Once you get past the change in perspective and the crude attempts at zooming -- something a lot of arcade purists understandably can't do -- Zaxxon on the Atari 2600 might surprise you. Sure, you would still be hard pressed to call this a "solid" port of the arcade game, but you might still find the game challenging and enjoyable on its own terms. That is, until the game's bugs begin chipping away at that enjoyment.
Despite the perspective change and a somewhat different assortment of enemies, Atari 2600 Zaxxon still manages to capture the spirit of the arcade game, from avoiding walls and force fields to shooting enemies at different altitudes (at least when not in space), all while keeping an eye on the fuel gauge. The game might even merit a B grade were it not for bugs. Sadly, those bugs are big ones. Don't fly too far to the right, or something on the left side of the screen might get in the way. And forget about two-player games. In higher levels, a player's ship will often crash instantly after the game announces the next turn.
Such bugs can be worked around easily enough, but knowing where they are and how to skirt them shouldn't be one of the objects of the game. The funny thing is, Zaxxon can still provide some entertainment even then. Ultimately though, asking someone to find that enjoyment in a buggy game vastly different from the original is a very tall order.
Grade: C.