HDN

@RickR was great to work with. We traded my mp3 download of Red Rose Speedway for his copy of Galaxian (for the Squad Challenge). I'm not able to do these things in a conventional and convenient way, but Rick was very accommodating and always responded quickly to questions and messages. He helped me out a lot with this process as I've never done anything like this before. The trade worked smoothly through the USPS. My item shipped in time and was not damaged as Rick made sure to put lots of bubble wrap around the game. End label was missing, and though I saw that in the picture before trading he made sure to specify what I was getting so not to try to rip me off. Great guy. I'd recommend trading or buying from him.

Ok. Finally out of Posting Jail. Time to do some mad multiquoting. Thank you for this bit of information, @RickR. That adds a bit of strategy to the game. I will have to experiment with the both of them to see who works better with my play style (which is still in development, by the way). It really does control great for a one-button game. It's honestly hard to believe what they managed to do with all the different moves being mapped to one button and still being fun and fluid. It's not like Title Match or Kung-Fu Master; from what I heard they try to accomplish the same thing but entirely fail. Granted, there are more moves to do in those games and there's a greater variety of them, but the one button really does work wonders for One-on-One 7800. The other versions look good, too. Except... Just looked it up yesterday. It looks horrendous, like two inbred Sneetches playing basketball. But it doesn't look like it plays very poorly, but I can't speak for gameplay there as I've never played. The Colecovision was much more capable than this. I did emulate this before I bought the 7800 cart. It is horrendous. I don't know why I bought the 7800 game after this experience, but I'm glad I did. Oh, and by the way @RickR, your Galaxian cartridge is currently out for delivery. It will most likely come within the next 3 1/2 hours according to the tracker. Let's just say I never would have bought it if it wasn't free. But now that I've played it it's marginally better than I thought. Controls take lots of getting used to. If I didn't listen to the podcast I would be completely lost. But the controls work alright, but it's the delay that really kills it. I've heard the other versions of the game are much better, so you might want to try those. Quick question about Karateka: How do you avoid those darn birds? I hate those stupid things. I don't think you can duck in the game, so what do you do to avoid it? I know you can't kill it from the episode on @nosweargamer's podcast covering this game. Edit: Apparently, you can kill it, but it's very difficult. Thanks, @RickR for telling me how to do this. Edit 2: Apparently, you can't kill it. I guess I was right? I'm very confused. Thanks, @nosweargamer for your comment. It's funny that you say that. The only positive review I've seen so far on the internet called it a fancy Pong game, too. It looks like an evolution of the Fairchild Channel F hockey game. It's in my top games to get. If anyone has a duplicate they're willing to part with for a decent price, please PM me. The only way I can pay is by sending a check in the mail, so keep that in mind. And to answer your question, yes, I do like Pong games. One of my favorite 2600 titles is Video Olympics. It barely didn't make my top ten for the platform. There are loads of good games on the 2600 as you all know. I will need to get those soon. Sadly, Ballblazer has gone WAY up over the past few years in price. It went from around $8 to $30! I think this might be linked to the POKEY harvests. Save the Ballblazer carts! But I will need to get Ms. Pac-Man and Asteroids sometime. They look fun. I'm currently negotiating with @chas10e for those titles as well as Food Fight. I think I'm close to sealing the deal. Or at least I hope I am. I am hyped to get these games sometime, even if the deal falls through. I will! The only exposure I've had to Commando is the 2600 version, though I can tell that's not a particularly accurate representation of the game. I know the 7800 version is a bit on the pricey side, so I'll have to save up for it. It's probably worth the price of admission for the kickin' POKEY soundtrack. I can't afford that! Plus, I really dig the ProLine controllers. Maybe Seagull 78 someday, but I much prefer the ProLine to the Atgames Genesis controllers I have. And yes, I've checked. They do work with the Atari systems. I think you misunderstood me a little bit there, @Atari 5200 Guy. I think the game is a blast and a great reason to buy the system nowadays. Just not a big system-seller back when the 7800 was still on store shelves. I mean, in one corner you have the NES and Super Mario Brothers, and in the other you have a port of an old arcade game in a genre that just doesn't have the same mass appeal. I do really enjoy the game, though. My favorite so far that I've played. You know, you're right about Jack Tremiel being very cheap. Now that you mention it I too am surprised it came with the game at all. I also like the multiple tracks. It's like four games in one! Nowadays, four tracks in a game is pitiful, but it must've been pretty cool for 1984 or even to a slightly lesser degree in 1986. Thanks for that. I don't have plans on getting an Atari ST anytime soon, but if I ever did I would most likely try out all of my controllers of the same connector on it (like Genesis and 2600). That reminds me of an 8-Bit Guy video I watched. I don't remember what video it was, but I remember him saying that you can fry your 2600 with a Genesis controller by using the Select button. Now, I know there's no select button on the Genesis pad, but there is a Select line, and I'm pretty sure that's what he's referring to. I couldn't find any information on Google about what the select line on the Genesis controller does, but maybe someone here knows. My guess is that it involves the extra buttons on the 6-Button controller (that's what I have), but I have no clue. I rarely use my Genesis controllers with my Atari systems, so it's not a big deal, but I'm curious. What does the Select line do on the Genesis pad? Thank you all for replying to my thing! I will try to keep you all updated on my 7800 collecting and if I get those games from our guy, @chas10e! He's a super nice person to talk with and according to the member feedback he seems like a well-respected trader and seller!

There is definitely room for improvement in Karateka's control department. I feel the main problem is the delay. The controls are honestly the most delayed I've ever seen in my life. It makes NES Karate Champ look like it's the smoothest controls around. I don't mind the whole joystick-wheel approach for punches and kicks, though I wish it worked when the button was pressed instead of without. One on One is truly great!

Real quick I'd like to thank everyone for convincing me to buy this amazing system! In this thread, we will explore my growing collection for the Atari 7800 ProSystem. Since I got it because of the people on this site, why not share it with them? I first got my 1988 model 7800 on August 31 of this year, 2020. With it came bundled everything someone buying the system in the 1980s would: two ProLine controllers, the power cord, the R/F cord, etc. But for a while the only game I had for it was the pack-in, Pole Position II, a great game but absolutely horrendous pack-in title (unless you're @Atari 5200 Guy). I love this game with all my heart. I'm a pretty big Pole Position 1 fan, and this improves on that game in almost every way. Though I can see how some say it didn't age well, I still think it holds up to this day as a fun arcade racer. A great introduction to the system for me. Shortly after I started playing, I noticed the two controllers were acting up. They were acting a bit sluggish and unresponsive. I cleaned one and it was fine... For a day. The left button started alternating between not working at all to constantly acting like being pressed down. I disassembled it again, repositioned the tape I used to hold down the metal thingy over the button contact and voila! It worked well again... For another day. Keep in mind these are NOT fun to reassemble once you've cleaned it. Today I did a bit of research and saw I was putting the mini button boards in on the wrong angle. WHOOPS! So for right now they both work, emphasis on "for right now". I said I would make a post about the two new 7800 games I got today, so here they are: One-on-One Basketball and Karateka. Why would I buy Karateka, you ask? Well, I actually spent zero dollars on this, depending on how you look at it. I got my $5 discount, which paid for One-on-One in its entirety, plus there was a buy one get one free thing going on. Buy a 7800 game, get Pole Position 2 or Karateka free. Weird angle on that picture there... I'll talk about Karateka first, as it was the first of the lot I popped in. Is it as bad as everyone says it is? Well, no, but it's not very good either. If I didn't already listen to this episode of the 7800 GBG podcast I would have no clue what the controls did. But now that I do it's at least playable, so thanks, @nosweargamer, I guess. Overall, I've had my fun with it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Glad I got it for free just to see what all the fuss was about. One-on-One, on the other hand, is quite fun in both single and multiplayer. I played as both Bird and Erving and could tell no difference between the two. Controls are nice. Games last a touch too long. I can totally see this as a proto-NBA Jam. I would recommend it, and I hate sports games. I will reply to this as my collection grows. Feel free to reply to suggest things, ask questions, just talk, etc. Have a nice night, everyone! EDIT: THE LIST I'm going to keep this list updated as I collect new 7800 games. Pole Position II (Loose, pack-in variant) Karateka (Loose, color label) One-on-One Basketball (Loose, color label) Food Fight (Loose, B&W label, special edition Scotch Tape variant, 1988) Galaga (Loose, B&W label, 1987) Xevious (Loose, B&W label, 1986) Asteroids Centipede Choplifter! Crossbow Dark Chambers Desert Falcon Dig Dug Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Junior Hat Trick Joust Ms. Pac-Man Rampage RealSports Baseball Robotron: 2084 Touchdown Football Xenophobe Commando + Duplicates of: Pole Position II, Galaga, Xevious, Xevious

@socrates63, please enter me into the World-Class Dragster Club. Using an emulator as I don't have the cartridge. Yet. 6.44 seconds.

NOT FOR USE WITH ATARI 7800 PROSYSTEM. Or so I've heard. Robot Tank looks fun. I've never played, but I assume it's like a suped-up Battlezone. Activision was great at taking others' concepts and improving upon them. (Avalanche became Kaboom!, Space Invaders, Galaxian, Phoenix, etc. became Megamania, Drag Race became Dragster, Donkey Kong (to an extent) became Pitfall!, et cetera) Speaking of the ProSystem, I'm going to be getting two new 7800 games today. The game store called for my sister, actually. She got Link Between Worlds (which is INFURIATING because she won't even give Link to the Past the time of day because of her need for modern graphics) and while there my dad saw some 7800 titles. There was a BOGO with the choice of two titles. I will tell you one was Pole Position II, so I obviously didn't get that one as I own it. The other (not BOGO game) was completely covered by our member discount. I will post later with the games! Another hint: they are not Galaga, Food Fight, or Xevious. I hope to buy those from @chas10e soon! PS: thanks for the badge @socrates63! That took far less than 4 to 6 weeks!

@MaliciousCarp I am subbed to your channel now. I have a question for you: where do you source your parts? They must be a bit pricy given the niche nature of arcade controller building.

It is hard. Sitting in the same spot in front of a computer in a video call in class with virtually no breaks sucks. The teachers walk away from the microphone so it's near impossible to hear them most of the time and they obviously prioritize the in-person people. Plus I can't talk to anyone. I don't have Snapchat or Instagram like any of my friends from school do, and that's mostly how they communicate. That's why this website is so great during this quarantine. Not saying I'm going to leave when the virus is over, but it is nice to have here during these strange and unfamiliar times. I love my grandparents and going over there to visit with them and help them weed the garden, make dinner, mow the lawn, etc. is much more important to me and worth the sacrifices. Some people have it way worse than I do right now, and I'm fortunate to have all that I do have in my life. It is quite hard. I don't know how people like Mike Matei can play so well. But I've learned from a James and Mike video on Cinemassacre a while back to drop a bomb just before you reach 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 etc. points. When you get 1,000 etc. points, you get a bucket back, and when you drop a bomb the speed dies down a bit. You must turn off all of your surroundings and really focus to do well. This was one of the first games I bought for my 2600. I played on Wii 2600 beforehand, as expected. On that emulator you have to kind of roll the Wii Mote to play. It basically plays like a dirty paddle that way. You NEED the paddle for this game. I can't imagine playing this any other way and doing remotely well. I wonder what the 5200 version is like. Oh, @Atari 5200 Guy? Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go play Private Ey-- I mean... do Biology stuff. Yeah, let's go with that.

WOO-HOO!!!! I got 3,385 points in Kaboom! Now I never have to play this again! I swear, I must've played around 200 rounds of this; they go so quickly and I suck! @socrates63, please send me my Bucket Brigade patch in 4-6 weeks! Only 3 games to go! Two are at my grandparent's house. I'll have to pick those up soon. I've been staying home so I don't get them sick when I visit!

How weird! That was mine at one point. I've never done a trade before. You were great to work with, @RickR. I will leave some feedback when I get Galaxian on that page.

I can crush Keystone Kapers until the level with double bouncing balls, where I almost always promptly lose all my lives. Crackpots takes a bit to get used to. I'm 20 points away from Bucket Brigade. I must have tried well over 100 times. Kaboom is hard. I don't know how people do it. That's one perk of school online: near unlimited Atari access.

Never played a Dreamcast game but my friend loves Jet Grind Radio.

Ah, got it. I thought it might be like a paddle with the whole non-self-centering joystick. Thanks for enlightening me.

Keystone Kapers Billy Club, please! 40,950 points. I'm on a roll... Sadly no puns like @RickR had. Four more Activision games that I have to go: Ice Hockey, Private Eye, Chopper Command, and Kaboom!

So it's kind of like reverse Kaboom in a way; you're the guy at the top throwing stuff down. You drop flowerpots at the spiders below. There are 12 in a wave, I believe, and you have to make sure you don't let more than six of them in the building. If you let them in, they will eat a layer of the building, making the distance between the spiders on the ground and the windows closer. There are four kinds of spiders: Black: these guys move up in a straight line to the windows Blue: these ones zig-zag, but not very wide; treat them like the black ones Red: these will move diagonally. The window they enter will be 3 spaces away from where they start climbing (2 if the building is low enough). You have to anticipate where they are going to be. Green: like the blue spiders, these will zig-zag, but they cover more horizontal ground. Time these decently well. It's easier on later levels as they move faster and will most likely hit your flowerpot. The game ends when the spiders eat just below the six red bricks near the top of the building. Good luck and enjoy!

Crackpots Atari 2600 Difficulty: Default High Score: 81,160 September 8th, 2020

YES!!!! I DID IT!!!! This was pretty much the only game I played since Friday, except for a few rounds of Starmaster. I'm shaking right now. I don't think my heart has ever beaten this fast. 81,160. Put me on the list for Crackpots, @socrates63! What a exceptional game.

7,757 on game "L". Good enough for a patch, but not as good as the one I didn't take a picture of... Ugh! But here you go, Activision. Send me a patch! Almost all of my controllers are acting up. I need to clean my paddles before Kaboom.

Little crowd... Unless you count all the dead people in those mounds!

This weekend my family went to Aztalan State Park. It is this ancient civilization thing they excavated. They don't know much about it. It's a sort of Mississippian civilization like the Aztecs sort of. There was even a dirt pyramid! They speculate that they partook in ritual sacrifice. It's from around 1000-1200 ad. It is a mystery why it is so far north and so much bigger than others they found like it; they had no written language. It was pretty creepy with the lack of people, the overcast skies, and chilly weather. We had a picnic there. It was very interesting.

So that would've been before October of '82?

My record is currently a little over 2k as well. You really have to shut off your surroundings to play. With a little practice, I can do it. I also got the game L patch score... but my SD card wasn't in my camera. D'oh! Guess I'll have to try again.

@MaliciousCarp Yes.

I have some of these I got at the Milwaukee Zoo a few years ago. I love the bright, single colors and the old 1960s-70s design of the machines That delicious plastic stench the machines emit when they're making the creatures... so cool!

What a cool Warlords controller! I LOVE the idea of making game-specific controllers! Think of the possibilities! Dragster controller, Robotron 2084 controller, Asteroids controller, Raiders of the Lost Ark controller, Video Pinball controller; the list goes on and on! I would love to create some of these someday.