Some Atari class : Atari computer the 8 bit Atari 600 xl 16k memory

Okay.

Atari showcased allot of class in doing very nice looking consoles , computers and peripherals. This makes them very much collectible. Not just because they are good looking but also, they are very durable and they really do last a long time.

I don't have much of that Atari stuff though because they are very hard to find these days.I have a few, here's one. What i have here is an Atari 600xl . Its one of those home computers that was made by Atari.

You see its very neat. Very professional looking dark brown dirty white finish plus the stainless aluminum buttons which are place at the right side. It has also a LED light that gives you signal when the unit is turned on.

This thing is pretty deceiving. Its heavy. Seems like a keyboard weight but its one of those well built machines that have metal shielding on it. No wonder its really a quality stuff because you can literally say that it has solid parts basing on its weight.

very nice ventilation also.

The cartridge slot lies on the top with a aluminum cover on it. Actually reminds me of my Othello Multivision which i also posted here. I really like this feature because it really helps the cartridge slot from dusts when not in use.

Being said that, cartridge port of this Atari 600xl can host games from the atari 5200 which are kind of smaller and better than those of atari 2600's

I don't have any games fir this yet by the way.

It has also the same controller ports replacement at the side right. Uses 9 pin port. Yes, you can actually use stock Atari 2600 and Sega genesis controllers. So that pretty much makes it cool.

Whats nice is, even though this thing has an OS on it and was indeed a home computer, you don't need to put commands or anything like that when you want to play a game. You can just insert that cartridge and it instantly loads. No matter if its a disk game from its peripheral or what.

They keys are very noticeable. Very nicely done and neat. Looks like an electric typewriter back in the days.

That's it folks. My Atari 600xl . If someone can hook me up with peripherals or games it'll be great. I wanna see it run like it did back in the days. Or maybe hand it down to someone who wants it. for a good price =D

1982 Mattel Electronics Intellivision , the sweet young lady

What can i say? again its one of the not so many days that i get the "good stuff" in a "not so complete" condition. This time i got this nostalgic telephone looking Mattel Electronics Intellivision 2 . Its really pretty . really.

Its like one of the girls who you would definitely ask out, or maybe ask in =D

Its one of the very futuristic looking console i think. It has the Red racing stripes like circling around the very edgy body finish.

A guy console would definitely ask her out if she was indeed a lady. See those sexy PS2 and ATARI like ridges over the top and back? weeet weeeew !

Pretty neat huh? They surely served the purpose. More of the cooling system i guess and, since this baby was really produced primarily to reduce cost of production. They made it sexier than the initially released version.

You will surely like to run your fingers to her very nice red lips, o i meant finger pads , controllers =) very decent paddle control . Reminds me of an Ipod music player. You literally move the shiny black circle paddle button just like adjusting the volume of an Apple Ipod. I dont know if its clickable command button or what though. Well, not yet.

Unlike most machines , the cartridge slot lies at the right side, this devotchka has to be inserted with GAME cartridges, of course!

But just like any other girl around, She came with some difficulties for sure. Too bad this intellivision came with missing controller , no wonder intellivision 1 will probably not have that problem being the controllers permanently attached to the system. 9 pin controller port folks. looks like empty without them.

I also didn't get the original power adapter with it. Probably, this is the most common thing that will be missing when someone tosses out game consoles. Not like most retro consoles which use standard 9v volatage requirement, this young lady needs 16.2volts ! very odd.

I dont know why they did that but, this can cause me allot of problems, or maybe not? Someone told me that i can just use the common 9v 10v power adapter but i dont even want to gamble my love over this beautiful tinny winny.

She's mean. I really like the way Intellivision logo was placed at the front, like you do in the magazines, upper left part. Shiny and very classy.

Once again a long project. Just like an old fashoined lady wanting the traditional courtship, I need to search far and observe patience to find the controller 2 , power adapter that will work and game cartridges.

PS: Always remember guys, Girls are not toys . They must be .......

MARIO BROTHERS and PAC-MAN : A tribute to two of the not so many TIMELESS and genius games ever produced

"a timeless act or art is done in the right moment, not time, with talent and/or skill at the right platform of expression and with will" - dax reyes


From time to time we see great random things spring out of the open from genius minds. Few are expected to come but most of them just startle us. Some of them though can just be a fad or something that's gonna struck you for days and then just fade. But, there are not many out there that actually become timeless. So great and nice that people just cant get enough.

and things like these came in video games (and many other aspects of course)

Well, so good to play during the days that kids and gamers cant get enough of them and ask for more. This is one manifestation probably why Game series' came to life.

Who in the earth does not know or even heard about Shigeru Miyamoto's mario brothers? No wonder this wonderful creation became a success.

Just like the movies, this timeless video games' sequels were titled as is. Developers or owners just placed 1, 2 or 3 for them to be more recognizable or for whatever reason.

How about Toru Iwatani's originally puck-man or say pac-man ?

Now this is interesting, they didn't just place 1, 2 or 3 on the title , rather, they kind of completed the family by having the other series such as having a Ms. Pacman and a Pacman Jr. Great idea to make it even more catchy.

I don't know if Retro game collectors share the same sentiment but, i really do appreciate little things like obtaining these games. No questions if they are rare or maybe as common like this mario brothers cartridges. Thing is, they are fruit of hardships, wisdom and chance.They were few of the many game creations who were permitted by time to be remembered by most until now.

People liked them, I like them. Easy to say , they are wonderful creations. Its not about how much or how few but just the fact of having them lying on my house readily available for play today, tomorrow ,or if possible in many years to come. That's probably too much to ask.

Kudos to the people who have created such timeless works, and ALSO to all the people, partners, wives, friends and everyone who made it possible for them to do so. You people might even deserve more acknowledgement rather than those who actually got it but, i remember there was once a ruler of an empire who said,

"History remembers Kings not soldiers"

1982 coleco GEMINI . an atari 2600 clone

Once again, I got an interesting local find. Since I am not a fan of overseas or Worldwide Ebay type of purchase, It is very hard to find things like this locally specially in such condition.

I got this minty console from a fellow down south named "Eric" (i promised him that one day i will feature this game console) who accidentally re-discovered it when they were moving out of their old house. He said he saw it lying just beneath the old boxes (together with a mario brothers game and watch).

He remembered having it and playing with it during the times, but did not happen to recover any of the games. Surprisingly, all the hookups and parts were complete! inside the very nice original box. Which vulgarly displays atari 2600 compatibility and etc =)

Once you slide the box (the opening is on the side) you will see this Styrofoam that serves as the storage and protection of the game console. Also, it has an embossed coleco logo on it which makes it really look cool and authentic.

One problem though is it didn't had the power adapter so he wasn't able to test it. He didn't had any interest like me either for him to put time in doing so. Its almost complete except for that one vacant slot on the styro which is the power adapter slot.

The paper works are still inside the box when i opened it. Unit manual, warranty registration card and the Donkey Kong game cartridge manual, because this specific package includes the Donkey Kong game, which had a very nice art work! one of the beautiful things that old gaming had.

Y connectors and Original RF tuner

One nice feature and difference of it at least, with the unparalleled atari 2600, are the controllers. It had the joystick and paddle both at one single controller. In my honest opinion , the controllers of this coleco gemini are way more easy and comfortable to use than those of atari 2600 .

slim and very nice looking !

I also like the leathery look that it has right at the center of the console itself. Makes the console look more durable and professional.

Since this console is an atari clone, i thought that it probably has the same voltage requirements like the original atari. Which i had, so i did not worry about it that much.

Now it will all boil down to whether it is working or maybe just a piece of an old history good for display =)

My table top that topped them all. a GCE VECTREX

Its not everyday that you meet something like this. A huge 9" table top video game that literally has a tv on the system it self. Its probably one of the most delicate and fragile collection that i have. Its a General Consumer Electric / Milton Bradley Vectrex

Vectrex is a very interesting stuff! Was first distributed by GCE and then MB .It used the vector graphics to display the game which made it really unique for it is the only home based game that used that technology which was really popular that time for arcades. It is also a catalyst for 3d peripheral releasing the Vectrex 3D imager years earlier than that of Sega Master System.

A very cool trivia from WIKI :

"The game built into the Vectrex, MineStorm, would crash at level 13. However, on some machines the game would continue until the highest level, in which more mines were laid than would hatch. Consumers who complained to the company about the crash at the 13th level received a replacement cartridge in the mail. Entitled MineStorm II, it was the fixed version of the Vectrex's built in game. However, very few wrote to the company about it due to the difficulty in reaching level 13, making MineStorm II one of the rarest cartridges for the Vectrex system"

Well, to be honest, i really had to part with somethings just to get this not so little thing. The man who previously owned it definitely knew this machine is something.

The owner told me that this was given to him by his father as a birthday present when he was a kid. Though he doesn't really remember where did his father bought it, locally or abroad.

To cut the story short, We haggled. Haggled allot, until i got to a little bit of dilemma.

The man started to share some stories where he said that, he used to value and really enjoy the machine being a child, things like that. He was actually fitting his fingers on the very bulky controllers while doing that, so the feeling is there. You know, memories.

By the way, you can play two player on it for it has a sencond player controller port but the controller that comes with it fits on the box itself just right under the screen.

Back to the story, i was really afraid that while the stories go on, the numbers keep raising up! =D

I really liked the machine thinking that i might not see one again if i missed that moment so, finally we agreed on to something after hours of haggling.

heres a simple math of what i had to give for the machine. Now do the numbers !


Ipod Nano 2nd gen 2gb
+
DVD player
+
about $21us / 1 Thousand pesos
+
Hassle of bringing it home

= Milton Bradley Vectrex

To do another a little bit of math, Im just about 90% happy about the stuff. Missing 5% more because it had no cartridge with it. Yes this stuff has a built in game "mine storm" on it but of course the experince isn't full if i dont get to insert something on the cartridge slot which sits on the bottom right of the box.

He assured me that it works anyway. So upon going home. I checked the back

cleaned and cleared away the dust of time. and

It is indeed working great ! He enjoys my stuff , I enjoy the history and playing !

I don't know what hit me but, We, in a weird manner, somehow managed to come up to that solution. Its not really a bad thing for me. The electronic stuff were my extras but also came with some memories. Well, same as his Vectrex, probably even more value because of the good times and childhood factor. So i thought, its a good exchange. Its not always about the monetary value anyway, things like this (retro stuff) have way more historical and personal value.