Sliding Atari Cartridge

[up2knowgood]

I would like to ask if anyone knows anything about his strange Atari cartridge I have. On the outside, it looks like a normal Atari Picture Label of "Space War," but the end of the cartridge slides on a pair of coil springs, and doesn't lock like a normal Atari Inc. Cartridge.

 

 

Before anyone says its a normal cartridge who's end has broken or gotten stuck, I've taken apart a standard Atari Inc. Cartridge, and there are no coil springs inside of it, just a single leaf spring. Like so.

 

 

It seems to me that Atari Inc. changed their cartridge design at some point, but don't know when or why. Since I only have one like this, I don't know how common they are either. In fact, the only thing I really know about it is that its something different, and I'm really curious as to why. If anyone can tell me anything about it, I'd be very grateful.

 

I have more pictures in this album here, if anyone wants more, let me know and I will take more.

 

 

[4Ks]

Could be a bootleg or an old repro. Are the springs preventing the cartridge from locking into the slot?

[+save2600]

Your suspicions are correct - Atari made lots of changes to their carts and systems throughout the 70's and 80's. What you've got there is simply an early to mid 80's release of the game is all.

[up2knowgood]

Could be a bootleg or an old repro. Are the springs preventing the cartridge from locking into the slot?

 

Old repro seems more likely to me, because who would fake "Space War" so exactingly?

 

And no, the springs just push the end cover out over the contacts and the end slides back freely to be inserted into the console. They don't really prevent anything.

[RJ]

I got a couple like this & Im no collector. Nothing special.

[up2knowgood]

Your suspicions are correct - Atari made lots of changes to their carts and systems throughout the 70's and 80's. What you've got there is simply an early to mid 80's release of the game is all.

 

Okay, cool, I knew from this site that they made many changes to the consoles, and game labels, but I didn't know they modified the cartridges themselves before they went bankrupt.

 

You wouldn't happen to have an idea of when that change was made, would you? Because I have several early 80s releases, and they all have locking ends too.

[CPUWIZ]

No repro involved, I have cracked open hundreds of these. They are just late release carts. They also exist on the 7800.

[up2knowgood]

I got a couple like this & Im no collector. Nothing special.

 

Really? Cause I've bought and sold dozens and this is the only one I have ever come across. I didn't know what to make of it.

[up2knowgood]

No repro involved, I have cracked open hundreds of these. They are just late release carts. They also exist on the 7800.

 

So did Atari Corp. make them like this too then?

[BassGuitari]

 

So did Atari Corp. make them like this too then?

I think Atari Corp. used up existing inventory from Atari Inc. (Someone feel free to correct me!)

 

AFAIK the only cartridges Atari Corp. made themselves are the open-ended "fat shell" carts with the cutouts on the label side. Used for both 2600 and 7800.

[up2knowgood]

I think Atari Corp. used up existing inventory from Atari Inc. (Someone feel free to correct me!)

 

AFAIK the only cartridges Atari Corp. made themselves are the open-ended "fat shell" carts with the cutouts on the label side. Used for both 2600 and 7800.

 

Makes sense. Just use up the stock you have, then switch to the simpler to produce open ended carts.

[RJ]

My 2600 Berzerk (1985), Dig Dug (1983), Jr Pac Man (1986) & 7800 Asteroids (1987) are all like that.

[Schizophretard]

It is normal. Many carts have the sliding instead of locking mechanism. Your cart is likely version i from here: http://www.videogamevariations.com/AtariCompanies/AtariGames/SpaceWar/space_war_cartridges.htm Cart2 means the sliding kind. Cart1 is locking and Cart3 is open.

[up2knowgood]

It is normal. Many carts have the sliding instead of locking mechanism. Your cart is likely version i from here: http://www.videogamevariations.com/AtariCompanies/AtariGames/SpaceWar/space_war_cartridges.htm Cart2 means the sliding kind. Cart1 is locking and Cart3 is open.

 

Now that's helpful, thank you so much for the link!

[zylon]

I've seen quite a few of these around. Mostly mid 80's production carts.

[Schizophretard]

Now that's helpful, thank you so much for the link!

My pleasure. That is just my best guess because of the info you provided but it is entirely possible that yours could have different attributes than that version and be another variation he needs to add. His site is incomplete and sometimes needs more added or corrected. I already see something on that page that needs corrected. Version k has * R PicBl ©1986, CART?, ML: orange letters, “Atari, Corp.” He doesn't need to verify what cart type it is since in the picture you can see that it is a Cart3 through the label. So, instead of CART? it should be CART3.