Frog Pond at CES

[Rom Hunter]

In this CES 1982 video (first one on the page) a different version of Frog Pond is shown (at 6:20):

http://www.atarimania.com/list_videos_atari-2600-vcs-___2.html

 

Notice there's no title underneath the monitor yet.

 

Also, the clouds are different and the legs of the frog don't change during a jump.

 

Edited October 9, 2010 by Rom Hunter

[Supergun]

fascinating.

i just had a look at the video and i see what you mean.

 

berzerk, asteroids, etc. all have their titles displayed on signs under the monitors,

but frog pond has no sign at all.

 

tempest does discuss two different protos for the game in his review of the proto on his site,

one of them earlier and without a title screen, perhaps this was that version?

 

very observant. thanks for sharing.

[Rom Hunter]

I checked the one without titlescreen and it's not the same as the one shown on the video.

 

The lack of leg animation in the CES version could very well indicate an earlier version than the ROMs we know.

 

Fascinating how these old videos can uncover still hidden mysteries.

 

Wish we had more of this material.

 

Edited October 10, 2010 by Rom Hunter

[Rom Hunter]

Would be interesting to mention this in your Frog Pond review, Tempest.

 

[Retro Rogue]

I just came across a photo of the entire booth area, and in that one Frog Pond does have a sign under it.

[Rom Hunter]

Could you post it?

 

[Retro Rogue]

[Supergun]

thanks for posting that picture.

I wish there was a way to locate more of these pics & vids that were taken at these shows & conventions back in the day.

 

so in regards to the 4 games shown, why would atari be displaying missile command among the other games in that particular set of four games? math grand prix CX2658 -- 1982 release, among the final lot of regular black label carts, volleyball (realsports) CX2666 -- a later 1982 release after the first silver labels were introduced, & frog pond, CX2665 -- would have also been a silver label 1982 release. All clearly 1982 material shown at a 1982 show. Except missile command CX2638 -- which is 1981, and in the neighborhood of way earlier product numbers.

 

maybe another unreleased proto game was originally intended to be at that station, but it was not ready in time for the show? or maybe it was there, but was immediately pulled & substituted with "whatever they could throw in there" to cover it up.

 

of course i am just running with this for fun. it could also very well just be that missile command was a best seller and so atari would mix in a few tried & true titles among the new product shown & displayed at these shows as many game companies did and continue to do so even today.

 

another interesting little tidbit I thought of. Road Runner CX2663 -- (the same 1982 neighborhood but yet based on a 1985 arcade game, and released in 1989) was CLEARLY NEVER the intended product for position 63. the number was obviously for an unreleased game that was later re-assigned. so perhaps this was the fourth mystery game which missile command substituted for at that show

 

again, just having fun here.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Supergun

[Retro Rogue]

so in regards to the 4 games shown, why would atari be displaying missile command among the other games in that particular set of four games?

 

You're over-reading in to it. It's a booth at CES, a company shows their hits as well as upcoming products. This happens to be a wall of 40 games, plus they had smaller banks elsewhere around the booth.