RickR

If I ever retire, I may take you up on the offer.  Or maybe when the kids are done with school. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/186857085040063/



Mrs. Rowsdower and I will be vendors this year.   Sure would be awesome if some Atari.IO pals came!

Amazon's pre-order price for the deluxe edition is currently $74.36 -- if you preorder now they'll give you the lowest price from when you pre-order to the release date.
 
https://www.amazon.com/ART-ATARI-Limited-Deluxe-Lapetino/dp/1524102113/

This.
 
IMHO, this is a good move. Why dilute first party development efforts and finite marketing dollars with two platforms when technology now allows for HD portable and home gaming on one device? And if people never hook it up to the TV - which they will - I'm not sure the Big N would care if they can sustain the success of the DS and 3DS.

Nintendo doesn't make a penny off of Pokemon Go's sales.  They got a flat fee for licensing the game for Niantic, but whether it succeeds or fails, it doesn't affect them.
 
Sounds like Nintendo is taking cues from knock off handheld clones by making a portable system you can plug in to your TV.
 
Does this mean the NX will more closely resemble a 3DS than a Wii or N64?   I'd guess so, probably more like the NEO-GEO Gold system that came out a few years ago.   If they aren't trying to compete with the big 2 (and lets face it, Nintendo hasn't competed with them graphic-wise in many years) then they are free to make this thing as small (or large) as they want.
 
I think Nintendo kicks much butt at making portable systems.   They've dominated the market since there has been a market.  Making a portable that can be hooked up to the TV is neat.   I'm hoping the base is solid enough for stable controllers, and I hope those controllers are like Gamecube.

According to Eurogamer, the NX will be a fully portable platform using a cart medium. The console can be docked at home for play on a large TV. Following the trend started with Wii, NX will not seek graphical parity with MS and Sony consoles. The move to a portable console will consolidate Nintendo's portable and home hardware and software businesses. Links below:
 
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-26-nx-is-a-portable-console-with-detachable-controllers
 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2016/07/26/new-leak-says-the-nintendo-nx-is-a-less-powerful-entirely-portable-console/#31881e2063f1
 
Interestingly, the leak coincides with Nintendo's quarterly financial report in which they post a loss, despite Pokemon's success - which is benifitting app developer Niantic. Wii U sales for the quarter are abysmal- but still better than lifetime sales for my beloved Jaguar. Is the timing of the leaked NX info mere coincidence? You decide.
 
http://www.cnet.com/news/pokemon-no-go-nintendo-suffers-net-loss-of-234-million

When you start to get down to needing only harder-to-find cartridges, collecting gets substantially more difficult if you're trying to keep costs down.  Sometimes you spot the games you need in large lots, though, and if you can get a decent price on a lot you can often recoup most of your costs by selling what you don't need.  That's what I did (and am doing) in order to score these two rarities:
 

 
Flag Capture has some of my favorite Atari artwork.  There's just something about the way the collage is laid out, plus the bright gold color of the pirate ship on the right, the various flags... and of course that pirate's face is unforgettably striking.  It was an completely archaic game by 1986 though, and I cannot understand why they bothered reissuing it (just like Swordquest).  Was there really a market for Flag Capture in 1986?  Most folks were playing Super Mario Bros. on their NES by that point.  Anyway, perhaps that's why there are comparatively so few of these floating around now.  As I mentioned in my previous post, this is another oddball release with no Atari Fuji logo on the label and the word "Model" printed next to the Atari product number.  The layout of those three lines of text is, um... unique.  It also uses the box-style font for the title.  I love the shape of that "G" in "FLAG".
 
Wait a minute... "Use with Paddle Controllers"?  Atari Corp, go to your room!
 
Now, with Track & Field... where to begin?  This is the only game in the Atari 2600 library with this style of label.  It's gray in color, but seems overall flimsier/cheaper than their other gray label carts.  And what's with the B&W graphics and the bright pink title text?  Was there a huge clearance sale on pink ink in Taiwan the week these were made?  Just... weird.  Released in 1984 to coincide with Atari's sponsorship of the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the 2600 port of the coin-op game Track & Field was announced by Atari Inc. at the Summer CES in Chicago in the first week of June, 1984.  Of course, Atari Inc. transitioned to Atari Corp. starting on July 1.  The Olympics Opening Ceremony was July 28th.  This really quick turnaround time (i.e. two months at most) is almost certainly the reason for the slapdash Atari Corp. labels.  They don't even have nicely cut rounded corners...
 
Gremlins for the 2600 was also announced at that same Summer CES in 1984.  The Atari product number for Gremlins is CX26127.  Track & Field's is CX26125.  Guess what number ended up on Track & Field's label?
 
Why?  Because Atari Corp, that's why.
 

 
I also snagged a duplicate Pengo (my original is now set aside for nosweargamer) and a fairly rare text label color variation on Codebreaker.  Atarimania has a scan of it, and it's on the Giant List of 2600 Label Variations, but I'm pretty sure I've never before come across a yellow/gold-colored Codebreaker.  Cool.

The connection from Adventure to Zelda is cool! Great post, well stated. I never thought about that before.

I know I'm making too big a deal of this one...but I just found it so fascinating to see the Sesame Street movie sitting in the "office supplies" section of Goodwill and knowing instantaneously what it was.  Girl at the register asked me what it was, but even after I explained, had no idea.  Way before her time.  Anyhoo, I'm so happy to have this, even with my home-made label. 

I think a "wait and see" approach is probably a good idea here...but I get the feeling that with Nintendo actually producing this (and not ATGames or another third party), this is going to be of very high quality.  At least I hope so.
 
I think it's fair to say that only the Atari Flasback 2 and 2+ have been really good quality -- since they attempted to recreate the original hardware.  Don't get me wrong -- the other flashbacks have been really good and a lot of fun, but always with a quality caveat -- such as the wonky sound for the Genesis flashbacks, or not being able to save games, or (again) bad sounds on the CV flashback, or that one buggy game on the INTV fb, etc.  And let's not forget the original Atari Flashback 1 -- the one that was so bad it actually made me feel angry. 
 
Like I said, I really hope they make this a nice, authentic unit.  No nickel and diming please -- if it is only HDMI, then include a cable....that kind of omission is just terrible. 

The connection from Adventure to Zelda is cool! Great post, well stated. I never thought about that before.

I think a "wait and see" approach is probably a good idea here...but I get the feeling that with Nintendo actually producing this (and not ATGames or another third party), this is going to be of very high quality.  At least I hope so.
 
I think it's fair to say that only the Atari Flasback 2 and 2+ have been really good quality -- since they attempted to recreate the original hardware.  Don't get me wrong -- the other flashbacks have been really good and a lot of fun, but always with a quality caveat -- such as the wonky sound for the Genesis flashbacks, or not being able to save games, or (again) bad sounds on the CV flashback, or that one buggy game on the INTV fb, etc.  And let's not forget the original Atari Flashback 1 -- the one that was so bad it actually made me feel angry. 
 
Like I said, I really hope they make this a nice, authentic unit.  No nickel and diming please -- if it is only HDMI, then include a cable....that kind of omission is just terrible. 

Oh my.  Thanks for the picture.  Given that this is one of the most famous Easter Eggs, that's pretty sad.

The connection from Adventure to Zelda is cool! Great post, well stated. I never thought about that before.

Amazing series!
It plays out like some of the best Stephen King horror novels, blending the 80s movies and pop culture that molded my geek brain.
 
The King angle is especially strong as the the many characters are sketched out progressively in a captivating narration.
Feels like The Stand, It and Firestarter dropped into blender and baked into a delicious cake of nostalgia.
And the flashbacks are like a visual call to an inner dialogue. Like what King self-deprecatingly called his writer's 'elephant-itis', expanding on a character's history and psychology.
It's a gutsy approach that works very well.
 
The first episode grabs you from the get-go and I agree with Row - I had to keep myself from bingeing (which I rarely do) cuz it's more fun to let the story sink in gradually.
 
A perfect piece of work.

Loved your review and truly agree with your rating, NSG.
This one meant a lot to me back in my whippersnapper-cube days and as a grown square today.
 
Yeah, played it daily, along with some of my top ten for quick star-mastery starship captain action and bird-plane-man-hero picking up bridge pieces (coincidence? I think not).
Adventure has always been the most satisfying, in random mode.
 
Just like life, you never know where the things you need are, or if they are out of your reach for good.
You get a hold of that special thing which will bring you closer to your goals, only to have unstoppable forces bear down on you and either stop you cold, or rob you blind (or both).
 
But once you get ahead and can open the right doors, even lock up your feared flying klepto away for good, stop feeding the ducks with a healthy dose of swordplay, and then find that shiny cup of life - its very magical essence flashing unlike anything else around you - well then, you are just a step away from your reward as the game offers a pleasant techno-rave and ends the struggle with the promise of a happy ending, the moment the Magic Chalice is brought through the Golden gates.
 
Yes, this tiny but epic victory will always be worth the journey of switching on and resetting yourself back into the ride.
It's a perfect simulacrum for existence itself, therefore I will always be an Adventure Square, whether I'm typing on a keyboard, riding the subway, or gazing at the stars.
 
I'm sure there are many Pitfall Harrys out there. I've met some and they are fantastically cool.
But they are (and have to be) always on the move. And they know where they are going, where things are.
I have been known to just sit there and sigh as one of the dragons (usually Rhindle, who does lots of cardio) gulps me up and also sits there, slowly digesting me, or simply relaxing on a full stomach after a hard day's chase.
 
Sure, we got the magic to reset the entire kingdom back to life.
But sometimes a good sit is worth a thousand snores.
 
ehh...what was I talking about?
Oh yeah, thanks for spreading the word, NSG.
 
Also makes sense to observe that Zelda took the mantle for the next gamer set who liked their adventurin' a bit more spritey.
I was mesmerized by its ride, when I got the chance to travel this other kingdom.
And its success as a franchise brings me such joy (even though I haven't caught up with the many releases) because it means we are not alone in adopting a view of life as an adventure to conquer.
And as such, it makes this big old randomized world a bit cozier, in shared like-mindedness.
 
Everybody play a Game 3 today, and find your Chalice.

I like that box. It actually looks like an original nes box

Sure thing.  Let me look see back through this thread to see what you have....but probably any NES game would be fine. 

Here is the latest compilation of what I have for trade.  Please PM me if interested.
 
The "Atari Paddle Bundle".  Paddles have been cleaned and re-greased, and work with no jitters.  All the games here are paddle games.
 

 
2600 games:
 

 
More 2600 and odds/ends:
 

 
Genesis and SNES games:
 

 

 
5200 games:
 

Apparently, this information has come to Wikipedia as well (the information wasn't on there back when I made the discovery). 
Here's the link, where they have a picture of the 10-in-1 version of the Easter Egg:
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_(Jakks_Pacific)
 
You just have to enlarge the picture, and you'll see the word "TEXT" at the top of the screen (in really tiny letters. What a joke).
 
But yeah. Fail blog should definitely include that. Haha.

Oh man, the 10-1 says "Text"?  I need to try that.  A picture of that should go on Fail Blog.  Good find!

I absolutely love this game. I like exploring all the chambers, and collecting things. And the duck-dragons are just so hilarious. This game is good for both the fun factor AND the humor factor (though the humor was unintentional).
 
There's a reason this game is included on nearly every Atari compilation game.
 
Fun fact: On the port of the game for the Jakk's Pacific 10-in-1 joystick, the Easter Egg was removed, and replaced with the word, "TEXT." I don't know if that was mentioned already, but I find it kind of funny (especially considering that it was the first version of the game I played, and it was before I knew that the games on the joystick weren't the original versions, so when I went looking for the Easter Egg, I was greated by "TEXT," and I was like, "What's this trash? I want to see the Easter Egg!" LOL. Still a fun little joystick to play games on though). It's also easier to find the "dot" because the darkness in the labyrinth is black instead of the original grey color, so you can easily see the dot when you enter the labyrinth.

film can be spliced back together
 

 
I have half thought about getting one of them fisher price veiwers (& moo-vies) when I saw one but my insanity has the end SOMEPLACE !!!!

http://www.parentherald.com/articles/56378/20160723/stranger-things-season-2-renewal-confirmed-netflix-series-set-several.htm

Season 2 Confirmed!

Galoob once had the Star Wars license during the mid to late 90s for their Micro Machine line.
 
Kind of a spiritual successor to the line of mini figures and sets Kenner put out in the early 80s.