[cooperative games?]

Great replies.

 

I think Centipede and Asteroids in cooperative mode are two of the most fun games out there.

 

And Inky's suggestion of playing Robotron with two players (one moving and one firing) is a lot of fun as well.

[2600 at summer camp]

I've been working at a summer camp this June, and it is interesting to see the kids choose games for the various consoles during game-time. The N64 is the most popular console by far. But the Atari has gotten a lot of visitors as well. For the 2600, the most popular games have been:

 

Kaboom

Pitfall

Home Run

Outlaw

Slot Racers

Jungle Hunt

Fishing Derby

Bowling

Freeway

and Montezuma's Revenge.

 

Thought this post might make a lot of old timers smile and remember childhood days spent playing the games listed above. I know I spent a lot of time on Pitfall, Jungle Hunt, and Home Run when I was a kid.

[Some 8-bit Repro Carts For Sale]

Are any Jr. Pac-Man carts still available?

[Tech question-Sears Video Arcade II]

Thanks A. J.

 

I think it probably is the ICs or a voltage regulator creating the heat, because the lights are indeed LEDs.

 

I'll take it to an electrician/amp/guitar maker that I know. He understands resitors and voltage regulators quite well and can probably estimate if the heat is a problem. I doubt it is a problem since I've never heard any complaints or stories about overheating Sears consoles.

 

The lights are a nice touch. You can easily see what switches are on or off. The only bad thing about a Sears VAII is that the black and white switch is on the bottom and back of the console, so for later games that use it for a pause or a control it is out of reach. But the console is quite interesting. It looks like a 7800, but has a much wider cartridge slot, and according to the bottom label, it was actually made in America by Atari. I thought at that late date, all of Atari's production had been moved overseas.

[Tech question-Sears Video Arcade II]

Thanks for the reply!

 

I think they are supposed to be LEDs, but they seem to create a lot of heat while an LED is supposed to be cool, isn't it?

 

I'll try to figure out all the numbers you mentioned and see what's up under the hood.

 

It certainly does create a cool look, however, with all the little lights. But the heat does concern me still . . .

[Best printer and stickers for label making]

You might try asking Lance at Video 61 as well. I own a few of their 8-bit and 7800 homebrews

and they have another type of label. It's not shiny like Albert's, but it does seem to hold up.

I haven't handled them as much as my Atari Age homebrews, so I'm not sure if they would

hold up for as long as Albert's, but you could call Video 61 and ask Lance. He's very friendly.

 

EDIT: The games I bought from Video 61 were not homebrews, but rather prototypes and reproductions. I hope I didn't cause any confusion.

One of them was Combat 1990 for the 7800, which is probably a prototype since it was finished in 1990 but never released. I wish that the

guy who did Combat 1990 would create some new homebrews for the 7800, as he had some good ideas and skills. Does anyone know him?

[Tech question-Sears Video Arcade II]

I noticed that the lights on the front of the SVAII console get quite hot when playing for a time.

 

Is there a risk that this will cause any damage to the console or the cartridges?

[sears video arcade II]

What 2600 homebrews won't work on your 7800? Probably some

of the newer ones that I do not have?

 

Most of my 2600 homebrews work better, in terms of the picture quality, on my 7800.

 

SeaWolf looks amazing on my 7800. The only one that shows no difference is Climber 5.

It looks great on both the 2600 and the 7800. All the others have a lot of interference lines

on the 2600, but not on the 7800.

 

My 2600 consoles must have bad shielding in the console, or in the cords.

[sears video arcade II]

This weekend I tried a Sega Genesis ac adapter (10V)

with the Sears Video Arcade II

and it works quite well.

 

I found one at a local used game shop

(and also saw some online at a few classic game shops

plus ebay).

 

I don't have any original Sears controllers, however.

I've been using standard 2600 sticks

plus 7800 joypads.

[Which major console has the best downloadable content for classic gamers?]

I voted x-box 360 because when I think of classic games, I think of arcade games. And I love the arcade games that are available on the x-box 360 downloads (plus the new ones like geometry wars that have an old school style to them).

[Any love for Odyssey2 system?]

I also love the O2.

 

The homebrew game KTAA (Kill the Attacking Aliens) gets a lot of time at my house, as well as K.C.'s Crazy Chase and Smithereens when friends come over.

 

I've heard Killer Bees is a great game, but have yet to aquire it. Hopefully later this summer.

[Odyssey 2 High Score Thread]

I second the motion. It really would be a lot easier to find, and would get more visitors.

[Favorite diskette brands?]

I always used Verbatim and TDK, and the TDK seemed to hold up the best.

[Anyone heard from Atarimax?]

LOL develop your reading skills a tinge better, I mentioned that I had written him E-mails.

 

I thought the emails you mentioned in the original post were emails to the email adress Steve lists at the Atari Max site, not to his PM email on the Atari Age forums.

 

I've sent Steve emails to the Atari Max email address (it's listed on the Atari Max page), but never sent a PM to Steve through the forum.

 

Anyway, glad that all's well.

[lucifershalo]

I traded 2600 and 7800 carts with lucifershalo.

 

It's great to do business with him. He replies quickly to messages, is very friendly, and sends everything quickly as well.

 

A+ all the way.

[L.E.M.: yet another Lunar Lander new game]

Looks good!

[What did/do you call your games?]

I always called them cartridges once I actually owned a 2600. I think this stems from having an 8-bit first (Atari 800) and distinguishing between cartridges, casettes, and disks. Before I got a 2600, I simply called them games for the 2600, and the three names (cart/cass/disk) for the A800 games.

[Sega Genesis controller question]

I've had success with Windex. It may be a bad idea, but dripping a bit of Windex under the buttons has revived two of my Genesis three button controllers.

[Anyone heard from Atarimax?]

You might try sending him a PM.

 

He has a very good reputation and is often on the forums, so sending a PM through the forums may be the best method of getting in touch.

 

Also, I think his phone number is listed at the AtariMax site. You might try that too. It's worth a shot.

[Should I get a 7800?]

Yes!

 

Get it for Pac-Man Collection, Beef Drop, Choplifter, Centipede (one and two player team), Food Fight, Robotron, Joust, and Donkey Kong (DK with the sound turned down).

 

Plus there are other homebrews now out, and yet to come.

[Which version of the 7800 do you own?]

I have two of version 3. One has a lot of rust on the metal shielding underneath, but the other one is in pretty good shape.

 

Both were the funky ones that didn't work, at first, with some of the homebrews, but now do work with all the homebrews.

 

I've never seen any of the earlier versions. Hopefully, one day I will.

[Where to buy 2600 cartridges other than eBay?]

Yes, most Activision titles look horrible because of the glue seeping through after a few years, but most still work. Sometimes you have to insert them several times before they work because the rom-chips are so thin that they don't always sit right. But after awhile you can get them to work. It usually takes me a few tries to get Pitfall working.

 

I got H.E.R.O. off of ebay and Frostbite at a local game store, and they both look terrible, but both work fine. You could also try Atari Guide on the internet. They have a lot of titles, as does 4Jays on the internet.

 

And some titles can be found at these two internet stores: video 61 or b & c computervisions (in addition to the stores everyone mentioned above). They're all good places with reliable records.

 

Also, I think best electronics has some 2600 games (they have tons of 8-bit games). They're very good to deal with as well.

[Miner 2049er Vol. II]

I really like it,

 

but I find the board with the movable lift to be almost impossible.

[New XE User Looking for Game Suggestions...]

Lode Runner

Donkey Kong

Star Raiders

Pharoah's Curse

Montezuma's Revenge

Castle Wolfenstein

Fort Apocalypse

Defender

Pooyan

Pinhead

Bandits

Pac-Man

Jumpman

Joust

and Star League Baseball

are some of my favorites for the 8-bits.

 

I really love Shamus too, but you need the translator, I think, to run it on an XL/XE.

[2600 BERZERK more new mazes!]

The Berzerk meets Adventure idea could borrow from the Atari 8-bit Shamus a little. Shamus certainly borrowed from Berzerk (and a little from Adventure with the keys).

 

Just a thought. I don't know how much of Shamus is possible on the 2600.