Kaboom - PAL?!

[roberthazelby]

Afternoon all,

 

I've currently been enjoying Kaboom via the lovely `Activision Anthology` for the PS2.

 

What I'd now like to do is add this to my Atari 2600 collection and give it a go on a real 2600 with paddles.

 

I've checked the lowdown for this on the main AtariAge site and there is no mention of a PAL version. Was one released? I certainly can't find any on ebay.co.uk.

 

After making enquiries on the retrogamingradio.com web forums I've been told that the NTSC version won't work on my PAL 2600. Is this right?

 

Any info would be appreciated as I really want to play this with the paddle controllers.

 

Many thanks,

 

Rob

[PeeknPoke]

Afternoon all,

 

I've checked the lowdown for this on the main AtariAge site and there is no mention of a PAL version. Was one released? I certainly can't find any on ebay.co.uk.

Many thanks,

 

Rob

 

Oh yes, Kaboom! was released in Pal (at least I had it here in the UK).

 

Lee

[rasty]

After making enquiries on the retrogamingradio.com web forums I've been told that the NTSC version won't work on my PAL 2600. Is this right?

I haven't tried with Kaboom! specifically, but the usual outcome of a NTSC cart in a PAL 2600 is wrong colors (the NTSC palette is different from the PAL one), plus you'll need a TV set that supports 60hz (most do).

Other than that, the game usually works!

 

Good luck on finding your copy of Kaboom!, you definitely need to play it with paddles on an actual 2600 !!

 

Regards,

Rasty.-

[Happy_Dude]

After making enquiries on the retrogamingradio.com web forums I've been told that the NTSC version won't work on my PAL 2600. Is this right?

I haven't tried with Kaboom! specifically, but the usual outcome of a NTSC cart in a PAL 2600 is wrong colors (the NTSC palette is different from the PAL one), plus you'll need a TV set that supports 60hz (most do).

Other than that, the game usually works!

 

Good luck on finding your copy of Kaboom!, you definitely need to play it with paddles on an actual 2600 !!

 

Regards,

Rasty.-

Actually a PAL 2600 "can't" run at 60hz (so a 50hz TV is fine) but because

the vertical syncing is done earlier than in a PAL game theres no speed

difference, just colour

 

I'v been playing my only copy which is NTSC and the background is Blue instead of green.

[+SpiceWare]

Actually a PAL 2600 "can't" run at 60hz (so a 50hz TV is fine) but because  

the vertical syncing is  done earlier than in a PAL game theres no speed  

difference, just colour

 

I'v been playing my only copy which is NTSC and the background is Blue instead of green.

 

Not true. The games totally control the number of scan lines sent to the TV between each vertical sync. A game could even run at 55 instead of 60 or 50.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Not true.  The games totally control the number of scan lines sent to the TV between each vertical sync.   A game could even run at 55 instead of 60 or 50.

Isn't that exactly what he said? A PAL game will always run at ~50Hz!

[Jobf]

Yes there is a PAL Kaboom. Just because it isn't in the Atariage database doesn't mean it doesn't exist, as Atariage focuses mainly on NTSC releases and PAL releases that weren't released in NTSC format.

 

Enclosed is a list of VCS games that were released in the UK.

ukpal.zip

[+SpiceWare]

To me it looks like he said a PAL 2600 can't run at 60.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

To me it looks like he said a PAL 2600 can't run at 60.

Which is 100% true.

[+SpiceWare]

then what happens when an NTSC cartridge is put into a PAL 2600? My understanding is that while the colors are different, the # of scan lines produced would not change. With fewer scan lines(than a typical PAL game), the vertical sync would be sent more frequenty resulting in the picture being updated 60 times per second instead of 50.

[Happy_Dude]

then what happens when an NTSC cartridge is put into a PAL 2600?  My understanding is that while the colors are different,  the # of scan lines produced would not change.  With fewer scan lines(than a typical PAL game), the vertical sync would be sent more frequenty resulting in the picture being updated 60 times per second instead of 50.

True, but the TIA will only be displaying at 50hz

The frame is updated at 60hz so the game is just as fast as if played on a

NTSC machine, but you can only get a 50hz signal out of a PAL 2600 so you

don't need a 60hz TV like rasty said.

[rasty]

The frame is updated at 60hz so the game is just as fast as if played on a  

NTSC machine, but you can only get a 50hz signal out of a PAL 2600 so you  

don't need a 60hz TV like rasty said.

Humm this was out of my knowledge !

I actually thought that since the frame was being updated at 60hz, the signal would have been 60hz as well...!

Oh well, that's even better!

 

Regards,

Rasty.-

[Thomas Jentzsch]

The frame is updated at 60hz so the game is just as fast as if played on a NTSC machine, but you can only get a 50hz signal out of a PAL 2600 so you don't need a 60hz TV like rasty said.

No, that's not correct.

 

The NTSC cart produces a 60Hz framerate (PAL cart 50Hz) no matter whether you play it in a PAL or NTSC console. The console is absolutely not responsible for the framerate.

[Osmeroid]

Hi Rob,

 

The easiest place to pick up a PAL Kaboom! is on eBay. This game only appears infrequently on eBay UK, but if you check out Australia, Germany France etc. & have a PayPal account, you should be able to get a copy fairly quickly. I still haven't tried out my NTSC copy yet but apart from bizarre colours, it should still work on a PAL console.

 

Let me know over the next few weeks if you are having a hard time tracking it down.

[MattyXB]

Hi Rob,

 

The easiest place to pick up a PAL Kaboom! is on eBay.  This game only appears infrequently on eBay UK, but if you check out Australia, Germany France etc. & have a PayPal account, you should be able to get a copy fairly quickly.  I still haven't tried out my NTSC copy yet but apart from bizarre colours, it should still work on a PAL console.

 

I own a complete PAL Kaboom!, but I think its hard to find in germany. But I think there was an german manual too, so its a german release. But not often seen on eBay.de

[DeV0]

I have a PAL kaboom, it was a bitch to find and took over a year. The copy i have has been coloured in which bites. Why the hell do ppl feel they need to write their name over everything???

[Spirantho]

I`m confused...

 

An NTSC cart in a PAL console will run at 60Hz, because the sync is delivered by the code, not the console. If the code sends a VSync every 60Hz (like an NTSC one does) then the TV needs to do 60Hz.

You *do* need an NTSC-capable (i.e. 60Hz capable) TV to display it, but most European TVs do. PAL even comes in 60Hz flavour.

 

I know this because when I connect my PAL console to my TV which displays 60Hz only in Black and white, I get a Black and white picture. When I connect it to my 60Hz supporting TV I get the wrong colours but the display is good - however the scanlines are bigger than a 50Hz signal to make up the resolution.

 

Either way, no 60Hz compatible TV means no NTSC game. You *can* get a 60Hz signal out of a PAL 2600.