Way to Tell Variant of Labelless Combat Cart?

[Sawdust]

Hey, all. I have a Combat cartridge in my collection (forget where it came from) that completely lost its label.

When recently cataloging my cartridge collection, listed by label variant of course, I realized I didn't know where to catalog this particular cart.

 

I figure this Combat cart could be an Atari Text label, Atari Color Font label, or a Sears Tele-Games label...

A quick look at the physical characteristics of the cartridges gave me no clue (Sears, early Atari, mid-age Atari looked the same).

Any differences on-screen when playing the game? Physically opening the cart?

 

So, only out of curiosity, is there a way to tell the difference between these labal-variant carts without the label?

 

Thanks.

[jhd]

Open the cartridge and check the production date code on the ROM chip? Of course it may be necessary to also open some of the identified variations so that you have a frame of reference/comparison.

 

Were the Sears cartridges also manufactured by Atari? Is there anything distinctive about the PCB and/or ROM chip?

[Sawdust]

I went ahead and opened it up. (First time I ever tried opening a cartridge.)

Here's the chip inside...

It has the following markings (...no idea if the age or Sears/Atari can be told from it)

ATARI

©78

CO1O789

M

 

 

Edited April 7, 2013 by Sawdust