Tempest Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Now that I'm using my Atari 800 as my main 8-bit computer, I'm trying to compile a list of XL/XE cartridge games that won't work on the stock 48K 800 (disk games are too numerous to count). I looked over an old cartridge list and found these games listed as needing 64K Ace of Aces Dark Chambers Midnight Magic Desert Falcon Fight Night Food Fight GATO Hardball Lode Runner One on One XE Demo Cartridge I don't believe this list is 100% however as Midnight Magic and Lode Runner both seemed to work just fine on my 800 and I know that Into the Eagles Nest won't work. I also seem to recall that Crystal Castles, Rescue on Fractalus, and Star Raiders II needed 64K but I might be wrong on that. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kjmann Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Now that I'm using my Atari 800 as my main 8-bit computer, I'm trying to compile a list of XL/XE cartridge games that won't work on the stock 48K 800 (disk games are too numerous to count). I looked over an old cartridge list and found these games listed as needing 64K Ace of Aces Dark Chambers Midnight Magic Desert Falcon Fight Night Food Fight GATO Hardball Lode Runner One on One XE Demo Cartridge I don't believe this list is 100% however as Midnight Magic and Lode Runner both seemed to work just fine on my 800 and I know that Into the Eagles Nest won't work. I also seem to recall that Crystal Castles, Rescue on Fractalus, and Star Raiders II needed 64K but I might be wrong on that. Tempest Star Raiders II Rescue on Fractalus Desert Falcon One on One all work fine on an 800 With Lode Runner, It depends on what version of the cart you have. there was one that was on a 128k Cart and the other version was a 64k Cart. the 128k cart works fine on the 800. the 64k cart does not work on the 800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 1, 2010 Author Share Posted April 1, 2010 With Lode Runner, It depends on what version of the cart you have. there was one that was on a 128k Cart and the other version was a 64k Cart. the 128k cart works fine on the 800. the 64k cart does not work on the 800. Really? How can you tell other than by plugging it into an Atari 800? Why would the 128K cart work on a 48K 800 and the 64K version not? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kjmann Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 With Lode Runner, It depends on what version of the cart you have. there was one that was on a 128k Cart and the other version was a 64k Cart. the 128k cart works fine on the 800. the 64k cart does not work on the 800. Really? How can you tell other than by plugging it into an Atari 800? Why would the 128K cart work on a 48K 800 and the 64K version not? Tempest It has to do with the way the cart banked in the data. I know it sounds strange, but just remember that just because a game has a 64k or 128k rom in the cart Doesn't necessarily mean it won't work on a machine with 48k or 64k of RAM. the game just sends the data to the computer that it needs, when it needs it. It's all in how the programmer wrote the game and how the logic in the cart banks the data in to the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 The XE demo cart mostly works on a 48K 800. Only the Flight Sim demo part doesn't work. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle_jedi Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Now that I'm using my Atari 800 as my main 8-bit computer, I'm trying to compile a list of XL/XE cartridge games that won't work on the stock 48K 800 (disk games are too numerous to count). I looked over an old cartridge list and found these games listed as needing 64K I tested my collection of XE video games on a PAL Atari 800 with 48K: Ace of Aces - no Airball - no Archon - yes Ballblazer - yes Barnyard Blaster - yes Battlezone - yes Blue Max - yes Dark Chambers - no Desert Falcon - yes Fight Night - yes Flight Sim II - no Food Fight - no GATO - no Into the Eagles Nest - no (display corrupt) Rescue on Fractalus - yes Star Raiders II - yes Tower Toppler - yes (1987 development version) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 Wow thanks! That list isn't too bad. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kjmann Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Now that I'm using my Atari 800 as my main 8-bit computer, I'm trying to compile a list of XL/XE cartridge games that won't work on the stock 48K 800 (disk games are too numerous to count). I looked over an old cartridge list and found these games listed as needing 64K I tested my collection of XE video games on a PAL Atari 800 with 48K: Ace of Aces - no Airball - no Archon - yes Ballblazer - yes Barnyard Blaster - yes Battlezone - yes Blue Max - yes Dark Chambers - no Desert Falcon - yes Fight Night - yes Flight Sim II - no Food Fight - no GATO - no Into the Eagles Nest - no (display corrupt) Rescue on Fractalus - yes Star Raiders II - yes Tower Toppler - yes (1987 development version) These are the actual Carts and NOT the XEX versions you tested? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle_jedi Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 (edited) These are the actual Carts and NOT the XEX versions you tested? Yes, actual real carts on a real 800. Tested yesterday morning. Edited April 4, 2010 by oracle_jedi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 There is often confusion because some think that a "64K cartridge" might need 64K RAM, when in fact it's just that the onboard ROM is 64K. Many of the later day large carts are in fact just used like a big ROMdisk, and the games on them are essentially just sector dumps of the original releases with slight changes, and some loader code on the cart that copies relevant parts to be run from RAM when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 4, 2010 Author Share Posted April 4, 2010 Good point. I guess my question should be what cartridges need 64k to play. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 5, 2010 Author Share Posted April 5, 2010 Sort of a follow up question I guess, but are there games that require an XL/XE to play (other than the previously mentioned 64K required games)? I know they tweaked the OS but I'm not sure if any games required the new OS or not. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Unsure about that, I think there might be a couple that specifically fail to work with the older OS. But, 64K done via PORTB banking automatically means that you have an XL or later, so it becomes a kind of inclusive thing anyway... unless you happen to have a 400/800 that has been modified to be an XL/XE clone - unlikely given probably 2 or 3 of them have ever existed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted April 6, 2010 Author Share Posted April 6, 2010 unless you happen to have a 400/800 that has been modified to be an XL/XE clone I would if Warerat ever finishes his 800XL rom for the 800.... Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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