Atari Activision Patches - Tell us your stories new and old!

[Wyluli Wolf]

I've just recently been bitten by the Activision patch collecting bug. I never sent away for these as a kid and would like to own the entire set. Most are pretty pricey so I'll settle for the few that are more easily acquired.

I thought it would be fun to try to achieve the high scores (or beat the computer/time/etc.) before purchasing myself each patch. Not quite as cool as getting these directly from Activision but it's the best I can do now

So far I have acheived Chopper Command, Ice Hockey, Sky Jinks, Starmaster and Starmaster Leader. I've been working on Barnstorming next which has been surprisingly difficult for me thus far (thought it looks like this patch may be too expensive to purchase).

 

I thought it would be cool (and hopefully there is not already a thread exactly like this, I did search first) if folks post your personal Activision patch quests. This can be anything from stories about how you achieved and sent for them as a kid to modern collection attempts like mine. Anything to do with Activision patches!

 

GO!

 

 

 

[jhd]

The only Activision game that I owned BITD was Pitfall. After several months of practice, I achieved a score high enough to qualify for a patch. Unfortunately, the photograph of the television screen was not clear enough to see the score, so I was unable to submit it.

 

At a later point, I did receive a brochure or information sheet from Activision that included some sample C-64 source code. I remember having to send them like $.25 or $.50 in (American) coins to cover the postage and handling.

[Cambouis de l'Atari]

As a Belgian resident, I never tried to get these patches (aside, I only got Pitfall from activision ).

 

In summer 2017 and 2016 there was a "contest" where the goal was to achieve as much patches as you can.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/266921-2017-activision-summer-patch-quest/

 

I once thought as you did, buy the patches I "earned". But seeing thoses prices made me change my mind !

 

My very personal patch palmares :

See you this summer ?

 

[Inky]

I qualified for the Starmaster - Starmaster difficulty, Pitfall II (perfect score,) and Chopper Command (perfect score) patches, but only took a photo of Chopper Command, and never sent it in.

[Eltigro]

I had one for River Raid. Actually got the score, took the picture, got it developed, sent it in and received the patch. But lost it along with all my Atari stuff from my childhood in a house fire when I was in 7th grade.

[high voltage]

Mentioned this before. Mid 80s, Germany, I played Keystone Kapers and got a high score (Can't remember the score). I read in the manual about patches.

Had this magazine (well, I still got it)

In the back of said magazine was Activision address printed.

Activision, Ariola-Eurodisc, Postfach 800149, 8000 Munchen 80

 

So I took a picture of my Keystone Kapers high score, sent it to Ariola, and a couple of month later I received a Beamrider patch!!!

 

At least I got something, it being 85/86, so that was a positive surprise anyway.

Edited January 6, 2018 by high voltage

[Wyluli Wolf]

Anyone see this Oinkers patch on Ebay?

It has skinny white letters with black border...a strange anomaly....

[Arenafoot]

Back in the day, I sent in for the Ice Hockey, Freeway, & River Raid patches. Being that I only had those Activision cartridges and Boxing too, for my Atari 2600. I knew there was not a Boxing match, but I still sent in (mailed) a photo of my TV with my score, beating the computer. I received all 3 patches and got a blank (generic) certificate for Boxing too. I still have the patches but either lost or threw away the Boxing certificate and the letters that came with the patches because I did not found it while going thru my old toys.

 

It wasn't until I got online in the late 90's, that I found out that the River Raid patch I received from Activision back in the day, is actually the Intellivision River Raid patch and not the Atari 2600 one! They must have run out of the Atari 2600 version at some point.

[totallyterrificpants]

I collected about 75% of them around 7 years ago. Most then we’re average 20-35 bucks Australian. Then a few like Pitfall II had bid wars. Being a child of the 90’s and 00’s I only discovers the patches through Activision Anthology.

[Bobbety_F]

I've been trying to get the patches since last May, and so far I'm twelve in, with the lastest being Freeway and Sky Jinks. Some attempts I'm having to put 'on-ice' for a while, as I'm finding them so hard! These include Enduro, Barnstorming (absolutely brutal! I'm okay for the first five barns...and then it all goes a little wibbly-wobbly!), and Beamrider.

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying my attempts (or what I call my Patch Quest), but it may take years for me to get them all...or, indeed, any more at all!

 

I write about my quest for the patches on my blog here, on Atariage, (here's a link to one of the patch-themed entries http://atariage.com/forums/blog/686/entry-14202-zen-and-the-art-of-playing-laser-blastand-other-philosophical-musings/ :-)), and I also gave my thoughts on my first ten conquests on YouTube channel , albeit in the guise of my youtube character Lord Fortescue!

 

https://youtu.be/8AFbkdGtK84

 

The patch I'm currently focusing on is Pitfall II. By the end of the year, I might make it to the 99,000;-)

[+thanatos]

I tried to take pictures to get the patches back in the day. Every single one taken with my crappy 110 camera would come back from development with a portion of the screen without the score.

 

Every. Single. One.

 

Pitfall II, Megamania, Seaquest, Starmaster to name a few.

 

Insert 'kids today and how lucky they are rant'

[RJ]

I've told my story before but I wont pass up a chance to tell it again! It's also on ferg's 2600 Game By Game podcast, the Laser Blast episode (you'll see why shortly).

 

I had Seaquest & really liked its patch. After several attempts to reach the proper score and get a photo of the screen, I was finally able to send Activision a photo where the necessary score (40,000?) was barely discernable.

 

I waited for weeks, & got the correct form letter...but the WRONG patch. This was a small rectangle, bordered in orange, with "1,000,000" on it, surrounded by exclamation marks. There wasn't any indication what game this was for, but I knew I didnt own it; it wasnt in any of my Activision manuals, plus I was pissed they didnt send the correct one. I tossed it aside in disgust & lost track of it. I didnt care.

 

Years later I learned it was for excelling at Laser Blast, playing for an extended time to reach a million. & I found out people didnt get the patch because they'd set the controller down in fatigue & bump the button, starting a new game & missing the chance for a photo.

 

This patch also later commanded a hefty sum due to the strenuous conditions players underwent to achieve it.

[Bobbety_F]

I was back on the patch quest this weekend and managed to get the score for Pitfall II. I've uploaded the video to my YouTube channel. If there's a less efficient, more inelegant example of Pitfall II play, I'd like to see it;-) I'll be blogging about my pitiful Pitfall II playthough in greater detail in due course:-)

 

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=QPLZ4M_ysYY

[Bobbety_F]

I managed to get my fourteenth Patch this weekend...on Dolphin, a game I've only discovered because of my Patch Quest, and which I love. I just wish I was better at it! I'll detail the full saga of the attempt on my blog soon. Delighted to have got the 80,000 (eventually!), though:-)

 

https://youtu.be/VlD4AR7EFes