Post Your Pong Machines

[RickR]

It was a prehistoric time....back before any programmable gaming systems....home Pong machines!  By the mid 70's, there was a glut of different machines.

 

I personally am proud to have two in my collection.  First is this Unisonic Olympian 2600.  This is the original one my parents purchased for our family.  (Shhhh, don't tell my brother I have it)  It is really cool because it has 10 different games, and it has analog joysticks instead of paddles.  And it still works!  When I found it in my parents' attic, I couldn't find the power adapter.  But I was able to get a universal adapter that works just fine.

 

My other Pong machine is a National Semiconductor Adversary.  This one came to me in a box of 2600 games I got via Craigslist.  It was broken, and pretty beat up.  But I was able to fix it with a few solder retouches and some clean up.  It's just straight Pong, in black and white.  And it has sliders instead of paddles. 

 

I've always found it kind of interesting how hard it is to find Pong machines.  I mean, there were MILLIONS of them made.  What happened to them all?

 

OK everyone.  Post yours if you got em. 

[Arenafoot]

does this count?

 

[MaximumRD]

Cool post Rick! Though I never owned any of these types of gaming consoles I remember them well! It is amazing just how many companies tried to cash in on the craze and ow many variations were released. @Arenafoot BLIP ! was awesome! 

[AtariBrian]

I also have a Radio Shack T.V. Scoreboard, but it's in a box waiting to be unpacked, but not tonight.

[RickR]

Anyone remember that Coleco machine that was shaped like a triangle?  It had a pong machine on one side, a steering wheel on one, and a gun on the third? 

[RickR]

http://www.pong-story.com/coleco_arcade.htm

 

Here it is.  <Drool>.  Oh I'd love to have one of these. 

[AtariBrian]

Hey RickR, no one has any love for pong I guess. 

[RickR]

Sadly, you may be right.

It could just be that most of the machines got tossed.  Or that the game is just plain too simple. 

[Arenafoot]

or not highly collectable.........

[chas10e]

rick linked me this other night in chat 

 

I have collected a few ...

 

^{from top right}

my most recent acquisition is the Radio Shack TV Scorebord in box (no manual) black knobs with pistol , game store purchase

 

the green knob model doesn't feature the pistol...  I got that @ "the freebie barn (town dump)

 

Roberts Paddle IV , ebay purchase as broken , game selector switch came loose , spinning the knob broke all the connections just guessed what color went to what terminal by how other end was soldered to the board ... I guessed right

 

_{next 2 are broken ATM}

 Sears Tele-games Speedway ... I broke the ceramic IC chip inside ( long & sad story )

 

Coleco Telstar Arcade ... this one has more hope removing pots from board I may have applied to much heat to a couple nearing IC chips but should easly be aquired on interwebs ( another lingering project )

 

Atari Video Pinball ... ebay ... cleaned jittery paddle cleaning around square buttons with wd-40 while removed stops them sticking ( both the button & the hole)

 

^{top left}

Sears tele-games Motocross ebay ... cleaned pot in throttle , speaker was bad I have a doner unit with bad ROM chip ... hadn't tried pong games yet got some paddles coming in for it

 

Atari Stunt Cycle ...doesn't have pong feature as above unit has an earlier ebay purchase .... 

 

Sears tele-games Super Pong IV ... ebay listed as not working .... channel selector switch hidden inside with a tuner adjustment pot ... only works on channel 2 when re-assembled ... will work on channel 3 with sheilding removed & guts hanging out 

 

Coleco Telstar Combat ... pawnshop find   got the guy down to little over half of what he wanted but I know he made about 7 times of what he paid for it ..... all these units play the same , can drive tanks off screen & there is "the abyss" down on the bottom where you can lose your tank FOREVER ( until game is reset  )

 

the center the the Sears Pong c-100  ebay ... top of box was reportedly removed by sellers 2 year old daughter after the sale & lost .... seller asked if I wanted a refund from a low bid .... top was never found , battery compartment was toast ... cleaned up ok & is a great unit

 

[RickR]

You, sir, have my envy. 

 

:thumb:

[Ballblaɀer]

That is an awesome collection.  I've got one of the same brown C-380 Video Pinballs -- unboxed, but works like a charm.  I'd like to find an original Atari Pong (C-100) for a reasonable price at some point, and I'd love to own one of the boxed Stunt Cycles just so I, too, can "JUMP 32 BUSES IN [MY] LIVING ROOM!" 

[RickR]

Arcade Stunt Cycle was one of the very first arcade machines I ever played, and I absolutely loved it.  I would LOVE to get one of those home versions, but have never really found one to buy.  Your collection is really nice, and thank you for sharing. 

[Clint Thompson]

I've been wanting to pick up a standalone Pong console for some time now but just haven't pulled the trigger.

[StormSurge]

I wish I knew which one I had. The only thing I remember is the black Colt 45 looking light gun but every system I've seen that has one didn't look right. 

That collection is boss Chas!