SpareHead3

screen shots are always nice

Hey all. I've created and published an application to help 2600/5200/7800 collectors. It's called retroGames: Atari and it is for Windows Phone 7 devices -- please no flames about the platform choice -- all for the price of $0 and with no ads! The application lists the NA releases (no prototypes or homebrews... yet) for the big 3 Atari consoles and allows you to add games to your collection and wishlist. I may add new features (search, tracking label variations, etc), time permitting and as I discover any I wish I had added. You can find it in the Marketplace on your phone or in the Zune client on your PC, or by clicking here (will launch the Zune client). Enjoy! David

I'm sure I'll bring the setup back to their house soon. In the mean time, my (almost) 9 year old and I have been playing Fishing Derby, Indy 500 and some other head-to-head games together.

Today, it's as if I am 14 again. It's been about 23 years since I had last been given 2600 stuff for the holidays... until today. Every year, we visit my parents in the week leading up to the holidays and exchange gifts (makes it easier to not have to drive on the 24th). This year, there was a box with not one, but five 2600 cartridges and a pair of driving controllers. When they asked what to get their mid-30s son, I pointed them towards a copy of Indy 500 and the driving controllers. When I opened the box, I was suprised to find two copies (a text and a flawless picture label) as well as Fishing Derby, Keystone Kapers (one of my mother's favorites from back when) and Millipede. They couldnt believe how inexpensive the games were so they wanted to order a few more. When I asked how they picked them, they said that they ordered ones that "looked like fun". I laughed and then showed them my web site with the list of the games I intended to get someday -- all three were on the list Needless to say, I popped them in as soon as I got home and, like I mentioned was 14 again! Parents can be so cool.

Problem with Defender, for me at least, was when I compared it with Chopper Command. I realize (and did in '82 also) that Chopper Command did not have as many enemies, was lacking smart bombs, etc, but it had similar game play >and< the radar screen. I still own and sometimes play Defender, but I more often pop in Chopper Command or Stargate (don't use feet, I let go of the base of the primary stick to whack the button on the secondary when I want a smart bomb).

I use clay sculpting tools. The thickness of the pumpkin determines the depth, and it depends on how bright you want thye lines to be. 1/2 - 2/3 of the way through is what I do to get the bold lines. I just cut the surface for the very fine lines.

I told my wife the morning after carving this that it was one of the hardest ever. The reason was the scanlines in the score!

The pattern came from playing the game and taking a screen shot in Stella. Thanks! It took between 3 and 4 hours. That could be fun! It would be neat to see who picks what games.

For the past 12 years or so, I have gotten into carving pumpkins at Halloween. Each year, I try to out do myself and to carve something interesting and preferably hard. Here's my tribute to everyone's favorite old school console and one of the best games of the all time. Enjoy!

Most recently, because of Resident Evil 4. In the day, it was hard to lose sleep with the parents enforcing bed times and all

Spare Head 3 is hanging out in the parts closet on Red Dwarf. Like him, I suffer from bouts of bit rot and can go a bit off

One of the local shops I go to loaned me a screwdriver so I could investigate an Activision mystery cart (turned out to be Kaboom!). Each of the Activision carts I have taken apart had the part number on the chip (cover). I keep a list in my PDA as a sort of cheat sheet.

Activision, hands down. Liked them best then, like them best now.

White space not being significant feels odd. I cannot think of a language I have used (lots of them since the mid 80s) that ignores whitespace in variable names.

For me, it's always been Activision's Space Shuttle.

None yet. I would love a Crazy Climber

2600 Fishing Derby Human Cannonball Indy 500 Pitfall II Seaquest Sky Diver 2 driving controllers and, of course... Lady Bug

Very true. Getting a bit old for that, but when they next play here, I plan to be there

Gotta love those unscheduled stops to those small stores. Was out today and popped by a couple of used CD stores looking for a local band's disk (never did find it) and walked out with Ghostbusters and Frankenstein's Monster for $0.99 each . The timing couldn't have been better considering the 'Spooky Games' thread. Now I've got something to play at Halloween after carving the pumpkins.

So far, I have gotten my games from: * Small local game / cd stores * Atari2600.com * shopgoodwill.com

A giant bottle of water always (come to think of it, I am rarely without a 32oz water bottle). If I'm hungry, Tim's Potato Chips (Cajun or Lightly Salted).

Of those I currently own, these come out most often and get played the longest: Circus Atari Gravitar Kaboom! Megamania River Raid Space Invaders Stargate From what I had as a kid (but have not yet picked up a replacement copy), I would add Fishing Derby

I agree with Vic. The games I have get played. I only maintain a list of what I own so that family and friends know what not to send my way As for going back, I would have bought a Crazy Climber and never allowed my original system and games to "go away". Most of what I want to have again is easy (and cheap) enough to get these days. I dont care about boxes (the few I have are in a closet) or manuals (that's what AA is for )