Atari 2600 "Red sea crossing" Real or fake

[Andromeda Stardust]

I got the rom somewhere, but it's one of those game that the happenings on the screen seem kinda random. I'm not ready to dismiss it as just another crappy, barely playable game yet.

You referring to Red Sea Crossing, or Air Raid, being barely playable?

 

There's 3 "grails" for Atari, Pepsi Invaders / Coke Wins, Air Raid, and Red Sea Crossing. Pepsi Invaders is the best playing game. I've tried to play Air Raid but as I mentioned earlier, it rolls slowly on my bedroom CRT.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I'd get an Air Raid repro too if it didn't make my bedroom CRT roll.

Are you sure it rolls? I would have expected that, even for a repo, the worst bugs are fixed.

[CPUWIZ]

Air Raid has too many scan lines, it rolls on my TV as well.

[Supergun]

Only 3 grails?

Your several cans short of a 6 pack.

In fact, break out the case.

Your way off my friend!

[Andromeda Stardust]

Only 3 grails?

Your several cans short of a 6 pack.

In fact, break out the case.

Your way off my friend!

Judging by production, these are some of the rarest Atari games I've heard of, not counting modern homebrew.

 

2x Red sea Crossing known to exist. Production numbers unknown.

25x Air Raid (production run). Several loose, 2x CIB known to exist.

125x Pepsi Invaders / Coke Wins

 

The number of copies of Pepsi Invaders / Coke Wins is on par with the combined totals given out for NWC gray (90) and gold (27), often considered the holy grail not just of NES, but of all of video game collecting. Loose Stadium Events (~200 rumored sold) enjoyed a brief stint where it hit 5 figures, partly due to the fact it is required to complete a "licensed set", but appears to be on a downward trend now.

 

The vast majority of back in the day Atari games, even mail orders, unlicensed, or obscure pirates, were far more common. Sure there might be a few more unknowns yet to come out of the works, excluding prototypes.

[+stupus]

Only 3 grails?

Your several cans short of a 6 pack.

In fact, break out the case.

Your way off my friend!

This is exactly what I was thinking.

 

And there are a few games more rare than pepsi invaders....extra terrestrials, gamma attack, birthday mania, gauntlet and cat trax to quickly name a few...

[+KaeruYojimbo]

Birthday Mania - 1 known copy, 10-15 produced.

 

The Extraterrestrials - 2 known copies (?)

 

Atlantis II - Don't know the numbers off hand. High single digits?

 

MagiCard, Video Life - Also probably high single digits.

 

Someone will probably post better numbers, but you get the idea.

[Supergun]

Firstly, there are technically 4 upper echelon "holy grails" among the "released" games for the Atari 2600, and Pepsi Invaders isn't even among them, and you failed to mention the others.

 

Birthday Mania, by far the leader of the pack, has ONE (as in ONE) known copy.

 

Red Sea Crossing has 2 known copies.

 

Gamma Attack has 2 known copies.

 

Extra Terrestrials has 4 known copies.

 

Then, come the next level of holy grails such as Gauntlet, Air Raid, Video Life, Magicard, etc.

 

And games like Pepsi Invaders, Atlantis 2, monogrammed Space Chase, Polo, Cubicolor, Off Your Rocker, etc. are "holy grails" as well, but NOT official releases.

 

So your completely off on your assessments here. There's too many "NintendoAge era" younger & ignorant people who think Stadium Events or Nintendo World Championship Carts are the most rare & most elite cartridges in the entire history of the world of video games. All they ever want to do is downplay & piss on Atari.

[Rom Hunter]

Holy Grail (3 or less copies known to exist) originals:
http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-2600-vcs-p_total-page-step-cartridgerarity-original_21-1-25-10-1_2_G.html

Please let me know (in detail) if any of these titles have more then 3 copies known to exist, and I will correct it.

 

Edited June 19, 2016 by Rom Hunter

[Shawn]

Firstly, there are technically 4 upper echelon "holy grails" among the "released" games for the Atari 2600, and Pepsi Invaders isn't even among them, and you failed to mention the others.

 

Birthday Mania, by far the leader of the pack, has ONE (as in ONE) known copy.

 

Red Sea Crossing has 2 known copies.

 

Gamma Attack has 2 known copies.

 

Extra Terrestrials has 4 known copies.

 

Then, come the next level of holy grails such as Gauntlet, Air Raid, Video Life, Magicard, etc.

 

And games like Pepsi Invaders, Atlantis 2, monogrammed Space Chase, Polo, Cubicolor, Off Your Rocker, etc. are "holy grails" as well, but NOT official releases.

 

So your completely off on your assessments here. There's too many "NintendoAge era" younger & ignorant people who think Stadium Events or Nintendo World Championship Carts are the most rare & most elite cartridges in the entire history of the world of video games. All they ever want to do is downplay & piss on Atari.

 

Never knew there was a second gamma attack cart. I thought there was the one that phantom had and eventually sold.

[sperry1020]

I apologize if this is the wrong place for this...however I believe i may have an Atlantis II game. It is still sealed...any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[+stupus]

What on earth makes you think this is Atlantis 2?

It does not have the Atlantis 2 sticker on the front of the box and it is sealed with a price tag...and Atlantis 2 wasn't sold in stores?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

But any sealed Atlantis could be Atlantis II.

 

I those were ever sealed...

 

BTW: Is that a price tag on one of the tiny pictures?

[sperry1020]

Because the only image that comes up for the ROM Is THAT in fact image. It's the world "new' that tells it. The cartridge itself is the same as Atlantis. NOT The box.

They were mailed sealed...the seal is down the back as usual.

The main sticker was removed.

 

Haha and yes that is a tiny sticker in the corner. I believe it was resold at some type of flea market. Not in a store. $6 was low even then.

 

eta: at least this is what I have read on forums. I am not an expert...I asked for help.

Edited June 27, 2016 by sperry1020

[+stupus]

I still don't understand what leads you to think that this is anything other than a standard copy of Atlantis sealed?

 

Unless you have the Atlantis 2 sticker that came off or you were in contest yourself.

 

Also the Atlantis 2 sticker is right on the actual box. So how would yours come off from under shrinkwrap. Also the presence of a price tag makes no sense.

And I don't believe the word new before Atlantis gives any indication that it would be 2. Standard versions had a few different box types.

 

We're do you find info that the contest copies were sealed.

 

They look like this:

 

[sperry1020]

So in the pic you included the word "new" is next to the Atlantis. I have yet to find evidence it came sealed but yet to find evidence it didn't. I'm aware the CARTRIDGE itself should look the same as a regular Atlantis. But I haven't found any other Atlantis standard box images with the word new there...I'm guess I'm looking for someone to validate that. I legit have no idea. I am not trying to waste anyone's time.

[CPUWIZ]

Not A2, I have had several with the word NEW.

 

EDIT: since A2 was never sealed, it won't hurt opening it and checking the score display.

[+stupus]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

If it is anyway an a2 it would have to be a reseal that is missing the sticker.

You may as well open and verify it if you think for some reason it is an a2.

 

And while maybe all the a2 boxes say new (I don't know this, but I believe the new box was a later release so that would make some sense) in no way does the new mean it only is an a2.

Here is 1 with the new box on ebay:

 

http://m.ebay.com/itm/291656487920?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&_mwBanner=1

 

I believe I have 1 too. It's common to see.

[lazzeri]

So in the pic you included the word "new" is next to the Atlantis. I have yet to find evidence it came sealed but yet to find evidence it didn't. I'm aware the CARTRIDGE itself should look the same as a regular Atlantis. But I haven't found any other Atlantis standard box images with the word new there...I'm guess I'm looking for someone to validate that. I legit have no idea. I am not trying to waste anyone's time.

 

Hi Sperry,

 

Hope this helps. I´ve got three Atlantis, two of them with "new". All of them were played. None of them is Atlantis II, unfortunately.

 

The one WITHOUT "new" is an european, PAL version. The two with "new" are standard american versions.

 

I guess it is pretty safe to assume yours is just like those two of mine. Too bad for us, right?

 

Edited June 27, 2016 by lazzeri

[lazzeri]

So in the pic you included the word "new" is next to the Atlantis. I have yet to find evidence it came sealed but yet to find evidence it didn't. I'm aware the CARTRIDGE itself should look the same as a regular Atlantis. But I haven't found any other Atlantis standard box images with the word new there...I'm guess I'm looking for someone to validate that. I legit have no idea. I am not trying to waste anyone's time.

 

Once more: Feel free to check here in this very site we´re in: Click on "Atari 2600" and then search for "Atlantis".

 

Here´s what you´ll find: There are THREE different boxes for the normal, regular Atlantis (let´s call it "Atlantis I", OK?)

 

Atlantis I, saying "Atlantis" with a DAYLIGHT scene and a SILVER box: http://atariage.com/box_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=10&BoxStyleID=14

Atlantis I, saying "NEW Atlantis", with a NIGHT scene and a SILVER box: http://atariage.com/box_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=1040&BoxStyleID=14

Atlantis I, saying "Atantis" with a DAYLIGHT scene and a BLACK box: http://atariage.com/box_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=991&BoxStyleID=15

 

And then there´s Atlantis II. It is a Atlantis I with NIGHT scene and a sticker on it: http://atariage.com/box_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=1037&BoxStyleID=14

 

I don´t know if you´re familiar with the story of Atlantis II. The manufacturer just picked a regular Atlantis box, put a sticker on it, changed the game inside and sent for a handfull of contest winners. So that´s why it looks like a messy job - it actually is!

 

Hope it helped.

[Andromeda Stardust]

And games like Pepsi Invaders, Atlantis 2, monogrammed Space Chase, Polo, Cubicolor, Off Your Rocker, etc. are "holy grails" as well, but NOT official releases.

 

So your completely off on your assessments here. There's too many "NintendoAge era" younger & ignorant people who think Stadium Events or Nintendo World Championship Carts are the most rare & most elite cartridges in the entire history of the world of video games. All they ever want to do is downplay & piss on Atari.

How is Pepsi Invaders not an "official" product when it came from Atari themselves?

 

Also I take offense to your "NintendoAge era" demographic which I am a part of. I will say this however, there are probably ten hardcore NES collectors for every hardcore Atari collector out there, so that at least explains why Stadium Events or NWC are worth more loose compared to an Air Raid.

 

Rarity does not necessarily equate desirabilty. Looking at historical significance, I would rank NWC Gold as the most desirable "grail" in existence. Pepsi Invaders probably comes in second. Just because an item is exceedingly rare, if it is also shit, then that detracts the value.

 

Actual market value is the product of several variables:

1 - Rarity

2 - Condition

3 - Desirability

4 - Notariety

 

So for instance Pepsi Invaders (125 given away to executives) or NWC (117 (90 gray + 27 gold) given away to the public as prizes, possibly more owned by former Nintendo employees) are very high on the notoriety and desirability scale, despite having more copies floating about in the wild than say Red Sea Crossing or Birthday Mania.

 

Air Raid is well known only because of the infamous blue T-handle. Stadium Events is wanted by "Elite" Nintendo collectors simply because it is considered part of the "licensed" set, and required collecting fodder if you want a certain coveted badge on NintendoAge. ten grand is a fairly large chunk of money to pay for the privilege of collecting an icon on a Nintendo collecting forum. If you simply want to play it, World Class Track Meet is far far cheaper.

 

And then there´s Atlantis II. It is a Atlantis I with NIGHT scene and a sticker on it: http://atariage.com/box_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=1037&BoxStyleID=14

 

I don´t know if you´re familiar with the story of Atlantis II. The manufacturer just picked a regular Atlantis box, put a sticker on it, changed the game inside and sent for a handfull of contest winners. So that´s why it looks like a messy job - it actually is!

 

Hope it helped.

Could it be the reason Atlantis II is so rare is because it looks identical to an Atlantis I (no sticker on the actual CART) so a lot of casual collector/gamers might have a copy of Atlantis and not even know that it is the rare Atlantis II version? How many Atlantis IIs were actually sent out?

[+stupus]

Quite simply pepsi invaders is not an official release because it never was released.

It was a private project never available to the public.

Space invaders is the official release and pepsi invaders is an unreleased clone of it.

 

I think it's believed that 93 Atlantis 2 games were sent out. So it's rare because of that, not that people are sitting on ones they don't know they have.

[+KaeruYojimbo]

Holy Grail (3 or less copies known to exist) originals:

http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-2600-vcs-p_total-page-step-cartridgerarity-original_21-1-25-10-1_2_G.html

 

Please let me know (in detail) if any of these titles have more then 3 copies known to exist, and I will correct it.

 

 

Out of curiosity, why is 3 the cut-off for grail status?

[Rom Hunter]

 

Out of curiosity, why is 3 the cut-off for grail status?

 

I had to draw the line somewhere.

 

Only 1 known to exist would be even more fitting, but then the list would be very short.

 

Rarity is constantly changing and therefore often outdated, so I never bothered to rate all the games in our database (one of the reasons AtariBoxed was formed).

 

But I wanted our visitors to be able to see a list of the rarest VCS games, so I came up with the Holy Grail status many years ago.

 

Edited June 28, 2016 by Rom Hunter

[Andromeda Stardust]

Quite simply pepsi invaders is not an official release because it never was released.

It was a private project never available to the public.

Space invaders is the official release and pepsi invaders is an unreleased clone of it.

 

I think it's believed that 93 Atlantis 2 games were sent out. So it's rare because of that, not that people are sitting on ones they don't know they have.

Pepsi invaders and Atlantis II both have an issue that you cannot tell what they are by looking at them. Pepsi Invaders could be a dirt common cart with label missing by looking at it. Some may even have gotten chunked by game shops or collectors as damaged goods. Atlantis II looks exactly like Atlantis I so unless there's something spectacular on the title screen that identifies this cart as something extraordinary, most casual gamers, if they happen to come across one, would happily play it as is thinking it was just Atlantis, never knowing what they had was a rare unicorn. At least if you plug Pepsi Invaders into a console, you immediately know what it is. But for both these titles, the inability to identify one in the wild will greatly hinder their discovery by resellers or collectors.