How rare is Boulder Dash for atari 400/800 ?

[scalpel]

Hi,

I just want to know if Boulder Dash Construction Kit is rare ?

Here the picture with the box of Boulder Dash and the tape of the game (boulder dash construction kit).

Thanks for your help !

 

[Beeblebrox]

@scalpel  I am no expert. There are several factors as some games that are rare in the States aren't so rare in Europe. Also I gather many 80's and early 90's games can have original boxed releases and then later repackaged re-releases. There I'd imagine the original releases are worth more.

 

I'd also imagine a cassette version is maybe worth more than a disk version. The fact you have the clamshell and the cardboard box as well, plus all the docs, would IMHO mean it's likely worth more. If you are just looking to sell it and want to guage the market I guess you could try popping it on Ebay for say 7 days with a reserve you'd be happy to get and see the interest.

 

I have the disk version of the construction kit from 1986. Not sure how much it's worth.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Beeblebrox

[Fred_M]

The tape in the clamshell release by Databyte (Boulder Dash Construction Kit) is not part of the First Star software (Boulder Dash) release box. So you have 2 separate releases there.

 

The U.K. Databyte release is not rare in Europe, I would say 5 to 20 euros max.

 

I don't see the tape of the boxed U.S. First Star release, so if you don't have that tape that release is incomplete.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Fred_M

[Beeblebrox]

@Fred_M Good spot - didn't clock it was two separate releases there. 

 

I am not planning on selling my copy as it has sentimental value, but just outta interest how much do you think my 1986 5 1/4" disk version is worth? (Please say £1000000000000, please say £100000000000!! )

 

          

 

[Fred_M]

2 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

 I am not planning on selling my copy as it has sentimental value, but just outta interest how much do you think my 1986 5 1/4" disk version is worth? (Please say £1000000000000, please say £100000000000!! )   

 

 

1 million pounds ???

 

The Databyte disk version is worth slightly more. I would say 15 to 25 euros.

 

The last couple of months prices are dropping in Europe. Maybe the end of the price bubble is coming? For collectors like me that is good news as we hopefully see an end to the ridiculous prices on Ebay ? 

[Beeblebrox]

@Fred_M   thanks. Still gonna keep it. Yup, some crazy prices out there.

 

BTW checked out your museum vid from your website - impressive, (do you have enough money eat after all that?!):

 

 

 

 

 

[Fred_M]

5 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

 

BTW checked out your museum vid from your website - impressive, (do you have enough money eat after all that?!):

 

 

 

Thank you for the compliments ?

 

Funny enough I get the "money" question a lot. The biggest part of my collection was bought/given to me in the nineties when no one wanted Atari stuff any more. So all of that did not cost me a fortune. Plus I was part of ANG Software, so of almost everything we sold/published I put one copy aside. And even today a lot of European users like what I am doing (preserving, scanning and so on) and donate Atari stuff to me.

[Beeblebrox]

52 minutes ago, Fred_M said:

 

Thank you for the compliments ?

 

Funny enough I get the "money" question a lot. The biggest part of my collection was bought/given to me in the nineties when no one wanted Atari stuff any more. So all of that did not cost me a fortune. Plus I was part of ANG Software, so of almost everything we sold/published I put one copy aside. And even today a lot of European users like what I am doing (preserving, scanning and so on) and donate Atari stuff to me.

@Fred_M  Cool - yes I remember ANG Software - the little baby logo if I recall? I'm sure I have some of the games on disk in my collection. Wow, you did well to get all your collection the way you did.  What is your fav game and fav piece of A8 hardware?

 

Whilst of course I love a lot of the old boxed software (I will be keeping my boxed cart copy of Rescue of Fractalus), and of course the A8 computer hardware themselves, (check out my rather long signature), I am very much focused on the new games coming out and what the A8 is still capable of.

 

So much potential still and the momentum on the scene is amazing at the mo. I love Prince of Persia which is a colossal achievement, Flob is astounding in all aspects, Final Assault blew me away especially in terms of potential for future enhancements and raycasting engines. Albert is a fantastic looking game and I can't wait for the sequel which I believe is still in the pipeline. I am looking forward immensly to L-abbayne des Mortes and Great Giana sisters as well as "Asteroida, the cause of life's troubles that is....".   Also the work Flashjazzcart is doing on FATFMS is a game changer for future games running off SDcard cart systems, (at the mo SIDE3).

 

Thanks to my dad who was an Atari nut I grew up in the 80's and all the way through the 90's using my Atari 800XL and 130XE for everything including all my GCSEs and A-levels. Wrote for paper/disk mags, spent a stupid amount of time sampling sounds via the Replay cart I had at the time. (I have all the samples still).

Got into the Atari Jaguar at the time also - still have it.

Then in the 2000s PC's took over and it's only this spring I reconnected big time with the Atari scene.  Perfect time to reconnect, it's still very much alive and retro gaming has really come back. I still love PC and especially VR gaming but the A8 is my first love.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Beeblebrox
adding more info

[TGB1718]

2 hours ago, Fred_M said:

The last couple of months prices are dropping in Europe. Maybe the end of the price bubble is coming?

Have to agree, when I got a perfect working, no yellowing 800XL for £68 , had been trying on Ebay for years

but they always sold for silly prices even untested/not working ones were going for close to £100

[Fred_M]

2 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@Fred_M  Cool - yes I remember ANG Software - the little baby logo if I recall? I'm sure I have some of the games on disk in my collection. Wow, you did well to get all your collection the way you did.  What is your fav game and fav piece of A8 hardware?

 

You remember correctly ? The kid in the logo was a picture of the son of the owner of ANG Software.

 

 

My favorite game and hardware..... Hmmmm that is a difficult question. At ANG I was the one who was selling the games at shows/meetings, I have been several times at the Alternative Micro Show in Stafford (UK), and I was the guy making manuals, some covers and helped with the copying of games. I was not a programmer. Besides that I was one of the board members of the Pokey Foundation (Stichting Pokey) which published the Dutch Pokey's Magazines. I wrote a lot of articles and reviews for that magazine. Some of them were translated into English and published by TWAUG Magazine (UK), but some of the British readers/publishers did not like my Dutch (harsh) way of writing and reviewing. I still have some angry letters here from a very angry small British publisher ? And ofcourse a lot of other juicy stories  

 

My favorite piece of hardware is my 130XE. I is nothing fancy, but it was my main computer in the eighties. It is still the same one. Also I like my XF551, which I bought in the eighties too, with speedy enhancement. It is one of the very limited number of XF551 drives with this enhancement. My favorite game.... also no special titles, I liked Ninja (Mastertronic) very much and ofcourse Boulder Dash back in the day. But I agree with you, looking at newer masterpieces like Prince of Persia and Flob it looks like the quality of Atari 8-bit games is getting better and better!

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Fred_M

[Beeblebrox]

@Fred_M   Ah I used to go to the Stafford show in the 1990s!  That's funny, I would have likely met you and bought some of the games I still have in my collection from you. Small world eh? (We'll I suppose technically the Atari scene is a small world). Course were are talking 25 years ago here! 

 

I wrote for various disk mags and I think Twaug was one of them. Grim Reaper too, plus a few paper based mags. Also reviewed games and demos. It's a lifetime ago. 

 

Juicy stories eh? 

 

I recall playing Ninja in my teens - the death stars stick in my mind (not, err, literally heh heh!)  I loved International Karate. 

 

Aside Boulderdash which I played all the time, Kickstart as well as Gauntlet were my go to. Loved Henry's House. Plus also Zybex and Blinky's Scary school,  (Zeppelin Games were an amazing developer), and of course The Brundles. TBH the list goes on. I just wish we had had the likes of Atariblast!, PoP, Flob and Final Assault BITD. Still, we have them now and it's amazing.

 

My fav A8 is prob still the 800XL. I did love the 130XE but the top loading cart on the 600/800 XL is so much better placed. Plus the latter feel quite robust. I only ever had 1050 drives BITD. Got two working ones now, both Happy clone type enhanced. My SIDE3 and various A8s with U1MB installed are amazing.

 

Only this year I managed to get a 600XL and recently an 800. Love em both.

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Beeblebrox

[scalpel]

7 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@scalpel  I am no expert. There are several factors as some games that are rare in the States aren't so rare in Europe. Also I gather many 80's and early 90's games can have original boxed releases and then later repackaged re-releases. There I'd imagine the original releases are worth more.

 

I'd also imagine a cassette version is maybe worth more than a disk version. The fact you have the clamshell and the cardboard box as well, plus all the docs, would IMHO mean it's likely worth more. If you are just looking to sell it and want to guage the market I guess you could try popping it on Ebay for say 7 days with a reserve you'd be happy to get and see the interest.

 

I have the disk version of the construction kit from 1986. Not sure how much it's worth.

 

7 hours ago, Fred_M said:

The tape in the clamshell release by Databyte (Boulder Dash Construction Kit) is not part of the First Star software (Boulder Dash) release box. So you have 2 separate releases there.

 

The U.K. Databyte release is not rare in Europe, I would say 5 to 20 euros max.

 

I don't see the tape of the boxed U.S. First Star release, so if you don't have that tape that release is incomplete.

Thanks a lot

It is not mine. Someone asks 120 euros for it. 

Edited November 23, 2021 by scalpel

[Beeblebrox]

11 minutes ago, scalpel said:

 

Thanks a lot

It is not mine. Someone asks 120 euros for it. 

@scalpel  Wow, yes I'd avoid that then, they are asking way too much. Especially as it's two combined releases and the tape appears to be missing from the boxed release, like Fred_M pointed out.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Beeblebrox

[Mclaneinc]

 

It's fair to say that it will remain unsold at that price, even half that is way too much..

[Fred_M]

120 euros for that...... ???

 

UK Ebay seller metoyou0_2 is offering the Databyte tape release of Boulder Dash Construction Kit for 14.99 pounds.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Fred_M

[+nasty niff]

On 11/23/2021 at 3:17 PM, Beeblebrox said:

@Fred_M   Ah I used to go to the Stafford show in the 1990s!  That's funny, I would have likely met you and bought some of the games I still have in my collection from you. Small world eh? (We'll I suppose technically the Atari scene is a small world). Course were are talking 25 years ago here! 

 

I wrote for various disk mags and I think Twaug was one of them. Grim Reaper too, plus a few paper based mags. Also reviewed games and demos. It's a lifetime ago. 

 

Juicy stories eh? 

 

I recall playing Ninja in my teens - the death stars stick in my mind (not, err, literally heh heh!)  I loved International Karate. 

 

Aside Boulderdash which I played all the time, Kickstart as well as Gauntlet were my go to. Loved Henry's House. Plus also Zybex and Blinky's Scary school,  (Zeppelin Games were an amazing developer), and of course The Brundles. TBH the list goes on. I just wish we had had the likes of Atariblast!, PoP, Flob and Final Assault BITD. Still, we have them now and it's amazing.

 

My fav A8 is prob still the 800XL. I did love the 130XE but the top loading cart on the 600/800 XL is so much better placed. Plus the latter feel quite robust. I only ever had 1050 drives BITD. Got two working ones now, both Happy clone type enhanced. My SIDE3 and various A8s with U1MB installed are amazing.

 

Only this year I managed to get a 600XL and recently an 800. Love em both.

 

 

grim reaper - me and john e., loved ams shows and twaug (rip dave e).

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by mistapaul

[+nasty niff]

grim reaper - me and john e., loved ams shows and twaug (rip dave e).

thats the place i got my a/d convertor from as ang never delivered to me, waited months

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by mistapaul

[Fred_M]

15 hours ago, mistapaul said:

grim reaper - me and john e., loved ams shows and twaug (rip dave e).

thats the place i got my a/d convertor from as ang never delivered to me, waited months

 

 

I am very sorry to hear that you never have received the sample cartridge ?

The guys from TWAUG were great, especially David ?  We stayed in contact for many years.