AtariRx Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I'm sure this has been addressed before in the past, but I'm curious as to what the general consensus is regarding Atari 2600 prototypes purchased from Best Electronics. I have: Pengo (different than released version) Dumbo's Flying Circus A-Team Frog Pond Xevious Quadrun I think I got these all 8-10+ years ago now, but I can't remember for certain. The only one that has a lab loaner label on it is Quadrun, which I actually got in a trade from another collector, but he included the original receipt from Best so I could be certain as to its origin. The others are in Atari style cartridge shells and have the standard black plastic back with a clear plastic cover allowing you to see the EPROMs inside. They have blue stickers over the screw holes warning you that if you remove the sticker, your warranty is void. Are these considered actual prototypes, or are they reproductions? I don't remember them costing very much back in the day. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattG/Snyper2099 Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Best electronics prototypes are considered to be real chips from Atari placed in empty Atari shells by Best Electronics. Back when Best had 50,000 copies of moon patrols on the shelf they thought "hey, those quadruns sell a lot faster than those moon patrols. Lets throw those quadrun chips in those moon patrol shells and add our own warranty label and make half the shell clear..." After they ran out of clear shells, they then went to using the moon patrols and other titles they had on hand. They may or may not be masked ROMS inside the carts. I tend to think the masked one are a little more valuable. That "lab loaner" label on that quadrun is certainly fake. That is when, in most collectors minds including this collector, Best crossed the line by making fake lab loaner labels. I have a couple Best's in my collection but there is something about them most people just don't like. I feel a little this way towards them myself. They were 24.99 IIRC. But, it was the only source for legit dukes of hazzrd masked roms back in the day. People seem to pay a bit more for that masked rom today even since it has dried up in recent years. You can tell a fake best quadrun loaner because it has square edges around the sticker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Best electronics prototypes are considered to be real chips from Atari placed in empty Atari shells by Best Electronics. Back when Best had 50,000 copies of moon patrols on the shelf they thought "hey, those quadruns sell a lot faster than those moon patrols. Lets throw those quadrun chips in those moon patrol shells and add our own warranty label and make half the shell clear..." After they ran out of clear shells, they then went to using the moon patrols and other titles they had on hand. They may or may not be masked ROMS inside the carts. I tend to think the masked one are a little more valuable. That "lab loaner" label on that quadrun is certainly fake. That is when, in most collectors minds including this collector, Best crossed the line by making fake lab loaner labels. I have a couple Best's in my collection but there is something about them most people just don't like. I feel a little this way towards them myself. They were 24.99 IIRC. But, it was the only source for legit dukes of hazzrd masked roms back in the day. People seem to pay a bit more for that masked rom today even since it has dried up in recent years. You can tell a fake best quadrun loaner because it has square edges around the sticker. Yeah that about sums it up. I still haven't seen evidence that it was Best that put out those fake Quadrun lab labels, this is just what I've been told. I have a hard time believing they would do something like that. Does anyone here actually remember buying a Quadrun with a fake lab label directly from Best? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FND Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Yeah that about sums it up. I still haven't seen evidence that it was Best that put out those fake Quadrun lab labels, this is just what I've been told. I have a hard time believing they would do something like that. Does anyone here actually remember buying a Quadrun with a fake lab label directly from Best? Tempest Yes I did buy a Quadrun along with a WaterWorld (in person) directly from Best, both had the fake Lab Labels. I returned them both about a week later after comparing them to my real Lab Loaner Labels FND Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariRx Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 Hey, thanks for the posts. I didn't realize that anyone had replied to my question. I was pretty certain that my Quadrun was a fake, but now its good to know for certain so I don't try to pass it off to someone else. (I have a production copy now, so I had been thinking about trying to trade it.) I had actually gotten it from another collector, but the trade item was a Frog Pond "proto" in a clear case, also from Best. Probably a fair deal regardless. Is the chip inside an original or some kind of copy? If it is a real chip, then the cart simply becomes a labeless Quadrun, which is still a pretty good item to own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariRx Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 Yeah that about sums it up. I still haven't seen evidence that it was Best that put out those fake Quadrun lab labels, this is just what I've been told. I have a hard time believing they would do something like that. Does anyone here actually remember buying a Quadrun with a fake lab label directly from Best? Tempest Well, this Quadrun still has the original receipt of purchase from Best, so I can tell you with 100% certainty where it came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buyatari Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Does anyone here actually remember buying a Quadrun with a fake lab label directly from Best? Confirmed Not I, but a fellow collector bought and resold them on newgroups/ebay. At the time I could only afford a Dukes cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudriSampson Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Would anyone be able to give me information on this Dukes cart. I purchased it in 2002 from a collector along with Chase the Chuckwagon, two Atari Service Catridges with the manuals and some other games. This sounds similar to what you guys are describing in earlier post but with the Pole Position 2 stickers it just seems weird. Also it does play in a 2600.. http://s473.photobucket.com/user/audrisampson/library/Dukes%20of%20hazard%20Atari%20Prototype?sort=3&page=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number six Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Would anyone be able to give me information on this Dukes cart. I purchased it in 2002 from a collector along with Chase the Chuckwagon, two Atari Service Catridges with the manuals and some other games. This sounds similar to what you guys are describing in earlier post but with the Pole Position 2 stickers it just seems weird. Also it does play in a 2600.. http://s473.photobucket.com/user/audrisampson/library/Dukes%20of%20hazard%20Atari%20Prototype?sort=3&page=1 Best Electronics sold these in the 90s, can't remember the price think it was cheap.. $17 ? something like that. The carts they used were a total grab bag only unifying factor was the 'warning' sticker over the screws. Mine came in a Sorcerer's Apprentice cart for example.. so it was a wide gambit once again probably just what they had lying around. Last few times I've looked up ebay sales on these (out of curosity) seems like they range $60-$100 depending on the ebb and flow of eBay. I haven't looked in years so that may be innaccurate + or - They also had a great deal where you could get a NIB 7800 and 40 2600/7800 Carts also NIB for like $69. Those show up on eBay from time to time for $400+, probably just due to the sheer volume and a few of the games in the pack are somewhat scarce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudriSampson Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Thanks for the info! Should I assume then that mine's a legit one then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number six Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thanks for the info! Should I assume then that mine's a legit one then? The sticker over the screw looks the same as the one I have which I got directly from Best Electronics. I suspect someone added the label on the end at some point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickeycolumbus Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) In my opinion, it's only worth anything unless it looks like this inside: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/126743-dukes-of-hazzard-prototype/?p=1531957 It's not worth trying to take it apart though, since it likely does. It should also be a little bit lighter than a normal cartridge. Edited February 12, 2014 by Wickeycolumbus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudriSampson Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Thanks so much for all the info!! Since I had bought it online from a collector I guess I was worried it might have been some forgery or something, However seeing that link Wickeycolumbus and seeing another PP 2 case for it was quite the relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number six Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I'm not sure it would be worth the effort to make a forgery of a $60 game, so its probably legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudriSampson Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Eh, maybe for future investment kindoff thing. The way retro game collecting is taking off who knows what might happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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