Me Playing Missile Command – Pinball Hall of Fame 27.08.13

Just me playing the great, classic arcade game, Missile Command at the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, August 27, 2013.

Flea Market Find: Boxed Merlin!

I was super happy to find a boxed, classic handheld multi-game, Merlin complete with manual and ac adapter for $15 yesterday (May 31, 2013) at a flea market on our way home from vacation.

This unit plays several simple games including a fun little music composition game.

 

Space Fortress On the Bally Astrocade

Just me playing the great arcade game port of Space Fortress on the Bally Astrocade. The original arcade game was called Space Zap, something I couldn’t remember when I was recording the video.

Check out my video below:

To get a better idea how good this console was, check out the original arcade game in this video I found on Youtube:

Bought Two Astrocade Games – And Now I Find Myself With a Decision to Make

So I find myself lucky enough to have acquired two more Bally Astrocade games,Bally Pin (Pinball) and The Incredible Wizard. I relly pumped to have these games, especially the incredible Wizard (my favourite home version of Wizard of War). The Incredible Wizard is basically the reason I got an Astrocade. There’s only one problem: both games are still factory sealed. They made it all the way from 1979 to today without being opened.

Damn.

I really want to play The Incredible Wizard on my own Astrocade.

I am so close to opening them up.

So close…

What would you do? Also, stay tuned to find out if I did or I didn’t.

 

New Additions to my Collection

Hey folks… Long time no see.

I just thought I would let you know about some more recent additions to my collection.

I’ve picked up an Intellivision II in the box but without a power supply (if you can help me out with a power supply I’d be much appreciative), at a Flea Market. Also, I was given, free of charge, a fantastic Nintendo Entertainment System, in a collectible Official Carrying bag and a CRAP load of games. AND… I picked up a Sega Genesis with a Sega CD unit in a cool carrying case. Pictures are below!

Bally Astrocade – I Finally Have One!!!

There are few classic consoles that I lust after. One of those systems has always been the Bally Astrocade, and now I have one.

The Astrocade was released in 1978 and was very poorly marketed. At first only available through mail order and then later marketed poorly in small computer stores (though I saw it at a super drug mart called London Drugs in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). It didn’t help that it was marketed more as a home computer than a gaming console, which it really is.

A contemporary of the original Atari 2600/VCS and Intellivision, it surpassed both in graphic and sound capabilities. The Astrocade got very few arcade ports, though it had a few great clones of classic games such as Galactic Invasion, a Galaxian clone, and The Incredible Wizard, a spot on clone of Wizard of Wor and Astro. The only true arcade port that I’ve seen is Space Fortress and is almost spot on. The Astrocade’s controllers were unique in that they resembled a revolver pistols handle with a small orange nub at the top that works as the joystick that can also be twisted to be used as a paddle controller. They are both unique and comfortable to use. The cartridges look surprisingly like audio cassettes, though they are solid state cartridges like other systems. There is a compartment at the top end of the system where you store the cartridges. And, being a console of the late 1970’s, it sports a great fake wood finish!

I acquired my Astrocade through a trade done on reddit.coms retrogameswap page. The guy I traded with, Chuck traded his Astrocade with a crap load of games for my NEC TurboDuo. I know the TurboDuo is worth more if I were to sell, but the Astrocade is worth more to me as a collectible. The system was clean and in perfect working condition. All the game, except one work perfectly, and the one that isn’t working is a math game so I am not upset. The one game I really want, The Incredible Wizard was not part of the haul, but I have purchased a copy via Ebay, and am eagerly awaiting it’s arrival and this evening I also added Pinball to my Ebay purchases. I’d also love to get a copy of Muncher, an amazing Pacman clone that was released for the system, but the only times I’ve seen it on Ebay, the seller wanted a lot more than I’ve been willing to pay. There are also a few home brew games out there, including absolutely amazing versions of the arcade classics, Crazy Climber and War, a Warlords clone.

I am so happy with this trade.

Here is a video of me demonstrating the games that came with it: