140 replies to this topic

[Albert]

/images/news/UAGames.jpgAtariAge is proud to unveil the previously unreleased UA Limited prototypes for the Atari 2600, Cat Trax, Funky Fish, and Pleiades. Two of these games (Funky Fish and Pleiades) were based on arcade games of the same name, while Cat Trax is similar to Pac-Man in play.  The Cat Trax binary has been available for some time, but Funky Fish and Pleiades have not been available until now.  In addition to the binaries, we also have boxed reproductions of all three games available in the AtariAge Store, complete with original artwork created by Dave Exton.  A new version of the Atari 2600 emulator z26 has been released specifically at add support for the UA games.

[MegaManFan]

W00t, I say!  W00t and MEGA-w00t!!!!

[Brian R.]

Any explanation for the $35 price tags on these?

[Albert]

Brian R. said:

Any explanation for the $35 price tags on these?

I'm not sure what you mean.  Are you saying the price is too high?  Boxed repro carts typically go for $45 each, this is the cheapest I am aware of that such games have been released at.  It took a lot of time, effort and money to get these games released, in terms of acquiring the prototypes, designing new boards to work with these games (Funky Fish and Pleiades), designing new labels, manuals, and boxes, and having the boxes professionally offset printed.  Plus they are a touch cheaper if you buy all three at once.

..Al

[Inky]

King said:

Who can restrain Pleadies?

[MegaManFan]

Brian R. said:

Any explanation for the $35 price tags on these?

Brian, I don't mean to jump down your throat; but considering the time and complexity of getting these funky-ass bankswitched carts to work as reproductions, let alone the beautiful boxes and manuals that go along with them, $35 is a +BARGAIN+.  If this was anybody but Albert and any site other than AtariAge, they'd be $15 more.

[tearex]

Is this a new type of Bankswitching? I might take a bit of time and add it to the Stella emulator as well, unless the Stella guys already did so.

Is there a description available apart from the z26 source code?

[Godzilla]

YAY! Finally! I shall be buying all three asap!

[Brian R.]

Hey, it's just a question. I was surprised by the price. I've made two orders from the store, four carts total for 2600 and 5200, and I think my individual carts have ranged from $15 to $30. In my mind, once you get over $30, that's when you start wondering if it's really worth it.

[ubersaurus]

Look at it this way-you get to try em before you buy em, and back in the day 30 bucks was the price of a new game. And these could be construed as new games, kinda.
Soon as I get the money to spare, Pleiades will be mine. Nothing can stop this from happening.

[Tempest]

Quote

I've made two orders from the store, four carts total for 2600 and 5200, and I think my individual carts have ranged from $15 to $30

Yes but I'm guessing that those games were just cart only right?  These carts come boxed with instructions (all professionally printed) which costs a lot of money (believe me, I looked into it for something I was going to do).  

Tempest

[MegaManFan]

Brian R. said:

Hey, it's just a question. I was surprised by the price. I've made two orders from the store, four carts total for 2600 and 5200, and I think my individual carts have ranged from $15 to $30. In my mind, once you get over $30, that's when you start wondering if it's really worth it.

And in my opinion, since it comes with box and manual and the other single carts (like you I've bought many from the AA store from $15 - $25 in price) that makes it worth it.  Trust me, you don't want to know what it costs to print up a run of boxes, let alone the time and labor involved in folding and stuffing them.  That's why I have to give Albert a great big huge on this one, ESPECIALLY at this bargain price.

[Mayhem]

Presumably though these are all NTSC only?

[Nathan Strum]

Brian R. said:

In my mind, once you get over $30, that's when you start wondering if it's really worth it.

Something to consider, is that 'back in the day' new games often ran over $35 when they first came out. Some were less, of course, but I don't think $35 is too much for a complete, boxed game at all. Especially one that has never been available before.

[NE146]

FUCK YEAH! I've yet to buy a game from Atariage.. but this is the time. I am all over that PLEADIES action

[Albert]

MayhemUK said:

Presumably though these are all NTSC only?

They are NTSC, however, Thomas Jentzsch has modified two of the games so they are PAL-friendly (even scanline counts), and the third game was already okay.  I do not have a PAL television so I cannot vouch for how they actually look or play on a PAL set.  Maybe Thomas can comment?  

..Al

[CPUWIZ]

Brian R. said:

Hey, it's just a question. I was surprised by the price. I've made two orders from the store, four carts total for 2600 and 5200, and I think my individual carts have ranged from $15 to $30. In my mind, once you get over $30, that's when you start wondering if it's really worth it.

One thing that people always seem to forget about is the fact that unreleased prototypes usually cost you an arm and a leg in the first place. Nevermind the time and effort to reverse engineer an unknown bankswitching method.  

Believe me, you don't want to know how much these cost.  

Second, you should sit down and make a box and then we'll talk about if it's worth the extra cash.  

Needless to say, I will get them all and maybe even pay more for them.  

Two for the Al's for being able to front this kind of cash and the willingness to release a professional looking product.  :!:

[san-d-2000]

looking good, way to go!

[liveinabin]

MayhemUK said:

Presumably though these are all NTSC only?

Well, being the label artist I already have the honour of owning these in finished cart form and they play beautifully on my PAL 2600.  I'm in UK too   The colours even look good, which is odd for an NTSC game running on PAL.

[Xot]

Oh, sure, I plunk down $50 to reserve a copy of Soul Calibur II over the weekend and NOW these come out.  

Seriously though, these are unlimited releases, right? I mean, if you run out you'll just make more, correct? I've been planning to purchase Pleadies since Philly 4, but I just drained my gaming budget. Wanted to be sure I didn't have this problem come August.  

[Albert]

Xot said:

Seriously though, these are unlimited releases, right? I mean, if you run out you'll just make more, correct? I've been planning to purchase Pleadies since Philly 4, but I just drained my gaming budget. Wanted to be sure I didn't have this problem come August.  

There are only so many boxes to go around, so in that sense the boxed run is not unlimited.  However, it'll take some time to go through all the boxes, so I wouldn't be overly concerned.  

..Al

[Xot]

I dunno... I think I better order one post haste to ensure getting a box!!

[King Atari]

SWEET! This is the kinda news that I like to hear!

[Godzilla]

I hope so, I can't order till the middle of the week....

[Xot]

Problem solved, item purchased!

YES!!!