The Official Atari Age Secret Santa 2020 thread

[Rogerpoco]

1 hour ago, Machine said:

The shipping address on my package looks familiar......don't make me go back and look thru my old PMs. 

Who did such a great job being my Secret Santa???

Haha-I hate to chime in if unwarranted...

I wasn't your Santa.

But I was one of his Elves.

[CaptainBreakout]

That explains why the post office seems to have mis-shipped me The Lost Ark.

 

Should I open it? ?

[Rogerpoco]

6 minutes ago, CaptainBreakout said:

That explains why the post office seems to have mis-shipped me The Lost Ark.

 

Should I open it? ?

Haha, I say GO FOR IT!!!

[+cvga]

3 hours ago, Machine said:

The shipping address on my package looks familiar......don't make me go back and look thru my old PMs. 

Who did such a great job being my Secret Santa???

Raises hand - I'm glad you liked it. I actually had more planned but couldn't follow through due to health reasons at the time so my priority changed to making sure you received your package before Christmas. I'll send you a PM and we can set up a post-Christmas second delivery

 

Roger was a great help. I've purchased a bunch of patches from you recently and wanted to give you one you didn't have from back in the day. He sent me a picture of your collection which helped tremendously, otherwise you probably would have gotten something you already have.

[carlsson]

Wow, such a trinity! The other year I was SS for Machine, now SS for cvga who in his turn was SS for Machine.

 

Then again, we're not super many who participate so patterns can be identified.

[HoshiChiri]

?On the fifth day of Christmas, Captain gave to me...?

 

 

I had to do a quick Google on this one, becuase I'd actually never heard of it! I guess it's called Marvel Land stateside? It's very colorful- I dig it!

 

Even though I only had a couple minutes before work, I had to pop it in just to see it run- despite my Genesis games containing the oldest part of my collection, I actually didn't own any Mega Drive games! I mean, I knew they'd work (save for occasional pal-related issues). I just never actually found one to get. I'm looking forward to really giving this a go!

[+chicgamer]

2 hours ago, CaptainBreakout said:

That explains why the post office seems to have mis-shipped me The Lost Ark.

 

Should I open it? ?

What's the worst that could happen?

 

[joeatari1]

I'm still holding ground.  I have great fortitude (or as the wife calls it "stubbornness").

[roberto]

1 hour ago, joeatari1 said:

I'm still holding ground.  I have great fortitude (or as the wife calls it "stubbornness").

Same over here!  

[Machine]

8 hours ago, cvga said:

Raises hand - I'm glad you liked it. I actually had more planned but couldn't follow through due to health reasons at the time so my priority changed to making sure you received your package before Christmas. I'll send you a PM and we can set up a post-Christmas second delivery

 

Roger was a great help. I've purchased a bunch of patches from you recently and wanted to give you one you didn't have from back in the day. He sent me a picture of your collection which helped tremendously, otherwise you probably would have gotten something you already have.

 

Man Chuck, I am just blown away! You did such an amazing job! Thank You! Thank You!

You really did find all the perfect gifts. It is so strange. Every gift was perfect! I owe ya big!

Thanks Roger for helping out! I appreciate that!

 

I hope you have a great Christmas, and when you get a chance drop me a PM. 

I am pretty sure Santa left a patch or two for you with me!!!! 

 

 

[CaptainBreakout]

6 hours ago, HoshiChiri said:

?I'm looking forward to really giving this a go!

I hope you do!  It sure seems like a mediocre platformer at first, but play it for awhile and you'll see the strong power-ups change the gameplay dramatically.  Shows not to underestimate Namco.

 

Hehe... Glad I surprised you with this one.

[ClassicGMR]

Wow. Completely, totally awesome! ?

 

Opening the box reveals... presents!!! This is going to be fun!

 

* I love the card. The handwriting is very nice, the seal on the back.. don’t think I’ve seen that before. And .. AtariAge stickers! Great opening salvo. ?

* Nerds. Already gone between my wife and I. ? Yummmmm!!!

* The Pitfall Harry didn’t make it in one piece but my wife’s a crafter. Some wood glue on the neck and back foot and he’s good as new!

* The NES ornament plays the audio from the first level of Super Mario Bros. including jumps and power ups! The cart is even under the door!

* The keychain went right to my keys. Very nice Tetris piece.

* Star Trek desk calendar? Yes please!! Looks like it covers every iteration of Trek. ?

* The pièce de résistance - a New England Patriots totem pole! So freakin sweet!! ?

 

THANK YOU “Secret” Santa! You hit every nail right on the head. Love it!

 

[+chicgamer]

Awesome stuff! Well, except for that Patriots totem pole, which should be burned immediately.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

* I may be slightly biased against the Patriots, since I'm in Indiana, and the Patriots were a thorn in Peyton's and the Colts' sides for years ...

[Machine]

11 hours ago, CaptainBreakout said:

I hope you do!  It sure seems like a mediocre platformer at first, but play it for awhile and you'll see the strong power-ups change the gameplay dramatically.  Shows not to underestimate Namco.

 

Hehe... Glad I surprised you with this one.

 

I always thought the cover and maybe the title-change kinda hurt this game. If it had a better cover, it might have drawn more people in and gave it a chance to be discovered. I was really surprised when I finally played it, under-rated for sure!

[HoshiChiri]

4 hours ago, Machine said:

 

I always thought the cover and maybe the title-change kinda hurt this game. If it had a better cover, it might have drawn more people in and gave it a chance to be discovered. I was really surprised when I finally played it, under-rated for sure!

I kinda dig the European name more... I dunno, I think as a kid I might have taken an Adventure more seriously than something that sounds like a virtual amusement park (not that that's inaccurate!) Maybe, anyway- I didn't get serious about games until middle school-ish. Totally agree about the cover art, though!

 

Various going-ons mean I gotta pause my gift a day plan- but I'll be back with more as soon as I can!

[eightbit]

Still waiting for Christmas

[ClassicGMR]

23 hours ago, chicgamer said:

* I may be slightly biased against the Patriots, since I'm in Indiana, and the Patriots were a thorn in Peyton's and the Colts' sides for years ...

Hey I suffered through the Rod Rust 1-15 year, the Chicago Bears Super Bowl collapse, Hugh Millen... I have done a lot of suffering for my team so I enjoyed this HOLY HELL IT WON'T END run of seasons.

 

But yeah... that Manning guy wasn't bad either. (Don't even get me started on his brother!!)

[Guest]

On 12/10/2020 at 8:15 PM, SoulBlazer said:

Well, it's not just the package that was sent to my Secret Santa that seems lost somewhere....the package for me was supposed to come today but it's also not giving any updates.  Both just say 'late and on it's way to it's next destination.'

 

Anyone else seeing their boxes stuck in la-la land?

The post office is REALLY bad this year!

Same here. A week late and zero updates on the tracking number from USPS. Christmas is still a few days away. I still have hope! ?

[HoshiChiri]

8 hours ago, Zeptari1 said:

Same here. A week late and zero updates on the tracking number from USPS. Christmas is still a few days away. I still have hope! ?

I had a few boxes go sideways this year (thankfully not gifts!) Only one's required getting a replacement shipped, the others all started moving after awhile. Fingers crossed for you!

[HoshiChiri]

Ok, so now that things are settled- my Christmas has been thrown out of whack due to my brother (who lives in the same house as me & my parents) testing positive for covid ?

 

Me & my mom have tested negative, dad & my sister (who visited the day before this was known) are pending. Bro is doing ok, just a general 'under the weather' feeling. I was visiting my fiance when this came up & went home only long enough to get some more supplies- I'm staying here for the quarantine period. So, Christmas is delayed a week for us.

 

But fear not! I grabbed my Santa gifts when I went back, so I'll be finishing those off Christmas day proper. Well, except one, since the paper tore a bit anyway... ?

 

Another one I'm not familiar with (although I'm pretty sure I've seen people post bob comics online, just never had any context for it!) Curious to see what this is like- and how Sinister takes his coffee! Sugar? Cream? Souls? ?

 

EDIT: OK, I only flipped to a couple random pages before posting this, and just now opened to the title page... this is autographed!

 

Shame I don't know any Michaels... I mean, I WORK for Michael's, but I doubt Mr. Notley is just a big craft buff ? Still VERY cool!

Edited December 21, 2020 by HoshiChiri

[joeatari1]

Wishing your brother a speedy recovery.  Hopefully nobody else gets it.

[carlsson]

2 hours ago, HoshiChiri said:

Shame I don't know any Michaels...

Have you considered a name change? Michaela and then just an "a" to the signature.

[+chicgamer]

So, I just opened up my Secret Santa gift over my lunch break, and all I have to say is my Secret Santa this year was unbelievably generous. I'm stunned by what all was sent.

 

I recorded my unboxing. After I get it edited and uploaded (hopefully tonight), I'll post a link.

 

Seriously, whoever was my Secret Santa, you went overboard. I'm super thankful, and kinda overwhelmed.

[CaptainBreakout]

Sweet, chicgamer!  Can't wait to see!

 

I cracked open mine this morning and hit the first layer with my kids. Awesome stuff! Pics to come later today!

 

#HoshiChiri-  Oh wow... You work at Michaels?  I went in there twice before Thanksgiving looking for cross-stitch kits for you.  My local Michaels didn't have anything.

 

Then right after I sent you the package, they put out a bunch of cross-stitch kits.  I was like MEH!!!!   I think they were all baby-Yoda themed ones (to me, Yoda will always be a very old muppet, not a hairless CG Furby, but that's me).

 

So, I guess things were in line cosmically after all, and I can confidently say there's nothing in that package from your workplace.  Yay!

 

And yeah, I like Bob the Angry Flower, so I share.  I can always escape into a good manic panel style comic any time I'm down, and Bob is strong medicine.

 

[HoshiChiri]

26 minutes ago, CaptainBreakout said:

#HoshiChiri-  Oh wow... You work at Michaels?  I went in there twice before Thanksgiving looking for cross-stitch kits for you.  My local Michaels didn't have anything.

 

Then right after I sent you the package, they put out a bunch of cross-stitch kits.  I was like MEH!!!!   I think they were all baby-Yoda themed ones (to me, Yoda will always be a very old muppet, not a hairless CG Furby, but that's me).

 

So, I guess things were in line cosmically after all, and I can confidently say there's nothing in that package from your workplace.  Yay!

I probably would have been terribly amused to recognize something from the workplace- but I get a discount, so it's best if I buy it anyway ?

 

Not in a place to need a new kit though- I've been working on this one for quite awhile! (The stitched area is about 2 feet square!)