AtariKari

Glen - Wow, thanks for the response. This kind of technical breakdown for the layman (me) makes playing these games that much more enjoyable an experience. Time to go fire up Stella Gets a New Brain and the CCart... What about Merlin's Walls? I think I read that the programmer (Eric or Igor) got an effect similar to this to run on a non-tipped TV. Or was that Thomas (Thrust)? I forget, but have always wondered how impressive this game looks. Is it similar to London Blitz, visually?

quote You mean like Frankenstein's Monster? Sweet. Hey, if GBC could do Dragon's Lair... I was thinking more of games like Merlin's Walls (is it really that impressive?), Thrust, Pesco, Pete Rose Baseball, Xenophobe, even Galaxian. But since I tend to associate assembly with Legos and not the 2600, I wondered what those with experience thought.

What are some of the more impressive 2600 game effects / games, from a programming point of view? I know there have been several "fav. effect," etc. threads, but I'd be very interested to see what some of the 2600 coders here think are the most impressive / difficult feats on the 2600? Similarly, what are some of the most difficult / impressive games for the system? Thanks in advance, Mike

It's ON! Although I'm still trying to break 75K... Good luck! - Mike

[*bump*] Sweet, thanks! I have wanted to try Gunfight for a while. The Cuttle Cart is just about the coolest game-related thing I own. You have no idea how easy it was to pass on Air Raid in the thrift store today, having already played the .bin and seen what a crap game it is. Whew!

To answer (?) my own question, Stan writes on www.atarinvader.com, "This 15 pin port will appear in addition to the regular controller ports." This means the regular port will still function correctly for paddles, etc., yes? Also, from the site, "However, the 15-pin controllers that will be available with the Ultimate VCS do not yet feature all 5 switch functionality just yet. Modified controllers will follow soon after the release of the system." Eh? What type of NES controllers, then, will come with the system? Should I opt for the switchbox to ensure I can use the 15-pin joystick in the future? How does the switchbox work? Is is pass-through? When do you expect the modified joypads to be available? I know this is a lot, but I want to make sure I'm getting what I think I'm getting. Thanks!

I ordered one yesterday and just wanted to get a word of gratitude in. Thanks for such a cool product! The label and box look awesome! Thrus+ T-shirts can't be far behind

Junie - Forgot to ask: can I still use my paddles and driving controller/foot pedal with the mod installed? Any pics of this system? Thanks,

Junie - Wow ! Congrats; I will order one of these as soon as I finish typing this. I have been waiting for this to come out for a while, and am happy to finally get a chance to get one. Question: I have a 2600 Jr. that I'd like to send in to be modified. I plan on modding the system myself for composite video when I get the time. Does the 15-pin mod affect my option to do this? I have an additional Jr. with the quick composite mod installed (the one here on AtariAge). Could I sent that one in, or should it be the unmodded one? Regardless, congrats again, and woohoo! Couch potatos unite!

Sweet! You wouldn't consider doing the real composite mod, would you? I am not sure I know what I'm doing inside of there, which, of course, it appears you do That blue, grey and white Junior is gonna look awesome with a Cuttle Cart on top

Whew! It does pay to get up at 8 am...This just hit the wires, but unfortunately you can't link to businesswire.com, so I had to cut and paste. A new TV games, lets hope they learned from the first one... - Mike _____________________________________________ ( BW)(CA-JAKKS-PACIFIC)(JAKK)(IFGM) JAKKS Pacific to Launch Atari TV Games Business/Entertainment Editors MALIBU, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 2002--JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK) announced today that the Company's subsidiary Toymax International has entered into a worldwide licensing agreement with Infogrames Interactive, Inc. to develop and market the Atari® 10-In-1 TV Games, a plug and play 8-bit gaming system utilizing your television set. This second introduction to its TV Games category is expected to hit retail shelves third quarter 2002. "We are very pleased to have Atari® as the next extension to the TV Games category. The retro graphics and sounds that Atari first introduced decades ago are a perfect match for the platform," remarked Stephen Berman, President and COO, JAKKS Pacific. "The combination of 10 vintage video games and all of the hardware built right into the joystick controller make this a portable, affordable and perfect take-anywhere gadget." Atari® 10-In-1 TV Games features 10 classic games from Atari, one of the original creators of video games! It has a lightweight, compact, all-inclusive controller, which allows gamers to play video games anywhere there is a TV with ATV input jacks (standard on almost all sets manufactured within the past decade). Atari 10-In-1 TV Games includes "Centipede®," "Asteroids®," "Missile Command®," "Battlezone®," "Adventure," "Combat" and more, and is available in five colors: blue, red, green, yellow and black. Atari 10-In-1 TV Games is anticipated to retail for approximately $20. New York-based Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq:IFGM) is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company develops video games for all consoles (Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft), PCs, and Macintosh systems. Infogrames' catalogue of more than 1,000 titles includes award-winning franchises such as "Civilization®," "Backyard Sports," "Deer Hunter®," "Driver," "RollerCoaster Tycoon®," "Test Drive®," and "Unreal®," and key licenses including Warner Bros. "Looney Tunes," Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues®," "Dragon Ball Z®," "Mission Impossible®," "Terminator®," "Harley-Davidson®," "Major League Baseball®," and the "National Football League®," among many others. The Company's Humongous Entertainment and MacSoft labels are leaders in children's and Macintosh entertainment software, respectively. Infogrames, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (IESA) (Euronext 5257), a global publisher and distributor of video games for all platforms. In 2001, IESA acquired Infogrames Interactive, Inc. (formerly Hasbro Interactive), including its line of software based on well-known licenses such as "MONOPOLY," "Jeopardy®," "TONKA," and "Atari®," which are published and distributed in the U.S. by Infogrames, Inc. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.infogrames.com. JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK) is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and leisure products. The product categories include: Vehicles, Action Figures, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Dolls, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Arts & Crafts Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments and Performance Kites. The products are sold under various brand names including Flying Colors®, Road Champs®, Remco®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Laser Challenge and Go Fly a Kite®. The Company also participates in a joint venture with THQ Inc. that has exclusive worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Federation® video games. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com. ©2002 Infogrames Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. All marks are the property of their respective owners. This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS' business based, in part, on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of JAKKS' future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above and the following: changes in demand for JAKKS' products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing and difficulties encountered in the integration of acquired businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. --30--JAP/la* sjk/la CONTACT: JAKKS Pacific, Inc. Genna Goldberg, 310/455-6235 or Integrated Corporate Relations Darren Barker, 562/698-6771 KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA NEW YORK FRANCE INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ELECTRONIC GAMES/MULTIMEDIA HARDWARE SOFTWARE MARKETING AGREEMENTS PRODUCT SOURCE: JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

I've been on the fence for weeks, but it looks like I'll make the plunge and come out as well. Woo hoo! I'll bring some Taiwanese 2600 and rare SNES/NES games to trade. I'll also bring 2 Jaguars, Jaglinks, and copies of Battlesphere _if_ it's fairly certain that someone will donate something to display them on for a little while... How easy is it to rent a UHaul back to NYC? I may just freak out when I see some elusive standup and buy it.

Eh? Wow! Oooohh, *checks calendar* Damn. Heh. A bit expensive, that one.

esp. the "3-D Grafics" part on the box. Man, if only...Nice one!

Ah, but the Cash Converters in Stones Corner has lots of nice stuff, if I remember...whoops! Hey that's pretty cool to see a post from Brisbaine. I had a tiny flat in Kangaroo Point for a while, close to the climbing wall...but I digress, Cheers!

@Marco: yeah I know. In an RGVC or ML auction in '96 this would be a far more uncommon item. (remember the "Pepper Auctions"?) Thanks for the vote of good luck, btw! *shakes fist* Damn you eBay and your false-scarcity-deterring ways!

I spent 6 months in Australia and happened to find many rare and interesting games and systems, several of which I'm putting up on eBay as I type. Among the strangest: pass-through NES carts, 2600 "General" system, a 2600 "Cracker Pet" game. Most of this I found in Brisbaine, and most was from just hitting the yellow pages there. I can't remember the name, but there is a _huge_ stockpile of rare SMS and Saturn games in a video store outside of town. Its in the book, although you have to take a train to get there. The Ozzie postal system is the cheapest worldwide, or at lease very close. I was able to send a ton of systems and games back on a slow boat for peanuts. Rambling, wish your friend luck. - Mike

I found this game while travelling around Australia last year. It is Crack Pots with the Activision logo removed, and a neat label. Although I just put one copy up on eBay (shameless, I know), I was wondering if anyone could provide some history on this weird game.Cracker Pet Thanks in advance, Mike

I plan on attending this, and will bring BattleSphere and BS: Gold with requisite hardware, should it raise any interest. Anyone else? I only have the Jaglink, BTW. Please email me if you'd like to coordinate, as I usually only have time to scan the 2600 section. [email protected]

@ Junie: just a show of support for such a cool product! You have my duckets ($) regardless of what cable you use. As long as I don't have to get up to play another game of bowling, my vote is set. When you get photos up of Rev. 2, please post. If only I could get a signal booster...

Thanks for the link, GGrey. What is that blob for? Cheap protection or disguise? Hmmm... My problem is not with the brightness, but that the grafx are garbled like when a dirty cart is played. Maybe I'll open it up and fiddle around... For anyone on the fence about this system, it is $9.95 at WalMart. Search for "Activision." $ well spent, IMO

I recently bought this system (?) and have had several problems with it that haven't been mentioned here. When playing Spider Fighter or Pitfall, the screen is usually garbled and unplayable after a few seconds. Anyone else get this? Any solutions? Also: any word on whether a cartridge port could be wired into the unit? I remember some discussion here when it first came out, but haven't heard anything since. Dunno, its late. Thanks.

*stands up, raises hand* Brooklyn, NY. It is surprising that so few ppl here are from NY, given the size of the place and quality of the site.

Hi - It seems I only post here when the Atari ceases to function properly. Regardless, this is an awesome place to lurk and one of the most thoughtfull to post on. Thanks in advance. I just got a pair of remote 2600 sticks last night, but they appear to either be broken or improperly set up. I am opting for the later. Most likely the problem is due to some interference, as there is a huge (and growing!) snarl of cords surrounding the reciever, else to lack of signal, due to the fact that the antenna is less than optimally posable, or a combination of both. The end result is that the games behave as if the controller were stuck on rapid fire and held in one direction, and that I must plug in the normal sticks and still sit on the ground to get a decent game of Jr. Pacman in... Any help appreciated.

Ah-chah! Thanks, Chad. I'll try that this weekend. Any idea on where to find the ROM? I got my current one off AtariAge.