Centipede for the Atari 2600 may have worse graphics then the arcade version, but is an overall better game.
The Atari 2600 never ceases to amaze me. I sat down expecting more of the same, and to be bored to death like I was with the Arcade version. The first thing I noticed, as usual, was the graphics. Since the Atari 2600 wasn't as powerful as an arcade machine, its graphics were never able to stand up to the arcades, so no surprise there. Your ship is now a simple rectangle, which is tall and thin. Mushrooms are also rectangles, except long and thin.
The spores are now just circles. Also, the centipedes themselves move a lot slower, making the game more manageable. When a level starts on the 2600 port, instead of just one large centipede, a centipede and two or three spores come out. Even with these improvements, you're only going to last a few minutes longer then in the arcade, because spiders strikes are even more abundant then in the arcade (but they move a notable amount slower).
Overall, Centipede is a good buy if you're looking for some classic Atari 2600 games. Just like asteroids and missile command, it puts its arcade counterpart to shame. Thanks for reading.