Is Colecovision Beamrider buggy?

[Spector]

On several occasions now, I've been playing Beamrider and found when I clear a stage and shoot the bonus craft on the horizon, the score and lives screen comes up, but with no score, and the game just freezes, forcing you to reset. Has anyone else come up against this annoying problem?

[dougy76]

On several occasions now, I've been playing Beamrider and found when I clear a stage and shoot the bonus craft on the horizon, the score and lives screen comes up, but with no score, and the game just freezes, forcing you to reset. Has anyone else come up against this annoying problem?

 

Yes. I have encountered this many times and it drives me mad. I thought it was a problem with my cart or system, but if you're seeing it too, perhaps it is a bug. I'm almost afraid to play it because it happens usually when I've advanced onto one of the higher levels and it kills me having to quit after getting far into the game. But, it's my favorite port of this game, and I particularly love playing it with the Super Action controllers.

 

Doug

[doubledown]

I got a "new/sealed" copy about a year or so ago, and I've played it several times and noticed no such problem. I don't think I've ever seen this problem when playing it through my multi-cart either.

[Spector]

It only seemed to happen with me on the higher levels, from about 10 upwards. If you play on skill level 1 or 2, you might not come across it. As Dougy76 said, it's a pity because it's such a damn good game.

[dougy76]

It only seemed to happen with me on the higher levels, from about 10 upwards. If you play on skill level 1 or 2, you might not come across it. As Dougy76 said, it's a pity because it's such a damn good game.

 

Yeah, I only see it when I'm on the higher levels. I always start at the first level so I can collect all of those extra guys and points through the first several rounds which are pretty easy. But after playing for 30 minutes and you're on level 16 or something and the game hangs, it's torture. Never seen this happen on the Atari 2600, Intellivision, or Atari 5200, but I don't like the game on those ports as much as on the CV.

[darthkur]

Unfortunately I have experienced that many times myself with the cart I have. Also, usually in the later levels. Extremely frustrating. The rom on my flash cart does not, if I'm remembering correctly.

[Spector]

Unfortunately I have experienced that many times myself with the cart I have. Also, usually in the later levels. Extremely frustrating. The rom on my flash cart does not, if I'm remembering correctly.

 

Any chance you could post the ROM on here? As long as it doesn't break the Atariage rules.

[darthkur]

Unfortunately I have experienced that many times myself with the cart I have. Also, usually in the later levels. Extremely frustrating. The rom on my flash cart does not, if I'm remembering correctly.

 

Any chance you could post the ROM on here? As long as it doesn't break the Atariage rules.

 

 

I might've been wrong. I just tried to one on my flash cart and the first game I played it locked up after shooting to "bonus ship" on the first round. But then I powered off/on the system and tried again and got to Round 18 with a score of 57k. So it might just be a crap shoot. Then again I'm having a bit of the dreaded power switch problem. By the scratchy sound it makes while turning it off and on makes it seem like it might simply be a matter of dirty contacts in the switch. Probably going to have to deal with that sooner or later.

[Spector]

Just an update on this - I've been using the ROM Darthkur gave me, and it has not once frozen during all the games I've played! It's definitely different to the other ROM, and funnily enough, it's slightly easier too, because there are more bonus ships. So there is a Beamrider out there that appears to not have the freeze problem.

Edited August 29, 2009 by Spector

[Rik]

I've never had problems like this or any other with my copy of CV Beamrider.Perhaps there was a bad batch of cartridges?