3 x PAL Atari 2600 Activision Prototypes for trade (all working)

[thechallengeofnexar]

Hi, I picked up 3 Activision PAL Proto Label games (all working with typed top labels! which is nice) Pitfall II, Pressure Cooker and Robot Tank.

 

Two have the same front label one has the Activision logo on it twice (Pitfall II) which I think is the gem of these Three.

 

Some provenience is that the original owners friend used to work at Activision UK in Slough, Berkshire (Activision Europe Headquarters), were I found them. He was given them in the late 80s with tons of Activision games (so adds up) Plus I know my labels.

So these games have only been in the hands of Activation staff members and surfaced from his friends cupboard recently. So none of these have ever been sold at auction or traded. .

 

I didn't quiz the owner on the original owners staff name but works as a programmer today but in Java Script or whatever people use these days. I didn't really want to put too much attention on these, he just called them demos and said they might not work as one or two initially had a black screen when he loaded , so he almost didn't want to take my money but I after cleaning they are now all working (so I took a risk on these). oh and I didn't pay him peanuts for them; unless you call £90 ($150 derisory on untested/assume dead games in a lot).

 

I didn't poach them on eBay the seller ended the auction because the consoles and some of the games were non working so was of course he was surprised when I offered £90 afterwards but I’m fair and not greedy, I'm a collector and Atari fan first! trader second. I have a few collectors names that deal in Protos in Europe so these will be up for trade elsewhere. (If I have no luck on here).

 

I would be looking to trade on rare CIB games to collectors (not traders), a PAL CIB Espial would be nice (god that game is hard to find boxed - please revise rarity AA ; ), lab loaners and anything R7+ CIB or loose rare games and I’m willing to split this lot as I would say these have varied values, Pitfall II being the gem for me although the label is slightly faded on that one, the other Two have excellent labels.

 

I'm not a Proto expert but I’ve collected for many years (historically in the thousands) but have slimmed my collection and I’m moving on to other things non Atari so I don't really need these on my shelf but was great to bring them back to life and to hold them (if only for a while). I'd rather these went to a collector that is as happy as I was to find them.

 

I have a figure in my head on trade value and would prefer Private emails to atariattic@hotmail.co.uk unless your just adding info or being helpful. I've sadly noticed Trolls on Atari Age threads (come on guys really?) must of us are knocking on 40. Well I say "Trolls" but people making unhelpful and contrived comments to poach games or to put down other peoples trade offers.

 

I just put up a trade on a BOMB! CIB "Great Escape" and although its not the ultra rare NTSC version (its rare to find complete even in PAL land) - the first response I got was "your no way going to get a CIB miner II" (that's for the person that might have a Spare Miner II and not have a CIB BOMB with mint cart. I consider that unhelpful advise. Not even a Hello! just "your not going to get what your asking!" I didn't even mention condition as I have not with regards to trades on these.

 

It's up to the people offering trades to decide what they are willing to offer not the people that have nothing helpful to contribute. It's not like CIB BOMB (albeit PAL) is Space Invaders so trample on someone else's thread.

 

Although these are Third-Party Protos, Activision pretty much showed Atari up on many games so it's nice to be holding a Pitfall II Proto which was programming a feat thanks to David Cranes Patented DPC (Display Processor Chip) Which I think was the only game that ever used that specific Indexing chip (not extra RAM or ROM carts; for which there are many)

 

(I'll have to get better at Pitfall II to find out if it's the full version so will have the theme no doubt imbedded in my head for the next few days. I'll try not to have a nervous breakdown (or I could turn the volume down) solved!

 

I'm welcoming helpful advice, trades, ROM identification (not sure these are EPROMS) they feel the same weight as standard carts and it's hard to see the ROM differences without opening them up, which I’m not keen to do but I know some of you might be able to identify the ROM without opening.

 

All the games worked although Pitfall II needed a clean but it loaded after a few attempts, Pressure Cooker Seemed to end early but will try and play them all today but could be final versions, i'm not sure but they do have cat log numbers typed onto the top labels. I'm not claiming these are ultra rare but I think they are seldom found. Antony

Edited August 1, 2014 by thechallengeofnexar

[Foxsolo2000]

Are they any different from the released versions or just standard WIPs?

[thechallengeofnexar]

I'm not sure yet, as I need to play them for longer than I have .. I'm leaning towards full versions unless they stop playing (nothing unusual about the graphics) I don't think they are EPROMS (which is a shame) I usually come across Loaners, these are fairly new to me, although I've seen plenty of NTSC Protos on eBay just never U.K PAL examples. So rare I think (lucky to find 3 at once) i'm not sure of value so was just going to see what I get offered in trades. Is nothing of interested perhaps I will eBay them but at 99p so i'm not putting a value on them.

Edited August 1, 2014 by thechallengeofnexar

[Foxsolo2000]

I'm not sure yet, as I need to play them for longer than I have .. I'm leaning towards full versions unless they stop playing (nothing unusual about the graphics) I don't think they are EPROMS (which is a shame) I usually come across Loaners, these are fairly new to me, although I've seen plenty of NTSC Protos on eBay just never U.K PAL examples. So rare I think (lucky to find 3 at once) i'm not sure of value so was just going to see what I get offered in trades. Is nothing of interested perhaps I will eBay them but at 99p so i'm not putting a value on them.

 

Many thanks for information. Good luck in your quest

[thechallengeofnexar]

I know someone that might be able to identify the ROMs but will do some more digging and playing this evening/tomorrow. I'm rubbish as Pitfall II so i'll assume it's the full game unless something strange happens and will test again tomorrow

Edited August 1, 2014 by thechallengeofnexar

[Fr0st]

Wow, never seen those type of protos before, very cool!

[Tempest]

Activision protos are usually the same as the released version 99% of the time. They kept a really tight grip on their WIP stuff.

[Rom Hunter]

Nice find.

 

Especially Pitfall II.

 

[thechallengeofnexar]

Thanks Rom Hunter! the installs JS on pitfall II are from Jeremy Health-Smith who invented the Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider franchise. He was the CEO at CORE Design (Rick Dangerous, Chuck Rock , Dynamite Duke etc... )

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_Design

 

Rick Dangerous was a great and very funny platform game on the Atari ST and various formats and was a very popular game in the UK (I used to love it) - Rick is wearing pitfall Harrys Hat! (they just gave him a gun! for self defence) if you click on the link below you'll see a Pitfall! harry or probably a more Indiana Jones character which might have influenced Pitfall! seeing as the first IJ film came out in 1981.

 

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=atari+rick+dangerous&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=kF_lU7XeF6e60QXl04G4DA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1723&bih=832#q=rick%20dangerous&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Wu2kjOqa4nH3iM%253A%3B0gDmmagm_XBgzM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.simonphipps.com%252Fdesign%252Fimages%252FRickDangerousBoxArt.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.simonphipps.com%252Fdesign%252Frickdangerous.htm%3B256%3B320

 

Jeremy Smith also worked as a managing director for U.S Gold (in the U.k) whom released computer ports of various arcade games by Capcom such as Street Fighter, Final Fight, Street Fighter II, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Mercs and Forgotten Worlds etc..In addition to porting the original Strider, and an original sequel titled "Strider II"

 

So my guess is that he was very fond of Pitfall II and may interview him about his influences on Tomb Raider in person (My friend interviews actors for Blue Ray releases with audio-commentary) but I would like to interview Jeremy based on his time at Activision through to Tomb Raider and what his up to now! I'd like to know his thoughts or indeed input on these later games and his early gaming influences.

 

So the ball is in motion..Dave has the Proto and was very generous with trades (and I tried to do the same) so we are both happy. Although the Activision Loaners are not EPROMS and finished games (I hope!) I'm rubbish at Pitfall II cant get to the balloon stage! grrrr but agree with Tempest these are full games not Protos (just labeled as such )

 

The point of my ramblings is i think it's a very cool thing that a staff member once initialling Activision Loaners went on to be a big shot in modern gaming and a millionaire! whom I think was massively influenced by his time at Activision in the early 80s.

 

I Just noticed Rom Hunter is Indiana Jones. A more versatile Pitfall Harry!

 

Antony

Edited August 9, 2014 by thechallengeofnexar