goes because I have never actually beaten the game.

Another couple interesting things in the game are that 1) the cops get smarter the more cash you have on hand. The ai in this game is surprisingly good considering when it was made. In order to get the cops off your tail you should make frequent stops at your hideout which will turn your cash into stash which the cops can't touch. 2) You always have to worry about your gas. There are a few gas stations scattered around the screen, but when you stop at them you're a sitting duck for the police. I highly recommend the gas station on the upper right hand side of the screen as it has many exits and the police don't seem to frequent it as much. 3) There are stop signs and road blocks that appear the further you go in the game. If you run a stop sign, you'll lose all your cash on hand. The roadblocks affect your gas tank, making you lose gas much more quickly than you would otherwise.

Not only is this a remarkably complex game for the 8-bit Atari family, it's a very enjoyable one. I've poured more time than I want to admit into this game (especially considering I haven't beaten it yet), and I'll still go back for more. This is one of the best vintage games I own, and usually the first game I reach for when I fire up the old Atari. Out of a possible 5 I give this game...