Billy Mountain

Yeah, I saw that list and a couple databases like it, and none of them have Alf. That's why I wanted to scan and post it *somewhere* just in case. Some of them are really useful hints too. Maybe not so much with Alf, but the one for R-Type taught me things I'd never learn on my own. I'm not a member there, but if anyone here is, feel free to take those scan images and add them to any database you'd like =)

As far as I can tell, these letters from Sega mainly came from game counselors, who would occasionally mail them to people asking for help. Every now and then, I see one as a rare treat inside a SMS game case. They're just folded sheets of normal paper on Sega letterhead. I recently bought a collection with a few of these included, but by far the most interesting was Alf, since it's already a pretty rare game. There are a bunch of databases and lists of these, but I can't find a scan (or even mention) of the letter for Alf anywhere. I'm not a member of any Sega groups so I am posting here. In case this is really the first one ever found/scanned, here are the images. I know it's insignificant to most, but it's still a tiny piece of video game history =)

Nice, so it seems your Pitfall is just like mine then. They must have run out of one of the cart shell halves that day =P

Thanks. I'm really interested to know what's out there, and if there are enough in circulation to build a set. Which ones do you have, if you don't mind me asking?

I found these games a few months back in a lot. There seems to be very little info on 5200 Activision prototype carts, so I thought I would share my find. - All four games were found together in a large 5200 lot I bought on Ebay. When contacted, the seller just said that someone told them they were replacement labels, but they were not the original owners. - The games *seem* to play exactly like the retail versions, but I haven't actually dumped the ROMs. - Kaboom, Pitfall and River Raid have a blank reddish label similar to Activision protos for other systems, with a white typed label stuck on top. Dreadnaught has no label except for the white typed one. - The cartridges don't have a clip at the top like other Activision games. The texturing that you see on retail Activision cartridges isn't on the proto carts, which feel much smoother. The pictures show comparisons between the proto and retail carts. The exception is Pitfall, which has a textured top half and a smooth bottom half. The cartridges also had sticker residue on the back when I got them, so I'm thinking maybe the back had a label or they reused cart shells. - The only one I could safely open was Dreadnaught, which had an EPROM inside. That's the one shown in the pictures. I didn't know about the EPROM UV light thing at the time, but yes, I have since been educated as to why I should have covered the window =) The game was tested after being put back together, and it still plays. Does anybody else have any carts like this, or any more info? I haven't quite decided whether I want to try to get a full set or just keep one or two, because I can't find any other copies anywhere. All I see is one thread from years back here on AA where somebody found three or four.

Thanks for the reply and detailed pic! Now I only wish I could solder... I usually just do straight parts swaps, but now it's getting to where I really need to pick up a set and learn =P

Atari 5200 troubleshooting question here, if someone could please help =) I have a 4-port that was working fine until the other day, when the power started flickering on its own in the middle of a game. Now it will sometimes play a game for a bit, but will rapidly power on and off. The switchbox clicks on and off along with it. The console's LED also sometimes flickers, even if the console remains on steadily. Even if I haven't powered on the console, just plugging in the AC power to the switchbox and connecting to the console is enough to hear the rapid clicking on and off. I replaced the switchbox with a new one. It played 30 seconds of Q-Bert and then started flickering again. Is it because I have the 9.3V (CO18187) power adapter as opposed to the 11.5V one? My understanding was that both were acceptable. Has my 5200 console itself fried somehow?