Zwackery

Not even a complete run of Atari Force...

Thanks again.

Ah, many, many thanks!

In Pifall: The Lost Expedition he is still a bit of a "cowardly lion" (I seem to recall he may technically be a puma) but he performs his heroic duty and is suitably rewarded by the game's conclusion. As for Pitfall II on 2600 or 5200, I like both versions and would also add that the Colecovision version is the one that I actually managed to complete first, hence it is near and dear to my heart.

Excuse me if this topic was covered elsewhere - my searching of old topics was unsuccessful - but what do people recommend as the best way to clean the 2600 console? In particular, I am dealing with an old 4-switch and the game select and game reset toggles stick and are not as responsive as I'd like. Thanks for your suggestions.

While AA has the HTML version, I was wondering if anyone who had the actual printed document (1 page, double-sided?) that came with the Chase the Chuck Wagon game would be so kind as to scan it in and post it here (regular sized, non-reduced please). I would appreciate it.

Maybe he's got it backwards, and all penises really look like peanuts.

Glad to hear it. I hope everything is to your satisfaction.

Looking through some 2600 games by Parker Brothers, particularly those where the box is in two pieces (top and bottom, before PB switched to the other design), I was wondering how many of the cardboard "inserts" that held the cartridges ostensibly in place had logos on them? These are the ones that I definitely know have the name of the game on the cardboard insert: Amidar Frogger Reactor Spider-Man Star Wars: ESB Star Wars: Jedi Arena Strawberry Shortcake Here are some I am wondering about: GI Joe? James Bond? Montezuma's Revenge? Sky Skipper? Strawberry Shortcake? Was Action Force a two-piece or one-piece box? What about Frogger II? One-piece boxes: Gyruss, James Bond (yes?), Mr. Do's Castle (yes?), Popeye, Q*Bert, Q*Bert's Qubes (yes?), SW: DSB, SW: TAG, Super Cobra, and Tutankham. Are there any games that were two-pieces boxes that were re-released as one-piece boxes?

PM sent. The controller is gone, as are the boxes for Centipede and Millipede. The books and other stuff are still available.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost..., or How I Learned to Love Sniping and Stop Worrying about Fifty Cents This is very true. Sometimes when I snipe, it is not with a "probe the defenses" minor bid but more of a "I'm dropping the hammer on this high bid," and even then there is no guarantee that I will outbid the high bidder. It seems to me that sniping is inherent to the bidding format, primarily because a bidder wants something of value but is sometimes unwilling to pay what the market commands. How many people are trying to get a rare cart for a thrift store price? C'mon. This is why people are loathe to put in their max bids, because if SumGuy can get cart X for $10, even though SumGuy was willing to pay $30, why would SumGuy put a max bid in when Johnny Wahoo will run it up to $29, because that is what Johnny was willing to pay, and that forces the max bid up. If SumGuy bids $10, and Johnny goes to $12 - but is also playing the "I won't commit to my max bid game" - then SumGuy can camp on the auction and snipe at the last minute and maybe get the game for $14, when both parties would have been willing to pay more for that. Once collecting video games became codified with rarity lists and collectible guides with prices, the chance to find items at low prices began to diminish. If you really want something, be prepared to pay what the market dictates.

There are so many of the catalogs that I tend to pull them all out and keep one or two of each for my collection. I suppose you could keep a list of what catalog you pulled from what game for the sake of completeness. It would be interesting to track and see if what catalogs, and revisions thereof, appeared in what games, and if Atari changed this policy as a money-saving measure.

It ended with no bids...

In Atari Age vol. 1, no. 6, Phoenix was the fold-out poster, measuring about 16x20". It would look really great as a 3x5' monster! I'd most want a Yars' Revenge poster. Followed by Berzerk, Adventure, and 7800 Galaga.

Hmmm, didn't notice it was a repro, and I don't speak German, and AltaVista translations ain't the greatest. Fortunately I'm too concentrated on Atari stuff right now to peruse the Vectrex listings.

That is a damn brilliant reply!

Yeah, thanks! I really never thought about it much until I picked up a 4-switch 2600 recently and noticed the matching serials. Probably my first matched set since, well, since my original from back in the day.

Do matching serials between the 2600 console and its box have much value within/without the gaming community?

Minestorm II is rated as a R10. It was only available via mail to Vectrex owners who complained about the bugs in the built-in Minestorm game, hence it is rightfully, frightfully rare.

There's a CIB one parked over on ebay, being sold by topol777. It is the NTSC version (I asked). I, too, am searching for just a plain ol' NTSC cart. Preferably with an okay label.

I just PMed you the list. As for the controller, a couple are parked on ebay in the $20 range, DPG lists the controller at $15, but untested I probably wouldn't ask more than $10 or so.

I'll send you one, starting with Atari 2600, 5200, and 7800. I'm also interested in Jaguar, Colecovision, and Vectrex games, but didn't bother to list that.

I picked up a box of assorted 3rd party Atari controllers and mixed in was a few non-Atari items. The first is the Arkanoid controller for the NES version of said game. The second are 2 cartridges for the C64: Omega Race and Jungle Hunt. Both the controller and carts are untested, but given that everything else from the box of stuff worked, I am confident that they work, too. Next are 3 books in the Nintendo Game Guide. I prefer to keep these together as a set. Finally are a small group of boxes for Atari 2600 games: Asteroids, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Space Invaders, and Yars' Revenge. Centipede and Space Invaders are both international language versions. I also have manuals for Crystal Castles, Enduro, and Fire Fighter (all b&w versions). PM me if interested in trading (or buying).

A friend of mine collects first edition hardcovers (thankfully not video games, although we look out for each other while thrifting) and has amassed at least 50% of his collection at thrift stores. Apparently a lot of people will just donate books without thinking that they have much value. Maybe a commentary on literacy in the US?

Keepin' it real.