Boulder Dash - Loaner Cart; Reviews and Reservations

[Great Hierophant]

Hi Andrew,

 

I know it is time to move this along, I just got sidetracked.

 

Note to future recipients : the cartridge box is too wide to fit in a USPS Small Flat Rate Box. Something a little larger is required, so factor that into your willingness to receive and ship.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Great Hierophant

[Zwackery]

I would like to be in line to receive this cart.

 

I plan on bringing it to my students' Video Game Club and getting them to do a review for a new show that the club will be doing featuring game reviews.

[+Andrew Davie]

I would like to be in line to receive this cart.

 

I plan on bringing it to my students' Video Game Club and getting them to do a review for a new show that the club will be doing featuring game reviews.

 

No security deposit required for anyone with 1000+ posts. Just keep track of who has the cart and arrange for it to be sent to you when it's your turn.

You will cover the postage to the next in line after you. Make sure your students are aware of what other '2600 games are like!

[Great Hierophant]

This is a really cool idea. Put me on the reservation list

Please contact me privately to send me shipping info, it looks like your AA messaging inbox is full.

[Wickeycolumbus]

Please contact me privately to send me shipping info, it looks like your AA messaging inbox is full.

 

Sorry, PM sent.

 

I'm excited

[SIO2]

Very interesting and cool idea.

[Great Hierophant]

The cart will be shipped Monday, in the meantime I took Boulder Dash on a little trip to Cape Cod. Here I am standing on a dock overlooking the Cape Cod Canal. You can see one of the bridges crossing the canal in the background.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Great Hierophant

[Great Hierophant]

Do you think the little gray guy would like a rare, expensive video game cartridge box?

[Great Hierophant]

The cartridge is now on its next journey from Massachusetts to Michigan.

[Wickeycolumbus]

Boulder Dash arrived today, review and pic to follow

[SIO2]

So exciting. Only 339 posts to go before I can afford to get on the list. Anybody ever see a thread of one word posts?

 

Just joking.

[Cambouis de l'Atari]

There is no posts limits, but you have to "pay" 100$ if you are < 1000 posts or a not well known member, just in case the game is "lost".

[+Andrew Davie]

There is no posts limits, but you have to "pay" 100$ if you are < 1000 posts or a not well known member, just in case the game is "lost".

 

It's all very flexible. The "not a well known member" is the key.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I just got a very late idea: We should add a SaveKey to the package. So that people can compete against each other if they like to.

 

Does anyone have a spare one?

[+Andrew Davie]

I just got a very late idea: We should add a SaveKey to the package. So that people can compete against each other if they like to.

 

Does anyone have a spare one?

 

Pretty cool idea!

[Asaki]

Or you could just write your high score on an included sheet of paper.

 

This is pretty cool. If it takes off, I think it would even be fun to do it with commons or something.

[Wickeycolumbus]

I just got a very late idea: We should add a SaveKey to the package. So that people can compete against each other if they like to.

 

Does anyone have a spare one?

 

Thats a great idea. I could add one of my (ugly) home made ones

[Keatah]

Or you could just write your high score on an included sheet of paper.

 

This is pretty cool. If it takes off, I think it would even be fun to do it with commons or something.

 

Not necessarily for the game playing, but as a showcase for exotic, unique, and different locations where VCS games can be played.

Edited September 15, 2016 by Keatah

[+Andrew Davie]

Boulder Dash arrived today, review and pic to follow

 

How's that review coming?

[Wickeycolumbus]

 

How's that review coming?

 

Sorry for the delay, I promise, picture and review this weekend. Can ship out on Monday.

[King_Salamon]

So this would open to Canadians as well? Perhaps I can get in on this at some point?

 

Unfortunately, my user name has been changed a couple years ago. I used to be King_Salamon, then I changed internet providers and forgot my password... lost my account. But I would not have any problem with a security deposit.

 

It would be fun to participate... I didn't pick up this game, now I go to the box for two minutes and feel shame.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Sorry for the delay, I promise, picture and review this weekend. Can ship out on Monday.

I think you have a few more days left.

[Wickeycolumbus]

OK, here we go!

 

I had the chance to play BD in a few different sessions over the past two weeks. First off, I have to say that I am unfamiliar with the original game. I have never played BD on any other system, so I can not compare it to the other versions. Because of this, I probably had to spend more time than the average BD player to get used to the physics.

 

Early on you want to move around slowly to look ahead and plan your next moves, but moving slowly isn't the best idea, the boulders seem to come out of no where and fall on your head. Then I realized that the game is called Boulder Dash for a reason... you need to run quickly to avoid the rock slides you cause by moving around. Of course the boulder movement is very predictable once you get the hang of it.

 

As of now, I have only gotten to cave D. I was stuck in cave C for quite a while. It is the type of level that doesn't have much room for error. All of the diamonds need to be collected, and it is easy to trap yourself. Cave D is different from the previous levels in that to get diamonds to appear on the screen, you must drop rocks on the fire flies. There is supposed to be a 'playable intermission' after cave D, haven't gotten to it just yet.

 

I tried out a couple of the later levels thanks to the cave selection on the title screen. The difficulty of the levels near the end of the game are absolutely insane even on difficulty level 1... I need some more 'training' in the early caves

 

The game looks and sounds amazing. The way that the entire playfield is drawn with 3 alternating colors looks really nice, and there is no flicker so it is easy on your eyes. I could listen to the title screen music over and over, some of the best sounds that I have heard on the system.

 

The manual is more than just a short explanation of the game, there is a nice section at the end that explains the history of the 2600 version and the collaboration efforts between Andrew, Thomas, and First Star Software. You have to applaud the effort to get an official licensed port of such an old game, as opposed to just doing it and hoping no one gets mad.

 

Overall I've had a lot of fun playing Boulder Dash. I will be checking it out on other consoles. Wish I would have picked this one up when it was available! Another nice polished game from two legendary homebrewers. Thanks for the experience

 

 

 

I took Boulder Dash to Belle Isle with me, Here is a view of downtown Detroit. Sorry for the poor quality, had to take it with a tripod on my car's hood

 

When I was downtown I passed by something some may be interested in seeing, this is the administration building of Ford's Highland Park plant, where they debuted the moving assembly line. My Great Grandfather moved to Detroit to build Model Ts here. Unfortunately it is not in the best condition today.

 

 

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Very nice review, thanks. Anything you did not like?

 

BTW: Have you saved your high scores?

[SIO2]

Good job Wickeycolumbus. I enjoyed your review and also the picture of the Ford plant. My grandfather was as obsessed with Model Ts as most of us here are with Atari systems. Until he was quite advanced in age, he would collect Model T parts and build restored cars from them.

 

So, where is the cart headed next?