Ballblaɀer

So I'm out with a cold and can't hit up a huge list of garage sales today, but the Mrs. is a trooper and hits a couple before she goes into work.....



She shoots, she scores!  

I did manage to snag a complete boxed Colecovision Flashback Dollar General version, and a loose Atari Flashback 2 with controllers yesterday though

I'm used to the 5200 and 2600 versions of Mario Bros -- I played both of them a ton growing up, especially the 2600 version.  This was my first serious go with the 7800 version.  I had a great run, but first I need to vent!
The collision detection between the purple fireball and the platforms in this port is ATROCIOUS.  Killed more than one great run that I had going. You score no points for killing fireballs, seriously?  Killing them is more trouble than it's worth, especially when taking into account the just-mentioned poor collision detection... There's an infuriating (to me, anyway ) movement mechanic quirk: if you jump, let's say to the right, then in mid-jump move your joystick to change direction to left before you land, but you jump again at the same instant that you land, you *don't* change direction for the next jump, and instead continue to jump right!  Game programming should not prioritize jumping over detecting the player direction.* Anyway, my score: 194,240
     
 

 
* I just learned that this happens in the arcade version as well. So I guess technically I can't be as mad as I was before.  Still, I consider this a bug; a player should not be punished for trying to be precise!

Congratulations, and best wishes for continued success!  Thumbs up for the business name, too... 

YMMV, but... I want the last 11 minutes of my life back. 
 
This is a terrible and/or unfinished game with very little in the way of polish.  Actually, forget being polished, there's very little in the way of GAME.  That anyone was ever charged $15 for a glorified helicopter sound effects simulator is a travesty.
 
I think "THRT" might be the throttle?  Maybe?  Setting it to ":" (which comes after 9... sometimes) makes you hover.  Not that hovering really helps you accomplish anything.  "0" makes you fly fastest.  There isn't all that much difference between the 10 speed levels, though, assuming that's what they are.  "PASS", I once got to decrease from 40 to 28, but I have no idea how I did it.  Did I lose some passengers somehow?  Is PASS even short for passengers?  My kingdom for a game manual, not that it would likely explain all that much...
 
It doesn't seem like you can hit enemy aircraft, though I admit that I only gave it about three minutes of trying.  Some of the ground targets (tanks, and... ?) can be destroyed, but I have no idea how it decides whether you've hit something or not.  Rockets either go part-way across the screen, or wrap around the screen multiple times.  Not sure if that's just random, or what.  Not that it MATTERS, you can't seem to do anything all that useful with them!
 
Indeed, the most entertaining (I guess?) part was flying down through the glitched graphics to see the glitched-out title screen float past.
 
"I'm afraid this gets my lowest rating ever: seven thumbs up!"     

I showed these off back in my pickups vid from a few months ago, but here are some photos to add to the mix. 

Quest Industries Inc.'s Questar II -- a high quality 8-way leaf-switch joystick with arcade styling, a metallic base, and dual buttons for ambidextrous use.
 

 
TG Products' EnjoyStick -- fits in the palm of your hand, has a self-centering stick similar to a Vectrex joystick, and the top black piece is reversible, allowing placement of the button on either side.
 

 
I still need to take some good photos of the Fire Command II...

I mentioned this in a status update a while ago but never got around to taking some photos until today.  The newest addition to my Atari hardware collection: the stylish 1200XL computer!
 

 
It was possibly the most poorly-packaged item I've ever received from a seller -- I could see what was inside the box before I even took it out of the package locker.  The tape on the box was more decorative than anything else!  That said, for what I paid I would have expected a trashed computer that reeked of cigarettes, or something... but what I got looks great and still works, so I can't complain too much.
 

 
The design of this computer is just off-the-charts good.  It's sleek, sexy, and eye-catching, and there aren't too many computers from this era for which I could say the same.  Hats off to Regan Cheng, seriously.
 

 
I love that the cartridge port is on the side -- it seems natural there, as opposed to the 600XL / 800XL where it cuts into the face of the case.  Little details like the slightly forward-facing controller ports only add to an already great design.  On another note, Oil's Well is a *great* game.
 
Gotta start saving my pennies for either an Ultimate cart, or an SIO2PC cable.  It looks like I can probably make my own cable pretty easily if I can just find a cheap SIO cable to cannibalize.
 
Super excited to have finally joined the A8 club with this beauty!

I showed these off back in my pickups vid from a few months ago, but here are some photos to add to the mix. 

Quest Industries Inc.'s Questar II -- a high quality 8-way leaf-switch joystick with arcade styling, a metallic base, and dual buttons for ambidextrous use.
 

 
TG Products' EnjoyStick -- fits in the palm of your hand, has a self-centering stick similar to a Vectrex joystick, and the top black piece is reversible, allowing placement of the button on either side.
 

 
I still need to take some good photos of the Fire Command II...

You could serve some cheese and crackers with that thing!  Really sweet score. 

You could serve some cheese and crackers with that thing!  Really sweet score. 

YMMV, but... I want the last 11 minutes of my life back. 
 
This is a terrible and/or unfinished game with very little in the way of polish.  Actually, forget being polished, there's very little in the way of GAME.  That anyone was ever charged $15 for a glorified helicopter sound effects simulator is a travesty.
 
I think "THRT" might be the throttle?  Maybe?  Setting it to ":" (which comes after 9... sometimes) makes you hover.  Not that hovering really helps you accomplish anything.  "0" makes you fly fastest.  There isn't all that much difference between the 10 speed levels, though, assuming that's what they are.  "PASS", I once got to decrease from 40 to 28, but I have no idea how I did it.  Did I lose some passengers somehow?  Is PASS even short for passengers?  My kingdom for a game manual, not that it would likely explain all that much...
 
It doesn't seem like you can hit enemy aircraft, though I admit that I only gave it about three minutes of trying.  Some of the ground targets (tanks, and... ?) can be destroyed, but I have no idea how it decides whether you've hit something or not.  Rockets either go part-way across the screen, or wrap around the screen multiple times.  Not sure if that's just random, or what.  Not that it MATTERS, you can't seem to do anything all that useful with them!
 
Indeed, the most entertaining (I guess?) part was flying down through the glitched graphics to see the glitched-out title screen float past.
 
"I'm afraid this gets my lowest rating ever: seven thumbs up!"     

YMMV, but... I want the last 11 minutes of my life back. 
 
This is a terrible and/or unfinished game with very little in the way of polish.  Actually, forget being polished, there's very little in the way of GAME.  That anyone was ever charged $15 for a glorified helicopter sound effects simulator is a travesty.
 
I think "THRT" might be the throttle?  Maybe?  Setting it to ":" (which comes after 9... sometimes) makes you hover.  Not that hovering really helps you accomplish anything.  "0" makes you fly fastest.  There isn't all that much difference between the 10 speed levels, though, assuming that's what they are.  "PASS", I once got to decrease from 40 to 28, but I have no idea how I did it.  Did I lose some passengers somehow?  Is PASS even short for passengers?  My kingdom for a game manual, not that it would likely explain all that much...
 
It doesn't seem like you can hit enemy aircraft, though I admit that I only gave it about three minutes of trying.  Some of the ground targets (tanks, and... ?) can be destroyed, but I have no idea how it decides whether you've hit something or not.  Rockets either go part-way across the screen, or wrap around the screen multiple times.  Not sure if that's just random, or what.  Not that it MATTERS, you can't seem to do anything all that useful with them!
 
Indeed, the most entertaining (I guess?) part was flying down through the glitched graphics to see the glitched-out title screen float past.
 
"I'm afraid this gets my lowest rating ever: seven thumbs up!"     

Ok. This is the item that started off my week, and was the one I was most excited to get:
The Capcom Fighter Power Stick GS for the Sega Genesis
 

 
This came out along side of Street Fighter II: Special Championship Edition and the introduction of six button controllers for the Genesis. I believe it was advertised in an insert included with SF2:SCE along some other SF2 products. It wasn't widely available and I think it was over $50 new (Maybe $69.99). I've wanted one since I was a kid and for some reason, I even like the odd color scheme.
 
It feature variable and individual turbo with small led lights to show which button is active.
 

 
I think the joystick feature micro-switches, by the sounds of it. You can even turn it from a 4 way to 8 way joystick! And it works with Atari systems!!!! (Although not quite as good as Edladdin's stuff)
 

 
This one really worried me. I won the auction for less of the price of shipping and the seller had several delays. I was worried it would never arrive when the seller found out how much it would cost to ship it. But thankfully, one day a large rate box arrived with a corner of the joystick popping out (just to show how big it is!)
 
What a great start to a great week on the bay!

Everything I would have picked is already been mentioned. But yeah I sought out the 5200 for two games alone! Interesting, both games were available on the atari 8-bit computers, but still I wanted the 5200 for these two games:
 
Star Raiders and Rescue on Fractalus
 
I would also argue that while the controls aren't the best, that Pitfall II is a must have for the extra second map alone
And I have to agree with the user Ballblazer in that Blaster on the 5200 SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED!! I always play a round of Blaster on my 5200. (I too have a cart that Al from AA made for me sometime back).
Though impossible to get for any kind of reasonable price, but Bounty Bob is excellent as well.

Congratulations, and best wishes for continued success!  Thumbs up for the business name, too... 

NSG traded me back the Xonox double-ender that I traded to him a while back (thanks for hanging onto it!)... plus a STACK of 2600/7800 manuals. 
 

Wow -- the technological improvement between World (Great) Soccer to FIFA International Soccer is quite something!
 

(1987, global release)
(late 1996, released in Brazil only)

Wow -- the technological improvement between World (Great) Soccer to FIFA International Soccer is quite something!
 

(1987, global release)
(late 1996, released in Brazil only)

69,640. A slight improvement using EMU7800 and Logitech F310 controller. Still a long slog to get to our leaders.
 

Received my physical cart from Sigflup (Thea), today containing her compo demo for the Sega Genesis titled Day Trip! It is a really neat demo that of course showcases several impressive effects graphically with music. Here is my YT link showing the cart and the demo running on my actual Genesis. Information for contacting Sigflup to get your own physical cart copy are in the video description.
 

I'm used to the 5200 and 2600 versions of Mario Bros -- I played both of them a ton growing up, especially the 2600 version.  This was my first serious go with the 7800 version.  I had a great run, but first I need to vent!
The collision detection between the purple fireball and the platforms in this port is ATROCIOUS.  Killed more than one great run that I had going. You score no points for killing fireballs, seriously?  Killing them is more trouble than it's worth, especially when taking into account the just-mentioned poor collision detection... There's an infuriating (to me, anyway ) movement mechanic quirk: if you jump, let's say to the right, then in mid-jump move your joystick to change direction to left before you land, but you jump again at the same instant that you land, you *don't* change direction for the next jump, and instead continue to jump right!  Game programming should not prioritize jumping over detecting the player direction.* Anyway, my score: 194,240
     
 

 
* I just learned that this happens in the arcade version as well. So I guess technically I can't be as mad as I was before.  Still, I consider this a bug; a player should not be punished for trying to be precise!

Maybe upload a generic unlisted/private video with the music in question, and see if that gets auto-flagged by YouTube?  This would (hopefully) at least save you the trouble of putting it into your finished product only to have it rejected later...

NSG traded me back the Xonox double-ender that I traded to him a while back (thanks for hanging onto it!)... plus a STACK of 2600/7800 manuals. 
 

I'm used to the 5200 and 2600 versions of Mario Bros -- I played both of them a ton growing up, especially the 2600 version.  This was my first serious go with the 7800 version.  I had a great run, but first I need to vent!
The collision detection between the purple fireball and the platforms in this port is ATROCIOUS.  Killed more than one great run that I had going. You score no points for killing fireballs, seriously?  Killing them is more trouble than it's worth, especially when taking into account the just-mentioned poor collision detection... There's an infuriating (to me, anyway ) movement mechanic quirk: if you jump, let's say to the right, then in mid-jump move your joystick to change direction to left before you land, but you jump again at the same instant that you land, you *don't* change direction for the next jump, and instead continue to jump right!  Game programming should not prioritize jumping over detecting the player direction.* Anyway, my score: 194,240
     
 

 
* I just learned that this happens in the arcade version as well. So I guess technically I can't be as mad as I was before.  Still, I consider this a bug; a player should not be punished for trying to be precise!

I'm used to the 5200 and 2600 versions of Mario Bros -- I played both of them a ton growing up, especially the 2600 version.  This was my first serious go with the 7800 version.  I had a great run, but first I need to vent!
The collision detection between the purple fireball and the platforms in this port is ATROCIOUS.  Killed more than one great run that I had going. You score no points for killing fireballs, seriously?  Killing them is more trouble than it's worth, especially when taking into account the just-mentioned poor collision detection... There's an infuriating (to me, anyway ) movement mechanic quirk: if you jump, let's say to the right, then in mid-jump move your joystick to change direction to left before you land, but you jump again at the same instant that you land, you *don't* change direction for the next jump, and instead continue to jump right!  Game programming should not prioritize jumping over detecting the player direction.* Anyway, my score: 194,240
     
 

 
* I just learned that this happens in the arcade version as well. So I guess technically I can't be as mad as I was before.  Still, I consider this a bug; a player should not be punished for trying to be precise!

NSG traded me back the Xonox double-ender that I traded to him a while back (thanks for hanging onto it!)... plus a STACK of 2600/7800 manuals.