JS&A Prom Blaster Games

[boxpressed]

I ran across this ad on eBay for a cart copier called the Prom Blaster. The ad mentions nine games that you can buy and burn onto carts for resale. None of the games is mentioned by name, only that they are copyrighted and made by a "top game designer."

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 161184069840

 

Anyway, I think it's a long shot that anyone knows what these games are, but the mystery is fun to ponder.

[Blazing Lazers]

I ran across this ad on eBay for a cart copier called the Prom Blaster. The ad mentions nine games that you can buy and burn onto carts for resale. None of the games is mentioned by name, only that they are copyrighted and made by a "top game designer."

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 161184069840

 

Anyway, I think it's a long shot that anyone knows what these games are, but the mystery is fun to ponder.

 

Fascinating- even decades later previously unknown or forgotten items (like the Extra Terrestrials Canadian game) can still turn up. There truly is always something new to discover about the 2600!

[jhd]

Atari (successfully) sued the makers of this system in the 1980s for copyright infringement. It was a major, landmark decision.

http://retrogamingtimes.com/magazine/?issue=100&page=205&theme=purple&g=invaders

 

There was a passing mention of the games in the published court decision, but no titles were listed. The judge commented that they had not yet been marketed, so it was impossible to ascertain future demand (or something to that effect).

 

Only a small number of Prom Blasters were manufactured (about 100); I do not think that any ever made it out of the warehouse.

[SoulBlazer]

Gotta what the games were, who made them, and if they ever got leaked. Of course, knowing all the 'me to's' that came out in the early 80's, they were probably total junk....the kind of game that would have been slashed to discount bins for 99 cents in a few months.

[boxpressed]

Atari (successfully) sued the makers of this system in the 1980s for copyright infringement. It was a major, landmark decision.

http://retrogamingtimes.com/magazine/?issue=100&page=205&theme=purple&g=invaders

 

There was a passing mention of the games in the published court decision, but no titles were listed. The judge commented that they had not yet been marketed, so it was impossible to ascertain future demand (or something to that effect).

 

Only a small number of Prom Blasters were manufactured (about 100); I do not think that any ever made it out of the warehouse.

Thanks for the link. Would be cool if one of these Prom Blasters leaked into the public before they were shuttered. With only 100 made, it would be a true rarity.

[jhd]

Gotta what the games were, who made them, and if they ever got leaked. Of course, knowing all the 'me to's' that came out in the early 80's, they were probably total junk....the kind of game that would have been slashed to discount bins for 99 cents in a few months.

 

Purchasers of the Prom Blaster would also have received the right to freely copy and sell/distribute these games (this was an attempt to support the claim that the hardware had legitimate purposes other than copyright infringement), so I agree that they would not have been high-quality titles. They would also have been limited to 4K in size because of the hardware used.

[Wbjayhawk]

HI All,

New to the Forum. I just purchased a Prom Blaster from a local estate sale in my hometown. To be honest, I purchased it purely because of the name, and I make it a point to buy anything that is intriguing that I've never seen before. Reading these old forums, I'm glad I did! I'm not a giant Atari guy, but wanted to share and see if anyone had anything to add? My guess is I'll be selling it at some point, but would like some feedback from anyone in this forum! I tried to post a pic but it wouldn't let me. If anyone can let me know how to share some pics I'd be glad to do so! Thanks!