Zaxxon license question

[tz101]

I originally posted this in the 5200 forum, but nobody responded, so figured there might be some knowledge on the subject over here.

 

I recently acquired Zaxxon for Intellivision, so now have the game for all the early consoles. In looking at the different versions, I got to wondering why Coleco manufactured the CV, VCS, and INTV versions, while Sega is the maker of the 5200 version. While the arcade Zaxxon game was indeed a Sega release, did Coleco not buy rights to all the console ports?

 

This is strange because normally a game was licensed to a certain publisher for all consoles.

[+Psionic]

This is strange because normally a game was licensed to a certain publisher for all consoles.

Usually the case, but not always. Very often a company would obtain a license for either the console or computer versions but not both (as with Nintendo's Donkey Kong). Other times, a limited license was a question of format (cartridge vs disk/tape). Or it could just be a question of money...there was also considerable cost involved with licensing a particular game, particularly if it was a hit coin-op.

 

With that in mind, Zaxxon was a hot property and was licensed by several companies. The 2600/CV/INTV ports were published by Coleco. There was disk version for the Atari 400/800 computers by Datasoft and one for the Commodore 64 by Synapse. There were also cartridge versions published by Sega for the Atari computers (identical to the disk version by Datasoft) and the C64 (different from the disk version by Synapse). Finally, there was the 5200 cartridge version (which was adapted from the Atari computer version).

 

As to why this was published by Sega rather than Coleco, most likely it was because the contract between Sega and Coleco was signed either before the 5200 was even released or before Coleco would've planned to publish any games for it (which they never did). Or perhaps it was simply that Coleco had no interest in obtaining the license (and the additional cost it would've incurred) for whatever reason (monetary or otherwise). Alternatively, perhaps Coleco had the license for a 5200 version but it reverted back to Sega when Coleco decided to cut back on their releases (shortly before their total exit from the video game industry). I believe that 5200 Zaxxon was released fairly late in the system's life cycle.

[BrianC]

With that in mind, Zaxxon was a hot property and was licensed by several companies. The 2600/CV/INTV ports were published by Coleco. There was disk version for the Atari 400/800 computers by Datasoft and one for the Commodore 64 by Synapse. There were also cartridge versions published by Sega for the Atari computers (identical to the disk version by Datasoft) and the C64 (different from the disk version by Synapse). Finally, there was the 5200 cartridge version (which was adapted from the Atari computer version).

 

Datasoft did a tape version of Zaxxon too. The tape/cart versions for the Atari 8 bit/5200 were not identical to the Atari 8 bit disk version. They are similar, but pared down versions (if I remember correctly, some laser turrets don't shoot and the space section is simplified). This was mentioned on the packaging or manual (which even mentioned the size of the game, 16k for the tape, the same size as the cart, and 32k for the disk, if I remember correctly).

Edited October 17, 2010 by BrianC

[+Psionic]

With that in mind, Zaxxon was a hot property and was licensed by several companies. The 2600/CV/INTV ports were published by Coleco. There was disk version for the Atari 400/800 computers by Datasoft and one for the Commodore 64 by Synapse. There were also cartridge versions published by Sega for the Atari computers (identical to the disk version by Datasoft) and the C64 (different from the disk version by Synapse). Finally, there was the 5200 cartridge version (which was adapted from the Atari computer version).

 

Datasoft did a tape version of Zaxxon too. The tape/cart versions for the Atari 8 bit/5200 were not identical to the Atari 8 bit disk version. They are similar, but pared down versions (if I remember correctly, some laser turrets don't shoot and the space section is simplified). This was mentioned on the packaging or manual (which even mentioned the size of the game, 16k for the tape, the same size as the cart, and 32k for the disk, if I remember correctly).

Whatever....pared down or not, they're the same version. (In contrast with the C64 disk and cart versions, which were totally different ports programmed by different people at different companies). Either way, it's hardly relevant to the point I was making.

[kool kitty89]

This is strange because normally a game was licensed to a certain publisher for all consoles.

Usually the case, but not always. Very often a company would obtain a license for either the console or computer versions but not both (as with Nintendo's Donkey Kong). Other times, a limited license was a question of format (cartridge vs disk/tape). Or it could just be a question of money...there was also considerable cost involved with licensing a particular game, particularly if it was a hit coin-op.

It was my impression that Coleco had intended to get full rights for all home versions of DK in the US, but Atari found a loophole that allowed them to produce to computer version. (I think it may have been on cart and disk, but I'm not positive) Obviously the story about Kassar being upset by the Adam playing the Colecovision version was BS (may have happened but likely just part of his diversionary/blocking strategy against the Famicom) as that WAS of course the colecovision game, not an Adam specific game.

 

That and Coleco wasn't the only one to publish DK in general: I've seen various DK carts from several companies that must have gotten licenses at other points. (CBS electronics handled the European version iirc, which makes sense since they localized the Colecovivion in that region -not sure if they had a US release as well -perhaps as part of the partnership in general)

[OldAtarian]

This is strange because normally a game was licensed to a certain publisher for all consoles.

Usually the case, but not always. Very often a company would obtain a license for either the console or computer versions but not both (as with Nintendo's Donkey Kong). Other times, a limited license was a question of format (cartridge vs disk/tape). Or it could just be a question of money...there was also considerable cost involved with licensing a particular game, particularly if it was a hit coin-op.

 

With that in mind, Zaxxon was a hot property and was licensed by several companies. The 2600/CV/INTV ports were published by Coleco. There was disk version for the Atari 400/800 computers by Datasoft and one for the Commodore 64 by Synapse. There were also cartridge versions published by Sega for the Atari computers (identical to the disk version by Datasoft) and the C64 (different from the disk version by Synapse). Finally, there was the 5200 cartridge version (which was adapted from the Atari computer version).

 

As to why this was published by Sega rather than Coleco, most likely it was because the contract between Sega and Coleco was signed either before the 5200 was even released or before Coleco would've planned to publish any games for it (which they never did). Or perhaps it was simply that Coleco had no interest in obtaining the license (and the additional cost it would've incurred) for whatever reason (monetary or otherwise). Alternatively, perhaps Coleco had the license for a 5200 version but it reverted back to Sega when Coleco decided to cut back on their releases (shortly before their total exit from the video game industry). I believe that 5200 Zaxxon was released fairly late in the system's life cycle.

 

Personally, I don't see how the situation with Donkey Kong could have been helped since the Coleco Adam uses the same carts as the Colecovision. The only way I can see it having been a problem is if it was released on cassette or disk. How can Atari get mad at Coleco for showing a Colecovision cart in a Colecovision compatible system?

[Kurt_Woloch]

There's a similar case with Track & Field, which also was licensed by Atari who made various home versions for the XL/XE, the 2600 and other computers through Atarisoft, but none of those were released (at least over here in Europe), though some still leaked. I got hold of a copy of the C-64 version by Atarisoft with a partially scrambled title screen in late 1985. Then, in 1987, Konami, the manufacturer of the arcade game, apparently bought back the Atarisoft version (at least the C-64 one) and released it as a budget title.

 

Also, keep in mind that Sega is the original manufacturer of Zaxxon, so of course they had the rights to release it on whatever system they wanted to (unless licensing agreements with other software makers forbid this). For instance, they released both a SG-1000 and MSX version of it. Those two versions, at least from the graphics, look identical (and I'm pretty sure they nearly are since the MSX and the SG-1000 have nearly the same hardware), but are a completely different version from the Colecovision one (which also has got very similar hardware to work with).

 

As for DK, I think Colecovision originally bought the console rights, and Atari got the home computer rights. So Coleco's problem with the Adam and this game was that it was a computer, not a console... but Atari must have had the same problem with the 5200, which was a console, not a computer. But they might have gotten away with it through their distribution agreement with Nintendo.

 

By the way, Atari and Coleco also both licensed Donkey Kong Jr., but while versions of DK for other home computers were produced through Atarisoft, Atari only manufactured DK Jr. for their own systems. That's why there never was a Commodore 64 version of DK Jr., although it was badly sought after and there were rumors of it existing.

 

There seemed to be a second round of licensing going on for those titles in 1986 or 1987, when Atari re-released the 2600 versions of DK and DK Jr. by Coleco, and Ocean did new versions of DK and Mario Bros. for the Spectrum, the C-64, the Amstrad CPC and MSX computers. This means that there were two versions of DK and Mario Bros for the C-64, and I personally think Atarisoft did a better job at those than Ocean, but Ocean did a very good version of DK for the Amstrad CPC which hadn't got this game before. But they still passed on DK Jr. (again). This, of course, was before all of the homebrew efforts took place here.

[BrianC]

Whatever....pared down or not, they're the same version. (In contrast with the C64 disk and cart versions, which were totally different ports programmed by different people at different companies). Either way, it's hardly relevant to the point I was making.

 

Relevant to your point or not, I still think it's pretty important information for those wanting to get the Atari 800 Zaxxon. I for one was not satisfied with the changes made due to the lower memory of the cart and tape versions (and I disagree with calling them the same version. I know you mean "based on the same version", but the changes do make for differences, and the differences are not positive). Also, some disk versions don't work on the XL (though I heard this was fixed in later printings). It's especially disappointing that 5200 version isn't based on the disk version since there's no other option and there are 32K carts for the system.

 

To make things even more confusing, there's an European MSX version of Zaxxon that's based on the Colecovision version.

 

Frogger is another game that had versions from different companies. Sierra for disk/tape computer versions, Parker Bros for cart versions, and that Starpath 2600 tape version. There were also Tomy Pyuuta (jp Tomy Tutor) and MSX1 versions from Konami in Japan.

Edited October 17, 2010 by BrianC