JohnBuell Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I have a copy (pirated, probably) on a floppy disk somewhere of Sierra's Jawbreaker Pac-Man clone game. But I've also recently been trying to get cartridges where ever I can find them inexpensively, and so I found a cartridge, called Jawbreaker, on www.magisterrex.com.... The package just came today, nice and speedy from Canada. The cartridge was old and dusty, but played. It's not the maze game I expected, it's pathways rolling back and forth.... The "characters" and sound effects are exactly the same as the Jawbreaker game I know however. So, here's my question - this game is shown for the illustration on atarimania.com as Jawbreaker II. I have this cart saying it's the 8K version of Jawbreaker. Which is right? Is Jawbreaker II a completely different game? And is there another version of Jawbreaker (like a 16K, 24K or more)? Hoping the crew here can help me solve this little mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 The info and ROM for JB2 on Atarimania is wrong. http://atari.fandal.cz/games.php?name=J has the proper Jawbreaker 2, but seems to have gotten Jawbreaker wrong. My understanding is that Jawbreaker 2 is the Pacman lookalike and Jawbreaker is just the simplistic dot-eating one. No idea about Jawbreaker 3 - probably a mistake or maybe a hacked version. I think JB 2 might also have XL compatibility problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBuell Posted May 7, 2010 Author Share Posted May 7, 2010 The info and ROM for JB2 on Atarimania is wrong. http://atari.fandal....ames.php?name=J has the proper Jawbreaker 2, but seems to have gotten Jawbreaker wrong. My understanding is that Jawbreaker 2 is the Pacman lookalike and Jawbreaker is just the simplistic dot-eating one. No idea about Jawbreaker 3 - probably a mistake or maybe a hacked version. I think JB 2 might also have XL compatibility problems. Thanks for the link - all three photos look like the Jawbreaker game I remember, and I don't remember that game being called Jawbreaker I, II or III. I need to find that old disk.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kr0tki Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 The info and ROM for JB2 on Atarimania is wrong. No, it's actually 100% right. the first Jawbreaker is a floppy-based clone of Pac-Man, and Jawbreaker II is a conversion of the 2600 Jawbreaker game - the only one released on cartridge. The other Jawbreakers at Fandal's site are hacks made using Jawbreaker Construction Set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.atarimania.com Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Thought this might be the best place to finally untangle this mess... So, this is the original version from 1981... This should be the game that followed the lawsuit. At least, it was officially re-released on the Familiar Favorites II compilation so we know it was distributed at some point by Sierra On-Line in 1982. This program is causing trouble: another maze! Was this version ever sold? If so, would be 1982 as well. Now what is this? It has a 1983 copyright and doesn't look like a commercial release. An early game made with The Jawbreaker Construction Set? This is the "new" version called Jawbreaker II by Chuck Bueche, similar to the 2600 game. Note that the copyright year is wrong and refers to the year John Harris began to code the original. Also, some boxes don't have the "II" (check the scans for the disk version on our site). -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 That last one is the one I knew as Jawbreaker 2, I remember wondering why it was a different type of game when I saw it, was expecting a Pac man type game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.atarimania.com Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 In short, here is the information that is still missing: 1. What packaging did this version use? Same one as the original release with green cover? A variation? Or maybe the "newer" version with a sticker mentioning "GAME BY JOHN HARRIS"? Is there evidence that this was what Sierra On-Line came up with following the lawsuit or would that be the game from the second picture? Should be both tape and disk. 2. Was this version ever sold? If so, what packaging did it use? Was it disk only? Tape and disk? 3. Is this one a hack, an official release or a maze made with The Jawbreaker Construction Set? Anyone here with originals of Jawbreaker on tape or disk? Would be nice to know for sure which is which after some thirty years -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBuell Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Nice! Now I wish I had an original myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I believe there is a story in the book Hackers where Ken Williams references John Harris working on this and the problems regarding Atari's Pac-Man copyright. I'll see if I can find it later tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qix_maniac Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Thought this might be the best place to finally untangle this mess... So, this is the original version from 1981... This should be the game that followed the lawsuit. At least, it was officially re-released on the Familiar Favorites II compilation so we know it was distributed at some point by Sierra On-Line in 1982. This program is causing trouble: another maze! Was this version ever sold? If so, would be 1982 as well. Now what is this? It has a 1983 copyright and doesn't look like a commercial release. An early game made with The Jawbreaker Construction Set? This is the "new" version called Jawbreaker II by Chuck Bueche, similar to the 2600 game. Note that the copyright year is wrong and refers to the year John Harris began to code the original. Also, some boxes don't have the "II" (check the scans for the disk version on our site). -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Here is my Jawbreaker cartridge. Says © 1980 release by Sierra Online. Cartridge is orange see pictures. Anyone have this? I always thought this was original Jawbreaker and the black cartridge is Jawbreaker II which I have boxed??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I believe there is a story in the book Hackers where Ken Williams references John Harris working on this and the problems regarding Atari's Pac-Man copyright. I'll see if I can find it later tonight. It starts on page 336 of the paperback version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I believe there is a story in the book Hackers where Ken Williams references John Harris working on this and the problems regarding Atari's Pac-Man copyright. I'll see if I can find it later tonight. It starts on page 336 of the paperback version Thank you sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.atarimania.com Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I read the chapter but it doesn't give enough details. The orange and black cartridges should be exactly the same and have Jawbreaker II on them. That 1980 copyright is misleading and a bit odd, as well as the fact that there is no "II". Anyway, it's really the different tapes and disks that are interesting, I believe we know everything about Jawbreaker II -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I believe there is a story in the book Hackers where Ken Williams references John Harris working on this and the problems regarding Atari's Pac-Man copyright. I'll see if I can find it later tonight. It starts on page 336 of the paperback version Thank you sir. It was funny, I just got that book out of the library a few days ago, and had it right here on my desk at work when I read your post. I'm enjoying it so far, but it is (as indicated by Atari Frog) a little sparse on the meaty details, but it is a very good overview and I've made some notes to do further reading based on certain chapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qix_maniac Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I read the chapter but it doesn't give enough details. The orange and black cartridges should be exactly the same and have Jawbreaker II on them. That 1980 copyright is misleading and a bit odd, as well as the fact that there is no "II". Anyway, it's really the different tapes and disks that are interesting, I believe we know everything about Jawbreaker II -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Perhaps, I'd say the rarity on the disk version is not a 7/8 now. In the last 3 months some guy on ebay has been selling tons of Jawbreaker sealed in box as well as tape I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8bitCarts Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Can someone please create something liek a matrix of the Jawbreaker carts for the Atari 8-bits? I've seen: - a black cart with Jawbreaker II on it - a red cart with red label stating Jawbreaker - and a balck cart with red label stating Jawbreaker - Atarimania shows Jawbreaker I as only a Cass and Disk, and Jawbreaker II as a cart??? And I've seen no Jawbreaker III? The game itself Jawbreaker II looks nothing like I, it appears. So confusing....... Thanx a lot!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.atarimania.com Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Everything has been explained already: the ROM release is always the "new" version. For some reason, the program is still called Jawbreaker on some boxes / cartridges but it got changed to Jawbreaker II. The screenshot makes things even more confusing by never having the "II" and showing a 1980 copyright. There is no such game as Jawbreaker III. -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qix_maniac Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 there is one on ebay now that looks like it's been played with every day for the last 30 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devwebcl Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 In the book: ""Halcyon Days, Interviews with classic computer and video game programmers: " also appear in interview: http://www.dadgum.com/halcyon/BOOK/HARRIS.HTM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 In the book: ""Halcyon Days, Interviews with classic computer and video game programmers: " also appear in interview: http://www.dadgum.com/halcyon/BOOK/HARRIS.HTM Thanks for the link. I need to order this ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 In the book: ""Halcyon Days, Interviews with classic computer and video game programmers: " also appear in interview: http://www.dadgum.co...BOOK/HARRIS.HTM Thanks for the link. I need to order this ASAP. It's an online book, the entire thing can be accessed from here http://www.dadgum.com/halcyon/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 In the book: ""Halcyon Days, Interviews with classic computer and video game programmers: " also appear in interview: http://www.dadgum.co...BOOK/HARRIS.HTM Thanks for the link. I need to order this ASAP. It's an online book, the entire thing can be accessed from here http://www.dadgum.com/halcyon/index.html I was hoping it was actually released as a book as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 In the book: ""Halcyon Days, Interviews with classic computer and video game programmers: " also appear in interview: http://www.dadgum.co...BOOK/HARRIS.HTM Thanks for the link. I need to order this ASAP. It's an online book, the entire thing can be accessed from here http://www.dadgum.co...cyon/index.html I was hoping it was actually released as a book as well. It was released as a multimedia book on CD, all of the information is on the page I linked (but yes I agree a printed version would be cool) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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