BIGHMW

Cooking up some ham slices on my George Foreman Grill, posting this up as I do and digging a little deeper into my 5200 ROMs including Scramble, and another one of my newest ones, Bosconian. I hope it will come out on cartridge for those of you who prefer physical media, maybe @Albert might take that up, just like he did with Scramble, who knows. That and turning on my home theater system (and the Roku box) after I post this watching (and listening in the background) "Take 5" in which is an interactive version of KING 5 News at 4:00, followed by KING 5 News at 5:00.

Well, since we are near the peak of this lethal coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, I was wondering how my fellow 5200 owners are dealing with it and this "new normal" of self-isolation. I know one thing, after finally reacquiring (and receiving last night in the mail) my Atarimax Ultimate SD multicart and downloading some new ROMs, including the all-new Yar's Strike, I am beginning to rediscover just how great Big Sexy truly is!!! I missed playing her after having to sell my original multicart early last year, but since I have worked at Safeway for over a year I could finally afford to get it again. My 5200 once again has a purpose in my home entertainment system, in which celebrates 6 decades of technology (60s-10s). I know how you can deal with it, so 3 bits of advice: If you've got a home theater system (VCR, DVD, MP4 player, Roku Ultra), put something on it and watch it. If you've got a home arcade system (Flashback 9 and a 5200), put something on it and play it. If you've got a home stereo system (8-track, cassette, vinyl, CD, MiniDisc, iPhone 5), put something on it and listen to it. THAT is how we will all get through this, that and listening to our governors (mine here is Jay Inslee - D - WA) and the CDC and going by our "stay home, stay safe" mandates.

I played it on my (current, 2-port RF version) 5200 this morning, and I'll soon get better at it as soon as I get back in "game shape" (mentally). This is an awesome port that was 4 years in the making after I called for one, being so frustrated at the fact that we had both the magnificent Tempest and also the 5200/8-bit version of Qix, but never this. Even @Thelen would be proud of both you and it too!!! Never did he envision his contest project from over 10 years ago in 2009 for the 8-bit lineup would look as great as this one does, THANKS @playsoft!!! For all of you to enjoy, and I will be giving my review later on this week. I'll probably even post one up (a video version) later on on my BIGHMW TV YouTube channel and maybe even introduce a new playlist/miniseries on that channel where I review both 2600 and 5200 ports. GAME ON!!! For those of you who missed it, here once again is @playsoft's masterpiece for all of us to enjoy!!!:) Let's make @playsoft proud and break Cindy Margolis' record for downloads (or at least try to)!!! Yar's Strike.bin

Hey Paul @playsoft, thank you once again for making my wish for a 5200 version of Yars' Revenge happen, with that awesome port of Yar's Strike, indeed well worth the 4-year wait since I started that thread based on a simple idea which was based on another port, and I absolutely love the WIP of Galaga, we can't wait for the finished product to come out hopefully soon, maybe you'll get around to finishing it as well as maybe porting Dr. Mario for Big Sexy as well, 8-bit gamers had enjoyed it for years how about if we get to join in too!!! Goodnight for now, a speedy recovery for the Prime Minister, and I will be playing Yar's Strike on my newly-re-acquired Atarimax multicart when I wake up tomorrow morning, and as a matter of fact, I will also get a hold of whoever does the Atari 5200 Super-Podcast to review your work, tell him about both you and your work, and also I will be doing something a little out of the norm for my fledgling BIGHMW TV YouTube channel and give everyone MY OWN review of your awesome port of Yar's Strike as well. You can find my YouTube channel, in which you'll find all sorts of great content, including many clips and highlights of my past concerts, both as The Heavy Metal Warrior with my old NYHC-style hardcore thrash band S.M.F. (1994-2002), as well as my (current) solo days as rapper AK47, as well as other various videos and also my famous lineup of various different miniseries (like "Ray's Rants", "Loyalty To Royalty", and "What's In The Closet?" among them) at http://www.YouTube.com/BIGHMWOfficial

AWESOME JOB BRO!!! THANK YOU for answering my call for a Yars' Revenge for Big Sexy!!! Atari 2600, YOU'RE (almost) HISTORY!!! @playsoft I have to thank you for doing this, but now I've got to get to work, I DO need the $$$ to get the A/V-modded 5200 and during the COVID-19 outbreak my job (Safeway) is open to serve all of you and keep a roof over my head too!!! Qix, Tempest, and this, were my trifecta of must haves that would make this system stand out!!! Now to get an A/V=modded 5200 to solve the color bleed of some of the Atari ports on my multicart but finally the circle is now complete!!!

Thanks! Then I will re-acquire the Harmony Encore cart that I used to use on the 2600 adapter on my 5200, besides I grew tired of the fact I couldn't use any of my original Atari controllers on the Flashback, especially my CX80 Trak-ball or any paddles, Harmony Encore I'm comin' home!!!

I just tried 3 times to download it and it will not work on my Flashback 9, hardware issue or will it just not read or work??? Thanks, Ray

I was actually referring to what MY CX53 trak-ball was like, none of the action buttons on mine work, sorry I failed to mention that.

What about the bubble contacts for the firing buttons and contacts that won't work with the buttons (start/pause/reset or numeric/*/# keys won't work either)???

Thanks, Yars' Strike is basically someone's rendition of the 2600 classic Yars' Revenge on the 8-bit platform that I have been frustrated about for years not being able to enjoy on the 5200 and with all the 8-bit/XL/XE conversions that have been made possible for us 5200 owners over the years to enjoy you would think this would be a piece of cake considering how easy it is (though beyond my realm) to convert the codes. This game would make my 5200 lineup complete as IMO THE three dealmakers/breakers for most of us who have almost everything would be Qix, Tempest, and Yars' Revenge/Strike. Qix is not available on the 2600, Tempest needs some serious work although there are some playable mods of it I also have ROMs of, and Yars' Revenge is the only one, so, the 2600 is out, and I if it had to come to only one unit to have it would be Big Sexy herself. Thanks.

downloaded it already thanks!!!

Well, since somebody on this thread knows a bit about 8-bit-to-5200 conversions how about doing THIS ONE (Yars' Strike, as done on the 8-bit) that I have been waiting for almost 4 years to see it for my 5200 in the same way as the 8-bit version. I've always wanted to play this on my 5200 rather than the 2600 or my Flashback 9, this would join Qix and Tempest as a truly fully complete collection for the 5200 (2600/Flashback does not have Qix and Tempest on it needs improvement) Yars_strike.zip

I still need to get a hold of him to work on my CX53 trak-ball so I can really enjoy my 5200 once I get back to it after my Atarimax SD multicart comes in (my second one, I sold my original due to unemployment at the time), and I already have a Galaga demo and Bosconian ready to spill onto my SD card I still have from that previous one once I do get it. I would also love to learn how to use the trak-ball for Tempest too, as the joystick is a little too sensitive for me, I hope it's as easy as the old rotary control was on the coin-op arcade version.

I have picked up another Atarimax SD multicart (remember I sold my previous one last year due to unemployment back then) and have downloaded Galaga and can't wait to try it once I get the multicart, as I already have the SD card from the previous unit.

We're looking forward to seeing your work 😊

3 bits of advice, in which all of us here on this forum have already taken, especially as our Governor Jay Inslee (D - WA) has issued a 2-week-long stay-at-home, stay-safe order banning all gathering and limiting travel (except for grocery store, gas stations, pharmacy, banks, state offices). I work at the local Safeway here in Port Townsend (store 538) and therefore am exempt but only to go to and from work, but here are the 3 bits of advice for the rest of you: If you've got a home theater system, put something on it and watch it. If you've got a home arcade system (and many of us own more than one unit), put something on it and play it. If you've got a home stereo system, put something on it and listen to it. STAY SAFE, STAY INDOORS and please for the sake of your loved ones, stay at least 6 feet away from each other!!!

Will it work on my Flashback 9??? BRILLIANT!!! THAT'S the way we should treat this medical disaster, at least in our world, nicely done!!!

Does it have that famous Game 1 of the 1988 World Series between my Dodgers and the A's where Kirk Gibson (of the Dodgers) sends Dennis Ekersley's (A's) 3-2 backdoor slider into the right field seats??? .....and on TWO bad legs at that!!! (bad left hammy AND a swollen right knee) GO BLUE!!!

You know THIS forum could be perfect to introduce us to some new WIPs and finished homebrews for those of us who want to try them out while we're sheltered during this pandemic, so I hope @Albert won't mind if we use this forum for games for all systems even though this thread originated in the Atari 2600 subforum, so I hope it'd be OK with him. 😉

I reached 12,400 points on Chaotic Grill! this afternoon and left one pepper on the table (should've used it!), but went out for a drive (solo) and now I'm now watching KING 5 News keeping myself informed about COVID-19 before I hit my work at Safeway (I work 7-10 pm weeknights cleaning the cutting room in the meat department so they're ready for first thing the next morning), we're usually open 24/7 but we are closing our doors from 1-5 am nightly for cleaning and/or sanitizing and might even be utilizing a new set of hours exclusively for seniors, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems, that could go into effect as early as this week. But here at home at BIGHMW.com Headquarters in Port Townsend I have plenty of Chunky Soup still left from the sale where they were only $1.25 each provided you buy at least 4 so I'm doing fine for now.

That makes me want to fire up my Flashback 9 and play Chaotic Grill!, as that seems to (along with Pac-Man 4K and Space Rocks) be my current favorite homebrew at this time, so I'll make @splendidnut proud and do that after I take a quick shower (5 minutes just to keep myself up), and then it's GAME ON! after that.

That'll work.

Thanks @Shawn, but there isn't one specific post that is related to Atari and how our gaming systems are helping us cope with this pandemic, but yes, thank you for posting up that link. GAME ON!!! But believe me it will soon be "GAME OVER" when it comes to COVID-19, as I believe that this is just like a mere storm cloud that will pass by us and we'll never hear from it again and we'll all be talking about it a few years from now for mere nostalgic reasons, just like West Nile Virus and also SARS before it, in which also went away, never to be heard from again, it's only temporary. It'll be gone before you know it.

Now we all know how much the coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting us but how are YOU dealing with it??? As Atarians, we can rely on our arcade systems to keep us occupied during this massive health crisis, I am proud to own a 5200 and also a Flashback 9 to keep me occupied as a (now-vital) part of my home entertainment system, as my system consists of several audio and video components, with more than 6 decades of technology in which are being represented, hooked up to both a Sony STR-DH190 home stereo receiver and also a Sony STR-DH590 home theater receiver with an Insignia 39" HDTV hooked up to all of it. For more details on how to deal with it, you can read my suggestions on my official BIGHMW Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/BIGHMW) and also whatever health-related sites where you can find ideas and suggestions to deal with this that much more, but like I have been saying for the past 4 days, WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS!!! As long as we remain calm, cool, composed and collected we'll be OK. This virus lives off of, feeds off of, and thrives off of paranoia, fear, and panic, if we don't panic, we won't get it, if we remain calm, we won't get it, if we don't fear it, we won't get it. (note to @Albert: you have my permission to pin this and also spread it (no pun intended) to the other system subforums like those for the 5200, 7800 and Flashback and other subforums as well) WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS!!! GAME ON!!! Ray Jackson AtariAge user ID: BIGHMW

For most games (except Tempest, Centipede and other "multi-speed" games) I use a stock 7800 (CX24) stick with Redemption 5200 that AtariAge and Pixels Past came up with years ago (I bought it as a set of 2 of them I used to have along with 2 of the 2600 versions) It works far better on games like Pac-Man in which sparked the complaint bandwagon on the stock joysticks as they are 360-degree analog (dual-pot)-based BTW, if you get the 7800-compatible Redemption, you will also be able to use 2600 sticks as well because the 7800 and 2600 controllers have the same 9-pin wiring configurations in which will work on both the 2600 and 7800.