Rom
Graphic Hacking
How toTinker with NES Games
by
Dustin
Gulley
ROM
hacking is a fun, and possibly illegal way to breathe life back into those stale
ROMs idly sitting on your hard drive twiddling their thumbs in boredom. In fact,
you can take the worst game ever created; I'm talking about 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde' of course, and turn it into an enjoyable afternoon. The majority of ROM
hacking is done by editing graphics using a tile editor, and editing code using
a hex editor. Since this article is meant for beginners, I'm going to discuss
how to edit the graphics in a ROM. Editing graphics is pretty simple, and provides
quicker results, then learning how to edit hex. However, if you really want to
alter a ROM, you will need to learn how to edit the hexadecimal code. | | Of
Mouse Traps and Crossbows:
The Exidy Story
by
David
Ellis
When
you think of the coin-op video game manufacturers from the classic era, there
are certain names that immediately come to mind: Atari, Midway, Williams, Nintendo.
These high-profile companies filled the arcades of the 70s and 80s with all kinds
of fun and innovative games that dazzled the senses and challenged the reflexes
of gamers all over the country and all over the world. The sheer number of coin-op
hits produced by these companies is certainly one reason for their continued name
recognition-Centipede, Asteroids,Missile Command, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga,
Joust, Robotron, Defender,Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Junior, and Mario Bros. continue
to be favorites among players and collectors today and, indeed, many of these
games have been reproduced in modern incarnations that can still be found in bars
and arcades today. |
Play
Like a Girl
The Rise of Female Gamers
by
R.L.
Fielding
An
ever-widening audience of female electronic game players is bringing new meaning
to the phrase, “You play like a girl.” Despite the long-standing stereotype
that dedicated electronic gamers are young and male, a number of studies have
shown that adult women are giving the boys a run for their money, particularly
in the online games arena. | |
The
Healthy Benefits of Online Games
by
R.L.
Fielding
The
universal appeal of online games is astounding. Research shows that one in four
internet users visit online game websites, bringing the annual total to more than
217 million online game players worldwide. Online game communities are populated
by people from both sexes and all age groups. Everywhere, people are spending
time playing strategy, board and trivia games. But is all this game play healthy?
Yes – probably in more ways than you think. |
A
Glance at the History of
Interactive, Educational Videogames
by
Maya
Yoviene
The
start of the educational videogame market is as difficult to pinpoint as the history
of videogames themselves. Part of this difficulty stems from the meaning behind
the words "educational", "interactive", and "game".
These terms seem to mean different things to different people; sometimes they
are even incompatible concepts. With any definition of the terms, most people
will agree there are good and bad educational games available to consumers. Some
designers concentrate on educational games for consoles that are already present
in the community while other companies concentrate on education right from the
making of their console or company. | |
The
Man versus the House of Evil
by
William
Bartlett
Horror
based video games, also known as survival horror, can be defined as "a prominent
video game genre in which the player has to survive an onslaught of undead or
creepy opponents, usually in claustrophobic environments in a third-person perspective.
Horror film elements are used liberally. The player is typically armed, but not
nearly as well-armed as the player in a shooter game. The player's goal is generally
to escape from an isolated house or town that is inhabited mostly by zombies and
monsters through shooting and puzzle solving." However, this was not the
case for the beginning of the genre that can be seen in the late 70's and early
80's. This is the definition used today since the birth of the Resident Evil series.
The beginning of the genera can be seen in the late 70's going into the 80' with
titles such as Castlevania, Splatterhouse, and It Came from the Desert... |
The
History of Laserdic Gaming
by
Lori
Gilbert
Technology
in the 19th century paved the way for the commercial video game market the world
knows today. This is a society of computers, Internet, satellite navigation and
MP3 music systems. Electronics are ever changing and with every new invention,
an older one paved the way. David Paul Gregg invented the laserdisc technology
in 1958. It was used widely for its supreme audio and video advantages over the
VHS tape, which was the standard for the time. Video games also started to use
the laserdisc to create milestone games. Although the technology did not catch
on as well as it should have, the few games that were created were essential to
the further development of the industry as a whole. | |
Atari
Based Comic Books
by
Teresa
Murphy
In
the beginning there were books and then there was T.V. Then a brilliant man invented
the technology for what we now call video games. However he was not the only brilliant
man, there was another, the man who invented comic books. So wouldn't you think
that these two beacons of the 20th century would join forces and make a revolutionary
invention of VIDEO GAME COMIC BOOKS! Well, they did, even though it was not as
revolutionary as I made it seem. Atari
joined forces with DC Comics in the early 80's to develop several incarnations
of comics based on Atari characters and games... |
Trip
Hawkins:
The Man Behind Electronic Arts, 3DO + More
by
Zach
Kelpy
Do
you ever wonder who was responsible for some of the video games that you still
play today? I personally have always wondered who the creator of John Madden Football
was or who exactly was the driving force behind the all powerful Electronic Arts
company. The answer to both of these questions is simple: Trip Hawkins. Ralph
Baer may be the father of the home video games and Nolan Bushnell may be the father
of the video game industry, but the video game industry we know today would not
be the same without Mr. Trip Hawkins. As a matter of fact, Trip was voted #15
for the "Top 26 Fascinating Entrepreneurs" by Inc.com: The Daily Resource
for Entrepreneurs | |
The
Maturing of Electronic Arts
by
Tom
Kallenbach
Electronic
Arts or EA is one of the biggest companies in the videogame industry. EA is synomonous
with video games and it has gradually grown into almost every household in the
world. EA was founded by a young man named Trip Hawkins. Trip was originally employed
by Apple Computers, but he left after only 4 years with them to pursue other endeavors.
In 1982, Trip raised five million dollars and founded Amazin' Software, which
was later switched to Electronic Arts, to explore the entertainment potentials
of PC's... |
Saved
by the Bell (or rather, Algebra 2)
A
brief excerpt from my WW II experiences
by
Ralph
Baer
The
Inventor of the home videogame reveals some amazing wartime stories, and more...
I
went overseas in July of 1943, just one of a group od about twenty-five G.I.s
who had been through a Military Intelligence training course in Camp Ritchie in
Maryland. Our great leader was Hans Mauksch, a PFC in this man's Army but an experienced
junior officer some years earlier in the Austrian army. None
of us lacked for nerve so it wasn't surprising that we were able to talk ourselves
into the position of cadre, in charge of teaching certain subjects to the thousands
of G.I.s in the British Salisbury Plains staging area where we were located. The
subjects we taught were recognition of German uniforms, weapons and tactics, the
handling of their most common weapons and something about the Nazi psychology
that we were going to meet head-on in the not-too-distant future... | |
Starcade!
by
Nick Topolski
Starcade
was taped before a live audience at the Bridge Studios in San Francisco, California.
It was created by the husband and wife team of James and Mavis Arthur (hence the
company name "JM Productions"). Starcade was a game show where contestants
compete by answering trivia questions about video games and by playing video games.
The show aired on television stations across the United States from 1982-1984,
generally in a Saturday morning or early afternoon time slot on TBS. Mark Richards
hosted the TBS series and Geoff Edwards hosted the syndicated series. The announcer
of Starcade was Kevin McMahon. The show featured the most popular video games
of that time. Today, the games of Starcade are considered the classics of the
video game industry. It was television's first video game show ever. |
My
thoughts of Nintendo's GameBoy
by
Chris
Buryta
When
I think back on my childhood, a few things come to mind: sports, scouts, hanging
out with friends. Among all these thoughts, it's almost impossible to avoid bringing
up Nintendo's Gameboy sometime or another. Why? Well, it was small and easy to
use. Anywhere you went there was always a possibility that you might run into
a person with another Gameboy, allowing you to check out the others games and
possibly go head-to-head in a two-player game. The battery life was awesome, and
if you had an extra battery pack or a screen light, you could play anywhere anytime... | |
Fantasy
to Reality
A History of Rock Music adn Video Games
by
Eric
Kurtz
Music
and video games have always been incorporated to make the game either a smash
or a flop. Halo's monk like hymns and heavy guitar riffs really make you "feel"
the game, while playing. So what happens when a game is centered on the actual
musician? Surprisingly the game seems to flourish when the musician releases it
when the band is in high demand. The gameplay is thrown out the window and yet
the gamers keep playing it. Constantly throwing reality to the wind, rock and
roll games center around a fictional setting that tries to draw the gamer into
playing it... |
The
Mysteries of Atari's
SwordQuest Series
by
Stephen Hlavaty
In
its true essence, the idea of the Swordquest game series is a great one. Released
by Atari for the 2600, Swordquest was a large scale of contests that consisted
of 4 games that would each crown a champion, with a grand finale with all four
champions vying for a grand prize.
The four games began with what was
originally known as "Adventure II". Atari was looking for a sequel to
its popular "Adventure" game. In 1982, Swordquest: Earthworld was released
for the Atari 2600. As was the same for the other games, the grand prize for Earthworld
was valued at $25,000. The specific prize for this game was a talisman. "The
Talisman was made of 18K solid gold, studded with 12 diamonds and the birthstones
of the twelve zodiac signs." | |
Hollywood
& the Video Game Industry
by
Emily Hurlburt
In
the mid-1990s a trend hit Hollywood that would forever change the movie industry.
Video games had swept the nation by flooding arcades, homes and the Internet with
gaming capabilities. Because gaming was so popular at the time, people involved
in the movie industry sought film opportunities with popular video games. Many
of the films based on games were low budget and did not win over video games fans
as much as the filmmakers had hoped. However, some films in this genre generated
cult followings and grossed a large amount of money. Aside from the disappointment
that many of these movies caused, this new trend has led to advancements in technology
that continue to change the entertainment industry today. |
The
Legacy of Zork and its Ties to Infocom
by
Camille N. Moreno
It
is impossible to explore the history of Infocom without first examining the game
that started it all, Zork. Were it not for Zork and its programmers, Infocom as
a company would not be the same as it was. The Zork series was the first electronic
version of interactive fiction to really take off, despite it not being the first
made or developed, and despite the unfortunate fact that Zork is relatively unknown
amongst the young gaming population today, there are still those who remember
the days of grues and maze adventures. But for the rest of you, that which do
not recognize the name "Zork," you had better read this article, lest
you be eaten by a grue. | |
The
Portability of Gumpei Yokoi
by
David Duquette
Gumpei
Yokoi was probably one of the most important and influential people of the video
game industry. His innovations changed the world of videogames as well as influenced
a generation. His electronic inventions not only moved a card company into the
lucrative world of videogames, they also helped to revolutionize an industry. |
|
The
History of the Home Video Game Console
by
Ion Hatzithomas
The
Magnavox Odyssey is the first home video game console, predating the Atari PONG
home consoles by three years. The Odyssey was designed by Ralph Baer, who had
a working prototype finished by 1968. This prototype is affectionately known as
the "Brown Box" to classic video game hobbyists. Unlike most video game
consoles, the Odyssey is analog rather than digital, which makes its invention
all the more amazing in spite of its rather crude graphics...
| |
How To Program
on the Colecovision
by
Daniel Bienvenu & Michael Thomasson
Good
Deal Games constantly receives inquiries about how to program for the classic
systems. In response to reader demands, we contacted ace Colecovision programmer
Daniel Bienvenu and he was kind enough to share his entire documentation and toolkits.
This is simply HUGE as these docs and tools would require years to develop. Thanks
again Daniel!
UPDATED
100
(+) Plus New Pages of Content |
|
I Love the 80's
Super Mario Brothers Rant
by
Anthony
McClintock
Remember
when you had to blow on a cartridge for 10 minutes just to play a game? Yep- those
were the 80's. Take a time warp with us, as we recollect memories of Super Mario
Brothers 1-3 for NES.
Those of us that were born in the early 80's have
fond memories of sitting in front of the television to play Super Mario Brothers.
The whole time we played, our moms yelled at us to go outside and experience the
"world". Eventually we were forced outside. After a few hours outside,
we were brought back inside because it is not nice to shave the neighbor's cat.
After this, we just sat back down and played Mario. Everyone loved Super Mario
Bros. because it was one of the first games where the main character vaguely resembled
a person-shaped object. | |
Japanese Science
Museum
Features Videogame History
by
Ralph
Baer
Videogames
are extremely popular in Japan. Their foremost science museum recently presented
a half-year-long exhibit dedicated to the industry's history. A large number of
original games were on display. The presence of some of the earliest games addressed
the history of both the home videogame and that of the arcade games. At
the Tokyo museum, the well-attended exhibit of early videogames closed after a
successful 6-month run there. A look at the photo of the entrance to the game
exhibit is shown nearby. |
|
Final Fantasy
Series
by
Noel
Brady
Back
in 1987, there was a small software company called Square. At that time it was
known for a nifty arcade game called Rad Racer, which had been a hit on Nintendo's
cutting-edge NES console.
The boffins at Square had packed an entire
world on a 2Mb NES cartridge. Players were transported to a mystical land where
the powers of the four elements were bound and controlled by four crystal orbs.
However, the orbs were fading and an evil darkness was spreading across the globe.
Vicious pirates ruled the seas, evil creatures crept through the shadows and demons
stirred in the depths of the earth. The ancient prophecy of Lukahn was coming
to pass, and only the coming of the four heroes he foretold, known as the light
warriors, could save the world from the evil forces. When the mysterious Garland
kidnapped the daughter of the King of Coneria, the dream city, four warriors were
summoned to his court. Each young hero held a strange orb they had owned since
childhood. | |
My Three Trials (Part One)
Experiences as
an Expert Witness
in the Electronic Games Industry
by
Bill "The Game Doctor" Kunkel
ATARI v. MAGNAVOX
Atari turned its litigious eye on Magnavox, whose Odyssey2 had just launched its
own maze-chase game, K.C. Munchkin. Flush with its victories over several
smaller publishers, Atari's legal nostrils flared further when it appeared that
the O2 game would actually hit the holiday market ahead of Atari's problem-plagued
Pac-Man for the 2600 (as fans of the system no doubt recall, Atari's version
of the coin-op classic looked as if it had been based on the adventures of Blinky
the ghost, rather than Pac-Man the gobbler). Thus, the dogs of war were unleashed
and Magnavox' entry into the maze-chase race was legally challenged...
|
My Three Trials (Part Two)
Experiences as
an Expert Witness
in the Electronic Games Industry
by
Bill "The Game Doctor" Kunkel
NINTENDO
v. GALOOB
On
my second trip through the litigation sausage grinder, therefore, I once again
pushed my luck, tempted fate and tugged real hard on Superman's cape by cavalierly
volunteering my services to the Lewis Galoob Toy Company at the 1990 Summer CES
(SCES) in Chicago. | |
My Three Trials (Part Three)
Experiences
as an Expert Witness
in the Electronic Games Industry
by
Bill "The Game Doctor" Kunkel
CAPCOM
v. DATA EAST
By 1993, the last thing I was looking for was an expert witness gig facing off
against yet another of the most popular and powerful software developers in the
business. So of course I wound up working the expert witness deal for tiny Data
East against the all-powerful Capcom, whose Street Fighter II had ignited a revolution
which made 2-D fighting games the dominant genre in the electronic gaming world.
|
|
Coin-Op History: Double Dragon Series
by
Michael Thomasson
The
immensely popular side-scrolling beat-em up Double Dragon has formed a true legacy.
The initial game was released in 1987 by Technos in Japan, and licensed to Taito
for manufacture and distribution in the United States and Europe. The original
game concept, in addition to the character names, were loosely inspired on the
Bruce Lee film, 'Enter the Dragon.'
Double
Dragon Martial
arts masters and brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee attempt to rescue Billy's girlfriend
Marian from her abductors known as the Shadow Warriors. The game was playable
by two players simultaneously, and in addition to using martial arts moves, the
heroes could also use items found in their environment such as knives, whips,
baseball bats, sticks of dynamite, boulders and oil drums. Double Dragon contained
a shock ending that reveals that the leader of the Shadow Warriors, known as Big
Boss Willy, was none other than Billy's own brother, Jimmy Lee... | |
Computer Advertising and You
by
Michael Nadeau
In
1923, Ned Jordan created an advertisement that changed the way cars were sold.
Jordan's company sold a sporty roadster called the Playboy. "Somewhere west
of Laramie there's a bronco-busting, steer-roping girl who knows what I'm talking
about," the ad began. "She can tell what a sassy pony that's a cross
between greased lightning and the place where it hits, can do with eleven hundred
pounds of steel and action when he's going high, wide and handsome. The truth
is -- the Playboy was built for her." No
mention was made of horsepower, type of engine, or other technical details. Jordan's
ad was a pure emotional sell, and it set the tone for automotive advertising to
this day. Microcomputer
advertising has its defining moments, too, although none as influential as Jordan's
"Somewhere West of Laramie" ad. What follows is a list of the six most
important moments in microcomputer advertising (in chronological order). |
Coin-Op History: Space Invaders
by
Michael Thomasson
A
barrage of heavily armed military soldiers march towards you in formation, with
rifles pointed and gunning for you while trying to cross the screen. Sound familiar?
Well, in 1978 this was the initial idea designed and programmed by engineer Toshihiro
Nishikado which evolved into one of the most influential videogames of all-time,
Space Invaders. Since it was politically discouraged to harm humans at the time,
the army onslaught was replaced with alien aggressors looking for global domination... | |
My Trip to Meet
Ralph Baer,
the Inventor of the Home Videogamehe
by
JoAnn Thomasson
In
the opinion of most classic gamers, I would probably qualify as a "non-gamer".
Sure, I grew up with the Intellivision and have attended a Classic Gaming Expo
with my husband, but I certainly haven't kept up with classic gaming much. Of
course, being married to Michael of Good Deal Games, my involvement in classic
gaming has certainly increased. And it is through him that I first heard of Ralph
Baer. I have to admit I didn't know much about the Brown Box or Ralph's place
in classic gaming history, but as soon as Michael mentioned that he was the creator
of Simon, my interest was piqued... |
|
Atari - A Tale of Two Systems
by
Bill Loguidice
The
Atari 5200 SuperSystem, released in the US in late 1982, was the direct follow-up
to the highly successful Atari 2600 (VCS), and predecessor of the Atari 7800 ProSystem.
Atari chose to design the 5200 around technology used in their popular Atari 400/800
8-bit computer line, but was not directly compatible, unlike Atari's much later
pastel-colored XEGS (XE Game System) console. The similarities in hardware did
allow for relatively easy game conversions between the two systems, however, particularly
when porting from the computer line to the 5200...
| |
Super
Nintendo Factory Sealing Guide
by
Dr. Steve Brinn
SNES
sealing (packaging of the games) is a complex topic, but one which must be understood
by the collector interested in collecting factory sealed (as opposed to resealed
or open) games. Many collectors have the false impression that if a super Nintendo
game does not have a vertical seam on the back of the box, it is a resealed game.
On the other hand, collectors are often misled by a picture showing a back vertical
seal (know as the H seal), thinking it must “be ok” when in fact it
is resealed... |
PhillyClassic 5 Coverage
by
Michael Thomasson
This
year we played Ralph Baer's prototype Brown Box, the first videogame machine that
later evolved into the Magnavox Odyssey and influenced Nolan Bushnell to make
a game called Pong. We touched GAWD itself, the Atari mainframe computer. We visited
with Cindy Morgan of Tron, Pitfall Harry and other costumed gamers, shook hands
with videogame celebrities such as Howard Scott Warshaw and Tommy Tallarico and
placed the unreleased Atari Jaguar JagVR helmet on our heads. A new Classic Gaming
Magazine launched called Manci Games Magazine and we partied at Jillians to celebrate.
Come check it out... | |
It Really Was
All Fun & Games
(Nolan Bushnell's Keynote Speech)
by
Patrick Wong
Before
Bill Gates was, Nolan Bushnell was. At the 2003 Classic Gaming Expo in Las Vegas,
the room had the atmosphere of a meeting with the President. A very special man
was about to enter the conference room. A crowd was already gathering during a
small, cozy conference right before with the Atari 800 programmer of Parker Brothers'
famous arcade conversion "Frogger" so they would have a front row seat,
unknown to the Atari programmer that the follow up act was the grandest of them
all... |
|
Classic
Gaming Expo 2003 Coverage
by
Michael Thomasson
The best of the classic
gaming expos gets even better with a surprise visit by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell
and several new game releases from Good Deal Games and other dedicated hobbyists
and collectors.
| |
How
Alex Pajitnov was Tetris-Ized
by
Bill Kunkel
It
provides a deeply satisfying yet ironically ongoing sense of closure and it fits
my oft-quoted definition of what makes for a great videogame: a minute to learn,
a lifetime to master. My subject, of course, is Tetris... |
|
Activision Patch Gallery
by
Michael Thomasson
Activision
operated a fantstic marketing program in the 80's to promote the sale of their
software for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Colecovision and the Mattel Intellivision.
To obtain any of the coveted Activision patches, a player would need to play a
particular game, reach a pre-determined score, and mail a photograph prooving
the accomplishment to Activision... | |
PhillyClassic 4 Coverage
by
Michael Thomasson
Come
witness the events of this classic videogame show and see the original Computer
Space Arcade Coin-Operated machine and more! |
Pizza and Spooks:
A Tale of Pac-Man Spooks
by
Michael Thomasson
You
might know them as Bashful, Speedy, Shadow and Pokey, but did you know that there
are 25 distinctly different names for the same four ghosts? Twenty-six if you
consider 'Sue' from the Pac-Man with a bow, Ms. Pac-Man.... | |
Videogame Urban Legend - Polybius
by
Michael Thomasson
Polybius
was a puzzle game that had a very limited release, reportedly restricted to less
than a dozen arcades in a small Portland suburb. The games history is hazy. Reports
indicate that children that played Polybius could no longer remember common and
basic information critical to their lifestyle such as how to find their home or
even recall their own name. It is unknown if these effects of amnesia were permanent... |
Beyond the Balrog:
The Evolution of Text Adventures
by
Tim Miller of uvgm
James
Sutherland's sign currently reads "You are standing at the end of a road
before a small brick building." It's the first line of Adventure, the first-ever
text adventure, or interactive fiction game. Over the past 25 years it's spawned
an entire genre, more than one in fact, and yet nowadays you can't find a single
text-adventure to buy in any shop. | |
Creating the Devastator - Part II
by
J.W. Krych
The already superior MAME controller
has been improved, and this brilliant controller now has joysticks w/ top-mounted
fire-buttons, Dual Joysticks, Trackball, and a Spinner!
This
article is written by the Devastator creator himself, Jim Krych, concerning why
every di-hard gamer should try out the Devastator! |
Atari Holoptics and the Ill-Fated Cosmos
By
Michael Atkinson
Now
remember, this was the crazy eighties after all. In
the time of glitz and glamour - post-punk, pre-grunge and pure consumerism - Atari,
prior to the great video game crash of 1983, were well known as leaders in the
electronic entertainment industry and were, at the time, maintaining their status
as a technological juggernaut, while constantly trying to bring new and innovative
products to market... | |
CinciClassic 2002 ReCap
By
Michael Thomasson
There were thousands of
rare cartridges, devices, peripherals, consoles, adapters, collectable - literally
a grand multitude of miscellaneous hardware and software from the the Golden days
of electronic console gaming. Objects to represent just about every niche of gaming
history, from the common to the most obscure. Devices new even to the most experienced
enthusiest. Many times I witnessed the awe of discovery pertaining to items decades
old... |
Sega Spuds
by
Raina Lee
I
once jumped into a 2,000-gallon vat of cold instant potatoes for video games and
cold hard cash. It was the most disgusting, physical sensation I have ever felt...
| |
A Fifth Grade Encounter
with the Man Behind the Video Game
by
Daniel Arnold
Starring:
Mrs. Stewart's
Fifth Grade Classroom
Shaftsburg Elementary School & Ralph Baer |
Psychoanalyzing 2600 Characters
by
Chris Federico
Video game characters, on
the other hand, do not have cerebral cortexes or any of the other elements that
enable humans to act of their own free will, seek personal versions of happiness
or even get nervous before engaging in gunfights. No matter how much personality
a silicon protagonist might have, he's built according to the mathematical logic
of computer code and he's programmed to act in one particular way according to
every circumstance possible in his game. So we can have a little fun figuring
out the intrinsic motives of those most primitive creatures in the world of classic
games: VCS characters. | |
Classic Gaming Expo 2002 Coverage
by
Michael Thomasson
Another amazing expo has
come and gone. If you were fortunate to attend, relive the memories. If not, well,
come drool over what you missed and start your planning for CGE2K3! |
Winky Dink,
the History of Interactive Television, and You!
by
Michael Thomasson
After
all the hype, promises, and experimentation for decades, it looks as if interactive
television is growing to become a $20 billion dollar venture. However, did you
know that the concept of interactive television is almost as old as television
itself?... | |
How
to Acquire Video Games
(without breaking your wallet)
by
Steve Costanzo
The
overall goal of most collectors is to get every game for a particular system.
In my case, it is to get every game for every system. The best way that I have
found to get started collecting is to pick a system with a low game total, such
as Sega 32X or Atari 7800, and go after the games for it. If you are picky like
me, you want the box and book along with the game. This makes collecting a little
more challenging as well as expensive. For me, it is worth it. A big part of the
thrill is in the hunt. Sometimes the hunt is more fun than actually playing the
game! |
So You Wanna Read Japanese
by
Michael Thomasson
So you couldn't wait any
longer! You imported a game from Japan because you just had to play it! And then
you discovered that before you could actually get to play the game, that you had
to maneuver through the game's menu system. All those crazy symbols became so
confusing to you... | |
Classic Gaming Expo 2001 Coverage
by
Michael Thomasson
Good Deal Games was a
proud supporter of CGE2K1. View Photographs with descriptions of this fabulous
event! |
Quarter
Flash
by
John Sellers
Here's what I like to think
happened to arcades as we knew them - that is, open for business: One morning,
we all woke up with a killer hangover and couldnąt muster the strength to trudge
down to Aladdin's Castle (or Space Port or Fun Factory, or any of the other somewhat
nerdy variations on names for video-game hangouts). This being right around the
year 1986, we slumped in our basement beanbags, hooked up the Nintendo NES that
we got for Christmas, flipped on the television set, watched a few videos on MTV
- hopefully catching a break and getting Falco's 'Rock Me Amadeus' and Eddie Murphy's
'Party All the Time' back to back - pushed the NES power button when veejay Adam
Curry's freakish mane appeared on the screen, and played games for the rest of
the day.
This article is an excerpt from the excellent book Arcade
Fever by John Sellers and Running
Press Published online with permission. | |
Creating the Devastator
by
J.W. Krych
A new MAME controller has surfaced
after much development, and this beast of a controller has it all: Dual Joysticks,
Trackball, and a Spinner!
This article is written by the Devastator
creator himself, Jim Krych, concerning why every di-hard gamer should try out
the Devastator! |
New Games
by
James Eldred
The Playstation 2 is the most
powerful video game system on the planet. It is faster and has better graphics
than any other system ever made. In fact, many consider it to be greatest video
game system of all time - Just don't tell that to Mark Shaker.
"The
first video game I bought was a Vectrex in 1982, and I've been playing it eversince."
Mark said. The Vectrex was released in 1982 and quickly faded into obscurity... | |
Classic Attack
by
Michael Atkinson
Moving into my thirties
I have come to a crossroads where I am vainly attempting to recapture my misspent
youth. That said, having been a gaming enthusiast as long as I can remember, this
is no surprise that I have started my voyage of discovery with one of my beloved
memories. The Atari 2600 VCS... |
How to Refurbish
your
Nintendo Entertainment System
by
Dan Mahlendorf
The NES is a great system
that was plagued with one small problem: cartridges didn't always want to work
right away. While this problem was remedied with the top load NES 2, most
everyone has the original front loading model. For many people who own a NES (or
for those who just obtained one), the typical solution of cleaning the cartridges
or the deck may not seem to be working anymore. What this document intends
to show you is how to breathe life back into your NES so you may be able to actually
enjoy playing it, rather than cursing at it when a game doesn't load.
| |
Getting
The Most Out of an Atari 800XLDJ
by
Edward S. Baiz Jr.
An absolute enourmous
amount of Atari computer information here - I do not even know where to begin
to start a description of the article - just forge on - you'll be entertained,
especially if your a hardware guru like we are!
- Michael Thomasson
Good Deal Games |
When is a Combat Not a Combat?
by
Lee Seitz for Classic Gamer Magazine
Once
your classic cartridge collection reaches a certain size, you'll discover you're
finding few new cartridges at thrift stores. In order to "get their fix," so to
speak, many collectors start collecting label variations to keep their number
of "finds" up. "Label variations" simply means different types of labels
on the same game. For Colecovision cartridges, this might mean the difference
between the labels saying the cart is "for Colecovision" and saying it's "for
Colecovision & ADAM." For Intellivision, it's probably the difference between
the colorful Mattel labels and the black and white Intellivision, Inc. labels,
which also featured slight name changes to avoid licensing fees (e.g. "Football"
instead of "NFL Football"). For the Atari 2600, it's more complicated...
| |
Confessions
of an FMV Addict
by
Cliff "Funkadelic" O'Neill
In
the early to mid '90s, Full Motion Video (FMV) was all the rage. Most CD-ROM-based
games at the time incorporated FMV in some way, and many games consisted of it
entirely. In fact, consoles like Genesis/Sega CD, 3DO, and CD-i featured a host
of 'interactive movie' type "games," in which live-action footage would play and
give players limited control over the action. As ashamed as I am to admit it,
I enjoyed this type of interactive experience. |
Classic
CES Gaming Treasures
by
Michael Thomasson and Bill Kunkel
Collectable
items were distributed during the classic CES (Consumer Electronics Shows) shows
in years past, prior to E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) being formed. The CES
shows being held primarily in Chicago (summer) and Las Vegas (winter) and were
closed to the public and only available to those parties involved within the industry.
Most of these items were hard to come by, even to those that fit the CES attendance
requirements. Take a look - You'll be impressed!
NEW -
Buttons & Pins Section
Added! | |
How
to Clean
or Resurrect Damaged Games
by
Michael Thomasson of GDG
Do you have a game
cartridge or CD that is reluctant to play? Receive a game in a trade or at a yard
sale that looks like it has seen better days?
Here are some tricks used by
the best to pro-long and bring new life to our old treasured games!
|
The
Story Behind the REAL First Issue Cover of Electronic Gaming Magazine
by
Michael Thomasson and Bill Kunkel
-- the
kid had that "I'm getting zapped" look all right, but it wasn't a a good kind
of zapping. So it was re-drawn, but I had to go to the summer CES in Chicago in
June '81 armed with nothing but the promise of a game magazine and these original
cover slicks with the kid looking very weird and the ad info etc. | |
Totally
Retro
By
JIM LENAHAN
The Louisville Courier-Journal Newspaper
Forget the Sony PlayStation 2 and its many wondrous features. For many people,
real video-gaming fun can still be had by firing up the old Atari system and blasting
away in Space Invaders. |
The Rise & Fall of Vectors:
Part 1
by
Syzygy Magazine & Good Deal Games
...what
is known, however, is that Rosenthal possesed the copyright to his vector display,
which he called the "Vectorbeam" monitor, and which he licensed to Cinematronics
for each Space Wars game produced. | |
This "Thing" Belonged in a Swamp
By
Michael Thomasson of GDG
...as I tried to
leave, he actually grabbed my shoulder, and swung me back to the display console.
He then pushed a controller in my hand, and challenged me to compete with him.
What really made this event so wacky, was that Swamp Thing was to be a
single player game! |
How to Modify an Atari
2600 Paddle Controller
for use with the Vectrex
By
Rob Mitchell
This article describes how
to make a "pong" type controller for the Vectrex from a standard Atari paddle. | |
Boardquest: Unfinished Business
By
Classic Gamer Magazine
Did you ever wish
Atari made a sequel to their hit game "Adventure"? Well, you're in luck because
they did. Sort of. "Adventure II," as it was originally known, was intended to
be similar to the earlier Adventure, only much grander in scale. In fact, the
project became so enormous, they decided to break it up into four separate games.
These games came to be known collectively as the "SwordQuest" series...
|
The
Coleco Story
By
Ralph Baer (w/ permission)
... Why the double-barreled approach? There was a fire burning at Coleco! They
needed the Sanders fire brigade, but fast! ... Since Coleco had some 30 million
dollar's worth of Telstar inventory sitting in their Connecticut warehouse ready
for distribution, there was panic in Hartford! | |
Videogames may lead to Better Health
through new NASA Technology
by
NASA
Encouraging news has emerged from NASA
determining that videogames have positive influence on stress and various health
problems. |
The LINEAGE of ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT
By
Michael Thomasson of Good Deal Games
A Very
COMPLETE history of home videogames & computers. Covering four (+) decades from
1956 to 1997. There is something NEW here for everyone from the novice to the
classic gamer. | |
Super
Mario Brothers and Sister
By
Sega Web staff writer AnonAmos
... Why eat
when you can stare at that little glowing ship dance around in a maze of deadly
rocks? |
New
Blood for Orphaned Systems
By
Leonard Herman
One of the bitter realities
of the video-game industry is that eventually a system will become obsolete...
This link used with permission from Videogames.com, Gamespot & Leonard Herman
| |
Lost Childhood
By
Sega Web staff writer AnonAmos
...that sense
of sitting down on the couch with the greatest games and knowing that controller
is tuning me in to pure magic. |
How
to ReProgram Atari VCS 2600 Games
the EASY Way!
By
Orphaned Computers & Game Systems
You think
of yourself as a real VCS fan- a true collector. Perhaps, instead, you are just
a casual VCS player...
| |
Accessing
Games Online
by
Seb
An online
casino is a great way of testing your gaming skills. Choose from all the best
casino games from the virtual
tables. Or, you can have fun playing slots
just like a real-life machine. |
Glowing
Blue Reasons to Collect
By
Michael Thomasson of Good Deal Games
...Many
of us simply remember fond times with our family and friends in the safety of
our living rooms. We know that inside each of those identical boxes, with it's
wires running into the back of our television set glowing blue in the sinking
twilight, that there were people with stories. | |
How
Games Have Grown Up
by
Sega Web staff writer AnonAmos
I've watched
video games grow up. In a way I feel like a parent. It's a strange parenthood
though... |
| | | |
