8 replies to this topic

[jaybird3rd]

After about eighteen months of development, I am pleased to announce the availability of the Aquaricart, the first and only multi-cart for the Aquarius Home Computer System!



For those who are unfamiliar with it, the Aquaricart is a collection of ALL of the original cartridge software ever released for the Aquarius, along with several unreleased, prototype, and enhanced titles. It also includes the original instruction manuals and overlays, exclusive historical information and trivia, and Quick Reference guides ... all in electronic format, so they can be printed with the Aquarius Thermal Printer or viewed on-screen!

Here is a complete list of the cartridge titles in the Aquaricart collection:

• AD&D Treasure of Tarmin
  
• Astrosmash
  
• Biorhythms
  
• BurgerTime
  
• Chess
  
• Demonstration Cartridge
  
• Extended BASIC
  
• FileForm
  
• FinForm
  
• Logo
  
• Melody Chase
  
• Mini Expander Diagnostic (an unreleased Radofin diagnostic tool)
  
• Night Stalker
  
• Shark! (an incomplete prototype of Intellivision Shark! Shark!)
  
• Snafu
  
• Space Speller
  
• TRON Deadly Discs
  
• Utopia
  
• X10 Command Console (the software for the unreleased Aquarius X10 home automation system)
  
• Zero In

Plus, as a bonus:

• The 1541 OS ROM (an enhanced version of Extended BASIC)
  
• The Demonstration Cassette (the six mini-games originally included with the Aquarius on cassette tape—Stalactites, Macho-Man, Torment, Cute Cubes, Alien Quest, and Mad Mould—converted to cartridge format for instantaneous loading)
  
• "BurgerTime Plus" (an enhanced BurgerTime which increases the maximum number of peppers and lives and removes the extra characters from the screen border)

Each of these cartridges, along with the manual pages and other extra content, can be accessed through an easy-to-use menu interface that you can control from the keyboard or the hand controllers. Or, if you prefer to skip the menu, you can use the "Quick Boot" feature to jump immediately to the cartridge of your choice on startup. The Aquaricart is fully compatible with a stock Aquarius computer console, so no Mini Expander or extra RAM are required (although some of the cartridges in the collection recommend or require extra RAM).

I'm offering the Aquaricart in two configurations. The first is a $65 "upgrade kit", consisting of an assembled and tested cartridge board that you can install inside one of your own cartridge shells. While supplies last, I am also offering a fully assembled cartridge inside an Aquarius Night Stalker box for $77. Both options include full-color cartridge labels and a printed manual.



Please see the product thread in the Intellivision/Aquarius subforum for more details and ordering information. You can also follow the eighteen-month development history of the Aquaricart in the original project thread, which includes reviews and testimonials from Aquaricart owners.

Thanks for your interest and support!

[CPUWIZ]

About time.

[jaybird3rd]

Okay, I now have THREE complete Aquaricart cartridges left. Because the holidays are coming up, and because several people have expressed interest in picking up an Aquaricart for Christmas, I'd like to make the following offer to anyone who might still be "on the fence" about it:

For the next two weeks, while supplies last, I'm offering my remaining Aquaricart cartridges for $72 each (a $5 discount), and my Aquaricart "upgrade kits" for $50 each (a $15 discount); shipping is extra. The upgrade kits are an especially good deal at this price, for anyone who has a donor cartridge handy or who would be willing to pick one up from another source. Here, for example, is an eBay seller (not me) who is offering six NIB copies of Aquarius Logo:

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 220896603841

By picking up one of these cartridges along with my discounted upgrade kit, you can assemble your own complete Aquaricart cartridge for about the same cost as a regularly-priced upgrade kit. I provided some tips on opening the cartridge and installing the Aquaricart board in another thread.

Remember ... this offer lasts only until December 2nd, so get 'em while you can!

[save2600]

Printing the game instructions to the little thermal printer... how cool is that? Really nice job on this project Jaybird.

[jeffgamer]

I'll buy one. PM sent.

[psquare75]

To any Aquarius owner that does not have one of these, you NEED one.

[krslam]

I'm in! PM sent for kit version

[jaybird3rd]

Just a reminder ... about two days to go, and ONE complete cartridge left!

EDIT: My complete cartridges are now gone, but upgrade kits are still available. Thanks everyone!

[jaybird3rd]

Just letting everyone know that I've picked up four more NIB Aquarius cartridge donors, so for anyone who missed out on the Aquaricart last year, I can now offer four more complete Aquaricart cartridges. I'll even extend the sale price mentioned above: $72 for a full cartridge, or $50 for an upgrade kit (shipping extra). Thanks!