Jump to content
IGNORED

Suggest some good Fairchild Channel F games


SteveW

Recommended Posts

I know this is a tough one, considering the platform, but does anyone have some suggestions for halfway decent Channel F games? A co-worker has one in his attic, still with it's original box and a dozen games, and he's going to give it to me soon. I don't know all that much about Fairchild/Zircon games, so if anyone has some experience with good games for it, i'd like to know. Anyone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know this is a tough one, considering the platform, but does anyone have some suggestions for halfway decent Channel F games? A co-worker has one in his attic, still with it's original box and a dozen games, and he's going to give it to me soon. I don't know all that much about Fairchild/Zircon games, so if anyone has some experience with good games for it, i'd like to know. Anyone?

 

Depends on what your definition of "good" is? Being the first programmable system with a very limited release of a total of 26 carts and very limited graphics ability, it's hard to say that most of them would qualify as more than OK at best. I owned this system since new and have played every game that was available. Personally, the ones that I find entertaining were Maze, Torpedo Alley, Sonar Search, Dodge-it and Wizball. Unfortunately, due to the simplicity of the games, you'll still find yourself easily bored.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Desert Fox

Spitfire

Space War

Maze

Video Pinball

Dodge-It

Video Whizball

 

I think you'll find Desert Fox and Video Pinball to be, in some ways, more advanced than their Atari counterparts (Combat and Breakout). For instance, in Desert Fox you can aim your gun in different direction than you are moving in -sorta like Robotron. Video Pinball allows you to adjust your paddle size before the game starts, which surprised me when I first played it, I didn't think Channel F games could have features like that.

 

It's really cool that a co-worker even HAS a Fairchild, let alone the willingness to give it to you! I hope it works!

 

 

(BTW, there were discussions a while back about homebrewing for the Channel F. I presume nothing ever became of that?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

#16 Dodge-It

 

You control a square. The game releases another square that you have to dodge. It releases another and another and another. You score points based on how long you can dodge the squares. Size of playfield, speed of squares is random.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...p;showentry=895

 

#20 Video Whizball

 

This is fun and pretty original.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...p;showentry=914

 

#8 Mindreader / Nim

 

Well, I had fun with it, but I'm wierd.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...p;showentry=648

 

#20 Schach (Chess, Saba only)

 

It's Chess on the Fairchild and it doesn't suck. Foreign cart, though.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...;showentry=1417

 

#14 Sonar Search

 

It's like a videogame version of Battleship! Yes, it is as fun as it sounds.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...p;showentry=676

 

I hear #25 (Casino) and #26 (Space Invader clone) are good, but I haven't played them, yet.

 

Umm, Bowling might be a little fun. Drag Rce has been compared unfavorably to losing a toe in an industrial accident, but I didn't dislike it quite that much.

 

Good luck, though chances are your neighbor will only have carts 1, 2 and 3 and maybe 5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:lol:

 

This question is like asking 'My friend is giving me a toilet. Can you suggest some good turds?'

 

Seriously, the thing make a nice conversation piece, and that's about it.

 

Is that based on actual ownership or is it just looking down your nose at an also-ran from the period because it'll make you look cool in front of the big kids?

 

There's a hopmebrew of Tetris at least, but it's not cuirrently available on cart.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want to try the Channel F out. I've always been interested in it, ever since finding one on a storage shelf at the school my mom taught at around 1980 or 1981. I liked the look of the machine, and the 8-track looking cartridges. So i'd like to get a Fairchild, just out of curiosity's sake. I've listened to interviews with Jerry Lawson, the creator of the Channel F, which gives me a good appreciation for the machine. Even if I play it about as much as I do the Odyssey2 (virtually never), it'll still be a nice addition to my collection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is that based on actual ownership or is it just looking down your nose at an also-ran from the period because it'll make you look cool in front of the big kids?

 

Listen, pal. If you want to be rude, do it somewhere else. The only 'kid' in this post seems to be you, judging from your poor manners. The Channel F is about as primitive and unplayable as it gets, right up there with the RCA Studio II. I happen to own a couple of the units, with a stack of games, and none of them even approach playable. Since the unit was based off of a very early non-6502 chip that really restricted what you could do with it. Very slow and clunky. I happen to like most of the other 'also ran' systems like the Odyssey 2, Astrocade and Arcadia, but the channel F is not even remotely fun to play.

 

You don't have to agree with my post, or my sense of humor, but let's leave leave the name calling and poor manners out of this, hmm?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always thought the best game was the Pong style game (can't recall its exact name). Great game where your could move you paddle anywhere on your side of the screen and twist the controller to adjust the angle of attack. It is my favorite version of the pong games. Other than that, Alien Invasion wasn't too bad. I wish someone would hack the colors and put in a black background for many of these games. I hated the white. I also liked the doodle game as well.

 

-Lee

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is that based on actual ownership or is it just looking down your nose at an also-ran from the period because it'll make you look cool in front of the big kids?

 

Listen, pal. If you want to be rude, do it somewhere else. The only 'kid' in this post seems to be you, judging from your poor manners. The Channel F is about as primitive and unplayable as it gets, right up there with the RCA Studio II. I happen to own a couple of the units, with a stack of games, and none of them even approach playable. Since the unit was based off of a very early non-6502 chip that really restricted what you could do with it. Very slow and clunky. I happen to like most of the other 'also ran' systems like the Odyssey 2, Astrocade and Arcadia, but the channel F is not even remotely fun to play.

 

You don't have to agree with my post, or my sense of humor, but let's leave leave the name calling and poor manners out of this, hmm?

 

Hey, Lord Scatalogical-boy, you said "turd" first.

 

You're the ill-mannered, potty-mouth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh come on, nothing is as bad as the Studio II. At least the Channel F sucks in color!

 

i agree with tempest, fairchild is an xbox 360 in comparison to the studio 2

 

:D

 

Ok, I'll have to conceed that point. The Channel F has controllers too.

 

Hey, Lord Scatalogical-boy, you said "turd" first.

 

You're the ill-mannered, potty-mouth.

 

:?

 

The fact that I called a system I don't like a turd is grounds for personal insults today? My daddy can beat up your daddy! :roll:

 

Must be something in the water today...

 

Childish comments aside, the Channel F really isn't very playable (that's an opinion folks, we all have 'em). The Odyssey 2, which is primitive by even 2600 standards is far more playable in comparison. Who knows, some talented homebrewer might be able to drag a decent game out of the hardware, but the existing titles are pretty bad.

 

That being said, the history of the system is really funny. Most of the games were programmed by this really talented but not-quite-stable guy who lived in the office and doubled as the janitor. He would freak out and punch holes in the wall occasionally, but he did some brilliant things with the very limited hardware. Pretty interesting. There was a seminar at one of the Classic Gaming Expos about it. A buddy of mine had a recording of it, I think. I should see if I can get a copy of it to link.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That being said, the history of the system is really funny. Most of the games were programmed by this really talented but not-quite-stable guy who lived in the office and doubled as the janitor. He would freak out and punch holes in the wall occasionally, but he did some brilliant things with the very limited hardware. Pretty interesting. There was a seminar at one of the Classic Gaming Expos about it. A buddy of mine had a recording of it, I think. I should see if I can get a copy of it to link.

 

I never knew that! That is kind of funny.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That being said, the history of the system is really funny. Most of the games were programmed by this really talented but not-quite-stable guy who lived in the office and doubled as the janitor. He would freak out and punch holes in the wall occasionally, but he did some brilliant things with the very limited hardware. Pretty interesting. There was a seminar at one of the Classic Gaming Expos about it. A buddy of mine had a recording of it, I think. I should see if I can get a copy of it to link.

 

I never knew that! That is kind of funny.

 

Yup, that was in the interview with Jerry Lawson from CGE 2004. But the guy wasn't a janitor, he was a programmer with a really violent temper. He'd punch a hole in the wall in frustration, then he'd promise to repair it later. You can download the interviews from that show here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That being said, the history of the system is really funny. Most of the games were programmed by this really talented but not-quite-stable guy who lived in the office and doubled as the janitor. He would freak out and punch holes in the wall occasionally, but he did some brilliant things with the very limited hardware. Pretty interesting. There was a seminar at one of the Classic Gaming Expos about it. A buddy of mine had a recording of it, I think. I should see if I can get a copy of it to link.

 

I never knew that! That is kind of funny.

 

Yup, that was in the interview with Jerry Lawson from CGE 2004. But the guy wasn't a janitor, he was a programmer with a really violent temper. He'd punch a hole in the wall in frustration, then he'd promise to repair it later. You can download the interviews from that show here.

 

Yeah, one story Jerry tells in that session is about how that programmer did something with the controller ports and used them to squeeze a little more memory out of it. If I remember correctly he found he could 'set' the controller port to be a certain value and then read the port like a variable without affecting gameplay. Boom. Extra memory.

 

Something that has always confused me: When did Zircon take over the Channel F? It's my understanding that the Zircon released games (22,23,24,25,26?) were written in 1979 but weren't released until Zircon resurrected the machine. I don't know if that happened in 1982 (which is what some sources say) or in 1979 (which is still the dates on the carts I have.)

 

Not that it was used to its best advantage, but I find the controller to be quite comfortable. I wonder if it's worth hunting down the controller Zircon made for the Atari VCS. I could see the way the stick "fires" becoming awkward in a rapid fire situation. Hmm, don't get many of those in a Channel F game.

 

I forgot to mention Shooting Gallery (on two different carts for some reason.) is fun in a Zen sorta way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if it's worth hunting down the controller Zircon made for the Atari VCS. I could see the way the stick "fires" becoming awkward in a rapid fire situation. Hmm, don't get many of those in a Channel F game.

 

I have a set, and these include a real button instead of using the plunger to activate fire. :cool:

post-41-1154224897_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if it's worth hunting down the controller Zircon made for the Atari VCS. I could see the way the stick "fires" becoming awkward in a rapid fire situation. Hmm, don't get many of those in a Channel F game.

 

I have a set, and these include a real button instead of using the plunger to activate fire. :cool:

 

Those are pretty gnarly! The only ones I've seen looked the same as Channel F controllers, but had that same "Video Command" logo on the side. The button's gotta be nice, games like Asteroids would be pretty tough to play with the plunger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I know this is a tough one, considering the platform, but does anyone have some suggestions for halfway decent Channel F games? A co-worker has one in his attic, still with it's original box and a dozen games, and he's going to give it to me soon. I don't know all that much about Fairchild/Zircon games, so if anyone has some experience with good games for it, i'd like to know. Anyone?

 

 

I like #14 Sonar Search. It's ofcourse more fun if you're two players, then #9 Maze can be fun as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...