Gauntlet vs. Dark Chambers vs. Dandy

[Justin]

46 minutes ago, Video 61 said:

atari games released many atari brand named games on other platforms, and the lynx.

@Video 61 I was surprised Dark Chambers wasn't called Dandy. Dandy came straight out of the Atari Program Exchange. Yet Atari released Gauntlet: The Third Encounter on Atari Lynx.

This is a great conversation on an interesting topic, I may split this off into its own thread 

[Video 61]

1 hour ago, Justin said:

@Video 61 I was surprised Dark Chambers wasn't called Dandy. Dandy came straight out of the Atari Program Exchange. Yet Atari released Gauntlet: The Third Encounter on Atari Lynx.

This is a great conversation on an interesting topic, I may split this off into its own thread 

hi justin,

 

ownership of dandy went to main street dist. which also owned green valley distribution, load and go and share data. so under jack atari did what they did best, they had the original source. just update and change things a bit, and walla, dark chambers.

i bought out main street distribution and still have the licenses.

yes on the lynx for some reason, jack published atari game games, but not on the 2600, 7800, or XEGS. so instead we got dark chambers(dandy gauntlet), and fatal run(road blasters).

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

[Justin]

2 hours ago, Video 61 said:

i bought out main street distribution and still have the licenses.

@Video 61 When you say that you "still have the licenses" does that mean that you own the license to Dandy for certain platforms?

[Video 61]

3 hours ago, Justin said:

@Video 61 When you say that you "still have the licenses" does that mean that you own the license to Dandy for certain platforms?

hi justin,

 

i have their cart version, as well as their disk version, and the licenses to make a lot of them, more than a life times worth. the only platforms of course are atari ones.

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

[Justin]

6 minutes ago, Video 61 said:

i have their cart version, as well as their disk version, and the licenses to make a lot of them, more than a life times worth. the only platforms of course are atari ones.

 

@Video 61 Lance, that's incredible. Theoretically you could create an Atari Lynx or Jaguar version of Dandy?

[Video 61]

19 hours ago, Justin said:

 

@Video 61 Lance, that's incredible. Theoretically you could create an Atari Lynx or Jaguar version of Dandy?

hi justin,

 

maybe☺️

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

On 8/27/2023 at 12:43 AM, Video 61 said:

hi justin,

 

i have their cart version, as well as their disk version, and the licenses to make a lot of them, more than a life times worth. the only platforms of course are atari ones.

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

That would be neat to see.  The game I meant.  See what differences there are if any.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

On 8/27/2023 at 12:50 AM, Justin said:

 

@Video 61 Lance, that's incredible. Theoretically you could create an Atari Lynx or Jaguar version of Dandy?

Im betting a really nice and polished Jaguar version would be cool.

[Video 61]

6 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

That would be neat to see.  The game I meant.  See what differences there are if any.

hi @Atari 5200 Guy

 

the disk version has a dos window i think. the cart version has none.

i was in discussion with main street, and the other one based in st. paul which i also bought out, keypunch software, to expand into the 2600, as well as expand into producing carts for the XE.

keypunch did start on some projects, but went belly up.

 

lance

www.atarisales.com

 

[7800 Pro Gamer]

I knew lance had tons of great stuff over at atarisales.com (including brand new and sealed 2600 and 7800 games of which I recently purchased 3) but I didn't know you had IP rights to produce certain Atari stuff too!  Very cool!

[RickR]

In all my years of Atari, this is one of those things I never knew.  Dandy!  I'm hoping to learn a lot more about it. 

[TrekMD]

It was fun learning some time back that Dark Chambers was originally Dandy.  I'm find an dandy with that.  😉  I have always enjoyed playing the 7800 game.  I think the only thing it needs is background music! 

[RickR]

5 minutes ago, TrekMD said:

the only thing it needs is background music

YES!  I couldn't put my finger on the issue with Dark Chambers.  That's it!

Kind of reminds me of "Silent Doom" on Jaguar.  It's a really great port of Doom, but no music at all really detracts from the game. 

 

[TrekMD]

With Doom you can at least find the music and play it but no suck luck with Dark Chambers.  Is the music for Gauntlet anywhere?  That would work.

[Justin]

@nosweargamer has a terrific review of Dark Chambers for Atari 7800 and discusses the Gauntlet vs. Dark Chambers vs. Dandy issue pretty early on:

 

 

[TrekMD]

The Gauntlet music is indeed available:  Gauntlet Arcade Music

[Justin]

Interestingly enough, @nosweargamer reviewed Dark Chambers for Atari 2600, immediately after reviewing it for Atari 7800, and he found that he really loved the 2600 version and thought it was more enjoyable to play than 7800 Dark Chambers. He ranked 2600 Dark Chambers as #2 on his list of Atari 2600 games, compared it to Legend of Zelda, and appreciated the large scrolling maze and "zoomed-in" action. Watching his review let me wanting a large scrolling maze game for the Atari 7800, something like 2600 Dark Chambers but more complex. @Video 61 Maybe there's room for a really cool Atari 7800 "Secretum Labyrinth" game that gives us a scrolling maze / dungeon the way Dark Chambers did on the 2600?

 

 

[7800 Pro Gamer]

8 hours ago, Justin said:

Interestingly enough, @nosweargamer reviewed Dark Chambers for Atari 2600, immediately after reviewing it for Atari 7800, and he found that he really loved the 2600 version and thought it was more enjoyable to play than 7800 Dark Chambers. He ranked 2600 Dark Chambers as #2 on his list of Atari 2600 games, compared it to Legend of Zelda, and appreciated the large scrolling maze and "zoomed-in" action. Watching his review let me wanting a large scrolling maze game for the Atari 7800, something like 2600 Dark Chambers but more complex. @Video 61 Maybe there's room for a really cool Atari 7800 "Secretum Labyrinth" game that gives us a scrolling maze / dungeon the way Dark Chambers did on the 2600?

 

 

I remember that review.  I liked the 7800 version better but the 2600 version is definitely an accomplishment.  

To your statement on there being room for a scrolling maze dungeon (ala Zelda, etc) on the 7800 I think there is definitely room for it and people have been really wanting it since the late 80s and beyond I'd say.   If only somebody had the talent and ability to make it happen and the rights to produce some properties on Atari. 

While I'm sure none of these games make a fortune I bet it would be as good of a seller as any but I would never be so bold to say "make this" outright.  Just a suggestion...

[TrekMD]

I downloaded the Gauntlet soundtrack and put it together as an MP3 collection.  The zip file is too large to attach, so I'm adding a Google Drive link for it:  Gauntlet Arcade OST