HaHaHaHaHa Mean 18 HaHaHaHaHa

[Trebor]

Seriously?

 

I thought the whole Tank Command pricing was outrageous. This makes Tank Command seem reasonable:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mean-18-Golf-Atari-7800-NTSC-CIB-Complete-Ultimate-/131255142044?pt=Video_Games&hash=item1e8f6a869c

 

I know someone(s) listed it recently "selling" for $200-250, which is a joke and calling shenanigans on that. Some person(s) are looking to artificially inflate the pricing (on 7800 games).

 

Out of the blue, Mean 18 is suddenly a $400 *USED* boxed title...Hahahahaha.

It may be worth $60-$80 *NEW*. I received mine for $40-45 a couple of years ago.

 

Someone truly buying into this "deal"...Well then...

"There's a sucker born every minute"

 

This needs to tag team with that 'Mario Bros. is worth gold' character who 'auctions' the game at ridiculously high prices on a variety of platforms.

 

P.S. "school_girl_in_a_short_dress" I truly hope you receive what you deserve.

 

[PacManPlus]

That person is notorious for buying games just to flip them for high prices. I would never buy from them.

[AtariBrian]

Edit ... so Schoolgirl has been a member on AA for a few years now I just found out ttp://atariage.com/forums/topic/220918-schoolgirls-ebay-auction/

[Trebor]

Edit ... so Schoolgirl has been a member on AA for a few years now I just found out ttp://atariage.com/forums/topic/220918-schoolgirls-ebay-auction/

Just checked that out too - around since July 2010. I would hate to think they/he/she/it is someone else here using that as an alias.

 

That person is notorious for buying games just to flip them for high prices.

Looking over 'its' "other items" on eBay....yeah...I'll just leave it with my original statement..."school_girl_in_a_short_dress", I truly hope you receive what you deserve.

[+xucaen]

I have given up even trying to buy games for my consoles. People selling at those high prices are trolls.

[Zwackery]

1) Buy cheap PAL Mean 18 CIB.

2) Buy cheap NTSC Mean 18 loose cart.

3) Swap carts.

4) NTSC CIB RARITY!

5) Rinse & repeat.

[Andre81]

1) Buy cheap PAL Mean 18 CIB.

2) Buy cheap NTSC Mean 18 loose cart.

3) Swap carts.

4) NTSC CIB RARITY!

5) Rinse & repeat.

Doesn't work. All 2600 and 7800 games have a different made in on the box for PAL/NTSC. Only exception are the last 2600 red box games.

[+Mitch]

Nope, first party 7800 games use the same manual and box. No difference between NTSC and PAL.

 

Mitch

[Zwackery]

Well how about that Andre81, you learned something new today.

[bojay1997]

Nope, first party 7800 games use the same manual and box. No difference between NTSC and PAL.

 

Mitch

While this is true, isn't the presence of a "New" ribbon on the front of the box a safe way to tell on sealed 7800 games? I don't believe PAL copies ever came this way as every complete and sealed PAL copy I have ever seen of Mean 18 does not have a new ribbon on the front.

[Andre81]

Nope, first party 7800 games use the same manual and box. No difference between NTSC and PAL.

 

Mitch

The NTSC box says "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China" and the PAL box only "Made in China".

[Andre81]

Well how about that Andre81, you learned something new today.

Yes, that 10+ years members here on the board don't know how to identify if a box is NTSC or PAL.

[+Mitch]

The NTSC box says "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China" and the PAL box only "Made in China".

 

I've seen them both ways. It has to do with what year they were printed not what region they were intended for.

 

Mitch

[Andre81]

I've seen them both ways. It has to do with what year they were printed not what region they were intended for.

 

Mitch

No.

[Trebor]

The NTSC box says "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China" and the PAL box only "Made in China".

 

I've seen them both ways. It has to do with what year they were printed not what region they were intended for.

Mitch

 

No.

 

Andre81, are your claiming that Mitch is mistaken and this person selling is being misinformed too?:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ikari-Warriors-from-Atari-for-the-Atari-7800-PAL-New-in-Shrink-Wrapped-Box-/251598882524?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3a947646dc

*NEW* PAL Ikari Warriors - Printed in Hong Kong. Made in China box.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motor-Psycho-from-Atari-for-the-Atari-7800-PAL-New-in-Shrink-Wrapped-Box-/261543225603?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3ce530e903

*NEW* PAL Motor Psycho - Printed in Hong Kong. Made in China box.

 

And look at this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ATARI-7800-MS-PAC-MAN-GAME-IN-FACTORY-SEALED-SHRINKWRAPPED-BOX-NTSC-/251478478209?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item3a8d490d81

*NEW* NTSC Ms. Pac-Man - Printed in Hong Kong (No mention of China at all)

 

And these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tower-Toppler-Cartridge-Atari-7800-New-in-the-Box-NIB-Mint-NTSC-/140953378187?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item20d179dd8b

*NEW* NTSC Tower Toppler - Made in Taiwan / Printed in Taiwan (No mention of Hong Kong or China)

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Winter-Games-Atari-7800-1987-New-in-the-Box-NIB-NTSC-/140953378209?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item20d179dda1

*NEW* NTSC Winter Games - Made in Taiwan / Printed in Taiwan (No mention of Hong Kong or China)

 

Looks like there are a few variations for PAL/NTSC 7800 boxes, huh?

 

Evidently, "the NTSC box says "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China"" would not cover all NTSC boxes. And unless the aforementioned PAL seller is incorrect in their auctions*, the statement, "the PAL box only "Made in China"", does not correctly cover all PAL boxes.

 

Yes, that 10+ years members here on the board don't know how to identify if a box is NTSC or PAL.

 

Actually, Mitch's expertise goes back WAY further than that. His 7800 dedicated web pages were one of the few I recall being around in the earlier days of the 'internet explosion'. In the mid-late 90's it was his 7800 site and Dan Boris' as being a few of the only ones to specialize in the 7800 - especially with such great depths of information. He has at least 20+ years of 7800 research and expertise. Not stating the man is perfect or never wrong, but the evidence appears to back what Mitch is stating and your claim of how PAL / NTSC boxes seems incorrect.

 

*P.S. Just to be clear, the eBay seller has sold PAL games and received positive feedback. He sells NTSC too. So this person obvious knows his inventory well (99.6% positive feedback):

 

[Andre81]

Trebor, my post was about Mean 18 only. The Made in China box is always PAL. The NTSC version also always has the "New" banner. So you can't swap the boxes.

 

We can also discuss every other game if you want. Except very few games it is always possible to distinguish NTSC and PAL boxes.

[bojay1997]

Gotta agree with Andre on this one. Mitch did say "Nope, first party 7800 games use the same manual and box. No difference between NTSC and PAL". Whether you're talking about the "New" ribbon on front or the "Made In" designation on the back, there are many NTSC 7800 games with outer boxes that are unique from the PAL versions.

[Trebor]

Andre81, thanks for now clarifying.

The statement earlier led to believe your stance was that all NTSC boxes and all PAL boxes always stated "Printed In/Made in" only one way for either region.

Nonetheless, whether all Mean 18 PAL boxes "always" state: "Made in China"...Not sure if that can be confirmed or denied, unless evidence appears to make it definitive. For the time being, I will have to take the word of someone who has seen a plethora of the back bottom small print of Mean 18 PAL boxes.

The "NEW" banner for NTSC boxes is a good point though. Nevertheless, not sure if I can confirm or deny all NTSC Mean 18 boxes "always" have the banner. From the NTSC Mean 18 boxes I've seen, it may appear to be the case...

...then again, let's take another NTSC game for example, Tower Toppler...

Here it is NTSC new without the "NEW" banner:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tower-Toppler-Cartridge-Atari-7800-New-in-the-Box-NIB-Mint-NTSC-/140953378187?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item20d179dd8b
Side Note: Another "Made in Taiwan / Printed in Taiwan (No mention of Hong Kong or China)" Again, like the aforementioned posted Winter Games (which also does not contain a NEW banner either).

Here it is NTSC new with the "NEW" banner:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-FACTORY-SEALED-TOWER-TOPPLER-GAME-FOR-ATARI-7800-MINT-CONDITION-NTSC-/160875553042?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item2574ee2112

 

 

Let's look at another, RealSports Baseball...

 

Here it is NTSC new without the "NEW" banner:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Real-Sports-Baseball-for-Atari-7800-NTSC-Version-NEW-/390398488966?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item5ae5903186

 

Here it is NTSC new with the "NEW" banner:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RealSports-Baseball-Atari-7800-New-in-the-BOX-NIB-NTSC-/140954294887?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item20d187da67

 

 

Looking at Planet Smashers now...

 

Here it is NTSC without the "NEW" banner:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Planet-Smashers-game-cartridge-for-ATARI-7800-TESTED-Original-Box-instructions-/130962069550?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item1e7df2982e

[side note: Interesting too, this one has the "Printed in Hong Kong. Made in China" notation on the box]

 

Here it is NTSC with the "NEW" banner:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-FACTORY-SEALED-PLANET-SMASHERS-GAME-FOR-ATARI-7800-MINT-CONDITION-NTSC-/370654334151?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item564cb84cc7

 

 

Now let's take two with "NEW" banners on the front, with yet another variation to the box, focusing on Dark Chambers...

 

Here it is NTSC with "Atari Advantage" seal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dark-Chambers-Complete-Atari-7800-Game-Box-Manual-/151358340996?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item233da8ff84

 

Here it is NTSC without "Atari Advantage" seal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-FACTORY-SEALED-DARK-CHAMBERS-GAME-ATARI-7800-MINT-CONDITION-NTSC-/170903376917?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item27caa29415

 

P.S. I feel sorry for the 7800 collector who insists on having all box variations. That would take my ('borderline') OCD into overdrive...lol.

[Andre81]

Trebor, you are again making the same mistake. All 7800 games with the new banner are NTSC, but not all NTSC games have a new banner.

 

In the case of Mean 18 all NTSC copies are "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China" with a new banner.

 

As you've noticed there are quite a lot of variations (Printed in Taiwan, Printed in Hong Kong, Made in China, ...) and also stickers (Atari advantage, New, Serie Oro).

 

For all those variations it is possible to tell if it is an NTSC or PAL copy. There are only very few exceptions in 1989 and 1990 were Atari got lazy.

[Trebor]

Trebor, you are again making the same mistake. All 7800 games with the new banner are NTSC, but not all NTSC games have a new banner.

 

In the case of Mean 18 all NTSC copies are "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China" with a new banner.

 

 

No mistake being made here. I believe some things posted may have been overlooked.

 

I completely grasp the notion that all 7800 game boxes with the "NEW" banner are NTSC, but not all NTSC 7800 games have a "NEW" banner; the evidence more than proves that.

 

Regarding the statement that "all" NTSC Mean 18 boxes are "always" printed with a "NEW" banner, I already stated:

 

"From the NTSC Mean 18 boxes I've seen, it may appear to be the case..."

 

I cannot state with certainty it is "always" the case for "all" NTSC Mean 18 boxes; on the other hand, without doubt, there are the same NTSC 7800 titles that are printed both with and without the "NEW" banner on their respective boxes.

 

For whatever reason(s), you are certain that "all" NTSC Mean 18 boxes were "always" only printed one way; not only with a "NEW" banner but also stating on the back "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China"; that is understood as well.

 

I have certainly not examined enough ["all"?] NTSC Mean 18 boxes to make such a claim (to the contrary).

[bojay1997]

No mistake being made here. I believe some things posted may have been overlooked.

 

I completely grasp the notion that all 7800 game boxes with the "NEW" banner are NTSC, but not all NTSC 7800 games have a "NEW" banner; the evidence more than proves that.

 

Regarding the statement that "all" NTSC Mean 18 boxes are "always" printed with a "NEW" banner, I already stated:

 

"From the NTSC Mean 18 boxes I've seen, it may appear to be the case..."

 

I cannot state with certainty it is "always" the case for "all" NTSC Mean 18 boxes; on the other hand, without doubt, there are the same NTSC 7800 titles that are printed both with and without the "NEW" banner on their respective boxes.

 

For whatever reason(s), you are certain that "all" NTSC Mean 18 boxes were "always" only printed one way; not only with a "NEW" banner but also stating on the back "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China"; that is understood as well.

 

I have certainly not examined enough ["all"?] NTSC Mean 18 boxes to make such a claim (to the contrary).

I'm sorry, but you're simply confusing things further. Have you ever seen a single Mean 18 NTSC version without the "new" stripe on the front of the box or the Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China? I have not and based on my years of collecting 7800, I feel very comfortable in concluding that Andre is correct. If you have evidence to the contrary, please present it. Otherwise, you're not helping things.

[+GoldenWheels]

Jeez....I have fond memories of playing this game with my grandfather on his PC Jr (with the extra course disks and everything) and since I am not setting up a PC Jr again, I'd hope to get this at an affordable price some day. Guess not.

 

Figures the one bane-of-the-used-game-store sports game I actually want is collectible. I could never justify more than 40-50 for this.

 

edit: OH my--then I go and look at the screen shots of the 7800 version and it's a much prettier version! Huh!

[Trebor]

I'm sorry, but you're simply confusing things further. Have you ever seen a single Mean 18 NTSC version without the "new" stripe on the front of the box or the Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China? I have not and based on my years of collecting 7800, I feel very comfortable in concluding that Andre is correct. If you have evidence to the contrary, please present it. Otherwise, you're not helping things.

 

Sorry if the answer to your question is not already clear. I have provided a statement that answers it and then re-posted it. Here it is for a third time:

 

"From the NTSC Mean 18 boxes I've seen, it may appear to be the case..."

 

Not sure how what was posted is "confusing things further" though. A statement was made that gave the impression that all 7800 boxes for a certain region appeared one way. That was later clarified that the intention was specific to Mean 18 only. Despite there being evidence of many other NTSC titles appearing in boxes in a variety of style, there is a conviction (At least by Andre that you agree with) that all NTSC Mean 18 boxes were only presented one way. Again, all points understood, not a thing is confusing.

 

It's well understood you are "very comfortable in concluding Andre is correct". What is it exactly that's "not helping things" though? A comment earlier was inferred that one could combine a Mean 18 PAL box with a Mean 18 NTSC cartridge and pass it as a complete NTSC Mean 18. You are in agreement with Andre, confident that it cannot be done without realizing the fraud due to the notion that all NTSC Mean 18 boxes were only presented one specific way (Noteworthy too, the fraud would only fail if the buyer(s) were knowledgeable enough and be able to ascertain the distinction(s) as well - Which I do hope they should/would be).

 

Regardless, I'm being honest when I state that I have not examined enough NTSC Mean 18 boxes to know, without doubt, or/and be confident enough to believe, that all of them always have the "NEW" banner and "Printed in Hong Kong/Made in China" on the back. I appreciate Andre's and your conviction and honesty as well.

[Trebor]

Jeez....I have fond memories of playing this game with my grandfather on his PC Jr (with the extra course disks and everything) and since I am not setting up a PC Jr again, I'd hope to get this at an affordable price some day. Guess not.

 

Figures the one bane-of-the-used-game-store sports game I actually want is collectible. I could never justify more than 40-50 for this.

 

edit: OH my--then I go and look at the screen shots of the 7800 version and it's a much prettier version! Huh!

 

My father and I used to play it on an 8088 ("Turbo XT" with switchable 4.77/10 MHz CPU speed modes) in all it's 4 color CGA glory and PC speaker beeps.

We had different 5 1/4" floppies to swap for different courses...The course name 'Augusta' stands out the most in my mind, but there were a few others too.

 

Don't give up hope in owning it on the 7800 at an affordable price - Just be patient.

I have seen within the last year loose copies go for $20-$40 and boxed copies $40-$60...More the reason why "school girl's" listing is a joke.

[+GoldenWheels]

 

My father and I used to play it on an 8088 ("Turbo XT" with switchable 4.77/10 MHz CPU speed modes) in all it's 4 color CGA glory and PC speaker beeps.

We had different 5 1/4" floppies to swap for different courses...The course name 'Augusta' stands out the most in my mind, but there were a few others too.

 

Don't give up hope in owning iton the 7800 - Just be patient.

I have seen within the last year loose copies go for $20-$40 and boxed copies $40-$60...More the reason why "school girl's" listing is a joke.

 

Oh lord. I recall when computers had turbo switches. I also recall all those wonderful bloops and beeps!

 

I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled, loose is A-ok by me....I'm getting into the harder end of the 7800 library now anyway so I should expect this all to get more difficult and expensive.