Justin

Here an Atarian comes face to face with the enemy and declares it fantastic!
 

I'm sure I'm very late to this party -- cutting the cable cord.  We've kept cable all this time, mostly to watch our local sports team (every game televised on the regional sports network, available ONLY on cable).  But rates went way up in 2024.  Also, we lost cable for a couple days during the recent winter storm and I hooked up an OTA antenna to our family room TV.  I was impressed with the quality of the 20 or so channels we got that way!  And then the cable company gave us a credit for the outage, which was nice.  However, it was $8 a day....and that's when I realized it is not worth $8 a day.  I want to retire early, and this is one cut that will have immediate benefits in savings.
Soooo...if you've done the cord cutting, please tell me how it went.  What do you watch when you have a few minutes to spare in the evenings?  Do you use an antenna, streaming, or a combo?  Are you happy with your choice?
One final note from me is that we already pay for several streaming services (Paramount+, Disney/Hulu, Peacock), so there's plenty to watch there.  And like I said, 20 or so good channels on an antenna.  And finally, our local sports team SUCKS this year...they are in full rebuild mode, so we wouldn't be missing much (this is the thing I'll miss the most I think).  
 

On this episode of #ThatAtariShow, I delve into 30+ #Atari #Gems for your #Atari #2600Plus! These include #Atari7800 & #Atari2600 Classics! (Think: #Asteroids, #Bowling, #Solaris, #Moonsweeper, @FoodFight & the like.) Plus: Creator Space (@highretrogamelord & @maqkarra), Book Nook ("Your Atari Computer" by Poole, McNiff & Cook), and I feature 2 #gamereviews: #MrRunandJump & #BerzerkEnhanced for the #atari2600plus! I also discuss the @Atari #400mini & @MyArcaderetro's latest Atari devices! Plus new #podcast updates! and much, much more! Premieres @ 10a MST on Jan 15, 2024!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RAOTzcL6vs
 

32300 ENHANCED version game 3. I switched to a Slik Stik and ripped out this score
 

Well. It’s a start. Original Berzerk. 4,490. Tough game.  
 

Great show! I had to catch it after the live stream. And it was an honor just to be nominated. I got choked up a little...I had a speech ready and everything. 🤣
 

Towers II: Enhanced Stargazer Edition is here for the Atari Jaguar! The RPG was released for the Jaguar in late 1996 and rereleased in 2023 with double the ROM size and massive quality of life upgrades. 
Check out the game @SongbirdPro 
https://songbird-productions.com/2023/04/05/introducing-towers-ii-enhanced-for-the-jaguar/
Video covering more differences:
 

13900 original version game 3
 

BREAKING NEWS! @Atari & @PLAION Announce the #Atari400Mini! A mini recreation of the #Atari400 #8BitComputer first released way back in 1979! Retails for $119.99, and avail in March 2024! Plus: What @MyArcadeRetro confirmed about new #Atari devices! Click: https://youtu.be/qsBgIbI8M-A

ATARI NEWSLINE. BREAKING NEWS. // On this #AtariNewsline update, I'm excited to announce that the #Atari #400Mini is NOW UP for #Preorder on #Amazon here in the #USA & in the #EU! Yes, in Europe, too! Let's discuss. AND: @Atari & #GFuel #Twitter #Contest... Who Won? Let's Find out!
 

I forgot to post the show link in here- but we had us a big o time last night giving out awards to people and things that will never want them. Watch the full show and read along with the live chat- there are some knuckle heads in it. If you think  we need better categories or disagree with the winners, please comment on the link- like- subscribe- notify-  all the BS. #atari #atarivcs #atari2600

Categories:
Best Atari Release
Best Atari VCS Game
Best Non-Cartridge Release
Atari Person of the Year
Most Disappointing Release
The Atari Network Podcast Moment of the Year
Best Atari Network Video
Best Big N Funky Productions Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAtH-toi_lo&lc=Ugw8gKYYRuR2bLvldzt4AaABAg 

I forgot to post the show link in here- but we had us a big o time last night giving out awards to people and things that will never want them. Watch the full show and read along with the live chat- there are some knuckle heads in it. If you think  we need better categories or disagree with the winners, please comment on the link- like- subscribe- notify-  all the BS. #atari #atarivcs #atari2600

Categories:
Best Atari Release
Best Atari VCS Game
Best Non-Cartridge Release
Atari Person of the Year
Most Disappointing Release
The Atari Network Podcast Moment of the Year
Best Atari Network Video
Best Big N Funky Productions Video
 

I’m hopeful that they will rerelease this and Save Mary on regular carts. 

I wanted to follow-up Seaquest with Atari's own underwater odyssey: Aquaventure! 
This is a fun game and it amazes me that Atari didn't release it in 1983.  I love the colorful sprites - especially on a CRT.  The lose a little something in HD.  This is the XP Standard Edition cart that Atari released last year.  For those that don't know, an XP cart will not work on a Retron77 - so the 2600 plus is a great way to experience this and the other XP titles. 
 

My final entry: 111,810. It turns out this game rolls over at 1 million. I burned off my remaining lives after surpassing the TG and Lvl Up Score records held by ZilchSr.
It helps immensely to shoot the enemies diagonally whenever possible since they cannot shoot diagonally. So you can dodge their fire - even up close - while picking them off.
 
 

I just played a quick game.  Lousy score, but it's a start...4260

I didn't record this run because I had played like garbage earlier this evening, but that's fine. I stopped at 99,710 because I was getting tired and I'm pretty sure the score rolls over at 100,000. Maybe I'll record another day & go for a rollover. Maybe not lol. Oh, I played on Stella 6.7 for Mac OS and it's the 2600 Berzerk, Game 3.
 

12,930 - ENHANCED edition game 3.  I'm playing on my 2600jr with CX-40
 

Slightly better 
14,390. Same setup. 

I'll take 10 Eddie! 🤷🏻‍♂️😁
 

Here's now Crazy Eddie committed the biggest retail fraud in US history
 

Here are some variant flyers you might be interested in.
 

I would like to see a cartridge port for both A8 and 5200 so that everyone feels covered. There's going to be someone out there like you, with very fond memories of the 5200 - except they never got into the A8, etc. It would be nice for them to be able to play their cartridges and homebrew releases on a new system with HD output.
I feel like if Atari is going to do this the right way - the way they did the 2060+, that's what they would need to do.
I also hope one day we will see an FPGA-Based 2600+ in a 7800 shell. They could call it the Atari 2600 Pro.

I'm a little underwhelmed that this doesn't have a cartridge port the way the 2600+ does. I've been hoping to see Atari develop an "Atari XE+" with a 4/5 or 3/5 scale Atari XE that incorporates two cartridge ports into the top of the machine - one for Atari 8-Bit Computer cartridges, and the other for Atari 5200 cartridges. I would love that.
Otherwise this looks like a nice product and I hope Atari does well with it.

Ok.  Just for this I now want a Switch.  Not good. 😞