Plug & Play Reviews

[George Gray]

Personally, I love these things.

Sure, they are'nt like the 'real things', but I don't think that is the intent of most.

The Intellivision folks admit it. They also admit that they could have done better and, supposedly have. They have new versions out (one with two controllers) that are supposed to be 'closer' to the original.

 

I like the fact that most of them have captured the flavor of the originals. Yeah, the sound is not the same and the graphics may not be spot on, but, really, so what? Most of them are still fun to play.

 

That said, here are the ones that, IMHO, come close to what I remember them to be:

The Space Invaders 5 in 1: This is my favorite. Space Invaders, while in color, is very close to the original (which was b/w). Lunar 7, which I never played until I got this, is pretty clever. I don't know how close it comes, but having never played the original, it's cool to me. Qix is addictive. The other games are cool too (again, most I had never played.)

 

The Commodore stick: Hey, it's the real deal. Enough said. Ok, most of the games blow, but it's still a must have since it is a REAL C-64 and you can get to BASIC, which is very cool.

 

The Jakks Ms. Pac Man (original) - the gal is good enough for me. I love this incarnation. In fact, I like all of the incarnations on the stick.

 

The Madden '95 controller is cool too. Again, never played the original, but I like the unit and the graphics are close enough. Plus, I got it for five bucks from the Wal-Mart site.

 

Units that are close, but no cigar (but I like 'em anyway)

The aforementioned Intellivision 25 in 1: Astroblast is a blast, no matter what.

About half of the games really stink (I suspect they did the first time) but there are some gems here. Pinball is fun. Night Stalker is cool. Shark! shark! is fun for a few minutes play as well. Others, well, we will not mention those.

 

Jakks Activision 10-1 (first version): This is another favorite, but there a few things that relegate to the close but no cigar land: the form factor blows.

The controller is an ugly blue, fat and difficult to hold controller. When I first got it, I liked it. But over time, I've grown to dislike it alot. A hack may be due here.

Anyway, the games are fine enough. Pitfall! and the Chicken game are great. My sone loves the chicken game (Highway, I thinkg, is what it is called.) My other addictions are Atlantis and the spider game.

 

Atari Flashback 1: I know I'm in the minority here. I never owned a 7800, so to me, those games are great. I play them quite a bit. The 2600 games, well, I don't play them too much. Adventure just never grew on me (even the 'real thing) and the battlezone is BAD. Ugh. But, for the 7800 games on it, and the price tag ($20) make it into this category.

 

Now, the stinkers:

Some generic controller from Jungletac that I picked up for seven bucks.

The games are poor rip offs from arcade/home games. The graphics are about what you'd expect from a mid 80's NES game. There are one or two decent games, but most are just bad. My kid did like a few of them - the 'racing' games, the 'bubbles' game and one involving getting a dog across the road (He also loved the chicken game on the Activision unit.)

 

 

 

My next purchase is going to be the Flashback 2, but I'm waiting for the after Christmas sales. I'd also like the frogger, but it is just too much for one game.

I also may get the Darth Vader star wars unit. It just looks cool.

 

My kid, btw, loves all of these. The simpler game play is easy for him to pick up, and most of the controllers fit his little hands perfectly (except that damned Activision one.)

 

If you get these things on sale, they are a decent value. IF you expect spot repro's of the originals, then avoid them and get the real things. I don't have the time, money or patience to that, so these things fill a void for me that emulation won't always take care of. There is just something about plugging them into a tv and just playing. I don't know if it is the scanlines, the herringbones, the bigger screen or what, but it is just different on the telly. Nostalgia, perhaps. But, I say bring em on.

[TrekkiELO]

Atari Flashback 1:  I know I'm in the minority here.  I never owned a 7800, so to me, those games are great.  I play them quite a bit.  The 2600 games, well, I don't play them too much.  Adventure just never grew on me (even the 'real thing) and the battlezone is BAD.  Ugh. But, for the 7800 games on it, and the price tag ($20) make it into this category.

983067[/snapback]

 

I use to own an Atari 7800 back around 1986 and also like the original Flashback for those 5 games as well as its mini console/controller look!

 

Signed,

 

Rick Vendl II

Edited December 17, 2005 by TrekkiELO

[Laner]

The Commodore stick:  Hey, it's the real deal.  Enough said.  Ok, most of the games blow, but it's still a must have since it is a REAL C-64 and you can get to BASIC, which is very cool.

I thought the game selection was very good - certainly not as diverse as it could have been, but there are many classic games on there... Epyx and Hewson were two excellent C64 game publishers, and many of their classics are represented on the C64 stick:

 

Cybernoid

Cybernoid II

Impossible Mission

Jumpman Jr.

Paradroid

Pitstop II

Summer Games

Supercycle

Tower Toppler

Uridium

Winter Games

etc.

[George Gray]

The Commodore stick:  Hey, it's the real deal.  Enough said.  Ok, most of the games blow, but it's still a must have since it is a REAL C-64 and you can get to BASIC, which is very cool.

I thought the game selection was very good - certainly not as diverse as it could have been, but there are many classic games on there... Epyx and Hewson were two excellent C64 game publishers, and many of their classics are represented on the C64 stick:

 

Cybernoid

Cybernoid II

Impossible Mission

Jumpman Jr.

Paradroid

Pitstop II

Summer Games

Supercycle

Tower Toppler

Uridium

Winter Games

etc.

984044[/snapback]

 

I am probably being a bit harsh. I was never a big fan of C64 style games. I only had a Vic 20 and (much later) a Plus/4. The only time I really played the C64 games were either in a store, at a friends house or the Vic-20 versions. I do like Jumpman Jr., Tower Toppler and Pitstop II. Impossible Mission is ok. I would probably like them more if I played with it more, but just have not had much time to do so lately. I'll give them another try at somepoint.

 

But, like I said, It is the real deal and there are sites that explain how turn into it's full past glory, which is my real intent for getting one.

[[d2f]Iggy*SJB]

I just picked up the C64 unit last weekend, and while I am generally impressed with it, 2 'problems' come to mind: 1. The joystick is INCREDIBLY sensitive, it is very hard to go one single direction without it reading diagonals or the like (which makes it very hard to play certain games like Pitstop, I can't easily move the pit crew without them going all over), and 2. there seems to be static in the display. Not HORRIBLE "snow"-like static, just like an almost RF quality to the video (which I assumed would be crystal clear due to the AV cables)

 

Is anyone else seeing those kinds of issues? I got it during the Toys R Us buy-1-get-1-free sale, and I'm afraid returning it for a new one might cause more trouble than it's worth.

 

(Oh, this was funny, my batteries were running out on the C64 stick and it started just booting up straight to the BASIC "READY" prompt.. too bad I haven't done the mod to make it a full C64!)

 

I also got the Jakks/Atari Paddle unit, that one is a lot of fun, even if it's not true 2600 hardware it's close enough (I never really got into the paddle games so my frame of reference isn't as good as it is for like the Flashback 2.0)

960883[/snapback]

 

 

I've had the C=64 stick for almost a year, and never had the problem you are talking about. My main beef about it, is the selection of games they put in. Paradroid and Jumpman Jr. are about all I found in there that I like. With over 10,000 titles to pick from, how did they come up with this list?

[[d2f]Iggy*SJB]

The Commodore stick:  Hey, it's the real deal.  Enough said.  Ok, most of the games blow, but it's still a must have since it is a REAL C-64 and you can get to BASIC, which is very cool.

I thought the game selection was very good - certainly not as diverse as it could have been, but there are many classic games on there... Epyx and Hewson were two excellent C64 game publishers, and many of their classics are represented on the C64 stick:

 

Cybernoid

Cybernoid II

Impossible Mission

Jumpman Jr.

Paradroid

Pitstop II

Summer Games

Supercycle

Tower Toppler

Uridium

Winter Games

etc.

984044[/snapback]

 

I am probably being a bit harsh. I was never a big fan of C64 style games. I only had a Vic 20 and (much later) a Plus/4. The only time I really played the C64 games were either in a store, at a friends house or the Vic-20 versions. I do like Jumpman Jr., Tower Toppler and Pitstop II. Impossible Mission is ok. I would probably like them more if I played with it more, but just have not had much time to do so lately. I'll give them another try at somepoint.

 

But, like I said, It is the real deal and there are sites that explain how turn into it's full past glory, which is my real intent for getting one.

984403[/snapback]

 

That would be kinda silly, wouldn't it? I mean, I can see it with things like the FB2, where you aren't really increasing the size of it. But turning a joystick into a full size C=64?! Besides, you can get the real hardware pretty easily. I haven't checked E-Bay for the stuff lately(I start drooling, and the wife doesn't like that), but last time I did, the prices weren't all that bad either.

If you're really wanting the original hardware, PM me, I've got several working extras.

[Laner]

I've had the C=64 stick for almost a year, and never had the problem you are talking about. My main beef about it, is the selection of games they put in. Paradroid and Jumpman Jr. are about all I found in there that I like. With over 10,000 titles to pick from, how did they come up with this list?

984710[/snapback]

They obtained the rights to Hewson and Epyx titles (which were fairly cheap, from what I understand). Then there was the issue of making sure the titles they did have rights too all worked (or could be hacked to work) on a device with limited input options, etc.

[George Gray]

That would be kinda silly, wouldn't it? I mean, I can see it with things like the FB2, where you aren't really increasing the size of it. But turning a joystick into a full size C=64?! Besides, you can get the real hardware pretty easily. I haven't checked E-Bay for the stuff lately(I start drooling, and the wife doesn't like that), but last time I did, the prices weren't all that bad either.

If you're really wanting the original hardware, PM me, I've got several working extras.

984719[/snapback]

 

No, not at all. Besides, where's the fun in eBay? I'd rather hack the thing myself. It is'nt that I'm really that nuts about the platform. I paid less than ten bucks for the stick and there's plenty of hack sites out for it. Besides, it's no sillier than other things I read on this site!

 

I've had it nearly a year and it just sits there. Once in awhile I fire it up. But, mostly, it just sits there.

 

I read this weekend that Commodore's name is going to be slung on a host of devices now. Joy, oh joy. That's just what we need.

[raskar42]

I just got my wife an Atari 2 Player Paddle TV Game for a gag gift for Christmas. (We usually open our gifts early.) Hot damn is that ever fun!

981574[/snapback]

 

 

I had issue with the games they chose to put on there.

 

I mean who wants to play blackjack with a paddle?

 

they should have got "kaboom!" from activision

[jbanes]

I had issue with the games they chose to put on [the Atari 2 Player Paddle].

 

I mean who wants to play blackjack with a paddle?

 

they should have got "kaboom!" from activision

988713[/snapback]

 

Kaboom! would have been a nice addition. Unfortunately, it just wasn't going to happen given Activisions trademarks and copyrights. I'm shocked that any Activision games made it to the FB2!

 

Personally, I found that the games were a mixed bag. For example, Canyon Bomber wasn't exactly fun the first time around. Bringing it back doesn't help anything. But Pong, Breakout, Super Breakout, Warlord 2600, and Warlord Arcade more than make up for the other games on the paddles. Heck, just Pong and Warlord for two players is awesome. Breakout is a bonus.

[killersquirel]

I had issue with the games they chose to put on [the Atari 2 Player Paddle].

 

Personally, I found that the games were a mixed bag. For example, Canyon Bomber wasn't exactly fun the first time around. Bringing it back doesn't help anything. reakout is a bonus.

989242[/snapback]

 

 

I would have to disagree, Canyon bomber is one of my favorite early game from atari. I think there is a lot of strategy to it.

 

-mike

[AtticGamer]

I'm thinking of buying a C=64 plug and play stick and I want to turn it to a full working Commodore 64. How do I do it? Are there slots for cables to connect to keyboards, printers, cassete recorders?

Edited March 9, 2006 by Atari_kid

[jaybird3rd]

I'm thinking of buying a C=64 plug and play stick and I want to turn it to a full working Commodore 64. How do I do it? Are there slots for cables to connect to keyboards, printers, cassete recorders?

1030807[/snapback]

This should get you started ...

 

http://www.orrville.net/dtvhacking/

[okto]

Does anyone know if the C64 stick incorporates a SID chip (or at least SID-quality sound)?

[Feralstorm]

Since , similar to the Flasskback 2, the C-64 stick is a modernised recreation of the original hardware, i'd assume it does.

[Phineasfool]

Is the C64 unit still available from a retailer in the US? When searching google all I get are UK sites. I really wanted to snag one of these when they first came out but wasn't able to.

[MacbthPSW]

Does anyone know if the C64 stick incorporates a SID chip (or at least SID-quality sound)?

The SID, along with the all the other chips that make up the C64 are cloned (all into the single "C64-on-a-chip"). The one omission is that the C64 stick's SID doesn't have any filters. The casual player probably won't notice at all, while a real SID-fan will probably be quite disappointed. Overall, the sound is very accurate.

[MacbthPSW]

Is the C64 unit still available from a retailer in the US? When searching google all I get are UK sites. I really wanted to snag one of these when they first came out but wasn't able to.

Amazon.com has them. Later last year I bought one at Toys R Us, and at a Shopko - I don't know if they still have them (I live a couple hundred miles away from those stores).

[okto]

The SID, along with the all the other chips that make up the C64 are cloned (all into the single "C64-on-a-chip"). The one omission is that the C64 stick's SID doesn't have any filters. The casual player probably won't notice at all, while a real SID-fan will probably be quite disappointed. Overall, the sound is very accurate.

I unfortunately fall into the second category. :/

[jbanes]

I do like Jumpman Jr., Tower Toppler and Pitstop II.

 

Just a quick heads-up on Tower Toppler. I ran across an interesting site the other day while I was trying to get Tower Toppler for the 7800 working. (It seems my copy was permanently stuck in cheat-mode.)

 

Tower Toppler has never looked so good.