29 replies to this topic

[atarigal]

Hi, I've been reading this forum for the past couple days and hope someone will indulge me with my clueless newbie questions. I used to be into trading/selling Atari 2600 games and systems back in the early to mid 90's via USENET (showing my age here...) but haven't done much with the hobby since then. Someone gifted us a used 7800 system a couple years ago and these past few weeks we finally had the right circumstances to set it up properly and test it. We have about 75 games but the vast majority of them are 2600, not 7800. Anyway, I'll stop the intro and just proceed with the questions.

1. We have trouble getting some of the game brands to seat correctly in the 7800. We figured out a trick to getting the Imagic ones in okay, but we're not having much luck with the M-Network carts--they just sit there loosely and flop around. Any tips? It seems like the Parker Bros. ones are hard to put in and take out as well and even some of the Activision (but maybe those ones need to be cleaned). We'd love to get Frogs n Flies working, LOL.

2. Would it be worth acquiring a proper 2600 to solve the above problem? I don't remember having this problem with any of my 2600 systems, but again, it's been years so maybe the mists of time have shrouded the frustrations. If I do decide to get a 2600 system, what is a fair price to pay (ballpark) on eBay? It seems like $50 is the minimum for a working system with decent controllers and the "nice" lots go for around $150 and up--is that right? I wouldn't mind paying around $100 if I could get an older one that would last a long time, but I don't want to get ripped off either. I know I don't want one of the Atari Jr models as I had those in the 90's and managed to break two of them through normal, adult use.

3. How much should I expect to pay for controllers by themselves? We need: a) another pair of paddles for the four player Warlords option, b) a couple of the original style joysticks (right now we're using the ones from our Atari Flashback 2), and c) the "driving" paddles for Indy 500. Prices seem to be all over the place on eBay.

4. My 15 year old son is into retro gaming and he was wondering about the homebrews/hacks... which ones are good, etc. I see there are some available for sale on Atari Age. Some examples of his favorites are Centipede (he prefers the 2600 version over 7800), Human Cannonball, Dark Chambers, Pole Position II, Combat, and Xevious. My daughter (13) likes Pitfall, Ms. Pacman, and Human Cannonball. [These lists are dictated directly from them--I swear I'm not making up the Human Cannonball bit!] My favorites are Megamania, Super Breakout, and Asteroids and everybody likes Frogger and Maze Craze.

5. We are missing some games I'd like to reacquire. What in your opinion is the best way to go about that? eBay, atari2600.com, something else? Most of the ones I'm after are the common games such as Dolphin and Fishing Derby.

6. Does Swordquest: Earthworld really suck that bad? I remember it being engaging but last time I played it was over 20 years ago!

Thanks for any help!!

[PAC MAN FEVER]

Well to answer your 6th question I think the Swordquest games are very engaging. As for question #5 I prefer Ebay and Amazon if you want to buy common carts.

[Chuck D. Head]

Welcome Atarigal! As far as #5 goes, I dont know where you are located, but if there are any retrogaming events anywhere close, it is well worth your time to go. Typically you can find tons of 2600 carts for $1 ea or less and see all kinds of cool people and things. You can find plenty of deals on eBay still, but with shipping costs, it is usually best to look at larger lots with many carts in one auction. This of course brings you extras for trading or just for piling up around the house. Or, just post a want list in the marketplace here. It is also a good place to get rid of those extras mentioned above. I have experienced zero problems trading with AA members so far, so I highly reccomend it. Morgan

[atarigal]

PAC MAN FEVER, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:13 PM, said:

Well to answer your 6th question I think the Swordquest games are very engaging. As for question #5 I prefer Ebay and Amazon if you want to buy common carts.

Thanks! I didn't even think of Amazon for old Atari carts, even though I shop there on a near-daily basis.

[Scrabbler15]

An Atari 2600 should be $25+-, depending on controllers included.

I bought a loose copy (no box) of Sky Jinks for $3.95, which included shipping, off Ebay. Most common carts you should be able to get for like $4 plus shipping.

You should also check out the Marketplace forum here on AA.

I don't have a 7800, so I don't know much about the cart seating problem.

And 2600 Centipede is near and dear to my heart.

Welcome to AtariAge

[Itchy Koala]

To # 3:

Atari accessories can be found for less than two bucks around here, not sure about your area. Shop local before you pick one up on ebay. However, if you have a store that doesn't test/care about anything (like my local game store) then you'll have to go through a few sets of paddles before you find ones that don't jitter. Same goes with joysticks, some may have dead spots (but those are easily fixable, tutorials can be found online).

[atarigal]

Chuck D. Head, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:35 PM, said:

Welcome Atarigal! As far as #5 goes, I dont know where you are located, but if there are any retrogaming events anywhere close, it is well worth your time to go. Typically you can find tons of 2600 carts for $1 ea or less and see all kinds of cool people and things. You can find plenty of deals on eBay still, but with shipping costs, it is usually best to look at larger lots with many carts in one auction. This of course brings you extras for trading or just for piling up around the house. Or, just post a want list in the marketplace here. It is also a good place to get rid of those extras mentioned above. I have experienced zero problems trading with AA members so far, so I highly reccomend it. Morgan

Thanks for the reply. I bet a retrogaming con would be a lot of fun. We're kind of in the boonies of New England but we could make it to Hartford or Boston for a special occasion. I'll have to Google and see what I can find. I'll also check out the marketplace on here.

[jferio]

On #1, the collar around the cartridge slot of the 7800 is known to be tighter on the tolerances than the 2600's collar, which does foul up third party carts unless you shove it in there hard. You can fix it by opening up the system, and breaking two corners of the outer collar open to give it some more flex.

I've done this to my 7800, although I tend to use my "Heavy Sixer" for my 2600 gaming. Note that you can probably score a 2600 for $25 or less, depending on the thrift stores and yard sales in your area (I've spent from $5 to $25 for the examples I've gotten). Controllers shouldn't cost you more than $10 for a known working set, $5 or less for unknown condition. The driving controller, to my knowledge, is only used by one official game, and some homebrews and hacks.

Definitely use a true blue gaming community for acquisition outside of thrift stores and yard sales. Don't use a large auction site, those can be all over the place. You can also hunt around some of your local independent game stores, some of them will stock for earlier than NES.

[Crazy Climber]

atarigal, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:36 PM, said:

PAC MAN FEVER, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:13 PM, said:

Well to answer your 6th question I think the Swordquest games are very engaging. As for question #5 I prefer Ebay and Amazon if you want to buy common carts.

Thanks! I didn't even think of Amazon for old Atari carts, even though I shop there on a near-daily basis.

I will ad my 2 cents and say the Swordquest games are terrrrible

[atarigal]

jferio, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:13 PM, said:

On #1, the collar around the cartridge slot of the 7800 is known to be tighter on the tolerances than the 2600's collar, which does foul up third party carts unless you shove it in there hard. You can fix it by opening up the system, and breaking two corners of the outer collar open to give it some more flex.

Hmm, maybe I'll try that if I get brave. Right now we're just trying to be careful since it makes me nervous to be yanking and pushing on the game carts that way.

jferio, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:13 PM, said:

Definitely use a true blue gaming community for acquisition outside of thrift stores and yard sales. Don't use a large auction site, those can be all over the place. You can also hunt around some of your local independent game stores, some of them will stock for earlier than NES.

We pretty much only have a GameStop here, but I'll try to avoid eBay if possible. After two full days of watching auctions on there I'm still baffled as to how the prices shake out, LOL.

Crazy Climber, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:19 PM, said:

I will ad my 2 cents and say the Swordquest games are terrrrible

Haha! That's what I've read on this board A LOT, which is why I asked. I honestly don't remember much about it aside from the fact that I spent many hours playing it and never figured it out.

[DickNixonArisen]

1. Eh, don't bother. The 7800 isn't really the proper platform for 2600 games - the fitting, very minor compatibility issues (just a few titles, right?), but also those joysticks, ugh.

2. Yes. I also have seen more broken Jr.s around; but folks on here can fix things but good.

3. Regular CX-40's? I personally think they should be issued to all american citizens at birth. Not much, five bucks maybe?

4. Most of the homebrews and hacks here are good. You'll get a nice list from folks any second now... listing our favorite homebrews is a full-time occupation on this site. Ladybug, crazy balloon, go fish, reindeer rescue, medieval mayhem, seawolf - for hacks, wolfenstein.

5. I'd say flea markets and yardsales first, then here, then amazon, then ebay. Here is the trustiest as far as dealing with people and getting nice, clean stuff. It's also fairly priced, since nobody thinks they're going to get rich off of common stuff.

6. Depends on if you manage to get into it or not. It was definitely a you-had-to-be-there thing.



Now; roughly what do you mean by boonies of New England? I live in Southeastern CT; there is a decent retrogaming place in Cranston RI (Forget the name), a GOOD one in the Crystal Mall (Toy Vault) in New London, CT (sometimes slim on the atari, but not expensive, the occasional mispriced gem), and a moderate one in Colchester, CT (Zak's videogames). There is also the Jewett City indoor flea market (where I was born, raised, and married) and the Mansfield flea market in Coventry/Willimantic along with a few smaller indoor ones here and there.

[fiddlepaddle]

I use a 7800 for all my 2600 games, and I prefer it that way; I think all the games you mentioned work fine (once seated in the slot). Fixing the collar inside is very simple; don't be afraid. Just turn the 7800 upside down on a towel on the table with lots of light and take the screws out. Lift off the plastic case and examine the collar around the slot. Try inserting one of the problem carts to see what's happening.

It's simple to use a small saw or knife and slice through two opposite (or all four) corners of the collar. After that, it will stay attached and bend out slightly when you insert a cartridge onto it. Be careful to avoid cutting anything you're not trying to cut, though.

Look in the "Events" forum here on Atariage for retro game shows you can get to. It's usually the best place to find various parts and carts. Yard sales/thrift stores are hit and miss, but you'll often get great deals when you find something. Common stuff is easy (and cheap) to get if you can find a seasoned collector nearby (with too many extras).

[RevEng]

If you're interested in playing, but not necessarily collecting, you may want to buy a harmony cartridge.

Please do still support the homebrewers - for good homebrews try sorting the listing at the AA store by popularity and then read the reviews on each one that interests you.

Keep in mind that method skews the listing against newer homebrews, like the most excellent KO Cruiser or Duck Attack!

[Stan]

You're better off getting a 2600 of some form because Kool-Aid Man doesn't work on a 7800. Also, for purchasing, look no further than this very forum. There are always people dumping extra games and you can easily build a collection of commons in a few weeks.

[atarigal]

Thanks, everyone! I got sidetracked by the "mother in law" thread, LOL. I appreciate all the replies and they're very helpful. I definitely want to get some of the homebrews, especially for my son because he really likes the Atari (he plays a lot of retro-looking stuff online... not sure what all it is). For location, I'm in Western Mass about 3 hours from NYC, 2 hours from Boston, and an hour from Hartford. So things within the Boston-Hartford general area are doable on longish notice. We have to drive almost 30 minutes to grocery shop or thrift shop anyway. :-P

Edited by atarigal, Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:01 PM.

[atarigal]

RevEng, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:56 PM, said:

If you're interested in playing, but not necessarily collecting, you may want to buy a harmony cartridge.

That looks really cool!

[accousticguitar]

atarigal, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:35 PM, said:

RevEng, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:56 PM, said:

If you're interested in playing, but not necessarily collecting, you may want to buy a harmony cartridge.

That looks really cool!

As a Harmony owner I can tell you that IS really cool!

[DickNixonArisen]

Oh, the ACTUAL boonies.

[atarigal]

DickNixonArisen, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:45 AM, said:

Oh, the ACTUAL boonies.

Haaaa! Yes, the actual boonies. As in, 1500 people, one mom and pop convenience store, only one restaurant open four days a week, the three postal workers know EVERYONE kind of boonies. On the plus side, there is no one to steal my Atari. Woohoo.

[BigO]

atarigal, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:05 AM, said:

DickNixonArisen, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:45 AM, said:

Oh, the ACTUAL boonies.

Haaaa! Yes, the actual boonies. As in, 1500 people, one mom and pop convenience store, only one restaurant open four days a week, the three postal workers know EVERYONE kind of boonies. On the plus side, there is no one to steal my Atari. Woohoo.

Funny, I grew up in that same small town in Northern CA.

[SoulBlazer]

Wonder how far away from Amherst you are. I grew up in NH and almsot went to college at U-Mass in Amherst but decided it was too isolated and I didn't much like the campus. Springfield is the closest city, huh?

[atarigal]

SoulBlazer, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:58 AM, said:

Wonder how far away from Amherst you are. I grew up in NH and almsot went to college at U-Mass in Amherst but decided it was too isolated and I didn't much like the campus. Springfield is the closest city, huh?

Springfield and Amherst are about the same distance from here as the crow flies, but Springfield is easier and quicker to get to. It takes almost an hour to get to Amherst from here even though it's a straight shot, because of the condition/speed of the road. It's only about 40 minutes to get to Springfield, faster if you drive like a maniac. I do most of my shopping in Westfield, occasionally slog over to Hadley for the Whole Foods there.

Edited by atarigal, Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:42 AM.

[crunchysuperman]

BigO, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:40 AM, said:

atarigal, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:05 AM, said:

DickNixonArisen, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:45 AM, said:

Oh, the ACTUAL boonies.

Haaaa! Yes, the actual boonies. As in, 1500 people, one mom and pop convenience store, only one restaurant open four days a week, the three postal workers know EVERYONE kind of boonies. On the plus side, there is no one to steal my Atari. Woohoo.

Funny, I grew up in that same small town in Northern CA.

I thought it was here in VA

[Fixitguy74]

crunchysuperman, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:37 AM, said:

BigO, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:40 AM, said:

atarigal, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:05 AM, said:

DickNixonArisen, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:45 AM, said:

Oh, the ACTUAL boonies.

Haaaa! Yes, the actual boonies. As in, 1500 people, one mom and pop convenience store, only one restaurant open four days a week, the three postal workers know EVERYONE kind of boonies. On the plus side, there is no one to steal my Atari. Woohoo.

Funny, I grew up in that same small town in Northern CA.

I thought it was here in VA

Nope it's here in Michigan.

[atarigal]

Fixitguy74, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:08 AM, said:

crunchysuperman, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:37 AM, said:

BigO, on Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:40 AM, said:

Funny, I grew up in that same small town in Northern CA.

I thought it was here in VA

Nope it's here in Michigan.

My friend who grew up in Minnesota says his town made this one look like the big city, LOL.