Zwackery

I'm a little over 2 hours from Xenia if anybody is looking for a partner to go in on the auction and avoid the $200 shipping fee.

I got mine for in the $30 range, too. As for the cart trays, I could use a couple, too. Almost makes me want to buy some spare Zoops just to get the trays. Too bad that guy who is always selling those 2 sets of Jag cart boxes never has the trays...

Like others have said, I don't remember it as a "crash" so much as a time when Atari games became very cheap, although by this time I had been more into Colecovision for the past couple of years and then had switched to computers in 1984. I remember walking by Kaybee Toys in the mall and seeing all these brand new $4 carts and thinking how quaint. In retrospect I should have bought them all! Oh well, another chapter in my long affiliation with Atari.

What sort of crazy questions should we submit to you on your auction? "Will this system make me as cool as that guy in The Last Starfighter?" "Don't try to make a side deal for {insert game here} because it is so rare and worth {insert value here}?" "My friend, who is, like, totally up on all videogames told me that if you play the vectrex without the protective screen, you will, like, totally have a seizure or something. Is this true?" "Can I play Donkey Kong on this or what?"

There's some lovely topical creams that will clear that right up. Seriously, it looks like a neat collection. VGA, I'd be willing to take some of the extras off your hands.

It's unfortunate that we're scattered across the US, because there might be enough interest among several people in getting the box o' stuff sent over and then distributing it to the interested parties, although this a) might be a logistical nightmare and b) wind up making it cost ineffective. I still could use about 4 or 5 of those boxes.

I also found that the Antic Magazine Archive is a useful source of joystick info. I also found another Spectravideo Quickshot, which I think are fairly lousy joysticks, and a Pointmaster Pro by Discwasher. The rapid-fire circuit appears to be in working order, which isn't so great for Combat but works fine in Defender.

I usually have about half a dozen Combat carts sitting around. I believe there have been several projects utilizing vast quantities of Combat carts. Try doing a search on the web. If memory serves, someone was also trying to collect as many as he could at one point (was it over 1000?). Speaking of common Atari items in vast quantities, what about all those red Atari catalogs? It would be neat to do an art project with them.

Thanks! That had some useful info. I picked up: a Gemini Gemstik, which I had a few of already, a Wico Command Control, which I find to be very sturdy, and an Epyx 500XJ, which I had never seen before.

I was out hitting the yard sales today, I picked up a small assortment of joysticks, primarily for the 2600. Is there any on-line database, or the equivalent, that lists the various controllers and maybe rates them as well? I've found a few articles that discuss retro controllers, but nothing definitive.

Ah, youth. The important thing is to educate your sister so that one day when she's walking down the street and sees some Atari at a garage sale or something she'll pick it up for you!

I got a GBA SP for Xmas, and I immediately went for the classic compilations (plus I'm a fool for Yars' Revenge, technically a GBC game), but for whatever reason the Activision Anthology slipped under my radar (I've got the Remix Ed. for PC) and I just got it 2 weeks ago (I got my new on eBay for $15). And I am really happy I did. Whipping it out and playing Pitfall - or any other favorites like Pitfall II, H.E.R.O., or Seaquest - is great, and many people get very interested when they see I'm playing games they remember from back in the day. The game records high scores, and you can unlock the patches, plus it has cart scans, box scans, and instructions for each game. The little game room interface is replicated, too. A very nice adaptation really - you may want to rethink getting it. BTW, the first link you posted about the GBA version is a really good and very accurate review. Note that there are no Imagic titles at all on the GBA version, although you still get Absolute titles, homebrews, and prototypes.

The garage in question was where I was getting new tires, rotation, balancing, and some other work (believe me, I would have rather spent the money on Atari stuff). As I am waiting around, I notice this brochure - a scan of which I have provided - that is spouting the "advantages" of having the electronic control module (ECM) in your car checked out. It was neat to see those little invaders popping up. Interestingly, the brochure has no copyright info regarding the images.

What does the "E" designation on the end of some cart numbers mean? My boxed Cybermorph is J9000E on the cart, but only J9000 on the box.

I have to second the praise for Western Digital. I've used them exclusively ever since 1998, when my hard drive at the time - a Maxtor - failed so heinously. It started emitting a thunking noise during operation, which turned out to be the read arm slowly crashing into the platter, so I was able to swap all my data off.

Yes, the voices command me. PM sent.

Offer to sell him as many as he wants for $20 each. That way he can clean up on the mark up.

Mmmm, tempting...but where to store it? Oh yes, my friend just bought a house, heh heh.

Some people get pretty excited when you start talking about Atari, and a few are like this guy. In terms of the latter category, I always offer to buy any of those "old crappy" games from them. Well, I basically ask anyone who has any recollection of an Atari cart if they still have anything lurking in a basement or attic. Every now and again it pays off.

Don't forget the box for Alien Brigade: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...=ADME:B:LC:US:1

Yup, all it takes is for two people who desperately want your item. Let the fireworks begin! As a former Dungeons & Dragons player (from waaaaaaay back in the day through the 3rd rules edition), I know that D&D products have a collectible market similar to what goes on with Atari. The last time I went to a comics con, I met some dealer who had bought out some guy's D&D collection in Las Vegas for something like $14,000 (I'm not sure about the extent of that collection). Sometimes it may pay to do a little eBay research with something you are thinking about letting go.

I really enjoy my 7800 (purchased new back in 1994) and think it has some really incredible games, and I've built up a substantial library of titles (over 80% of those commercially released), but I just am not into collecting homebrews. Seems like a neat item, but I'm not sure what would be a fair offer even if I decided to seek one out for my collection.

LOL 850971[/snapback] "Paddle pick up, Smack my brick up!"

Smack My Brick Up

I can't recall offhand which issue it was, but one issue of Atari Age magazine had a fold-out poster of the picture from the 2600 release of Phoenix. It looks pretty nice unfolded and framed. I'm sure someone here knows that particular issue, so if you could get an extra copy that would be a neat item for your wall. While I'm thinking about it, some of the fold out promotional pamphlets packed in carts sometimes had a neat poster on one side. Here I'm thinking about the 7800 Atari Advantage one.