Marco1019

One of the greatest guitar virtuosos ever headed home today. Eddie Van Halen passed away at the age of 65. Sincerest condolences to his entire family

20 years? That's fantastic! Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to this site & community! I'm fortunate to have discovered this site.
 
Here's to 20 more years!

Per Justin's comment, I made a table of Activision games officially released for the Atari 2600. I reviewed the game manuals for all the games listed to gather the patch requirements. I also listed games that do not appear to have patches. If you're interested in what the patches look like, AtariAge forum has an Activision Patch Gallery page.
If you have a patch-worthy score, reply here, and I'll add your name to the I/O Member column. 
I've only managed to get qualifying scores for two games, Stampede and Freeway. I am closing in on Beamrider. I posted my scores for the three games in the Scoreboard sub-forum.
Should I include Activision games for other consoles that had patch awards?
LAST UPDATE: Dec 1, 2022
2600 Game Patch Score Patch Name I/O Member Activision Decathlon 8,600 9,000 10,000 Bronze Silver Gold @socrates63 (9,961) 🥈
@RickR (8,928) 🥉
Barnstorming < 33.3 sec (game 1) < 51.0 sec (game 2) < 54.0 sec (game 3) Flying Aces @RickR (33.17 sec, game 1) Beamrider 40,000 and sector 14 Beamriders @socrates63 (49,400, sector 19) Boxing --- ---   Bridge --- ---   Checkers --- ---   Chopper Command 10,000 Commandos @nosweargamer (279,600) @RickR (115,100) @TrekMD (56,400) @Atari 5200 Guy (36,300) @Hathaway_tries (16,800) @Csolo (15,700) @socrates63 (11,900) @dauber (11,400) Cosmic Commuter --- ---   Crackpots 75,000 Crackpots @HDN (81,160) Dolphin 80,000 500,000 Friends of Dolphins Secret Society of Dolphins   Dragster < 6.0 sec World Class Dragster Club @Csolo (5.71 sec) @RETRO DESTRUCTO (5.81 sec) @RickR (5.91 sec) Enduro 5 days Roadbusters @Atari 5200 Guy (10 days, 1,665.9 miles) @Ballblaɀer (6 days, 923.9 miles) @TrekMD (patch holder) @HDN (5 days, 746.1 miles) Fishing Derby --- ---   Freeway 20 (game 3 or 7) Save the Chicken Foundation @socrates63 (20, game 7) @RickR (20, game 3) Frostbite 40,000 Arctic Architects @nosweargamer (46,270) Ghostbusters --- ---   Grand Prix 0:35 (game 1) 1:00 (game 2) 1:30 (game 3) 2:30 (game 4) Grand Prix Driving Team   H.E.R.O. 75,000 Order of the H.E.R.O.   Ice Hockey Game 1 victory All-Star Hockey Team @RickR (18-4) @nosweargamer (15-14) Kaboom! 3,000 Bucket Brigade @HDN (3,385) Keystone Kapers 35,000 Billy Club @Marco1019 (293,600) @HDN (40,950) Laser Blast 100,000 Federation of Laser Blasters @RickR (101,520) MegaMania 45,000 MegaManiacs @Marco1019 (200,180) @socrates63 (79,580) @Atari 5200 Guy (69,700) @HDN (50,380) @RickR (48,590) Oink! 25,000 (game 1) Oinkers   Pitfall! 20,000 Explorers’ Club @nads (114,000) @nosweargamer (113,332) @Marco1019 (109,964) @RickR (87,720) @Stlrs95 (44,481) @Hathaway_tries (27,368) Pitfall II 99,000 Cliff Hangers @TrekMD (patch holder) Plaque Attack 35,000 No Plaque Pack   Pressure Cooker 45,000 Short-Order Squad   Private Eye Solve case 3 Super Sleuth   River Raid 15,000 River Raiders @Kid A (85,970) @nosweargamer (56,970) @Starbuck66 (44,890) @btbfilms76 (35,410) @HDN (27,290) @Atari 5200 Guy (26,480) @greenween (25,370) River Raid II --- ---   Robot Tank 48 tanks 60 tanks 72 tanks Medal of Merit Cross of Excellence Star of Honor @Atari 5200 Guy (56 tanks) Seaquest 50,000 Sub Club @nosweargamer (70,390) Skiing < 28.2 sec (game 3) Activision Ski Team @RickR (28.12 sec) Sky Jinks < 37.0 sec (game 1) Sky Stars @datafry (36.14 sec) Space Shuttle 4 dockings with 4,500 fuel 6 dockings with 7,500 fuel Space Shuttle Pilot Space Shuttle Commanders   Spider Fighter 40,000 (left Difficulty A) Spider Fighters   Stampede 3,000 Trail Drive @James Campbell Jr. (3,979) @socrates63 (3,528) StarMaster 3,800 (game E) 5,700 (game L) 7,600 (game W) 9,000 (game S) Order of the Supreme StarMaster Leader Wing Commander StarMaster @HDN (5,369 game E)
@HDN (7,757 game L)
@HDN (9,174 game S)
Tennis --- ---  

I recall getting this game and being pretty disappointed.
 
Ms. Pac-Man was a quantum leap by comparison.

Hello, everyone. I've come here via @nosweargamer's August give-away video. It's great to learn of another vibrant Atari community! I live in the suburb of Seattle with my two sons and wife. I've worked my entire career in the tech industry (Microsoft --> Amazon --> HBO / WarnerMedia) as a program manager.
The 4-switch VCS (as it was known then) was my first console back in the early 80s. I think I was in 4th or 5th grade when I got it. At the time, my weekly allowance was $3 and the price of the VCS at Toys R Us was $120. I made a proposal to my dad that if he bought me the console, I would forego a year's worth of allowance. "You'd save $36," said I to my dad. A few days later, we went to Toys R Us and bought the VCS, but he kept giving me my weekly allowance 🙂 Thank goodness that he did. Otherwise, I'd have been playing Combat by myself for a year, and that's not much fun for a kid with no brothers or sisters.
In middle school, I fell in love with computers. I hung around the computer lab for a year as a sixth grader since programming class and access to computers (Commodore PET) were only open to seventh and eighth graders. I got an Atari 800 with the cassette drive in seventh grade and for several years until I got the 520ST, the Atari 8-bit was my BFF. I can't remember what happened to my VCS.
Fast forward almost 40 years to 2020, and I've been re-united with the 2600. Last year, out of nostalgia, I bought a Retron77, but I never opened the box. I discovered AtariAge earlier this year and got a 7800 four months ago. I recently found out that it has compatibility issues with some homebrews and that prompted me to get a light 6-switch 2600 last month. Two weeks after that, I jumped on a nice deal for a fixed up and upgraded 5200. The past month and a half has been a blast reconnecting with the Atari consoles from my childhood and discovering for the first time so many console games that I passed up because I was busy with my Atari 800. I even picked up a CRT TV recently to complete the full retro setup.
In case you're wondering, last year I picked up an Atari 800 and 800XL. I also got the devices to load programs from SD card but I haven't set them up yet. After storing them in boxes for many years, I threw away all my Atari computers, peripherals, and software when we moved nearly 20 years ago. Let's not talk about it.
This is my Atari story. I don't know much, but I'm a gamer at heart (although I suck at most games) and a life long Atari fanboy. I'm glad to be here and look forward to get to know the community better. Thanks for reading.

I agree with all of your choices.  But I was asked just one.  After careful consideration I picked one.  My answer is...
Sorry I've got to change this.  Coolest Atari game I played was the 5200 port of Super Breakout when I got my first Atari on Christmas morning many years ago.  Tempest 2000 is still cool, too, though. 😉 
TEMPEST 2000 -- ATARI JAGUAR
I had to think long on this one.  I kept asking myself about which game made me just not want to walk away, put the controller down, was soo addictive that it pushed the purchase of the game.  I thought of the 2600, 5200, 7800, Lynx...any Atari machine that remembered simply blowing my mind.  Then I remembered one trip to a Wal-Mart store in Missouri one day during a Christmas shopping trip where I had my first encounter with the Jaguar and my first taste of its blood.
I spent the whole time during our visit playing Tempest 2000 that was used to demonstrate the system.  I immediately feel in love with the system and the game.  They were a match made in heaven.  The graphics were WOW, the music was ROCKIN', and the whole concept just worked and blew my mind.  I didn't want to leave or at least not without taking one home.  Here I was a grown man but not wanting to leave without getting a Jaguar.  I would have bought one, too, if they would not have been out of Tempest 2000.

hi everyone,
now here is where the 7800 really shines. the programmer knew his/her stuff, and most likely the choplifter is a double sprite. music good to.
 
now the xe version, i will include the original 16k apple port also. it will show you why this one is so bad and choppy. the apple port is a port of apple basic with machine code, its why its pink. the 1988 atari version just updated the lousy apple port. its obvious its not a complete rewrite in atari machine code.
16k apple port. choplifter was released originally as a 16k game on  cart., 48k disk. by broderbund.
 
thanks,
 
lance
www.atarisales.com
 
 

Since this thread is heavy on Knight Rider - and rightfully so - here's a cover from cellist Samara Ginsberg:
 
 

Since this thread is heavy on Knight Rider - and rightfully so - here's a cover from cellist Samara Ginsberg:
 
 

Since this thread is heavy on Knight Rider - and rightfully so - here's a cover from cellist Samara Ginsberg:
 
 

Being from NYC, I've visited the cities along the Northeast Corridor: Boston (though only once for a school field trip), Philadelphia, Baltimore & DC several times. I've also visited Miami, (my girlfriend & I were on vacation there a year ago this week) Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, & Seattle.
In Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
I visited Costa Rica back in 2013 for my friend's bachelor party.
We vacationed in Cabo San Lucas two years ago.

Being from NYC, I've visited the cities along the Northeast Corridor: Boston (though only once for a school field trip), Philadelphia, Baltimore & DC several times. I've also visited Miami, (my girlfriend & I were on vacation there a year ago this week) Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, & Seattle.
In Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
I visited Costa Rica back in 2013 for my friend's bachelor party.
We vacationed in Cabo San Lucas two years ago.

I recall getting this game and being pretty disappointed.
 
Ms. Pac-Man was a quantum leap by comparison.

I recall getting this game and being pretty disappointed.
 
Ms. Pac-Man was a quantum leap by comparison.

I had to share this, particularly since we just finished the competition with Ms. Pac-Man for the 7800. 
Now the production of the XM units has moved forward and developers are starting to get test units, we'll be seeing new titles being made for the 7800 that take advantage of the XM's capabilities.  One of those titles currently being developed is Pac-Man Collection XM, which takes advantage of the 320 mode of the 7800.  
The video shows a WIP for Pac-Man Collection XM for the 7800.  It will require the XM add-on for Yamaha sound (done be Perry Thuente) and High Score Saving.  It will work without it, but you will get standard TIA sound and no High Score retention.  The game is about 75% complete with a few bugs and missing features (such as an actual random maze generator) and some missing TIA sounds (Yamaha sounds have not been started yet).
Check out the videos below...
 

The Mandalorian is a really, really good show! It has just enough of spaghetti western in it while keeping to the Star Wars universe.
While the middle episodes slow down a tad, the last few really pick up and set the table for Season 2.
The musical score is amazing!
The list of guest stars is pretty impressive.

The Mandalorian is a really, really good show! It has just enough of spaghetti western in it while keeping to the Star Wars universe.
While the middle episodes slow down a tad, the last few really pick up and set the table for Season 2.
The musical score is amazing!
The list of guest stars is pretty impressive.

A good complement to this article would be the documentary titled "Atari: Game Over". The 66-minute doc focuses on the 1983 video game crash along with the unearthing of some E.T. cartridges.

A good complement to this article would be the documentary titled "Atari: Game Over". The 66-minute doc focuses on the 1983 video game crash along with the unearthing of some E.T. cartridges.

I just downloaded all three to my Kindle. Thanks!!

Our good friend @Arenafoot sent this my way on Facebook. 

Michael D. Salzman has several of his excellent "Unauthorized Atari 2600 Throw Back Zine's" for FREE (Kindle version) until Dec 1.  Please spread the word and grab them if you want.  They are very fun reads!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/31912038

Yes! The last missing Atari released game has now been dumped and is playable on Stella 6.0.1!! Pursuit of Pink Panther from Probe 2000 (1983) has been released!
Game instructions can be found here: http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/pinkpanther/pinkpanther.htm
Enjoy!!
 
UPDATE: Pink Panther works on:
Stella 6.0.1 or 6.0.2 (claims Stella 4.0 or higher work)
Retron 77 console
 
does NOT work on:
Harmony cart
Harmony Encore cart
UNO cart
Atari Flashback Portable
 


Pursuit of the Pink Panther.bin

EDIT: New version BREAKOUT2002 LASERBEAMS! 
Can you make it to the playable green treasure room ending scene on level 10?
Button control reversed; reserves finite LASERBEAMS that run out before the end of each level.
BREAKOUT2002_LASERBEAMS_NTSC.bin  BREAKOUT2002_LASERBEAMS_NTSC.wav
BREAKOUT studies 
A collection of seven BREAKOUT stories featuring an inspired new rendition, BREAKOUT 2002 with a 10 level quest and a harmonized sound that is different.
 
Breakdown of the studies
Five stories of the continued evolution of Atari Breakout design with examples of games and links to prototypes
Stories of old and emerging technologies for creating more dazling and colorful retro videogames!
Party Gameplay instructions for BREAKOUT 2002
 
Printing it out
To create a 4-page mini book, print the PDF on one piece of double sided paper and fold it in half.
 
Best play experience
Use either classic hardware or full screen settings if you are running an emulator and turn off phosphor/merge frames.
 
BREAKOUT discussion
 Hope everyone enjoys! Share your thoughts and ideas about BREAKOUT on this thread!
 
BREAKOUT 2002 Party Games Manual.pdf

I posted an update a few days ago announcing that I beat Karateka for the first time ever. I hadn't played that game in about 30 years until earlier this week. I streamed a run the other night and actually completed the game by defeating Akuma and rescuing Mariko. I was stunned.

Wow, I'd love to try this on a 7800 emulator but I'm not sure I could pull it off.