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Astro Chase 2600


Irvingnator

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That means that a private collector has it and does not wish to share it at this time. He may think that the value of his cartridge would be reduced if the ROM was released, he may have plans to release it in cartridge form or many other variables. Also, First Star Software is still around so there could be legal issues with releasing even just the ROM.

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5 hours ago, Tempest said:

I believe First Star Software's IP owner Mean Hamster Software has told the prototype owner that they cannot release the prototype rom under any circumstances.  That's my understanding anyway,

 

So does MHS own the rights to the 2600 version of Astro Chase or to the entire Astro Chase IP as a whole? 

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8 hours ago, Tempest said:

I believe First Star Software's IP owner Mean Hamster Software has told the prototype owner that they cannot release the prototype rom under any circumstances.  That's my understanding anyway,

The owner has changed to BBG Entertainment. 

Quote

As of January 1, 2018 the First Star Software name and website are owned by BBG Entertainment GmbH which also purchased all intellectual property rights pertaining to Astro Chase™, BOiNG!™, Boulder Dash®, Bristles™, Flip & Flop™, Millemium Warriors™, Omnicron Conspiracy™, Panic Button™, Rent Wars™ and Security Alert™.

Maybe that opens new possibilities like it does for Boulder Dash?

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  • 1 month later...
On 2/17/2020 at 5:44 PM, Supergun said:

The person who has the proto isn’t the only source for that rom data anyhow. Just run the tables with all the programmers that worked at Parker Brothers.

More than half of the games published by Parker Brothers across all platforms were developed by outside contractors.  The programmer of Astro Chase was commissioned by First Star to do the port, not by Parker Brothers, and the only known prototype is housed in a Telesys cartridge shell.  It's not likely that anyone inside Parker would have ever had access to this ROM, but if so they probably would not have been one of the programmers.

I'm not even convinced that Parker Brothers would have published the VCS version as opposed to First Star simply releasing it themselves had it actually come out as planned.  First Star published Boing, so they certainly had the distribution channels available for producing VCS titles.

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13 minutes ago, Psionic said:

I'm not even convinced that Parker Brothers would have published the VCS version as opposed to First Star simply releasing it themselves had it actually come out as planned.  First Star published Boing, so they certainly had the distribution channels available for producing VCS titles.

I think you're right on that.

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7 hours ago, chewy said:

who took the screenshots and chip pics for atariprotos site?

Huh?  The screenshot you posted is the 5200 version.  The 2600 port has not been reviewed on AtariProtos.

 

7 hours ago, chewy said:

you know i bet those shots are NOT from vcs vers- didnt many boxes use different screenshot examples that didnt necessarily match, etc

The Atarimania database has emulator screen grabs of the VCS version.  They weren't taken from a box.

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  • 1 year later...

I'm happy to announce that I am now able to post my review of Astro Chase for the Atari 2600.  While the original owner of the prototype does not want it to be released, a second prototype was recently found with more versions possibly coming.  Permission was also granted from the current copyright owners to post the rom, so enjoy(?) this long lost Atari 2600 game.

 

http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/astrochase/astrochase.htm

 

Astrochase (10-25-83).bin

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WOW! How incredibly cool!

I'm maniacally curious to get this binary file home from work and try the game out, as I've been enjoying the C64 version for years (and the Atari computer version is practically identical).

I'm eager to see the extent to which the momentum / bouncy-ship physics survived. The screen shots on atariprotos.com are impressive -- it looks like the outer-space "wallpaper" was the only superficial sacrifice.

I guess this would be one of two games known to be converted for the 2600 by First Star, the other being Boing?

In any case, this is pretty fascinating. Thank you as usual, Tempest!

 

("Maniacally curious"?)

 

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If you like the original version you'll like this one.  It plays very much the same with only a small hit in the graphics.  Personally I just don't like the game on any system.  I'm fairly sure this is the final version or pretty close to it.

 

Yes, First Star was only planning Astro Chase and Boing for the 2600.  Nothing else.

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You're right: The game play is very close! I'm also impressed that you can "lock in" your movement direction, as in the original, leaving you free to fire in other directions. My buddy Adam (BallyAlley) isn't crazy about the game on any platform, either, so he took a picture of me playing, rather than vice versa. He's been trying out this unreleased version, however, and he'd better admit that he's having fun!

 

Astrochase_002_Cropped.thumb.jpg.86530074d6758d3a55d3de89a2523f4f.jpg

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