Topics

31

Hardware and Tech / Cant get a Gamecube game to play. Any suggestions?

« on: February 12, 2015, 10:07:11 pm »

I have a rare Gamecube game and it's having issues playing.
It's not the gamecube it self, I ran it in several GC and all the GC's play other discs fine.
The game will start then give me a disc error. I have gotten the game to play a couple times but most of the time I get the error.
The disc is in great shape, no cracks or damage on the top. It was bought used. I even took it to a professional to have cleaned and still wont read. The disc looks almost new.
If anyone has any tips to get a gamecube game like this to work, let me know. Kinda hate to see this rare game go to waste. 

32

General / February 2015 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased

« on: February 01, 2015, 01:45:11 pm »

Looks like I'll start out February's finds. (even though many of this was the end of January)   

I went out on a game quest and traveled all over to many game stores, thrift shops and gamestops.
Also a game came in the mail. Bought a lot of stuff this trip.

PS4
Saw these in a bargain bin and I've heard they might become obscure so WTH.
- Stick it to the Man
- Putty Squad

XBone
Got a heavy discount on this brand new, read about amiibos to find out why. lol
- Grand Theft Auto V

VITA
Got this in the mail.
- Hyperdimension Neptunia Re:Birth 2 - Limited Edition

Wii
Picked up these real cheap, I remember seeing a video saying this game was hard to find so wth.
- We Cheer 2
And this was only $2.
- Trauma Center New Blood

NDS
Last day I could use a coupon for a decent discount at my local used game store so i picked out.
- Pokemon Platinum Version

PSP
Saw this cheap Complete with PSP Camera so I grabbed it.
- Invizimals

PS2
- Wild Arms 4

GBA
Brand new sealed for $2... Sure why not.
- Unfabulous

DC
Continuing my Dreamquest, Found a few more games I was missing.
- Dragon Riders
- Namco Museum
- Tee Off
- Iron Aces

PS1
Found a couple titles I was still missing in my PS1 collection cheap.
- FIFA Soccer 2003
- Golden Nugget

SAT
Found a couple Mint condition Saturn games cheap so I nabbed them.
- Andretti Racing
- Crime Wave

GBC
One of the places I stopped at a asked about GB/GBC games and he pulled out a huge book filled with games and they where only $2-$4 a piece and I picked out a few.
- Bionic Commando
- Magi Nation
- Crystalis
- Donkey Kong Land III

SCD
Stopped at about five different Saver Thrift Stores and most had nothing but one had some games that caught my eye. For $3 each i got.
- Cliffhanger
- Ecco the Dolphin

SNES
Found a couple games I was missing priced right.
- Power Moves
- Liberty of Death

Amiibo
First I stopped at Target (waited 2 hours before they opened in a snow storm) and got...
- Rosalina
Stopped at Gamestop and picked up...
- Bowser
- Toon Link
Then stopped at Toys R Us to get lucario that I pre-ordered....
And i they sold them all last Friday to ONE GUY. not kidding here. Some idiot didn't hold any for the pre-orders. I was not happy and the Manager Took my info and will make sure the next batch will go to pre-orders. As an apology she gave me a heavy discount on any game I wanted so I got GTAV on XBone.
Then I go to Best Buy to see about Meta Knight, and the guy said oh we had those a month ago and they already sold out. Now I think he might have been mistaken because there's no US Meta Knights flooding EBAY so I think it just got Delayed. (I hope) lol
So I went to another Target and picked up 2 more Rosalina's JUST IN CASE i need em for trade to get the 2 I need. 
If you have Lucario or Meta Knight and want to trade for Rosalina send me a PM. I'd rather trade and know i get one then wait and hope i get one. lol

Only 5 more items and I hit 10,000!!!! 

33

Marketplace / Going on a DreamQuest (complete DC collection)

« on: January 10, 2015, 02:03:56 am »

I saw a YouTuber I watch talk about completing his Dreamcast collection and he and I where missing about the same amount of games, so I thought I'd join him and try and complete my collection with him.
I already hit up many EBAY "Make Offers" and ended up with about 10 games added to my collection. Got most of them way below what most where asking. Most of the games I'm missing are not rare or expensive games but thought I'd ask VGcollecter's if they had any of the games I'm looking for at a good price. (or trade)
I'm looking for a good deal, maybe a package deal.

here's the one's I'm missing....

18 Wheeler American Pro Trucker
Conflict Zone
Deep Fighter
Donald Duck Goin' Quackers
Ducati World Racing Challenge
ESPN International Track & Field
ESPN NBA 2 Night
Gundam Side Story
Hidden & Dangerous
House of the Dead 2
Monaco Grand Prix
Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness
NBA 2K2
NFL Blitz 2000
Psychic Force 2012
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2
Red Dog
Resident Evil 3
South Park Rally
Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles
Striker Pro 2000
Super Runabout
Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Urban Chaos

All games MUST be complete and in good shape (disc/Book/Back art) Case can be damaged.
PM me if you have any of these games.

34

General / ALL my pick ups 2014. (lots of pics)

« on: January 02, 2015, 09:39:36 am »

Happy new year, lets hope 2015 has some great finds as 2014 did.
If you wanted to see what all my finds looks like in one year here it is.
It's a lot of pics and if you followed the monthly Pick Up forum you should have seen a lot of this over the year.

January


February








March






April (yay garage sales start up!)









May















June

















July














August








September








October (Bought a new house, Yay!)



November






December





Damn, that's a lot of stuff in one year, let hope next year is the same of better. 

35

Modern Video Games / Who do you want to see released next as Amiibo.

« on: December 28, 2014, 02:30:51 am »

There's a roster of 50 characters confirmed for SSB:WiiU (including the one DLC) who do you want to see released in Wave 4. (as far as I know these have not been announced yet.) Pick who you want to see as the next 6 characters released.

Here's who haven't been released (or announced) yet.

Pikmin & Olmar
Zero Suit Samus
Charizard
Greninja
Mii Fighter
Palutena
Pac-Man
Robin
Ness
Falco
Wario
Lucina
Dark Pit
Dr. Mario
Mr. Game & Watch
R.O.B.
Ganondorf
Bowser Jr.
Duck Hunt Dog
Jigglypuff
Mewtwo (confirmed DLC)     

Me I'd like to see, R.O.B., Mr. Game & Watch, Ganondorf, Pac-Man, Zero Suit Samus & Duck Hunt Dog.
What 6 would you pick?

36

General / Best Finds of 2014

« on: December 28, 2014, 01:05:41 am »

Here's my personal best finds in 2014. Based on rarest or most wanted in my collection. Going through my list of finds there was a lot of good stuff this year. What where your best additions to your collection this last year?

- LSD (PS1)
- Philips Tele-Spiel
- Epoch Game Pocket Computer (CIB)
- Commodore CDTV
- Sonyo 3DO TRY with 2 games
- PC Engine Super Grafx (CIB)
- Sega Mark III (CIB)
- PC Engine with CD expansion
- Game Master with 5 games
- Gamate plus 1 game.
- Found Earthbound Twice at garage sales for $7 total and traded for Godzilla (T16CD) and credit.
- Sega CDX
- Legend of Zelda Game and Watch
- Retro City Rampage DX (PS4) only 2000 made
- Secret Scout (NES)
- Acetronic MPU 1000 with game
- Supervision with 7 games (CIB)
- Harvest Moon (SNES)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP Zelda Edition
- Nintendo 3DS XL Classic NES Edition
- Nintendo 3DS XL Persona Q Edition
- Dragon Fighter (NES)
- Power Glove (CIB)
- T16 TurboBooster Plus CIB
- Gold Nintendo 64 system
- Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS)
- Wacky Races (NES)
- Beauty and the Beast (NES)
- Pepsi Man (PS1)
- Famicom Revolver Style Lightgun
- Gameking II
- Power Strike II (GG)
- 8-Bit Xmas 2014 (NES)
- Class of Heroes 2G (PS3)
- Magician Lord (MVS)
- Knights of Valor: The Seven Spirits (ATOM)
- Wayne's World (NES)
- Game Boy Pocket Hello Kitty Edition
- King of Dragons (SNES CIB)
- Mega Man (GG)
- Back to the Future II (SFAM)
- Ghost Manor (T16)
- Splatterhouse II (GEN CIB)
- Ghostbusters (GEN CIB)
- My Horse & Me: Riding for Gold & Fritz Chess (Wii) I had to search every Gamestop in NA to find these, and only 1 store had a copy of each game CIB. They are considered 2 of the rarest games on Wii.

BTW, would you guys like to see all the pic's I took over the years of everything I got this year?
It was kinda fun going over all my finds this last year.
 

37

Modern Video Games / Amiibo's and what they open.

« on: November 21, 2014, 06:27:04 pm »

I bought a set of Amiibo figures but I don't want to open them, But I thought about buying one to open that unlocks cool stuff in games. I really don't care to buy all figures again if they don't open anything and are just for leveling up in SSB.

If you know what each figure does (other then leveling it up in battles) please list in this forum.
Like In Mario Kart 8 Mario opens a new paint job or in SSB it opens a new color for character. Kinda want to know which figures open anything cool.

Thanks.   

38

Classic Video Games / My 8-Bits: Epoch Cassette Vision

« on: September 07, 2014, 02:07:17 pm »

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles I personally own in my collection and today I'm reviewing a console only released in Japan, the Epoch Cassette Vision.

Epoch Cassette Vision



History:
Released in 1981 in Japan only by Epoch, The Cassette Vision was the first Japan only console to have changeable cartridges. Selling for 13,500 yen ($135) it was the economical game system for it's time.
 
How did it do?
Poor, Not a lot of games where released for the Cassette Vision, Only 11 games in fact. It was quickly replaced by the Super Cassette Vision within a few years.   

Graphics:
The graphics remind me of Odyssey 2, just less detail.

Is this system still fun to play?
Not really, the games feel like watered down clones of classic games of the time. Imagine Pac-Man with two ghosts in a five block maze hunting four dots, or Space Invaders with only eight aliens and that's the kind of games you get.
 
What games are worth playing?
Well of the four watered down games I own, Pakpak Monster and Battle Vader are playable but get boring real quick due to their simplicity.

How many versions are there?
Two, The first large clunky model that looks more like an old Pong console and the smaller Cassette Vision Jr. model.

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
Finding one that works would be a good start, the model 1 breaks down real easy. Many I see have levers broken and knobs that don't work. The Junior model seems to have less issues so this is the version to get if you want to play the games. The console has no controllers, just two knobs and a lever built into the console (or one lever and directional buttons on the junior) The model 1 has two sets of knobs and levers for two players while the junior only one person can play. The games are not on Cassette Tapes like the name suggests, they are ROM carts that are stored in a large tape cassette style case. These systems are rare, but not so rare you never find one. Biggest issue I see is many sellers over price these consoles a lot. If you pay over $100 for one your getting ripped off in my opinion.
 
My Experience with the Console
I got the Junior model first, and to play this console you need a TV that can access cable channel 95 in the US. It only uses an RF input so screen quality isn’t the best. It seemed to play find on my 1080 HDTV. You can plug it into any US outlet but I still recommend a 100v converter, Japan uses a lower voltage then the US and over time could cause damage to any Japanese console. Playing the games I got bored real quick, it felt like I was playing a babies version of classic arcade games from the 80s. I finally got a Model 1 this year and to be honest only used it once to test it out. It's not in the best condition, but it works.

Final Thoughts
This is a collectors oddity console, not something a casual gamer would want to play. I think of the Cassette Vision as Odyssey 2's simple little brother.
   
Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out.

Leave reply's on what you think of the Cassette Vision and if your experience with the console.

By the Numbers: At the time of this article only three people own the model 1 and two own the model 2.

Past Reviews:
Creativision
Tandy TRS-80
Commodore VIC-20
MB Microvision
Atari 400/800
Mattel Intellivision
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Interton VC 4000
APF MP1000
Bally Astrocade
Atari 2600
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey

39

Classic Video Games / My 8-Bits: Vtech Creativision

« on: September 01, 2014, 01:40:54 am »

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles I own and today I'm looking at one of the rarest consoles I personally own, The Vtech Creativision.

Vtech Creativision



History:
Released in 1981 by Vtech, The Creativison was only released across Europe & Japan, In South Africa and Israel it was known the Educat 2002 and in Australia is was called as the Dick Smith Wizard. (yes that is what they called it) lol
 
How did it do?
The system was discontinued in 1986, and that's about all I can find on this console. Seeing how rare it is tells me now many people own this system.

Graphics:
Pretty decent for 1981, colors are sharp and remind me a lot of the Colecovision.

Is this system still fun to play?
I only have played four games, but I did find it fun to play. There was only 16 games released for the console and one basic programming cart. But of the four, three of them are fun to play.
 
What games are worth playing?
The games I've played that are fun is Crazy Chicky, a Pac-Man clone that the Pac is replaced with a Chicken. Mouse Puzzle witch reminds me or Pipe Dream, and Sonic Invader is a Space Invaders clone.
I'd love to play more but finding games for this system is a feat of it's own.

How many versions are there?
Mainly one, All the consoles from the different countries look the same just stamped with different logos with different names.

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
Well, finding one would be the first challenge, Euro consoles are easier to find but you might have to go to the UK Ebay to even have a chance to find one. But then you'll need a PAL TV to use it. There is a NTSC version that was sold in Japan but it is extremely rare. The games also used overlays (similar to Intellivision) and these overlays are harder to find then the games. This system feels like Colecovison and Intellivision's secret love child that they don't want to talk about. Vtech wanted this console to be a computer also, they released accessories to make this system as a computer. Good luck finding these today.
 
My Experience with the Console
I got this console on dumb luck, a vintage console collector's website was selling some of their systems and this odd console was one. I made him and offer and he sold it to me. Once I got I had one problem, it was a PAL console and I didn't own a PAL TV. So at first I tried to find an PAL to NTSC converter, and finding a converter for an RF input is near impossible. I found one site that had one and ordered it. And while I got the see the game for the first time, the frame rate was so bad it was one frame per minute. (not a joke) So I returned the converter and hunted for a PAL TV, finally I found a PAL TV at a garage sale and finally got to play the Creativision and to be honest it was fun to play. While I only played four games they where not that bad, nothing original, just clones of classics but they where enjoyable.

Final Thoughts
This is a collectors item only, just because the games are all clones of other games on consoles that are easier find. While the games are fun its not worth the time and effort to hunt this console down. But if your do live in a Euro country and stumble across on of these, I highly recommend adding it to your gaming collection.

Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out.

Leave reply's on what you think of the Creativision, because I don't anyone else has played this system. But if you have I'd love to hear it.

By the Numbers: At the time of this article only ONE person owns this console on Vgcollect...Gee I wonder who that is?

Past Reviews:
Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer
Commodore VIC-20
MB Microvision
Atari 400/800
Mattel Intellivision
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Interton VC 4000
APF MP1000
Bally Astrocade
Atari 2600
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey

40

Video Game Auction Watch / Most Awesome Custom NES Console Ever!

« on: August 27, 2014, 06:32:00 pm »

saw this on V-sause and thought it as just to awesome, I wanted to bid but it's going bid is way more then I'd want to spend. see what you guys think.

Custom NES Console

41

Classic Video Games / My 8-Bits: Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer

« on: August 17, 2014, 07:57:57 pm »

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles and today I'm reviewing the big and bulky Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer.

Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer



History:
The original TRS-80 was a home computer released in 1977, in 1980 the Tandy Color Computer or Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer was released to replace the older TRS-80 models. Now with color graphics and game cartridges. Now it was a computer gaming console. Fans gave it the Loving Nickname CoCo. (Sorry Conan, the TRS-80 was called CoCo before you) 
 
How did it do?
Pretty well, It was mainly sold in Radio Shack stores and was on the market in different variations til 1991.

Graphics:
They are okay for it's time, but they lack compared to Atari and Commodore computers. 

Is this system still fun to play?
It's okay, I only have a few games to play on it and nothing I own really makes me want to play this system a whole lot.
 
What games are worth playing?
Of the games I personally own, Space Assault is a ugly Space Invaders, Popcorn is a slow version of Ka-Boom, Poltergeist which is just terrible and my personal favorite Mega-Bug a Pac-Man clone with a slight twist, where you can only see a small portion of the maze at one time. Many moments of quick thinking as you turn a corner and an enemy is right there.

How many versions are there?
There was several models in the 10 years it was made, the main ones people know is the big fat silver color computer (CoCo1) and the white color computer 2. (CoCo2)

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
The system is large and heavy, about the size of the Atari 5200. It will work on most any TV, I had it hooked up to my 720 HDTV and it ran fine. Finding one of these today in the wild is pretty rare to be honest. I've seen more Atari 400/800 and Commodores then TRS-80's. The system is built like a tank, very thick outer plastic shell, you could kill someone if you hit them with it. Lol I could stand on it with all my weight and it wouldn't even dent or crack the shell. The carts are about the size of an Super Nintendo cartridge, and fit real tight in the console. Not as bad as the VIC-20 but still tough to put in and pull out. The Plug is hardwired in the console, but it does need a special cable to hook it up to a TV. (similar to the Genesis model 1 AV cable)
 
My Experience with the Console
I picked up my TRS-80 Color Computer some fifteen years ago out of someones trash. I was riding on my bike and spotted this thing in a box with several games in the garbage. It was pretty beat up, almost left it behind, but something made me want to take it. I had a hard time on my bike getting this heavy thing home. But when I got it home I didn't have the cable needed to hook it up to a TV. Some years later I finally got a cable and got it running, but didn't like using the keyboard so I ordered a pair of joysticks. After much delay I was finally playing this monster of a console and thought it was just okay. I rarely hook it up, but every time I do the only game I end up playing is Mega-Bug. 

Final Thoughts
This is a console for the collector / old computer lover. While there are some decent games for it most are clones if other games you can play on classic consoles of it's time. But if you stumble upon one in the wild cheap, it might be fun messing around with it. But it's not a system that's worth a gaming on. 

Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out.
There might not be another My 8-Bits for a while. Just bought a house and will be busy moving. 

Leave reply's on your experience with the TRS-80 Color Computer. I would love to hear them. 

By the Numbers: At the time of this article only 6 people own a CoCo1 and 6 own a CoCo2.

Past Reviews:
Commodore VIC-20
MB Microvision
Atari 400/800
Mattel Intellivision
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Interton VC 4000
APF MP1000
Bally Astrocade
Atari 2600
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey

42

Marketplace / Selling my extra disc games from $1 on up

« on: August 16, 2014, 11:03:12 pm »

I was going through my extra stuff and I thought I'd offer you guys some deals. 
Most of this stuff i priced under going loose price, and most of these games are complete.
Each picture are all priced the same except the last one. No games on shelf behind are for sale. 
Just PM me with what your interested in and I'll quote you cost in shipping.
I'll also let you know if any of the games your interested in have any flaws.
I'll cross out games that have been sold.


$1 Games
PS2 - Ultimate Board Game Collection
PS2 - Ed, Edd n Eddy
XB - Tetris Worlds
PS1 - Cyber Tiger
PS1 - Madden NFL 99
PS1 - Cool Boarders 2 (Disc Only)


$2 Games
PS2 - SOCOM II
PS2 - Super Bust a Move
PS2 - Chicken Little
PS2 - Men in Black II
PS2 - Lego Star Wars II (No Manual)
PS2 - Fifa Soccer 07
PS2 - Paris Dakar Rally
PS2 - Powerpuff Girls (No Manual)
PS2 - NCAA Football 09
PS2 - Singstar Pop vol.2
PS2 - Legion: The Legend of Excalibur
PS2 - Hitman Contracts (no manual)
PS2 - Avatar the Last Airbender
PS2 - Spider-Man 3 (no Manual) 
PS2 - Fifa Soccer 2005
XB - Sonic Mega Collection Plus
XB360 - Madden NFL 12 (no manual)
PS1 - Populous The Beginning
PS1 - Descent Maximum
PS1 - Fifa Soccer 2000
PS1 - Crash Team Racing GH (disc and manual only)


$3 Games
PS2 - Conflict Desert Storm II
PS2 - Devil May Cry 3
PS2 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas GH
PS2 - Spider-Man 2 (no manual)
PS2 - Monster House
PS2 - Crash Twinsanity
PS2 - Kung-Fu Panda
PS2 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
PS2 - X-Men Next Dimension
PS2 - Crash Tag Team Racing
PS2 - Shrek Smash n Crash Racing
XB - From Russia with Love 007
GC - Fantastic 4
GC - Army Men: Sarge's War
GC - Bratz: Forever Diamondz
XB360 - Bakugan
PS1 - Tomorrow Never Dies
PS1 - Tomb Raider
PS1 - Tomb Raider II
PS1 - Tomb Raider III
PS1 - Tomb Raider the Last Revelation
PS1 - The X Files
PS1 - Pitfall 3D
PS1 - The Bear in the Big Blue House
PS1 - Arcade Party Pak
PS1 - Rayman GH


$4 Games
PS2 - Resident Evil 4
PS2 - TMNT
PS2 - Batman Vengeance
PS2 - Super Monkey Ball Deluxe
XB - Painkiller
XB - Blood Omen 2
PS1 - Metal Gear Solid
PS1 - Wild 9


$5 Games
PS2 - Jaws Unleashed (no manual)
PS2 - Kingdom Hearts
PS2 - Capcom Classics Collection
PS2 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (AO version)
XB - Metal Slug 3
XB - Castlevania Curse of Darkness
XB - Kung Fu Chaos
GC - Need for Speed Most Wanted
Wii - No More Heroes
XB360 - Bioshock Infinite
PS1 - Overblood
PS1 - Tomb Raider Chronicles
PS1 - Crash Team Racing
PS1 - Dino Crisis
PS1 - Street Fighter Alpha 3
PS1 - Fear Effect


$10 Games
PS2 - Shadow of the Colossus GH
PS2 - Resident Evil Outbreak Case #2
PS2 - Ape Escape 2 (no manual)
XB - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (no manual)
XB - Star Wars Battlefront (no manual)
XB - Capcom vs. SNK 2
GC - Sonic Adventures 2 Battle PC
GC - Star Wars Jedi Outcast
Wii - Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Wii - Super Mario Galaxy
PS1 - Resident Evil 3 Nemesis
PS1 - Resident Evil Director's Cut GH
PS1 - Heart of Darkness


$15 Games
Wii - Super Smash Bros. Brawl (missing manual)
Wii - New Super Mario Bros. Wii
PS1 - Fear Effect 2
PS1 - Silent Hill
 

$20 Games
GC - Paper Mario PC
GC - Luigi's Mansion PC (missing manual)
GC - Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Master Quest
Wii - Mario Kart Wii


$25 and over Games (prices below)
- Wild Arms 5  ($25)
- Conker Live and Reloaded ($30 - No Manual)
- Super Smash Bros. Melee ($40 - No Manual)
- Clock Tower ($35)

43

Classic Video Games / My 8-Bits: Commodore VIC-20

« on: July 27, 2014, 03:56:36 pm »

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles and today I'm looking at the Commodore VIC-20.

Commodore VIC-20



History:
Released in 1980 the VIC-20 was the Economical version to Commodore's PET Computer, this was a popular choice for parents who wanted a home computer and for kids who wanted to play games.
 
How did it do?
Very well, in the early 80's this was a good answer for a budget home computer. The VIC-20 sold more then a Million systems before it was discontinued in 1985. 

Graphics:
While better then the Atari 2600, I personally think the Atari computers looked better. They kinda remind me of the Intellivision's Graphics just with better sound.

Is this system still fun to play?
Yes If you like the classics, most of the games you can play on most any other console.
 
What games are worth playing?
Again most are the Classics, Pac-Man, Frogger, Q*Bert, Avenger (Space Invaders) there's also a lot of odd games you can play using the Tape Deck and if you love text adventures this system is for you! I don't have any tape games for this system, so I really don't know what to recommend.

How many versions are there?
Two main ones in the US, over in Japan there's a VIC-1001 version and in Germany there was a VC20 version. But in the US there's the Rainbow label version and the gold label version. The AC adapter can be two different styles and the side keys can also in different colors from brown, gray and yellow.

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
This system is pretty common and is cheap to collect. The most you should pay for a system is $30-$40 and games run from $1 to $5 on average. Now I'm going to talk about this as a gaming console not as a computer. The game cartridges are a pain to get into and remove from the console, I swear I feel like I'm breaking a game trying to put it in and pull it out. To play games you can use any old Atari 2600 or Sega Genesis controller. If you want to use the tape deck and have no tape games for it you can go online and find files and transfer them over to a blank cassette and they will work fine. There's also disc drive games but there's not a lot for it to make it worth using.
 
My Experience with the Console
I didn't get a VIC-20 til the 2000's, I avoided this console for years because to me it was an old computer and not a gaming system. But it can hook up to a TV, so I finally picked one up from a garage sale, but you will need it's special cable and adapter to do so. If you find one and this is missing you might have issues hooking it up. You'll also need an old analog TV or Commodore monitor, I tried hooking up both my models to a modern HDTV (1080p & 720p) and both I only get a scrambled screen. I play the console once in a while, mainly when I pick up a new game for it, It's a pain just because I have to drag out an old heavy TV out to play the stupid thing. lol

Final Thoughts
If you find one on the cheap and you like the old classic games I say pick one up. It's fun to mess around on but it's not better then say an Atari 5200 or 400/800 as far as playing games on. You just better have an old TV or monitor to hook it up to.

Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out.

Leave reply's on your experience with the Commodore VIC-20. I would love to hear them. 

By the Numbers: At the time of this article 28 people have a VIC-20 and 9 have the German VC20. No one has the Japanese VIC 1001 version.

Past Reviews:
MB Microvision
Atari 400/800
Mattel Intellivision
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Interton VC 4000
APF MP1000
Bally Astrocade
Atari 2600
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey

44

Classic Video Games / My 8-Bits: MB Microvision

« on: July 20, 2014, 12:38:12 am »

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles and this time I'm looking at the first handheld gaming console with interchangeable carts.

MB Microvision



History:
In 1979 Milton Bradley strayed from board games and made it's first and only game console. This was the first handheld game console that has changeable cartridges.
 
How did it do?
Did well at first but due to lack of new game releases the system was discontinued by 1981.

Graphics:
A vary simple LCD block graphics, very limited.

Is this system still fun to play?
Not really, the graphics are simplistic and blocky that most games are slow and dull.
 
What games are worth playing?
The only game I enjoyed was Blockout, which is just a Breakout clone. Only 11 games where made for this console and most of the games are terrible to play today.

How many versions are there?
Just one, overseas cart faces can come in different colors.

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
Well good luck finding a working model, these systems have so much that can break down. Most get screen rot and wont work at all, the cart pins can have issues and a chip in the console deteriorate easy. This console is pretty rare to begin with let alone finding a working one. The carts are the faceplate of the system, the buttons on the cart faces can break down too, many of the games I've tried I feel I gotta push hard on the buttons to get them to respond. If you find one in the wild check the battery compartment, if there's an old dead battery in it, it could have corroded and destroyed the console. If your paying a decent price for one be sure to test it if you can, there's way to much that can be wrong with this system.
 
My Experience with the Console
I bought a lot that had all but one game all complete in boxes from a collector, It was tested and worked great. I only played this system when I first got it but because this console can break so easy I'm always afraid that use will damage it. I find the carts are finicky, from hard to read to buttons being hard to get to work. I can see why this was Milton Bradley's only game console.

Final Thoughts
This is a collector's only item, not something you want to hunt down and play games on. It's more of a show piece to show people the first handheld gaming console.

Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out.
Sorry I've been slacking last couple weekends, been busy with other things in my life. I'll do one when ever I have free time on the weekend. 

Leave reply's on your experience with the Microvision. I would love to hear them. 

By the Numbers: At the time of this article 14 people have a Microvision in their collection. (wonder how many are in perfect working order.)

Past Reviews:
Atari 400/800
Mattel Intellivision
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Interton VC 4000
APF MP1000
Bally Astrocade
Atari 2600
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey

45

Classic Video Games / My 8-Bits: Atari 400/800

« on: June 28, 2014, 09:09:50 pm »

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles I own and today I will be entering the first of the Game Console Computers, The Atari 400/800.

Atari 400/800



History:
In 1979 Atari entered the home PC market with its Atari 400 and 800 series. An 8-Bit computer that was also a game console.
 
How did it do?
Extremely well, over 2 million systems sold over in the twelve plus years it was out. It changed a lot during those twelve years. The system was finally discontinued in 1992. It was marketed as a Computer that also played games, so kids wanted one to play games and adults saw it as a computer and not just a "toy".

Graphics:
This is where the Atari 5200 was born. The games are exactly the same as on the 5200 that was released much later. 

Is this system still fun to play?
Yes, many of the classics can be found on this console.
 
What games are worth playing?
Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr. (which was never released on 5200) Frogger, Galaxian, Jungle Hunt, Centipede, Millipede, Miner 2049er, Pengo, Pitfall 2, Qix, Robotron 2084, River Raid, Megamania, Space Invaders, Missile Command, Asteroids just to name a few. Ya all of these can be found on Atari 2600 but they look and play so much better on the 400/800. I wish I could recommend disc and Tape games but I have issues getting these to work.

How many versions are there?
there's been several models with upgrades over the years. 400, 800, 1200XL, 600XL, 800XL, 65XE, 130XE and one other but it's another console all together so I'll talk about that one another day.

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
Now I'm not going over how these are as computers, how they are to program and their computing power, I'm looking at these as a gaming console. These computer consoles hold up pretty well over time for the most part. Not as a Computer, but as a gaming console. The one thing I learned is the door on the 400/800 consoles, the games will not play with the door open. So if the latch that holds the door closed is worn or broken it wont play any cartridges, later consoles removed the door. You can hook up a tape deck or disc drive, but these don't age well, discs warp easy and most are not used in decades and might have issues playing. You can even play copied tapes/discs. I personally avoid discs and tapes and only pick them up if dirt cheap. You'll also need to learn the commands to run these games. The Joystick is a standard Atari 2600 so any one you find will work. The keyboard on the 400 is a touch pad style, sometime these keys become hard to press as it ages making you press a button over and over til it responds. The 800 has the better keyboard and more memory but is a monster in size and weight. Atari 400/800 consoles you can find cheap, if you find one. Some Ebay auctions ask stupid prices but trust me, these pop up at gaming stores, flea markets and other game selling events for under $40. Most games are dirt cheap, but like most consoles there are a few that are rare and will cost you higher dollars.
 
My Experience with the Console
The first memory of this console is when I was really young I built an Atari 2600 & 400 out of nothing but paper and took it to school. I didn't end up getting a 400 til much late in life. I always avoided it thinking is was a computer and not a gaming console. But it is a console, you can hook the 400 & 800 models to any TV, they work great on my 1080p HDTV. I don't have the 1200XL, 600XL, 800XL, 65XE or 130XE models so I don't know how they compare. I picked up an 800 just last year from a game convention for $15 and it came with a ton of extras. It's always funny getting a bunch of home office software with programing books and accessories, I honestly never know what to do with most of it and box it up. I just like using it as a gaming console. There's many exclusive games for this system, Some good other bad. I tried the E.T. for the 400/800 and it's nothing like the 2600 version, in fact IT'S WORSE! I personally just got so frustrated and said I'm not playing this. lol 

Final Thoughts
If your looking for an alternative to the Atari 5200, this is not a bad way to go. 90% of the games released on the 5200 are on this system, plus several never released on the 5200 and you don't have to deal with those crappy joysticks. And if you want to really get nerdy, try and use it as a computer. I have a modem for my 800, wonder if I can get online and get on Vgcollect. lol

Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out.

Leave reply's on your experience with the Atari 400/800 or other Atari computers. I would love to hear them. 

By the Numbers: At the time of this article, 18 own a 400, 10 own an 800, 1 owns a 1200XL, 3 own a 600XL, 18 own an 800XL, 2 own the 65XE and 3 own the 130XE.

Past Reviews:
Mattel Intellivision
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Interton VC 4000
APF MP1000
Bally Astrocade
Atari 2600
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey