The Professor

Zoop
Published: 1995 by Viacom
Designed by Hookstone, Ltd.
Jaguar Version: Electric Spectacle Productions, Ltd.
 
Zoop is one of those games that no one seemed to ask for but was nonetheless pushed out to nearly every platform on the market. Billed as "America's Greatest Killer of Time!", this puzzler appeared on Gameboy, Game Gear, SNES, Genesis, PlayStation, Saturn, Macintosh, Windows, and our own beloved Jaguar. The ads were EVERYWHERE. This was a game that was scientifically proven to be so addictive that you would lose your mind. This was Viacom's Tetris and we were all going to be glued to the screen.
 
As I indicated in Post 000, one of the reasons that I'm doing this blog is to play some of the least played titles in my collection. Prior to this review, I had never played Zoop. I picked it up in a lot of sealed commons about six years ago and never even opened it. In fact, it is the only game in my Jaguar collection that I had never booted up. UNTIL NOW.
 
Is Zoop the addictive puzzler it was advertised to be? Did it drive me cuckoo bananas? Was it worth ripping off the cellophane? Read on to find out!
 

 
Gameplay: On the face of it, Zoop is a simple puzzler. The goal of the game is to eliminate colored shapes marching toward a square box in the center of the screen using a color matching game mechanic. You control a triangle that resides within this center square. The square itself is 4 rows tall by 4 columns wide. Blue, purple, green and orange shapes approach the center square from all four sides along sixteen different pathways. As new shapes appear, the earlier shapes will be pushed one space closer to the center square. If a shape gets to the center square, it's GAME OVER!
 
To stave off your inevitable demise, the player uses the d-pad to move the triangle within the center square, targeting the shapes. Pressing the action button sends your triangle hurtling at blurring speed into the shapes. If you hit a shape that is the same color as your triangle, you'll eliminate that shape. If multiple shapes of the same color are stacked together, you can eliminate the whole lot for a score multiplier. If you hit a shape that is a different color as the triangle, you will swap colors with that shape without eliminating it. This can be used strategically to build stacks and improve your score. There are also a few power ups which come in handy.
 
Control is tight and responsive. This is critical as you progress through each level. Speaking of levels, Zoop offers two game modes: Continual and Level. In Continual mode, the shapes on the board remain as you progress through each level without pause. In Level mode, the game field is cleared of shapes with each completed level. I preferred to play Level mode.
 
Graphics: The graphics in Zoop are unremarkable. The player sprite is a simple triangle. Likewise, the approaching shapes are rudimentary blobs of color. There is minimal animation. The play field changes with each level. For some levels, the color combination is more interesting than others. That said, it's clear that they were going for a certain vibe with this game and stuck to it. Could it have used a little more graphic flare? Probably. But that isn't really the point. As it is, the game is bright and colorful and does the job.
 

 
Sound/Music: The music in Zoop is sorta like "smooth jazz." It is calming and the tempo doesn't change as the pace of the game quickens. While competent, the music seems to be at odds with the gameplay. There are audio alerts if the shapes border the center square. Additionally, your triangle makes noise when moving or eliminating shapes.
 
Overall: Zoop is a decent puzzle game. The few hours that I spent with it were enjoyable. The simple graphics and gameplay mechanic works well and control was what it should be. Was it as addictive as Viacom claimed? Not in the least. While I could see myself picking it up again, it was very easy to put it down. No one is going to miss sleep or be late to work over this one. At least I still have a firm grip on reality!
 
Final Verdict: The Jaguar has few puzzlers and, in that way, Zoop fills a certain niche. If you like the genre, consider Zoop.
 
Thanks for reading and please share your memories and thoughts on Zoop in the comments below!
 
The next game is: Syndicate
 

Those who have been following this blog might know that I use Excel to randomly select which Jaguar game that I'll review next. This approach basically forces me to reconnect with games that I may not otherwise choose to play. Overall, it's been a fun experiment and one that I intend to continue as I wind my way through my Jaguar collection.
 
That said, I'm just about finished with my Syndicate review (009) and I thought that I'd open up post number 010 to my fellow forum members. If there are any Jaguar games that you'd like to learn/read more about, let me know in the comments. I'll take the titles suggested and use Excel to randomly select one for post 010.
 
Please limit your suggestions to two titles. If you happen to suggest a game that I don't have, I'll let you know. I'll keep this open until next Friday and announce the selection in the post for Syndicate.

Pinball Fantasies
Published: 1995 by Twenty First Century Entertainment
Developed by Spidersoft Limited
 
Released in 1995, Pinball Fantasies is a Jaguar conversion of the 1992 Commodore Amiga game of the same name. Billed as a “pinball simulator”, Pinball Fantasies features four tables and semi-realistic play. In addition to the Amiga and Jaguar versions, Pinball Fantasies saw release on the Amiga CD32, Super NES, DOS and Gameboy. The game has also appeared in compilations on platforms as varied as iOS and PS3.
 
The Jaguar version of Pinball Fantasies is notable as one of only a handful of Jaguar titles published by a third-party company; Twenty First Century Entertainment. In the Jaguar’s library, it competes against Atari’s own Ruiner Pinball for the system's coveted pinball crown.
 
Pinball Fantasies is a game that I have not spent a lot of time with over the years. Outside of a few highscore club matches, I rarely plug it in. So I was actually excited to see it pop up on The Gaming Notebook’s randomizer.
 
Graphics: The graphics in Pinball Fantasies are competent. The layout of the four tables is well designed and the art is colorful, if bland. The score and ball readout is at the top of the screen and attempts to replicate the dot-matrix score display of a real machine. The ball looks right and moves fluidly around the table on various ramps, rails and loops. On the other hand, aside from some light-up bonuses and bouncing bumpers, there isn’t a lot going on.
 
The art style on the game tables themselves are somewhat generic. “Partyland” has a carnival theme, “Speed Devils” has a racing theme, “Billion Dollar Game Show” has a game show theme, and “Stones & Bones” has a horror theme. There are no crazy bonuses that set off a myriad of lights. Nor are there any character animations, explosions or other effects that might have been done given the videogame format. It’s all very vanilla. One of the things that I love about actual pinball tables is the over-the-top table art, lights and sound. Those are meant to attract players. The tables here all feel a little sterile. If I were walking through an arcade, I definitely wouldn’t look twice at any of them.
 
I don’t have the game on any other platform but a quick review of gameplay videos on Youtube leads me to believe that the Jaguar version compares favorably with contemporary ports. Like many of the 16-bit games ported over to the system, the Jaguar versions are typically sharper, with greater color depth and smoother animations.
 
Sound/Music: The clicks, bumps, pings and rings of classic pinball is well represented in Pinball Fantasies. A true pinball aficionado might find a fault but to my ears, the pinball sounds ring true. In-game music is a mixed bag. I didn’t mind the music in “Speed Devils” or in “Stones & Bones”. In fact, the music in both of those tables is fairly enjoyable. The music on “Billion Dollar Game Show” was inoffensive. I found the music in “Partyland” intolerable. Keeping with the table’s carnival theme, it is music suited only to knife wielding psycho clowns.
 
Gameplay: In terms of gameplay, Pinball Fantasies is just fine. With the standard control layout, the d-pad is the left flipper and the “B” button is the right flipper. The “A” button can be used to nudge the table and the “C” button launches the ball. It’s pinball so there isn’t a lot to it in terms of control.Like a real table, the tables in Pinball Fantasies are pretty big – too big for a standard tv. In order to accommodate, the field of view is limited to half of a table at a time and scrolls with the ball. You can set the scroll setting to “hard” or “soft”. A “hard” setting makes the action much faster and the scrolling is more jarring. I enjoyed playing with the “soft” scroll although this seems to slow the action somewhat. The game offers two difficulty settings: easy or hard. For me, the combo setting that most felt like real pinball was “hard” with a “soft” scroll.
 
Game physics seem spot on. The ball doesn’t feel too floaty or too fast the way it can in other video pinball games. This is a high scoring game with generous multipliers and bonuses - typical in pinball. One thing that’s missing is multiple balls. This is likely due to the scrolling nature of the playfield.
 
Of the four tables, I like "Stones and Bones" the best. It's just interesting enough to make me want to keep playing. "Speed Devils" is also a fun table. The other two are pretty forgettable.
 
Overall: Pinball Fantasies is an above average video pinball game. It generally replicates the pinball experience at home and I think that was largely the intent for the original game designers. That said, I can’t help but feel that there was a missed opportunity here to leverage the media to not only recreate the pinball experience, but to bring something exciting and fresh to the table.
 
Final verdict: If you like realistic video pinball, you might enjoy Pinball Fantasies. It definitely lives up to its description as a pinball simulation. If you prefer your video pinball to be a little more fantastical, pass.
 
Thanks for reading and please share your opinions and memories of Pinball Fantasies in the comments!
 
The next game is: CYBERMORPH!
 

Iron Soldier 2
Published: 1997 by Telegames
Developed by Eclipse Software Design
 
Iron Solidier 2 (IS2) is one of six completed Jaguar games that Telegames published under license from Atari following Atari Corporation's reverse merger with JTS. As the name implies, IS2 is the direct sequel to the 1994 Jaguar title Iron Soldier, a fan favorite among Jaguar owners. In fact, I believe IS2 is one of only two commercially released sequels to first gen Jaguar games to appear on the platform. Like the original, IS2 is a Jaguar exclusive in which the player operates a lumbering, giant mech from a first person perspective, free-roaming in a 3D polygonal world. Beyond that, IS2 improves on the original in nearly every way, including: more and deeper missions, more enemies, more weapons, improved graphics and full CD audio. Telegames released IS2 on both cartridge and CD format. The CD version is the subject of this post.
 
I actually pre-ordered IS2 from Telegames and received the gold CD-R version. As I recall, this was due to issues they were having with the glass masters. I sold that original copy a few years later along with most of my Jaguar games. When I set out to collect again in 2010, this was one of the first CD games I picked up.
 
Graphics: For anyone who has played Iron Soldier, IS2 will look very familiar. Stylistically, the sequel uses many of the same simple polygonal landscapes and structures found in the original - fuel depots, factories, skyscrapers, etc. The buildings are generally unimpressive but they do have texture mapped surfaces this time around. Enemy models on the other hand - particularly the tanks and helicopters - are very detailed and are much improved from the original. So too are the explosions. Already cool in Iron Soldier, the fiery polygonal explosions in IS2 are probably the best on the Jaguar. The CD version of IS2 also has an FMV intro and death scene. The FMV is not great but it's not bad. Unfortunately, there is no way to skip through the death sequence - which is a shame because, if you're like me, you'll be seeing it a lot.
 
Sound/Music: The CD audio in IS2 is used to its fullest. It features compelling explosions, rumbles, gunfire and whooshing rockets. By and large, the sound effects are great. The in-game music on the other hand is a bit of a mixed bag. When it's good, it's really good with atmospheric techno and rock that fits the battle at hand. However, sometimes the ingame music is at odds with the atmosphere. Soft, almost meditative tunes accompany the onscreen devastation. While I can appreciate the variety, the vibe on some of these softer tracks is just too weird. Eclipse and Atari should have stuck with darker themed, driving electronic and/or rock music that better matches the game's combative themes.
 
Gameplay: IS2 features gameplay that is nearly identical to the original. You pilot your lumbering, 42-foot mech - called an Iron Soldier - through various cityscapes on a mission to thwart the evil Penta Corporation. I say lumbering because the pace is a bit slow. Giant robot slow! There are 20 missions which range from convoy escort, to building protection to leveling entire cities! Missions are unlocked five at a time and while it seems like there is variety - you essentially spend the entire time destroying buildings, tanks, helicopters and enemy mechs. Health, ammo and weapons are available in crates found in the rubble of destroyed buildings.
 
Control takes some getting used to. You press the A button and up or down on the D-pad to move forward or in reverse. Once in motion, you can use the d-pad to aim in 180 degrees while continuing on your path. If you want to turn the mech, you'll need to hold down the C button while moving the D-pad. This sounds trickier than it is and once you get the hang of it, it seems a fittingly awkward way to steer a giant robot. Weapons fire/action is triggered with the B button.
 
Speaking of weapons, there are lots of them! You start the game with an assault rifle, grenades and a chainsaw selectable. New weapons, including, a Gatling gun, heavy shield and cruise missile, are added as you progress. Weapons selection is made using the Jaguar keypad. The game does not come with an overlay but the weapons selection is easy to pick up. According to the manual there are 13 weapons in all. Unfortunately, I didn't see them all in this go around. IS2 is a beast!
 
While the game plays almost exactly like the original, the difficulty level in IS2 is markedly higher. I have completed Iron Soldier multiple times but have yet to beat IS2. I put this down to a combination of factors. First, the missions are more challenging. The type of missions that you encounter at the start of IS2 were at the end of the original. Clearly the developers were trying to provide Iron Soldier veterans with more of the same but harder. Secondly, mission objectives aren't always clear. I often spent a good deal of time trying to figure out how to approach a mission, with my delay sometimes resulting in mission failure. This was particularly true of the protection missions. It can be frustrating.
 
Overall: Iron Soldier 2 is a solid update to the Jaguar original. Its more of the same, but when you're talking Iron Soldier, that's not a bad thing! Improving - albeit slightly - on the graphics, size and variety of its predecessor, IS2 is an example of Jaguar 3D gaming at its best.
 
Final verdict: If you were a fan of the original, I highly recommend IS2. It's a challenging game that will keep you coming back for more. If you didn't like the original, pass.
 
Thanks for reading and please share your Iron Soldier 2 opinions in the comments!
 
The next game is: Pinball Fantasies

Bubsy In: Fractured Furry Tales
Published: 1994 by Atari
Developed by Imagitec Design, Inc.
 
Bubsy In: Fractured Furry Tales is a Jaguar exclusive installment in the Bubsy series, published by Atari under license from Accolade. For the uninitiated, Bubsy is a wisecracking bobcat that runs, glides and bounces his way through hazard laden levels. The game departs from the main Bubsy franchise, which pits Bubsy against yarn obsessed space aliens, and instead places our orange hero in various fairy tale settings like Alice In Wonderland and Jack and the Beanstalk. For his Jaguar outing, Bubsy retains his trademark early 90s attitude from the Genesis and SNES titles. Play mechanics and death animations are also largely unchanged from the first Bubsy game.
 
Graphics:
Bubsy comes to life in bright, colorful and sharp 2D style on the Jaguar. While it is certainly not a generational leap from its 16-bit predecessors, Fractured Furry Tales looks great. The colors seem somewhat richer and deeper than in the earlier games, likely due to the Jaguar's enhanced color palette. Bubsy himself looks fantastic and the design of the enemy character sprites is fittingly whimsical.
 
Sound:
The sound effects and in-game music are good. In-game effects are typical platformer boings and pops. The music is competent and fits the levels. It's not memorable in the way that the very best platform music is but it does the job.
 
Gameplay:
In Fractured Furry Tales, Bubsy runs through each level - called chapters - killing enemies and collecting brightly colored orbs until reaching an exit. To get through each board, Bubsy uses three main moves: jump, glide and look. These are mostly intuitive and largely work as you'd expect. You kill enemies by jumping on them with the B button. Hopping from surface to surface is generally easy. Run, jump and hold A to glide across water and other hazards. Look seems like an odd "move" but trust me, it's needed.
 
You start the game with nine lives and its not just because you're a bobcat. It's because you will die. A LOT. Bubsy limits you to one hit and it is unforgiving. Enemies can sometimes blend in with the scenery (I'm looking at you rattle snake) and/or are placed in such a way that they're easy to run into. Bubsy also tends to flop around a bit, making it easy to kill one enemy only to haphazardly bounce into another enemy, often just off screen. Because of this, it is necessary to take it slow and look before leaping. If you want to make it past Chapter One, you will find yourself stopping and holding the C button to check your surroundings before moving on. It really is the only way that I found to avoid frustratingly cheap deaths. Patience is rewarded.
 
The level design in Bubsy is non-linear and the levels are not particularly intuitive. It was not always clear where I needed to go to advance in the game. The levels are also pretty huge! It's easy to get turned around. I guess that I prefer a little more direction in my platform games.
 
Overall:
Fractured Furry Tales is a great looking title with a lot of potential. The bright colors, fairy tale theme and whimsical characters work well. Unfortunately, the sprawling levels combine with the unforgiving one-hit death and poor enemy placement to make the game more frustrating than it needs to be. The challenge in Bubsy comes from design flaws, not from a need for precision and timing. Still, this is a game I dust off pretty regularly - at least a few times a year - just to see if I get any better. It's not a great game but, for me, it's oddly compelling. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment?
 
Final verdict: If the occasional cheap death is not your thing, pass. However, if you like quirky, colorful platformers and don't mind dying, give Fractured Furry Tales a try.
 
Thanks for reading and please share your Bubsy opinions in the comments!
 
The next games is: Iron Soldier II (CD)
 

Welcome to what I hope is the first of many entries in The Game Cave. In this blog, I will share my thoughts and impressions on various games. The point of this exercise is to reacquaint myself with some of the lesser played titles in my collection.
 
The main focus of this blog will be Jaguar gaming. I have been playing Jaguar since late 1994 and have a complete retail collection, the majority of post-JTS releases and many homebrews. At last count, this equates to 82 Jaguar games! That said, from time to time I might throw in a non-Jaguar title.
 
A few notes:
 
1) I will not be playing the games in chronological order. Instead, games will be selected randomly using Excel.
 
2) I will play each game featured for at least two hours. I feel that this is sufficient to get a good impression of the game. I have no doubt that I'll play some of these for much longer.
 
3) I don't intend to get into the minutiae of a game's history, development and contemporary reviews. Other platforms do a fantastic job at that. This is just my personal take on these games from a player's perspective.
 
4) Feel free to comment and share your own gameplay impressions. I only ask that you've actually played the game on real hardware.
 
That's all for now. I hope that you check in from time to time!
 
The first game to be featured will be: Bubsy In Fractured Furry Tales
 

Seeing as how fast it is to create photo realistic renders in about 30 seconds per frame, I figured it would be interesting to attempt a very short animation of a female character, meant for possibly a sidescroller:
 

 
... things like this make me think of Donkey Kong Country and just how incredible it was for the SNES. I've always felt that something similar could have been done on the Jaguar, just not at the time due to the rendering requirements involved. Things have changed... and with TRF being in the light again and realizing how easy fighting games could be with rendered scenes, making up a slew of characters with various animations could be done very quickly and easily. Take this scene for example in a jungle like setting:
 

 
Then I feel characters like this could fill the scene (the red area is panning space left and right)
 

 
Not really sure what you could do with a 6MB ROM with this sort of thing, but I imagine it would have to be an extremely limited amount of characters and/or scenes if that were the case. Going the JagCD route would almost be mandatory in a sense or maybe a combination thereof utilizing both 6MB cart for character data/assets and Jaguar CD to load backdrops and other scenes that aren't required to be loaded so much in realtime.
 
and just to show what the original character I started out with looks like in hi-res:
 

Somewhere in an alternate universe, this 3rd party controller exists:

Before I start going into details I need to be clear about what this post is about. This is not a journalistic review of the console nor am I going to repeat, or try not to repeat, the memories of this console as I have already done that. Nope. This is more about the what and how that wood-grain console has worked its way into my heart in a short amount of time. So...here we go.
 
As mentioned in the post I made called 2600 Memories I never gave the 2600 a fair chance. My first console was the 5200 which I thought blew the 2600 out of water at the time. Then the NES came along and I was blown away. The poor 2600 never caught my attention for long when I would find one. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the games I played it was the fact that they didn't hold my interest for very long. Of course, I've already mentioned that.
 
Since the arrival of a 4-switch Woody I have had a hard time not wanting to play the system. I've had a Junior model before I acquired the Woody model but it just didn't catch my interest as much for some reason. It wasn't the games. We all know the variations in the consoles is not going to change the games. But there is something about that 4-switch Woody that is appealing. From the insertion of the cartridge, plugging in the controller required for the game to be played, using those shinny chrome switches, to holding the joystick that only offered one fire button, there is a need to satisfy this video game crave. Sounds wild I know but that's the only way I know how to explain it.
 
The 2600 wood-grain design is distinctively associated with the "Atari" name. As is the letters V, C, and S and the number 2600. When you see the wood grain it's hard not to think of Atari, VCS or 2600 and vice versa. What has really captured me is the amount of good games that have made it to the 2600. Most of the games I never knew of simply because it was Nintendo's section or no video games at all for a while. I never knew the 2600 was still being produced for years after the NES became a hit. And even during the NES' popularity Atari was still making 2600 games that I would never hear of until long after Atari was sold off. Only one store in my hometown sold anything Atari and that's where I discovered the Junior model. But if you think about it, the Junior model was already no longer being produced by the time I found it so it might have been a store trying to help sell off some leftover stock for Atari. Who knows.
 
Since the arrival of the 4-switch Woody 2600 my interest in the console has grown so much that the 2600 has found a permanent home in the living room. Normally game systems get used for a bit and then put back in the bedroom on a shelf I have for storing consoles. The 2600 remains attached, plugged in, ready for use. Not a single day has went by where I didn't play a game on it even if it was at the end of the day. I am beginning to wonder if the 2600 has managed to surpass my feelings about the 5200 that has more sentimental value than the 2600 in any shape or form. I can not be certain just yet but I do know I am enjoying every game for the 2600 I have been blessed with.
 
My journey with the 2600, full-force, had only started about a year ago. I am discovering for the first time what this console was all about when it was top-dog. And I am liking everything about the system. The controller variations, arcade-style games, and a few days with Adventure really changed the way I thought about the 2600 years ago. This is a very capable, constantly able to change, piece of gaming hardware. It's no wonder why it has be crowned the king of all consoles. For me? It has become a number one favorite surpassing the NES and my beloved 5200. Since owning the 4-switch my 4-port 5200 has not been used hardly at all. I'm constantly wanting to see what other games are out there...although a bit too late in the game. Now I wish I would have held on to all the hardware, controllers, and games my Mother and I found decades ago. Oh well, live and learn.
 
I owe the Atari.IO members more thanks than I can ever give. Because of you guys I have been able to give the 2600 a much needed chance to show how much it could really entertain. So, thanks to StormSurge for the console and thanks to everyone here who has become my Atari family. The 2600 is truly a remarkable system. It just goes to show that graphics and sounds are not everything...it's all about the game play.

I'm stealing the bit from Retrogaming Times. "The Many Faces of" was one of my favorite articles. Comparisons of the same game for various systems. Ordered from worst to first. Here are the various versions of Pac Man for classic systems. No homebrews or hacks allowed. These are the versions I've played...please let me know if I missed any.
 
Last Place:
Atari 2600 - People like this version for nostalgia's sake...but it's not a good game. Main sins: Pac Man doesn't face up or down. No fruits. Weird colors. No intermissions. Sounds aren't even close to arcade.

 
The "also rans":
VIC-20: They tried. But it's too choppy to be fun. And the maze is way too small.

 
TI 99/4A - Looks GREAT. But way too slow and easy. And the lack of multi-channel sound hurts it.

 
Atari 8-Bit: The game is good. Great graphics, great sounds. But no intermissions. Game is easy.

 
Commodore 64: Almost identical to the Atari 8-bit version. No intermissions. Too slow and easy.

 
NES: It's really good. But Pac Man and the ghosts are way too big. Plus the game is slow.

 
5200: They took the 8-bit version, added intermissions, and ramped up the difficulty. It's great. But those controllers will cause you to die sometimes.

 
 
 
Medal Winners:
Bronze:
Intellivision: I'm giving this version a medal for technical achievement. it's amazing how good this version is, given the hardware. Control is no issue. Tight and fun. It has intermissions. The sounds and graphics are great. I love this version so much.

 
Silver:
Sega Game Gear - It's just about perfect. The screen scrolls, but that's ok.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKzZyAFqUNM
 
Gold:
Colecovision: It's a prototype. It should have been released because it is AWESOME. It's so fast. There are intermissions. Ghosts have eyes. Amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-3OOdjnTq4

Before I get too far along, I had previously reviewed this game on this website here. So if you would like to read that first for a memory refresh, or if you haven't read it yet, the link to it is provided. Because this review is revisiting the game and adding to that review. Let's see how well Solaris still stands after a few months.
 
Without repeating myself too much, Solaris was an attempt at creating a Star Raiders-like title for the Atari 2600. Instead of a first-person flying perspective we get a third-person view behind our ship. And the galaxy map? Forget it! That is old school. Solaris has a large world that is really impressive. Seriously...every time I play this game I am overwhelmed by the sheer size and amount of maps that make up this fictional space. It's really good.
 

So, every time I plug Solaris in my 2600 I forget what I am playing this game on and, for a while, I am a spaceship captain and pilot out to find Solaris. I manage to take out a few Zylons, a Zylon Planet or two while rescuing a few Cadets along the way. It's not long before I find a wormhole where I can jump to another location on another map. After doing so, however, I find that the only way to advance is to attack some kind of space pirates where I get destroyed ... rather ... easily. Dang it! So I try again. And again ... and again. I finally give in and play something else.
 

After returning to reality I turn off the console, realizing that the game was on the Atari 2600 system. It's hard to believe that a system originally designed to play pong and tank games is capable of producing the game play I just witnessed. The graphics look really good for a 2600 game, the sounds don't seem 2-channel at times, and the controls are easy to use and master. Where Solaris' heart lies is within that large map the developer called a "Scanner". Solaris has 16 quadrants, or maps, with each quadrant made up of 48 sectors. All sectors combined create this space maze, if you will, where it is easy to get lost, trapped, attacked. At the same time the urge to explore the quadrants to see what all is out there remains a driving force that becomes an enemy itself because you simply don't have the time. In-game time that is.
 
Solaris will take you on a trip that is like no other on the 2600. If you love a good space action/adventure then Solaris on the 2600 will fill that bill. And quite easily I might add. This is one game I don't play very often. Why? Because of the time it takes to play it. When I don't have much time to play a 2600 I will pass on Solaris and grab a game I know will last only a few minutes...like 5 to 10 minutes tops. But, when I know I have plenty of time Solaris is my go-to title when I want to spend that time on the 2600. I still have not mastered this game but I know I will someday. I highly recommend this game for 2600 owners just as I did in my original review. It is a marvel of what could be done on the 2600. It will not disappoint. Might take some time to get use to but it will not leave you thinking it was a waste of money.

Secret Quest, the last 2600 U.S. released game, gives the 2600 the dignity to go out with a bang. Not that it wouldn't anyway with all the popular games it had received during its production run. No matter how you look at it, the 2600 proved that gaming hardware was only limited by imagination, and Secret Quest takes that imagination and gives players an adventure they won't soon forget.
 
While misleading in a way, the label tells the game was made by Nolan Bushnell when in hindsight he basically designed it and oversaw its development by giving advice, a fellow by the name of Steve DeFrisco actually coded the game having never programmed the 2600 before. What we ended up with was a rather large action/adventure game of a sci-fi nature that will take some patients to master. So, my hat's off to DeFrisco for a fabulous job on this 2600 game.
 
Our main character is a guy that actually looks like he could use a shirt, or if that is his shirt we need to get him a new one. I'm not sure if that is a helmet on his head but we will just say it is and leave it at that. Our objective is to visit all eight, I'm going to call them "bases", to enter a code that starts a self-destruct sequence. Once that has been started our main character has only seconds to find the teleport to beam him off the base before it destructs.
 
Sounds easy, right? Well, with the first base it is, and the second base is not too hard either. But after that the game begins to get really difficult and it becomes very easy to get lost. Once you find and start the self-destruct sequence it is very hard to find and reach the teleport in time. If Nolan's idea was to frustrate and test a player's mind and patients then he accomplished what he set out to do.
 

 
Against you are two elements; energy and oxygen. Using your weapon uses your energy. If you run out of energy you will lose the ability to lose any weapons. You can still navigate the levels but simply won't be able to kill any enemies. Running out of oxygen, however, and it's game over. Oxygen is more like a timer. Whether you move or just sit there you are using oxygen. Both can be replenished by killing enemies. Some enemies drop energy while others drop oxygen.
 
Actually, Secret Quest is a very well made game. You can actually tell that each element of the game was thought out before being placed in the game. The thick, colorful borders that outline the rooms are used in a way to help the player visually tell where they are, especially with levels containing more than one floor. Enemies are colorful even if some are hard to tell what they are suppose to be. Sounds are good and, while there is a small hint of background music, it's not so much that it's annoying. At some points you almost can't hear it so it's almost like it's not there at all.
 
Where Secret Quest shines is in two features. The first feature, well, not exactly an "in-game" feature but something that not many games this early in the video game industry's starts ever did, is having the player involved in the game's strategy where hours are lost simply trying to navigate the levels. There's only eight of them but there might as well be a hundred. With the possible exception of the first two levels the remainder of the game will have the player drawing out maps just so they don't get lost. Seriously, the third level of this game when I first reached it made me rethink the way I thought about 2600 games in general.
 
Now, the second feature of this game, which really should get an award of some kind but I'm not sure what kind of an award that would be. You see, Secret Quest actually has a continue feature. How it works seems a bit complicated at first but once the steps are performed a few times you start to get the hang of it. During the game, should something go wrong or you are done playing for the day, you move the TV TYPE switch to the black and white setting, and then back to the color setting again. On a 7800, simply press the PAUSE button. You will leave the GAME SCREEN and be presented with what the instructions called a STATUS SCREEN. Here, see for yourself.
 

 
If you've never seen this screen before allow me to explain. The top section are the bases left to be destroyed. Just under the left-most section of those bases is the level you are on indicated by large flashing rectangles. Just to the right of this is the weapons you currently have, which you can have three but only one equipped at any one time. Now take a look below all that and you should see some funny looking characters in an almost-hieroglyphic style. Need a closer look?
 

 
These characters are your password to continue play at the beginning of the level you are on. It only works when you are on the first room of the first level. Basically, start a new game and immediately access the STATUS SCREEN. Once there press SELECT on the console. You can now edit the funny characters at the bottom of the screen using the joystick; up and down to select the characters and left and right to select the character you wish to change. This password feature is unique in that it only works under one condition. You may notice at the start of the game that there are two dashes, or underlines. The game instructions say to enter your initials here. So, the initials placed here determine what your password will be. And the password will only work with those initials.
I never knew the 2600 could pull off a game of this magnitude. It's simply mind blowing! Atari.IO's high score run with this game was my first time learning that this game even existed. Since then I have managed to locate a loose copy of the game and have been spending hours on it trying to beat the game. The password feature is a saving grace for the very reason that you can start off where you left off, including the amount of energy and oxygen you have left.
 
If you are new to the 2600, or a 2600 vet who has not seen this game yet, this would be the game to try to find. It is a rare title from what I understand but there are copies that turn up every now and then on E-Bay's and Goodwill's online auction sites. Just recently before this writing, Goodwill had two unopened copies show up on their auction. So...keep looking if you want a physical copy. Otherwise download your favorite 2600 emulator and a ROM copy of this game and give it a shot. It's a really good game that should not be missed. Fans of Nintendo's Zelda might find this game of interest.

Strapped inside the cockpit of your starship, looking out into space, you see a star moving. After a few seconds of watching, the star turns into an enemy Basestar...and it has sent out its best starfighters to destroy you. Red alarms start to go off as your radar shows the enemy attempting to out flank you. An enemy starfighter appears right in your line of sight. You take the shot by firing your photon torpedoes. A direct hit!! Somehow you managed to miss the fire of another starfighter, which has started to come back at you again, while taking down the first starfighter. You line up the enemy in your crosshairs and fire. Seconds seem like minutes waiting to see if your aim was good. Another direct hit! The only thing to do now is to destroy that Basestar. You increase your engine speeds. Within seconds the Basestar is in your crosshairs and firing its weapons at you. You send blast after blast of photon torpedoes, some shots missing while others are hitting their target, until the Basestar explodes. With the area cleared you look at your Galactic Map and head for another sector with more approaching enemies. Your adventure in Star Raiders has just begun full force.
 
Appearing first on the Atari 400 and 800 home computers, the 5200 received one of Atari's most enduring and engaging space battle games ever created. For its time the game was way more advanced than any arcade game on the market and was one of the first space games that concentrated more on strategy than anything else. Star Raiders on the 5200 is absolutely brilliant. While it may not push the capabilities of the system to its limits it does make full use of the 5200's analog controls and immerses the player into a space battle they will not soon forget.
 
Compared to the simplistic style of Atari's joysticks on the home computers, and 2600 for that matter, the 5200's controls in Star Raiders allow for precise movement to help the player line up their shot. The more the joystick is moved in any direction the more the ship moves. The movement is very fluid like but effective and in the player's favor. Of course the game does pause when you need to take a break for whatever reason and Reset will take you back to the Mission Select screen where you can challenge the game at various difficulty settings.
 
Where the game can get complicated is with the keypad controls. This is the only game I am aware of that places the keypad on double duty. In SPEED MODE the keypad buttons correspond to the ship's traveling speed. For example; button 1 sets the starship's speed at 1. In CONTROL MODE the keypad becomes a mini-computer and control console. This is where the heart of Star Raiders lies. From view settings to setting shields and tracking controls to viewing the Galactic Map and activating Hyperspace to warp to other sectors are all done at the press of the corresponding button on the controller keypad. The keypad controls may take some time to get use to but once they are learned the game becomes easier to navigate.
 
The manual included with Star Raiders is a 35-page manual with only one page dedicated to a high score recording table. The rest is all about playing the game. This easily makes it the most documented instruction manual of any 5200 game, period. A lot of work went into making sure that not only did the game play good but that the player had enough information to learn how to play the game. Nothing was left out. Atari went so far as to tell how the score is calculated in the game.
 
Star Raiders is one of those games that set a new standard and could easily be declared one of the first space-style first-person shooters. The game play in Star Raiders is so intense, engulfing, enticing, and engaging, that after one round it's hard to avoid playing another round. Star Raiders, win or lose, leaves the player feeling satisfied. If it sounds like I am placing game above all others then you, my dear reader, would be correct.
 
You see, Star Raiders was one of the first titles I would pick up after the holiday season I got my 5200. At 7 years old I was kicking Zylon butt. For years I played this game more than any other until during a move it got lost. I managed to find one, new in the box, about 5 years or so ago. And I was overly excited. Star Raiders, unlike any other game, has been, and remains, my all-time favorite console video game. I like Mario, I enjoy Sonic, and I like my NES and love my Dreamcast, but Star Raiders on the 5200 is my main game. I've had the 8-bit version as well and, while it is essentially the same game, I prefer the analog controls on the 5200.
 
So for those that have wondered about this game before, and have never played it, try to pick one up new in the box. I know their are new copies still available somewhere. I mention new in box because you really need the keypad overlays and you might even need the instructions if you are new to this game. This game is a blast to play and I believe that fans of shumps are going to enjoy this ride.
 
Grab your 5200 controller, a sandwich and drink, and strap yourself in for one heck of a ride. Then join the rest of us Star Raiders in freeing the galaxy of unwanted Zylon scum! Welcome to the fleet, Cadet, and good luck! You're going to need it.

It's 2016 and unfortunately, the Blade Runner scene will become anything but reality and Atari isn't even close to how we could have imagined it some 20-years ago but maybe that's a good thing. Never the less, the dreams and memories continue to live on. The games, artwork, music, design and passion behind so many products and games will forever remain. The best part of it all is the community behind it all. The wide range of hardware and software hackers that continue to adapt these machines into useful modern day gaming systems, not to be left behind or forgotten, is amazing. It's nice to have new hardware or software for our machines and the majority of the people behind any of these projects mostly are in it because they enjoy it.
 
At some point, I feel any Atari aficionado would have hoped for a better outcome that is Atari and kind of hope to live in a world where futuristic game consoles and computers continue to be developed and released to this day. Atari was always about promising the future, especially in its early years. Sleek, modern designs with never before seen features in consoles and computers, it was always something fascinating to look forward to and in a weird sense, gave many hope and something to look forward to.
 
Today, I accept Atari for what it is: a childhood past time that I can adapt and bring into the future with me to enjoy, picking and choosing which time period I want to experience again. We can just about purchase any Atari console or computer for mostly reasonable prices and have access to flash carts to load these machines up with some of the best software our minds can remember. We live in a day of age where we can instantly relive our childhood memories in abundance at a fraction of the cost.
 
I've owned and sold a lot of my Atari collection over the years, downsizing as needed due to space constraints and constant moving. The good news is, I have space again but no longer really need much more than to house the hardware itself. That's not to say there isn't a possibility it won't get out of control but I'm ready to rebuild a core Atari hardware collection so I can enjoy the massive amount of software created over the last 30+ years. Emulation isn't really for me, I'm a purist when it comes to the hardware side of things.
 
My focus has been the Atari A8 or 800/XE series lately. It's one of the machines that has a ton of great games and is really easy to get into with a proper SIO2PC setup. I've yet to obtain a XF551 or Indus GT drive for my 130XE but am in no rush. Getting good hardware the first time around is important so I'm willing to wait. I've pretty much sourced an Atari Falcon I would like to follow up with next in my collection phase and if any of you spot a really nice STe or have one to sell, please drop me a message. I've got some cool projects going on in the controller department of things and the Jaguar side of things, so this will be the place I post about updates and an inside look when the time comes.
 
Hopefully the next few years will prove to be fascinating with what comes from this hobby we all share!
 
Anything is truly possible. Here's to a New Age of Atari -- it's ours for the taking.
 

Diving back into the A8 world and while I have an older sio2pc that uses a serial connector (no access to that on my current laptop setup), it can't be used. I was certain that I would have managed to get a nice Indus GT or XF551 by now but so far, null results. I'm still disappointed by the whole fiasco over my last Indus GT purchase, especially since it had such a nice box. Oh well...
 
I've officially ordered the SIO2PC USB version so I can put one or both of these machines to use in upcoming weekends and have some competitive gaming nights with the daughter and girlfriend. I'll finally be able to load up some Yoomp! and GTIA Blast! Would really love to see a Cosmic Ark clone on the A8s using the enhanced GTIA mode... that and many more games in general make use of it. Outside of alienating the core 800 base, was there really any reason as to why more games didn't use said mode?
 
Anyways, order placed and incoming... hopefully come this time next weekend it'll smell like warm 8bit machines in my room!
 
Really enjoy the translucent plastic used....

A blog post for the cheap retro-gamer who likes to tinker....
 
I'd like to introduce the concept of the "Scraptop". It is essentially, a really old laptop, bought for a low price...souped up, and loaded with retro games (emulators) and tools.
 
Why? What's the point? Well, it all started with an Atari SIO2PC cable, which is a piece of hardware that allows any PC with a serial port to easily emulate an Atari 8-bit disk drive. The function of the cable is probably a good subject for another blog post...but keep this in mind...it's only about $30, and it allows you to load ANY Atari disk image on a real Atari computer. Did you notice the mention of serial port? Most new laptops do not have serial ports. Old ones do. So I can have the scraptop right there next to my Atari computer and load any disk image. Cool, right?
 
The scraptop I have here is a Dell Latitude D520. It came with an Intel Core Duo CPU (2 cores) at 1.83Ghz, 1GB of memory, and a 20Gb serial hard drive. It has a fully functional battery. The screen, keyboard, and case were in really nice condition (except for dirt). It was marked down at Goodwill for $10...probably because it had a big security cable bolt on the top.
 
Step 1 when I bought this thing was to make sure it worked. It fired right up. Everything seemed fully functional. Hard drive was blank, but that's OK.
 
Step 2 was getting the security dongle off. A few minutes with some acetone and a paint scraper, and it came right off. I put a sticker over the discoloration left behind. My backup plan was to buy the case top on ebay, but that wasn't necessary.
 
Step 3 was replacing one of the 512Mb memory sticks with a 1Gb stick I had in my box of parts (more on this later). More memory = faster computer.
 
Step 4 was opening the laptop up. Dell's are usually super easy to work on. In this case, removing the keyboard was easy, and it allowed me to pull the dust out of the heatsink and put new thermal compound in.
 
Step 5 was loading Windows Vista on it, which went really smoothly. Why Vista? Well, it works fine for emulation and the Atari tools, and it's free (since I have a Dell disk that came with another Dell PC). It will load on any Dell computer.
 
Once I had it working, it was time to soup it up a bit. I bought a 32Gb SSD on Ebay for $15, as well as a $3 1GB memory stick. You'll be amazed at how cheap parts are for these old computers.
 
The extra memory and SSD allow the computer to boot in about 40 seconds. Very nice! And even though this computer is a good 10 years old, it will run emulators perfectly. DVD's play fine on it, and surfing the web is fast. The SSD makes the computer almost completely silent. Moore's Law is dead, my friends.
 
So for a roughly $40 outlay, I got a very nice portable PC that holds all of my Atari disk images, can run old emulators, and even play movies. Plus I had a lot of fun getting my hands dirty and working on this thing. It's a lot cheaper and more functional than a tablet.
 
For me, I like to stick with the "Dell" brand, since I have a lot of spare parts already (this isn't my first scraptop), and that important Vista disk.
 
So there you go. If you ever spot a lonely old laptop at a garage sale or thrift shop, you might take a look and consider doing something similar with it. All I'd suggest is to make sure it has at least a dual core CPU, a functioning battery, and seems to be in good shape.

This is just this year and just for the Atari VCS/2600.............
2016
 
Homebrews released
Jan 10, 2016 - Upp! (Jason Santuci "theloon") - self published {sold thru Etsy} SOLD OUT
Jan 28, 2016 - Pigs in the Castle (Rudy J. Ferretti) - self published
Jan 28, 2016 - Checked Inn (Rudy J. Ferretti) - self published
Jan 31, 2016 - Coke Zero <NTSC version> (Thomas Jentzsch) - AtariAge blog
Feb 15, 2016 - Upp!+ - Jason Santuci/self published (contains small feature changes and improvements){sold thru Etsy} SOLD OUT
Apr 2, 2016 (@ 2016 Cowlitz Gamers Show) - ature (2016 re-release) ("Beoran") SOLD OUT
May 22, 2016 - Starfleet Simulation (Mr SQL) {Supercharger cassette} - self published
June 1-30, 2016 (on KS) - Conjoined - Jason Santuci/Joe Grisaffi - based from the movie "Conjoined"/AtariAge - Kickstarter
June 22, 2016 - A New Marauder (Darcio Prestes & Leandro Camara) - MoreWork.com.br
July 23, 2016 - Anguna (Nathan Tolbert/Bite the Chili games) AtariAge forum
Aug 8, 2016 - Space Warfare (AskewTV) AtariAge forum
Aug 23, 2016 - Bigfoot: Family Search (Bobby Alexander/Jason Santuci) Kickstarter
 
Hacks released
Apr 1, 2016 - Fixing the Tempest proto (hack of the Atari prototype Tempest)
Apr 14, 2016 - Trump Invaders (hack of Space Invaders)
Apr 15, 2016 - Hillary Invaders (hack of Space Invaders)
May 10, 2016 - Dragster: The Duel {hack} - Scott Dayton - limited to 20 copies
May 22, 2016 - Ms. Pac-Man Improvements
June 5, 2016 - Plaque Attack TB (trak-ball compatible version of Plaque Attack)
July 2, 2016 - Star Tunnel - Scott Dayton (30 copies only - 15 of each Life/Death label) $30 - thru Facebook
Aug 9, 2016 - Pac Rock - AskenTV (AtariAge forum)
Aug 10, 2016 - Night Grand Prix - Atarius Maximus (AtariAge forum)
 
Releasing Soon (actual software)
late July/early Aug. '16 - Dark Cavern (hack) - Scott Dayton
Sept. '16 - Fire Ants - ComiSoft Inc.
Soon '16 - Super Trash Truck - Sadai Games Corp./Collectorvision (at publisher now - issues w/ printing box)
Soon '16 - Twist'r-Shark (was "Sharknado") - NeoGames
Soon '16 - Balloon Girl - Jason Santuci
Soon '16 - Legends - Scott Dayton
??? 2016 - Drive! - AtariAge - (label contest completed)
??? 2016 - Alien Greed: Return of Charles - NeoGames
??? 2016 - RAM-Pong - Packrat Games
??? 2016/carts signed Feb 2015 - Demons (based on the 1985 movie) - NeoGames
On Hold - Tunnels & Trolls - Jason Santuci
??? 2016 - Zombie Road Kill - Scott Dayton
??? 2016 - Wizard of Wor 2: The Arena - AtariAge
previewed at 2015 Portland Retro Gaming Expo - The Stacks, Panky the Panda - AtariAge
previewed at 2015 Houston ArcadeExpo - Laughing Boy - Jason Schelhorn/AtariAge
WIP - D.K. VCS, DK Arcade 2600, Pac Man 8k - AtariAge
Future project - Colony 7 TB (Trak-Ball version) - Thomas Jentzsch
 
WIP (work in progress during 2016)
May 31 2015 - Shadow of the Colossus VCS - back working on it
Jul 6 2015 - Street Fight World - back working on it
Nov 13 2015 - Scramble 2600 (port)
Dec 3 2015 - Project Eden (2nd attempt)- back working on it
Dec 15 2015 - ChaoticGrill (port of Burgertime)
Dec 18 2015 - Jet!
Dec 21 2015 - Scrollanoid
Dec 27 2015 - Save Earth Complete
Jan 5 2016 - Super Mario 64 2600 (port) - back working on it
Jan 8 2016 - Anguna - completed 7/23/16
Jan 19 2016 - Dragster EX Pro (hack)
Jan 28 2016 - Wal-Rush!
Jan 29 2016 - StarBlitz
Jan 30 2016 - Bird Poop!
Feb 18 2016 - Adventures of the 50 Foot Tall Stalk of Celery - back working on it
Feb 20 2016 - Taxi Panic!
Mar 8 2016 - Drive!
Mar 10 2016 - Breakout Clone
Mar 15 2016 - Cat and Mouse
Mar 18 2016 - Ohio Jay and the Last Supper Goblet
Mar 19 2016 - Xybots 2600 remake
Apr 1 2016 - Protocol
Apr 20 2016 - Muppy The Bunny: Light V.S Dark
Apr 25 2016 - JumpBall
Apr 26 2016 - Railslider
May 15 2016 - Star Tunnel
May 27 2016 - Gyvolver - back working on it from 2012
May 28 2016 - Bananas Are Good (2K) - finished 6/2/16
June 2 2016 - Bananas Are Good 4K (2 player version)
June 9 2016 - Raindrop
June 11 2016 - Hello World! (demo)
June 16 2016 - Dodgeball
July 9 2016 - The Celery Game
July 10 2016 - Grand Strategy
July 11 2016 - Plasma (demo)
July 13 2016 - Canflag (demo)
July 23 2016 - Color Gotcha 2600
July 25 2016 - King of Mersia
July 27 2016 - Donkey Kong 2: Pauline's Revenge
July 29 2016 - Alien Jail
Aug 2 2016 - Haunted House III: Slashers
Aug 13 2016 - Battle Pong
Aug 16 2016 - Nuka Break
Aug 19 2016 - KickMan (Unicycle Balloon Kicker)
Aug 22 2016 - Spazer
Sept 8 2016 - Tie Fighter

This is just this year and just for the Atari VCS/2600.............
 
2015
Homebrews released

Jan 11, 2015 - Headkicker 2.0 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 12, 2015 - Nutkicker (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 12, 2015 - Knight Kuest (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 14, 2015 - Pro Football 1770 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 22, 2015 - Crazy Bird (gameblabla - AtariAge forum)
Jan 23, 2015 - USSR Supreme Lifting Weights (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 24, 2015 - Mallard Hunt (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 25, 2015 - Monkey Obesity (http://xayax.net/)
Jan 26, 2015 - Loaded4Bear (http://alienbill.com/loaded4bear/)
Jan 29, 2015 - K.C. Munchkin (Mr SQL - AtariAge forum)
Feb 12, 2015 - Wipeout 2600 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Feb 21, 2015 - 2nd Dimension, The (Gray Games - Good Deal Games)
Feb 21, 2015 - E.T.: Return to Earth (Gray Games - Good Deal Games)
Feb 21, 2015 - Sunset Drive (Gray Games - Good Deal Games)
Feb 21, 2015 - Smoke Gun (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Feb 26, 2015 - Star Rescue (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Feb 27, 2015 - T-Rex Simulator (KaeruYojimbo - AtariAge forum)
Mar 6-8, 2015 - A.C.I.D. 2: Your Face is Goo (released at the Louisville Arcade Expo)
Mar 10, 2015 - Diamond Drop (Atarius Maximus - AtariAge forum)
Mar 11, 2015 - Planet Doom 2600 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Mar 13, 2015 - The Deep (winkdot - AtariAge forum)
Mar 28, 2015 - C@tacombs of Chaos (aka Atarowg) (released at the Cowlitz Gamers For Kids Expo)
Apr 6, 2015 - Coke Zero Demo (Thomas Jentzsch - AtariAge blog)
Apr 11, 2015 - Traffic Cop (Good Deal Games) (will be available to Hozer Video Games & Packrat Video Games soon)
Apr 19, 2015 - Titan Axe (Papa - AtariAge forum)
Apr 20, 2015 - The Celery Movie (atari2600land - self published)
May 5, 2015 - Lost Cat (greywest - AtariAge forum)
May 6, 2015 - 2048_4vcs (port) (beta version) (MLockmoore - AtariAge forums)
May 19, 2015 - Pigs in the Castle (Rudy J. Ferretti) [pre-orders begin on Facebook]
May 29, 2015 - The Gizzle Wap and The Strange Red Tree (Mountain King - AtariAge forums) updated 12/6/15
Jun 1, 2015 - Final Duck (Andrew G. Crowell - self published)
Jun 5, 2015 - BLT Blast (the loon - self published) renamed - formerly known as Bath Blast
Jun 17, 2015 - Spies in the Night (graywest - AtariAge forums)
Jun 23, 2015 - Derivative 2600 (Kylearan - http://www.pouet.net/)
Jun 27, 2015 - Zong (Retro Lord - AtariAge forums)
Jul 3, 2015 - Hunger Shark - (NeoGames) {shipped 7-15-15}
Jul 3, 2015 - Run Out! - (Papa - AtariAge forums)
Jul 12, 2015 - Stay Frosty 2: Stay Frostier - (Spiceware - Atariage.com) - **free full version ROM released**
Aug 16, 2015 - JELL-O Pudding Pops presents Fat Albert (NeoGames) (enhanced hack of Fat Albert {2000} which was a hack of Fast Food)
at 2015 Portland Retro Gaming Expo - PRGE Smash Hit!!!, PRGE X, The Realm of No!, Clyde's Revenge - Good Deal Games
Nov 22, 2015 - Star Castle Arcade, Lady Bug Collector's Edition, Wall Jump Ninja, Zippy the Porcupine, BRIK/BRIK 180, Jump VCS, Titan Axe, Galactopus - (AtariAge.com)
at Free Play Florida 2015 - Alien Menace - (NeoGames) comes with Deluxe card game
at Free Play Florida 2015 - Invader X - (Scott Dayton - AtariAge.com)
 
Hacks released
Jan 15 2015 - Q*bert Arcade hack [added PAL version] (AtariAge forums)
Jan 18 2015 - Commavid's Magicard [PAL conversion + enhanced version] (AtariAge forums)
Jan 23 2015 - Doctor Who Berzerk w/ speech samples (AtariAge forums)
Jan 28 2015 - Atari Pacman (AtariAge forums)
Feb 2 2015 - Freeway - No Traffic (AtariAge forums)
Mar 13 2015 - Worms (AtariAge forums) hack of Artillery Duel
Mar 22 2015 - Enduro Trainer (AtariAge forums)
Sept 8 2015 - Centipede TB hack (AtariAge forums) hack of Centipede for use of an Atari CX-22/80 trak-balls
Sept 16 2015 - Reactor TB hack (AtariAge forums) hack of Reactor for use of an Atari CX-22/80 trak-balls
Sept 17 2015 - Millipede Expanded (AtariAge forums) hack of Millipede
Sept 22 2015 - Berzerk Turbo (AtariAge forums) faster hack of Berzerk
Sept 26 2015 - Missile Command Arcade (AtariAge forums) hack of Missile Command
Sept 27 2015 - Millipede TB hack (AtariAge forums) hack of Millipede for use of an Atari CX-22 trak-ball
Sept 30 2015 - Air Sea Battle fast hack (AtariAge forums) hack of Air Sea Battle
Sept 30 2015 - Air Sea Battle no timer hack (AtariAge forums) hack of Air Sea Battle
Sept 30 2015 - Yahtzee graphic hack (AtariAge forums) hack of homebrew Yahtzee [2001]
Oct 7 2015 - Upp! (theloon.itch.io) hack of A.C.I.D. 2: Your Face is Goo
Oct 19 2015 - Popeye Arcade 2600 (AtariAge forums) graphic hack of Popeye
Nov 1 2015 - Crackbats (AtariAge forums) Halloween hack of Crackpots
 
Releasing Soon (actual software)
after Portland Retro Gaming Expo - The Stacks, Panky the Panda - AtariAge
previewed at 2015 Houston ArcadeExpo - Conjoined, Laughing Boy - Jason Schelhorn/Hozer VG
??? 2015 - Super Trash Truck - Sadai Games Corp./Collectorvision (at publisher now)
??? 2015 - Twist'r-Shark (was "Sharknado") - NeoGames
??? 2015 - Alien Greed: Return of Charles - NeoGames
??? 2015 - RAM-Pong - Packrat Games
??? 2015/carts signed Feb 2015 - Demons (based on the 1985 movie) - NeoGames
On Hold - Tunnels & Trolls - Jason Schelhorn
WIP - D.K. VCS, DK Arcade 2600 - AtariAge
??? 2016 - Zombie Road Kill - Scott Dayton
??? 2016 - Wizard of Wor 2: The Arena - AtariAge
 
WIP
Dec 28 2014 - Larry the Lemon (formally known as "Black Friday) (back working on it)
Dec 31 2014 - Pac-Action
Jan 1 2015 - Moto X
Jan 4 2015 - Cows
Jan 14 2015 - Tumulus (back working on it)
Jan 16 2015 - Aaron the Aant
Jan 19, 2015 - The Gizzle Wap and The Strange Red Tree - completed 5/29/15
Jan 20, 2015 - The Celery Movie - completed 4/20/15
Jan 22, 2015 - 5 Nights at Freddy's or Bentley's Family Diner Demo
Feb 2 2015 - Alien Greed 5 (back working on it)
Feb 7 2015 - F40 (aka Ferreira 4.0 KB: Portuguese Stallion) (back working on it) on hold 3/20
Feb 13 2015 - Alien Pinball
Feb 13 2015 - Puncher (Demo)
Feb 14 2015 - Dragon Defense
Feb 25 2015 - Titan Axe (Beta demo released) - completed 4/19/15
Feb 26 2015 - Balloon Girl
Mar 6 2015 - Expedition Island
Mar 11 2015 - Atomic Disco
Mar 15 2015 - Sword of Iffrit - aka Haldors Saga & aka Surtr's Sword (back working on it - from 4k to 16k)
Mar 25 2015 - Castle of Doom (back working on it)
Mar 25 2015 - Hysteria / renamed "Lost Cat" - completed 5/5/15
Mar 27 2015 - Project "LEM"
Apr 7 2015 - Arkanoid (port) (back working on it)
Apr 12 2015 - Prince of Persia (port)
Apr 15 2015 - Space Shoot
Apr 17 2015 - Pepsi Invaders Graphic Mystery - Hack
May 1 2015 - 2048_4vcs (port) (beta version) - completed 5/6/15
May 6 2015 - Pac-Man 2 (hack of Ms. Pac-Man)
May 9 2015 - ORB (winkdot - AtariAge forum)
May 10 2015 - Laundry Hero Chapter 2
May 12 2015 - Gauntlet (hack of Dark Chambers) - working
May 22 2015 - Pac Man 2600 8K (port of Pac-Man) (back working on it)
May 29 2015 - Trapped
May 29 2015 - Run Out! - completed 7/3/15
May 31 2015 - RunOut (2 different games / 2 different programmers)
May 31 2015 - Spies in the Night - completed 6/17/15
May 31 2015 - Shadow of the Colossus VCS
Jun 19 2015 - Dead Road
Jun 20 2015 - Captain Bruce In the Year 2601
Jun 30 2015 - Boo, Scary House {tech demo of Haunted House clone}
Jul 4 2015 - Doom Patrol
Jul 4 2015 - Street Brawler
Jul 5 2015 - Super Mario World 2600
Jul 6 2015 - Street Fight World
Aug 4 2015 - JELL-O Pudding Pops presents Fat Albert (hack of Fat Albert hack (2000) which was a hack of Fast Food) - completed 8/16/15
Sept 1 2015 - Gizzle Wap 2 "The Gizzle Wap and the Toxic Isles"(tent)
Sept 2 2015 - Zombie Road Kill (Scott Dayton) due out in 2016
Sept 25 2015 - Red Blue 3D Game (demo)
Oct 9 2015 - Dr. Flin and His Pills
Oct 9 2015 - Carrot Kingdom
Nov 8 2015 - Robot Zed
Nov 13 2015 - Scramble (port)

My long-term memory is impeccable, at least when it comes to positive memories. My short-term, not so much.
 
I had been kicking around the idea of starting to document some of these positive memories in a journal, especially the random ones that pop in my head out of nowhere.
Then I thought, why not wrap those memories up in a retro-themed bow and create a blog here. So that's what I'm going to do!
 
I'll focus on video games, considering the site this is hosted at. But I'll occasionally throw in some other random retro memories from time to time. TV, music, movies, toys, games, etc.
 
I hope that my posts will entertain a few of you. At the very least, they'll be a repository for the day my long-term memory is gone...
 
(That's not a photo of me, but that's pretty much my recollection of falling in love with the 2600 right there)

It's been a while, but it's time yet again for a multi-cart review. This time, I'm reviewing the Retro-Link Multicart 64 for the Commodore 64.
 

 
Pros
Menu driven - easy to use
Instant load - no disk drive waiting
Socketed - theoretically possible to change the EEPROM for a different set of games.
Inexpensive

Cons
None. I love this thing.

As you can tell by the summary above, I think this thing is pretty sweet. 63 different games and utilities all on one menu-driven multi-cart. It would only be better if they included 64 to match the name of the computer.
 
The menu for this thing is elegant and easy. F1 and F3 scroll through the available choices. F7 starts it up.
 

 
The selection of games is pretty nice. Lots of stuff you've heard of, and lots of items you haven't. Those are fun to see and play for the first time. It's also cool that some utilities are included. A C64 self-test program is so dang useful for a collector! It really helps diagnose what may be wrong with your C64 (and believe me, a lot can go wrong. Commodore went cheap cheap cheap, and it shows in how hard it is to find a fully working 64). Games load instantly. No waiting. It just plain works -- easy and fast, and that's the best compliment I can give for any multi-cart.
 
Here's a few screen shots...Frogger and Pitfall.
 


 
I've had this thing for a long time, but I'm pretty sure I paid less than $50 for it. I bought the bare board and put it into a broken "Jupiter Lander" cart shell.
 
For more information about this multi-cart, a list of the games it includes, and how to order your own, look here: http://blog.retro-link.com/2013/06/multicart-64-is-now-available-for-sale.html
 
The seller Charles is a great guy and very easy to work with.
 
Final verdict: Great multi-cart, highly recommended.
 
Here's a picture of my Commodore 64C. I'm very proud to have this one in such nice condition. I do like the breadbox brown 64's better, but haven't ever found a fully working model! But this 64C works perfectly.
 

 
Finally, I'm going to end this review with a picture of another, much different item for the C64 -- the SD2IEC disk drive emulator. It allows you to place ROM files on an SD card and load them as if they were real floppy disks. It's more difficult to use, but it can play almost anything! Should I review this one too? Please let me know in the comments.
 

I've been working on a excel spreadsheet of homebrew games that have been designed for the Atari VCS/2600 console. My list has surpassed over 500 titles and I've tried to log the information for each as:
Title
URL/weblink
ROM downloadable (yes/no)
Developer/Designer
Publisher
Year (of release)
Genre
Price
etc (notes/info)

I've been working on this for 2+ years and still finding more titles almost everyday. I figured I would expand on the same idea as the titles are listed on the Wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Atari_2600_games#Homebrew_games
and from AtariAge's development list at: https://atariage.com/development_list.html
 
I have complied my info from these sites:
AtariAge.com
AtariAge forums
Good Deal Games
2600Connection.com
Hozer Video Games
Packrat Video Games
SpiceWare Games
retro-reload.com
Gray Games
Atari2600.com
Tactical Neuronics
Bitpop
vidiotgames.com
CollectorVision
Kickstarter
Retroware
atari2600homebrew.com
atari2600land.com
zutco.com

I think I have a majority of the homebrew titles on my list. I understand this is (and may never be) a "complete" list but it will be more extensive than any other list elsewhere on the 'net.
 
If any of my fellow Atari.io members have info on homebrew titles (mainly earlier years 1996-2005), I would welcome the info.

This is just this year and just for the 2600.............
2015
 
Homebrews released
Jan 11, 2015 - Headkicker 2.0 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 12, 2015 - Nutkicker (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 12, 2015 - Knight Kuest (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 14, 2015 - Pro Football 1770 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 22, 2015 - Crazy Bird (gameblabla - AtariAge forum)
Jan 23, 2015 - USSR Supreme Lifting Weights (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 24, 2015 - Mallard Hunt (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Jan 25, 2015 - Monkey Obesity (http://xayax.net/)
Jan 26, 2015 - Loaded4Bear (http://alienbill.com/loaded4bear/)
Jan 29, 2015 - K.C. Munchkin (Mr SQL - AtariAge forum)
Feb 12, 2015 - Wipeout 2600 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Feb 21, 2015 - 2nd Dimension, The (Gray Games - Good Deal Games)
Feb 21, 2015 - E.T.: Return to Earth (Good Deal Games)
Feb 21, 2015 - Sunset Drive (Good Deal Games)
Feb 21, 2015 - Smoke Gun (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Feb 26, 2015 - Star Rescue (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Feb 27, 2015 - T-Rex Simulator (KaeruYojimbo - AtariAge forum)
Mar 6-8, 2015 - A.C.I.D. 2: Your Face is Goo (released at the Louisville Arcade Expo)
Mar 10, 2015 - Diamond Drop (Atarius Maximus - AtariAge forum)
Mar 11, 2015 - Planet Doom 2600 (Retro Lord - AtariAge forum)
Mar 13, 2015 - The Deep (winkdot - AtariAge forum)
Mar 28, 2015 - C@tacombs of Chaos (aka Atarowg) (released at the Cowlitz Gamers For Kids Expo)
Apr 11, 2015 - Traffic Cop (Good Deal Games) (will be available to Hozer Video Games & Packrat Video Games soon)
May 9, 2015 - Orb (winkdot - AtariAge forum)
May 19, 2015 - Pigs in the Castle (Rudy J. Ferretti) [pre-orders begin]
 
Hacks released
Jan 18 2015 - Commavid's Magicard [PAL conversion + enhanced version] (AtariAge forums)
Jan 23 2015 - Doctor Who Berzerk w/ speech samples (AtariAge forums)
Jan 28 2015 - Atari Pacman (AtariAge forums)
Feb 2 2015 - Freeway - No Traffic (AtariAge forums)
Mar 13 2015 - Worms (AtariAge forums) hack of Artillery Duel
Mar 22 2015 - Enduro Trainer (AtariAge forums)
 
 
Releasing Soon
carts signed Feb 2015 - Demons (based on the 1985 movie) - NeoGames
BOXES arrived on 3/10/15 for: L.E.M. Lunar Excursion Module, Star Castle, Wall Jump Ninja &
"boxes for already released carts": Stay Frosty 2: Stay Frostier & Omicron - all from AtariAge
1st Qtr of 2015 - Super Trash Truck - Sadai Games Corp.
??? 2015 - Hunger Shark - NeoGames [delayed due to new board design - price increase]
??? 2015 (after Hunger Shark) - Twist'r-Shark (was "Sharknado") - NeoGames
??? 2015 - RAM-Pong - Packrat Games
??? 2015 - Titan Axe - Papa
??? 2015 - Brik, Brik 180, Jump VCS - repixel8.com/AtariAge
??? 2015 - Galactopus - NeoGames
??? 2015 - Ninja Wall Jump, Zippy the Porcupine, Panky the Panda - AtariAge
??? 2015 - D.K. VCS, DK Arcade 2600 - AtariAge
Nov 2015 - Alien Menace - NeoGames (to be released at Free Play Florida 2015) comes with Deluxe card game - Prototype card game reserves started 4/18/15 w/ no game cart
 
WIP
Dec 28 2014 - Larry the Lemon (formally known as "Black Friday) (back working on it)
Dec 31 2014 - Pac-Action
Jan 1 2015 - Moto X
Jan 4 2015 - Cows
Jan 14 2015 - Tumulus (back working on it)
Jan 16 2015 - Aaron the Aant
Feb 2 2015 - Alien Greed 5 (back working on it)
Feb 7 2015 - F40 (aka Ferreira 4.0 KB) (back working on it)
Feb 13 2015 - Alien Pinball
Feb 13 2015 - Puncher (Demo)
Feb 14 2015 - Dragon Defense
Feb 25 2015 - Titan Axe (Beta demo released)
Feb 26 2015 - Balloon Girl
Mar 6 2015 - Expedition Island
Mar 11 2015 - Atomic Disco
Mar 15 2015 - Surtr's Sword aka "Sword of Iffrit" (back working on it)
Mar 25 2015 - Castle of Doom (back working on it)
Mar 25 2015 - Hysteria / renamed "Lost Cat" - completed 5/5/15
Mar 27 2015 - Project LEM
Apr 7 2015 - Arkanoid (port) (back working on it)
Apr 12 2015 - Prince of Persia (port)
Apr 15 2015 - Space Shoot
Apr 17 2015 - Pepsi Invaders Graphic Mystery - Hack
May 1 2015 - 2048_4vcs (port) (beta version)
May 6 2015 - Pac Man 2 (hack of Ms. Pac-Man)
May 10 2015 - Laundry Hero Chapter 2
May 12 2015 - Gauntlet (hack of Dark Chambers)