Help - Unknown Apollo Games

[Game Rogue]

Both carts have APOLLO on them, but there is no indication of what the games are. I'm certain they are protos.

 

Thanks in advance.

[+Omegamatrix]

Very nice find! These are both 2600 games right? I don't know what ones. Is there any other names written on the cart? Tempest might know more about them. There also is a Prototypes forum here in AA. One of the mods might move the thread over there so it can be in a better place. How did you pick these up?

[Rom Hunter]

Guardian and...

 

Kyphus?

Labyrinth?

Marble Maze?

 

I think you hit the jackpot, my friend.

 

Edited January 29, 2006 by Rom Hunter

[Game Rogue]

Very nice find! These are both 2600 games right? I don't know what ones. Is there any other names written on the cart? Tempest might know more about them. There also is a Prototypes forum here in AA. One of the mods might move the thread over there so it can be in a better place. How did you pick these up?

1009057[/snapback]

 

I pretty sure they are 2600 games, but I am viewing them on my 7800 since my 2600 console doesn't work any longer, so I'm not 100% certain. There is nothing written on the cart.

 

Most game I've collected over the years (read 1980s) came by way of game testing for a few companies during that era.

Edited January 29, 2006 by Game Rogue

[Game Rogue]

In the maze like game there is a robot or other like thing chasing after you, forcing you to make an exit to the next room.

[Tempest]

Wow! I don't recognize that second game, I think you've discovered some previously unknown prototype! The 3D maze one is particularly interesting as it seems to be technologically much more advanced than other Apollo games I've seen.

 

I send you a PM about these prototypes. You should preserve these in case something happens to them.

 

Tempest

[supercat]

The 3D maze one is particularly interesting as it seems to be technologically much more advanced than other Apollo games I've seen.

1009085[/snapback]

 

I'm not sure the maze game is technologically particularly advanced, but the screen shot suggests that Apollo might have been improving. There were two incomplete Apollo protos on your site that had also looked somewhat promising, right? Squoosh and something else?

 

Interesting irony, since Apollo is from what I understand one of the companies responsible for the crash (Skeet Shoot, anyone?)

[+Omegamatrix]

The 3D maze one is particularly interesting as it seems to be technologically much more advanced than other Apollo games I've seen.

1009085[/snapback]

 

I'm not sure the maze game is technologically particularly advanced, but the screen shot suggests that Apollo might have been improving. There were two incomplete Apollo protos on your site that had also looked somewhat promising, right? Squoosh and something else?

 

Interesting irony, since Apollo is from what I understand one of the companies responsible for the crash (Skeet Shoot, anyone?)

1009112[/snapback]

I actually liked Skeet Shoot a little bit...

 

Yes, I still wake up in the night to the sound of my own screams, and then I scream myself back to sleep.

[supercat]

I actually liked Skeet Shoot a little bit...

1009116[/snapback]

 

It might be possible to hack it into a playable game, but in its present form it is either too easy or else impossible.

[+Omegamatrix]

I actually liked Skeet Shoot a little bit...

1009116[/snapback]

 

It might be possible to hack it into a playable game, but in its present form it is either too easy or else impossible.

1009125[/snapback]

You are right of course. It's too hard to get off your shot when the clay pigeon launches. The only way I hit it is if I guess the right side it's on or it's dead above me.

[NovaXpress]

Interesting irony, since Apollo is from what I understand one of the companies responsible for the crash (Skeet Shoot, anyone?)

Skeet Shoot came out in 81, so it certainly wasn't a crash-causer. Apollo never had a hot-selling title so they were always under the radar of most gamers. The company that caused the crash was Atari (with all the non-returnable carts they forced down retailers' throats in Xmas 82).

 

Why the hell are we talking about Skeet Shoot? There's a new proto in the air! Woooo!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

 

Please dump it!

[sandmountainslim]

Wonder what the game is called?

[Game Rogue]

Wonder what the game is called?

1009210[/snapback]

 

Exactly... both these games are unknown to the Atari community here?

 

The Apollo Maze game has you controlling the man while being chased by the robot and the blob like thing trying to follow your moves and shooting a laser pulse(s) every second or so. The laser pulse(s) and robot do not kill you if touched. I play about 10 min, with room colrs changing and door in different positions but can't seen to find whats supposed to be done. Minimal sound effects.

 

The Apollo Shooting game has alot activity on screen but I can only make the two (upper and lower) ships fire a short laser beams, they can not move. The laser beam will kill the enemies that happen to drift into the beam. Minimal sound effects.

 

Here are a few more pix.

[Lord Thag]

The thing I love about this hobby is that people still find stuff like this 25 years later

 

How did you get them, if I may ask?

[NovaXpress]

The shooter is Guardian, which was released by Apollo.

 

The maze game was unreleased, but I swear that I recognize that screenshot. The combination of that robot and the blob on the ceiling rings a bell. I'm guessing that I saw it or read a description of it in one of the old game mags.

[8th lutz]

I'm not sure the maze game is technologically particularly advanced, but the screen shot suggests that Apollo might have been improving.  There were two incomplete Apollo protos on your site that had also looked somewhat promising, right?  Squoosh and something else?

 

Interesting irony, since Apollo is from what I understand one of the companies responsible for the crash (Skeet Shoot, anyone?)

1009112[/snapback]

As far companies go for responsible for the crash, Apollo shouldn't be. I consider coleco, atari,Mattel, and Mystique. Mystique should be for their adult games and I read that some missinformered people thought that atari was making those adult games.

 

Coleco- for Adam computer. Final blow in the crash. I think celcovision could have survived the crash without the Adam computer.

 

Mattel- Mattel Aquarius and intellivision 2. My thinking of Intellivision 2 is that it for the intellivoice module for updates and removable controllers. I think the system needed to be updated in graphics and making it easier to do arcade ports and to be programed.

 

Atari-E.t,Pac-man and releasing games for the 5200 that were already released for the 2600, along with treatment of their employees that caused the lawsuit that Activision won.

Edited January 30, 2006 by 8th lutz

[Game Rogue]

The shooter is Guardian, which was released by Apollo.

1009280[/snapback]

 

So Guardian was released, but have any had the game in proto form? My (proto)version is not very playable.

[Tempest]

The shooter is Guardian, which was released by Apollo.

1009280[/snapback]

 

So Guardian was released, but have any had the game in proto form? My (proto)version is not very playable.

1009300[/snapback]

 

Try using paddles.

 

Tempest

[Foxsolo2000]

Game Rogue if you can dump it you should send a copy to Tempest for I would love to know what he makes of it

[Rom Hunter]

As I already said in post #3, the first game is Guardian (in two player mode) and the second game could be Kyphus, Labyrinth, Marble Maze or something else.

 

[NovaXpress]

Kyphus is the only one of those three titles that I remember hearing about in the olden days. Know of any catalog descriptions or other notes about it?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Does anybody know what Kyphus means? I only found Kyphos which means vertebra.

[NovaXpress]

Kyphus is the posterior angulation of the thoracic spine.

 

New data:

the normal kyphus angle is 20--40°

if your kyphus is off, that condition is called kyphosis

 

I have no idea what to do with this information.

Edited January 30, 2006 by NovaXpress

[+Nathan Strum]

The maze game reminds me of the layout for Racquetball. I wonder if the same programmer worked on it?