Ranthulfr

I haven't played it with another person in a long time, but I recall Space Invaders having some fun 2-player options.

My guess is that the dragon's mouth is programmed to zero in on the player. Simply flipping the graphic would result in the dragon attacking with the back of its head. So you would need to flip the sprite, not just the graphic. That would affect how the game tracks the dragon's position, etc. It could be that it was possible to do, but deemed not worth the trouble.

Some televisions (especially smaller ones I'd think) have a headphones jack that could be used as a line out.

I voted for one of the options that were given, although I still like the name "Motorboat Girl".

That sort of makes sense if you're more worried about protecting the cartridge from bumps and scratches than you are about pilferage. I really like Tigervision games... The ones I've played anyway. They have a certain charm. R

As others have indicated, Adventure was as much fun to explore as it was to play with the goal in mind. The game probably stood out more at the time of its release, when almost every other game involved scoring points on a static playfield. Adventure and Superman broke new ground. I don't play it that much nowadays but in a way it is the measuring stick for every new game I try.

Is "Return of the Jedi" supposed to be Ewok Adventure, or Death Star Battle?

Based on Total Fun Provided over the years: 1. Adventure 2. Mountain King 3. Montezuma's Revenge 4. Superman 5. Secret Quest 6. Demon Attack 7. Kaboom! 8. Ms. Pac-Man 9. Pitfall II 10. Space Invaders

Actionauts sounds like a solid, original game concept and I am glad it is seeing the light of day! It is good to know that the only prototype will be made available to a collector. I do think, however, that the limited release of the game in cartridge form would be more appealing if the game was completed! With the famework of the game already done, it seems like the remaining work would involve alot of the fun, creative stuff. Stuff like designing sprites, levels, sounds, etc. I realize it would not be simple, and Mr. Fulop is probably a busy man. Ideally he would be the one to complete the game... But if he doesn't have time, maybe he could turn the code over to one of the proven programmers that frequent this web site? Mozart's final masterpiece was completed by one of his pupils! A cartidge of the half-finished game would be a nice collector's item. But the release of a finished game could be a really special event. Anyway, much thanks to Mr. Fulop for his recent efforts and for his past contributions to the 2600 library! Regards, Randy

Emulation is a convenient tool but it feels sterile compared to using the original hardware. Completely switch..? Bah!

It sounds like you need a new goal to revive you interest. Try writing a review of a game you haven't thoroughly played yet. Or map out a game that hasn't been mapped yet. Explore some detail of the Atari 2600 world that interests you and share what you find.

If you are a Mountain King fan then check out these commercials that some kind soul posted here on Gamespot. It looks like one might be the storyboard mock-up for the other one. I was surprised to find a commercial for this game online. The only sad part is that they didn't use the 2600 version for the screen shots... But I guess you can't have everything.

The programmers figured there was no need to bounds-check the player's motion to ensure that it wouldn't go off the top of the screen since there was no way for the player to get up that high. In practice, it is possible to get up that high; doing so will result in the game taking data from areas of memory outside the map area and interpreting them as map data. I agree that some of the bizarre features could be the result of a data mix-up, but there are indications that the hidden area is deliberate... The way in seems too convenient to be there by chance. And the 5200 version supposedly has an easter egg (programming credits) hidden around the spider's lair. To me, the upper region looks like a bonus stage that went unfinished for some reason. Or at least, that's the explanation that I find most appealing.

What was the original purpose behind Mountain King's "hidden" upper region? Screen Shots What lies in Mountain King's far upper region (above the area mapped here)? What does it look like?

Hey, those Imagic posters are great. Thanks for the visual!

Thanks for the responses. So far we have: 1. Each of the 3 Swordquest games came with a poster / contest entry form. 2. Many red-label cartridges came with a poster / catalog. 3. A Phoenix poster was offered through the Atari Age club. 4. Mario Brothers came with a poster / manual. (Anyone know more about this?) 5. The Atari club sent out poster / newsletters in the UK. I have also learned that: 6. There was an official Atari Age poster available through the club for about 4 bucks. 7. At one point you received a Pole Position poster if you ordered the game through the club. 8. The Imagic club offered to send you a game poster when you joined. There were several to choose from. Anything else?

Which Atari 2600 games shipped with some kind of displayable poster? Any info would be appreciated.

Can anyone recommend a podcast that discusses the Atari 2600 (or pre-1990 video games in general) on a regular basis? Thanks in advance.

Oh and Secret Quest introduces new enemies as the game progresses. Can't remember if there's a new one on every level (eh... not to mention I haven't worked through every level). R

I like both games for different reasons. I don't think it's nostalgia exactly, but to me, the the fact that Adventure was one of the earlier games does make it more impressive. The free-form (or non-linear, as someone called it) nature of the game was very appealing. There hasn't been another 2600 game quite like it, aside from homebrews and hacks. Superman is the closest thing I can think of. And the "easter-egg" in Adventure added another level of interest to the game. The elements that keep Secret Quest interesting are the new weapon/power-up on each level and the desire to complete the game. The music gives it a Metroid kind of mood and frankly I like the graphics. Especially the little spud-creatures. R

How about Blueprint Plaza or Othello Park?

The cartridge will look better sitting on a shelf beside Fireworld if it doesn't have a condensation ring on the label.

An open-ended photo contest might get a decent level of participation. Anything Atari-related like label close-ups, cartridge sculptures, pictures of rare items, etc, could be fair game.

Nice work on the map!

These AtariAge contests are awesome and this game looks great. But it seems to me that more people would participate if this was strictly an art/illustration contest. In other words I think the technical requirements of laying out front and end labels might discourage some people from submitting artwork. And while graphics software can produce some nice results I wouldn't mind seeing an old-school painting make it onto a label sometime. If nothing else it might add to the retro feel of the game.