Never-Released CX Games

[Mindfield]

So, after recieving my last batch of games and going through my list of CX part numbers to see which I still lacked (I'm down to 8!), I came across a few things I've been wondering about for a while now -- a few never-released games that were assigned CX part numbers but I don't think I've ever heard anything about.

 

For example:

 

CX26105 - 3D Asteroids. C'est what? When were they going to make a 3D version of Asteroids?

CX26124 - Choplifter. A Brøderbund license??

CX26141 - Motor Psycho. The same as the 7800 one?

CX26142 - Crack'ed. Again, another 7800 port?

CX26153 - Thunderfox. I've never even heard of this.

CX26165 - Jinks. Yet another 7800 port?

CX26167 - Street Fight. A fighting game? Seriously?

CX26184 - White Water Madness. Que?

 

Was there ever any material for any of these? Protos? Literature? Vapourware ads?

Edited July 14, 2005 by Mindfield

[+Mitch]

There is a proto of Cracked, it plays pretty well.

 

Mitch

[Albert]

There is a proto of Cracked, it plays pretty well.

 

Mitch

891376[/snapback]

You can view screenshots of the game and download the ROM here:

 

AtariAge:Crack'ed 2600 Proto

 

Crack'ed was released in cartridge form at the 2002 Classic Gaming Expo (scans here of the cart, box and manual). And you can read Matt's review of the game over at his site:

 

AtariProtos.com: Crack'ed

 

As to the others, I'm not sure how much is known about them. I doubt Atari would have signed CX numbers to games they weren't seriously considering producing, but some of them probably got canned before they got too far, and others may have just been victim of the crash. Maybe Matt has information on some of the other titles (I'll point him here).

 

..Al

[Tempest]

So, after recieving my last batch of games and going through my list of CX part numbers to see which I still lacked (I'm down to 8!), I came across a few things I've been wondering about for a while now -- a few never-released games that were assigned CX part numbers but I don't think I've ever heard anything about.

 

For example:

 

CX26105 - 3D Asteroids.  C'est what?  When were they going to make a 3D version of Asteroids?

CX26124 - Choplifter.  A Brøderbund license??

CX26141 - Motor Psycho.  The same as the 7800 one?

CX26142 - Crack'ed.  Again, another 7800 port?

CX26153 - Thunderfox.  I've never even heard of this.

CX26165 - Jinks.  Yet another 7800 port?

CX26167 - Street Fight.  A fighting game?  Seriously?

CX26184 - White Water Madness.  Que?

 

Was there ever any material for any of these?  Protos?  Literature?  Vapourware ads?

891342[/snapback]

 

 

Very little is known about these titles. Crack'ed, Motorpycho, and Jinks were all going to be ports of the 7800 versions (same with Thunderfox although that never was released for the 7800 either). Street Fight and White Water Madness were both mentioned on several part lists and order sheets, so I'm guessing those were much further along than the others. I'd have a hard time believing that the 2600 could do a passable Choplifter. No idea what to say about 3D Asteroids, I'd guess it's the same game that was eventually released on the 7800.

 

Tempest

[Lauren Tyler]

Here are a few of my thoughts:

 

3D Asteroids: Maybe they were going to make the asteroids appear like they were rotating on the Atari 7800 version?

 

Choplifter: If they could figure out how to make the controls work (maybe holding down the button to turn and tapping it to shoot?) then I could possibly imagine it working, but I don't know if they could handle the graphics without a lot of flicker.

 

Motor Psycho: I remember the Atari 7800 version allowed use of a second joystick to tune your motorcycle's performance to your liking. Don't know if it would work on the Atari 2600 version.

 

Crack'ed: I knew there was a prototype, but what I want to know is would it have used the 2600 light gun if it were released?

[Mindfield]

Very little is known about these titles.  Crack'ed, Motorpycho, and Jinks were all going to be ports of the 7800 versions (same with Thunderfox although that never was released for the 7800 either).  Street Fight and White Water Madness were both mentioned on several part lists and order sheets, so I'm guessing those were much further along than the others.  I'd have a hard time believing that the 2600 could do a passable Choplifter.  No idea what to say about 3D Asteroids, I'd guess it's the same game that was eventually released on the 7800.

 

Tempest

891630[/snapback]

 

Crack'ed looks pretty good! I'm amazed the shelved that one given that it's complete.

 

Was Thunderfox ever worked on? If so then given that many of the games were written concurrently for 7800 and 2600 it'd make sense that some work had been done on the 2600 version too.

 

I'd hate to see an attempt at Choplifter. It's a relatively simplistic game graphically speaking (at least for the micros it was released on) -- perhaps not so simple on the 2600 though, and the control scheme would have sucked on a one-button joystick. This would have been a good one for CBS and their Booster Grip.

 

Street Fight and White Water Madness -- if they appeared on parts order sheets then I have to think development was pretty far along with those at the very least. It wouldn't make sense even for the Tramiels to offer pending availability on items only in the concept stages. It'd be interesting to see if anything more than a part number on a list exists for these, they kinda sound interesting.

 

I really find it hard to believe they could have convincingly pulled off rotating asteroids ala the 7800 Asteroids unless they made it a 16 or 32k cart for all the sprite data.

 

I do think they could have done a pretty decent version of Jinks though, and possibly even Motorpsycho (though they'd probably have to had stripped that one down to something like Pole Position with a motorcycle)

[mos6507]

At one point they were experimenting with red/blue 3D with the 2600. I think that's what 3D Asteroids was going to be.

[+Nathan Strum]

At one point they were experimenting with red/blue 3D with the 2600.  I think that's what 3D Asteroids was going to be.

 

Now that sounds like a homebrew project just waiting to happen.

[Albert]

At one point they were experimenting with red/blue 3D with the 2600.  I think that's what 3D Asteroids was going to be.

 

Now that sounds like a homebrew project just waiting to happen.

892662[/snapback]

No kidding, a 3D 2600 game would be very cool. Just so long as it's not 3D Asteroids, which doesn't sound like it'd be a good use for 3D. I'm sure a source for cheap 3D glasses could be found.

 

..Al

[Mindfield]

How could that be accomplished though? The anaglyphs would converge as they appear to get closer to the viewer, which means overlapping images whose individual pixels would have to AND as they merge. That in and of itself is probably beyond the 2600's capabilities, let alone doing it for multiple objects.

 

Not that it wouldn't be cool. :-)

[Godzilla]

At one point they were experimenting with red/blue 3D with the 2600.  I think that's what 3D Asteroids was going to be.

 

Now that sounds like a homebrew project just waiting to happen.

892662[/snapback]

No kidding, a 3D 2600 game would be very cool. Just so long as it's not 3D Asteroids, which doesn't sound like it'd be a good use for 3D. I'm sure a source for cheap 3D glasses could be found.

 

..Al

892758[/snapback]

 

 

you'd be surprised just how good a 3d asteroids game can be, try 3d minestorm on the vectrex to see. it actually adds a lot. awesome game!

[Robert M]

How could that be accomplished though?  The anaglyphs would converge as they appear to get closer to the viewer, which means overlapping images whose individual pixels would have to AND as they merge.  That in and of itself is probably beyond the 2600's capabilities, let alone doing it for multiple objects.

 

Not that it wouldn't be cool.  :-)

892767[/snapback]

 

If they were going to use Red/Blue glasses I suspect that the program would alternate drawing Red and Blue frames.

[Kr0tki]

CX26153 - Thunderfox.  I've never even heard of this.

891342[/snapback]

I'd suggest you look at the version of Thunderfox released for Atari XL/XE.

 

I'd hate to see an attempt at Choplifter. (...) the control scheme would have sucked on a one-button joystick.

891814[/snapback]

The XL/XE version used only one button, but in my opinion it was still easy to control.

[pinball22]

Choplifter for the C64 works fine with just the one button... it just takes a minute

to get used to what you need to do to change the copter position.

[mos6507]

At one point they were experimenting with red/blue 3D with the 2600.  I think that's what 3D Asteroids was going to be.

 

Now that sounds like a homebrew project just waiting to happen.

892662[/snapback]

No kidding, a 3D 2600 game would be very cool. Just so long as it's not 3D Asteroids, which doesn't sound like it'd be a good use for 3D. I'm sure a source for cheap 3D glasses could be found.

 

..Al

892758[/snapback]

 

It made sense for GCE (3D Minestorm).

[Video]

How could that be accomplished though?  The anaglyphs would converge as they appear to get closer to the viewer, which means overlapping images whose individual pixels would have to AND as they merge.  That in and of itself is probably beyond the 2600's capabilities, let alone doing it for multiple objects.

 

Not that it wouldn't be cool.  :-)

892767[/snapback]

 

If you made an entirely new game, it coule be done. With mild flicker it could be possible. It'd still be 60 FPS, they'd just have to drop to 30 FPS and every alternating frame would be red, then blue. Both shots would show the asteroid slightly off from the previous frame. But it could be done.

 

I say with an entirely new game, because Asteroids already flickers, and it would probably become unbareable if this was mearly modified.

 

Also, you'd have to drop down to just 2 large asteroids, as having any flickering on an already flickering game would probably screw up the affect if you used 3D glasses.

[supercat]

Also, you'd have to drop down to just 2 large asteroids, as having any flickering on an already flickering game would probably screw up the affect if you used 3D glasses.

898576[/snapback]

 

If one used a RAM expansion like the Supercharger, one could produce a 96x128 hires flickerscreen (30Hz) with alternating red and blue scan lines. I don't know if the 2600's colors would be saturated enough to make the glasses work well, though.

[Atari Rescue Group]

CX26105 - 3D Asteroids.  C'est what?  When were they going to make a 3D version of Asteroids?

CX26124 - Choplifter.  A Brøderbund license??

CX26141 - Motor Psycho.  The same as the 7800 one?

CX26142 - Crack'ed.  Again, another 7800 port?

CX26153 - Thunderfox.  I've never even heard of this.

CX26165 - Jinks.  Yet another 7800 port?

CX26167 - Street Fight.  A fighting game?  Seriously?

CX26184 - White Water Madness.  Que?

 

Was there ever any material for any of these?  Protos?  Literature?  Vapourware ads?

891342[/snapback]

 

In a box of stuff I bought once there was a December 1989 cartridge list page and fax order form for 2600 and 7800 games. Street Fight & White Water Madness are listed as "Coming Soon" for the 2600.