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Atari 5200 RENT WARS- Where did it come from?


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Where did Rent Wars come from? That is a question I've been responding to lately. Rent Wars is the new Atari 5200 video game which will be released July 28, 2007 by Atari2600.com Publishing during Classic Gaming Expo 2007 in Las Vegas.

 

Rent Wars concludes the series of five First Star Software Inc. Atari 5200 game releases begun in 2005 with Bristles and followed by Flip & Flop, Boulder Dash, and Boulder Dash II. While all four previous releases were released by First Star Software on other platforms such as Atari 8-bit, Commodore and Spectrum computers, Rent Wars was never released in any format on any game or computer platform. Rent Wars was programmed by Carlos Reyes with graphics by Preston Stuart. I don't know if they were First Star Software employees or if this was a contracted effort. Rent Wars was likely programmed during 1983 and the title screen carries this copyright date.

 

I recently asked the First Star Software founder why Rent Wars was shelved and received the following:

 

"At the time we had RWars finished we did not feel it was up to our

standards...compared with the other games e.g. BD, Bristles, Flip & Flop,

Spy vs. Spy Vol. 1, as set by Astro Chase....our first game.

The decision was based on the cost to manufacture and market a title ...as

well...as the concern it didn't come up to our standards. = the types of

factors any publisher needs to address when deciding what resources to

apply and how best to apply them."

 

Now Rent Wars for the Atari 5200 will be available for you to decide, should it have been released? Is it up to the standards of Astro Chase, Bristles, Flip & Flop and other First Star Software releases? I've played the game and can reply, Yes, it is a quality title which would have made a fine addition to the Atari 5200 game library.

 

Atari 5200 Rent Wars Screenshot

RentWars_Screen2.gif

 

Additional images and information available at Atari2600.com News

 

Thanks,

JC

Atari2600.com Publishing

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Will you be issuing an Atari 8-bit version? It was the original platform for the program, wasn't it?

 

Also, do you have information on some early titles that were never released? Any chance the code still exists? The games are:

Cosmic Squeeze

Dangerous Cargo (I saw a title screen for it)

Savior

Top Secret .

 

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

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Thanks you for your interest and questions about Atari 5200 Rent Wars.

 

No plans have been made to release an Atari 8-bit version of Rent Wars, although this would be technically possible. I'm unsure if the game was programmed originally for Atari 8-bit computers. I'll inquire then let you know. Likewise I'll ask if development was complete and if game code exists for Cosmic Squeeze, Dangerous Cargo, Savior, and Top Secret.

 

Of the four previous releases only Boulder Dash II has sold out. Flip & Flop, Bristles, and Boulder Dash will be available at Classic Gaming Expo. Fewer than 10 :lust: :lust: Flip & Flop and Bristles

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Thanks you for your interest and questions about Atari 5200 Rent Wars.

 

No plans have been made to release an Atari 8-bit version of Rent Wars, although this would be technically possible. I'm unsure if the game was programmed originally for Atari 8-bit computers. I'll inquire then let you know. Likewise I'll ask if development was complete and if game code exists for Cosmic Squeeze, Dangerous Cargo, Savior, and Top Secret.

 

Of the four previous releases only Boulder Dash II has sold out. Flip & Flop, Bristles, and Boulder Dash will be available at Classic Gaming Expo. Fewer than 10 :lust: :lust: Flip & Flop and Bristles

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Thanks you for your interest and questions about Atari 5200 Rent Wars.

 

No plans have been made to release an Atari 8-bit version of Rent Wars, although this would be technically possible. I'm unsure if the game was programmed originally for Atari 8-bit computers. I'll inquire then let you know. Likewise I'll ask if development was complete and if game code exists for Cosmic Squeeze, Dangerous Cargo, Savior, and Top Secret.

 

Of the four previous releases only Boulder Dash II has sold out. Flip & Flop, Bristles, and Boulder Dash will be available at Classic Gaming Expo. Fewer than 10 :lust: :lust: Flip & Flop and Bristles

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Seems the emoticons got the better of your post there ;)

 

I assume you mean less than 10 copies of Flip & Flop and Bristles are left? Maybe I'll order them before the show just to make sure I get a copy of each. Pity I won't get a copy of B2 unless one luckily turns up on eBay... unless you make an exception for an extra copy somewhere for me :P

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The Digital Press store in Clifton, NJ, had at least ten copies of Boulder Dash II the last time I was there. I picked one up previous to that visit. Can't quite figure the game out, though, and can't play it any more either until I get myself a working START button for my 5200.

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The Digital Press store in Clifton, NJ, had at least ten copies of Boulder Dash II the last time I was there. I picked one up previous to that visit. Can't quite figure the game out, though, and can't play it any more either until I get myself a working START button for my 5200.

 

Cheers, I'll ask Joe what stock he's got then :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Those other titles don't exist in any form other then some prototype art.

 

We negotiated the deals to get those conversions done for 5200. Atari2600.com has been a great partner to work with.

 

For rent wars, we rescued the source code off of a lone 5 1/4" floppy disk that showed signs of mold!

 

We also found panic button for the C64 in similar condition.

 

John

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