This port has no right to be as much fun as it is, but somehow, it is. Atari 8-bit Millipede commits many of the same sins as Atari 8-bit Centipede, with the millipede never changing speed, certain enemies appearing too early, and the bees needing only one shot to be killed. The millipede's animation is actually worse compared to that of Centipede. The rest of the game, however, makes up for these detriments. All the original enemies are present and accounted for, and the game juggles everything quite well, even when multiple spiders and beetles are crowding the screen with a bunch of indepedent millipede heads.
Dedicated Millipede players will find this game way too easy, mostly because extra lives are awarded way too often. Those seeking a more balanced and better presented Millipede will want to play the Atari 2600 version (or the original). But to those who don't mind the easier difficulty, or don't have a choice of machines to play on, this Millipede will do well enough.
(Millipede's release for the Atari 5200 was cancelled due to the industry crash, but the game was completed and published for Atari's 8-bit computers. Prototypes for the Atari 5200 have been discovered, confirming the game was intended to play the same on both platforms.)
Grade for both: B.