Catsmasher

I just found an Atari XE Video Game system new in the box. The box is somewhat worn, but the contents are new and still wrapped. My local video game guy found it in his storeroom and called me (it is good to let folks know what you are interested in). I bought the system for 60 dollars. Did I get an OK deal? I didn't find enough of these on ebay to get a feel, but I thought it would be a good addition to the collection. Thay have another system in the box, but it is not new. It is a bit yellowed, but it is complete. Being new to this system, what are the best games to start with? Thanks Catsmasher.

I have had my Dingoo for a few weeks and I really like it. It is my new travel companion. A lttle kid in an airport asked me what kind of game it was and he was amazed when I showed him what it could do. The Lynx emulator works really well. It is neat playing my favorite Lynx games on a system that small with a screen that clear and not have to lug the massive Lynx around. Whenever I played the Lynx in public, people looked at me like I was an alien trying to contact the mothership or something. It is also neat playing games like Mario and Donkey Kong and being able to save the game. Maybe now this old fart will finally finish a game! GO DINGOO!

I guess I wasn't aware that we weren't allowed to talk about things that directly pertain to the buying and selling of classic games. Craigslist is a major avenue for trade of this stuff...color me confused for finding this thread (and all of its posts) to be ON topic... Maybe I missed something. It looks like someone starts a post about a Craigslist add where someone is looking to buy a video game. A rare game for sure, but still just an online want add. He wasn't listing a buying price, just that he was looking for the game. Then someone posts a bogus reply to the add with a made up story in order to yank the guy's chain, and posts it here. Then it turns into a grade school playground back and forth full of foul languange and personal insults, all posted here. I am not sure how any of that "directly pertains to the buying and selling of classic video games".

Opps , I hit the button twice.

No one mentioned Chip's Challenge yet! Great puzzle game. My favorite along with Lemmings, but I am pretty sure Chip's is exclusive to the Lynx. Why pick just one? The prices will only go up and you can still find them NIB for decent prices, buy them when you find them. Also don't forget that some titles come with really cool posters instead of manuals. Probably the best lookinf video-game themed posters I have ever seen. Buy a game NIB and it will be in perfect condition. I framed four of them (Pac Land, Stun Runner, Xybots and Turbo Sub) to decorate my gameroom. People always comment how great they look. Welcome to the Lynx - Have fun!

What is the point of this thread anymore? The Craigslist add did not specify a price, just that he was looking for a game. Then you go and send him a bogus reply and act all surprised when it devolves. This is why I avoid Craigslist. We all know that it is becoming the scummy back alley of on line trading. Your posts here just prove that you are a part of the problem. I get on Atariage to interact and learn about games and systems - not this stuff.

Once you try emulation and have things set up correctly you'll find it is a superior experience in many ways. You have easy access to thousands of games without having to clutter up everything. There is no mess of unreliable hardware. Documentation is available in one space. If any hardware does break - it's a simple matter to get it replaced almost instantly - no ebay fuss or endless hours looking for the 'right' part. You also get portability, you can take thousands of games from many different systems with you in a small satchel. You have versatility and the ability to modify the game code as you see fit.. Eventually emulation will be the *only* way to enjoy classic gaming. Hardware will fail and get thrown out. Things will be forgotten in the attic and be sold off through estate sales. The folks that 'curate' existing hardware will croak and hardware will be disposed of in a non-recoverable way. etc..etc.. Any disadvantages are small and soon forgotten. There really is no downside! Long live emulation! Careful there! By your logic, people would not be driving restored Model Ts around, people would not be listening to old vinyl on turntables and tube amplifiers, People wouldn't have chickens in their yard (when there are eggs at the store), etc. THere will always be room fo rthe old as well as the new. I have a slick MAME machine in the corner of my basement and I also have a Dingoo hand held emulator and I play both of them a lot. But for some reason, when I want to play certain games, I reach for the old harware. I just like the complete experience. There is room for every aspect of the hobby. I disagree that emulation will become the "only" way to enjoy classic gaming.

My wife doesn't scream at me, she just rolls her eyes and gives me that look. Kind of like the look the cat gives the dog. Like "I know you are stupid and irrational, but you can't help yourself and I have no choice but to put up with you". And I don't mind because I have a man cave full of video gaming grooviness.

What is "ridiculous" about an ebay seller with a 100 percent rating placing a game for sale with a 99 cent starting price and no reserve, then over 33 people going online and bidding it up to a high price? Looks like the free market at work. Maybe video game collecting has evolved past the days of finding stuff at flea markets and Goodwill stores. It happens with a lot of hobbies. You either evolve with the market, adjust you expectations and goals, or find another hobby. I have been reading more and more threads complaining about prices and availability of games and systems. Did you think video game collecting would stay a flea market/garage sale type of activity forever? Face it, the bargins will always be getting harder and harder to find, and as much as we would like it, members of AtariAge do not set the value of video games, the free market does.

Just wondering - what do your Arari and Zombie shirts look like?

I bought an Intellivision II and an Intellivision III from someone with a whole box of carts (about 40) for $30. The IntII didn't have a power supply and the IntIII didn't work. I got another IntII off ebay for $25. It works and has a power supply but the controllers are messed up. I swapped controllers and voila- I have a working IntII with spare parts and a whole bunch of games for $55. I think it was an OK deal, but my wife thinks I spent about $55 too much. Keep playing Cat

I also got a Famicom and 15 games off of ebay for $75. The games alone would have been that much if bought seperate (with shipping). So I have a great start of a game collection and another Famicom in case I need parts or just want to resell to get some money back. Totally worth it to me. That is what makes classic gaming fun - so many systems, so many ways to play - something for everyone. Keep Playing Cat

I used a Genesis 1 power supply and the FR cable from my Atari 7800. It works! Anyone know of a better RF/AV cable to use? I think the picture could be better. Thanks Cat

What kind of ghost would haunt an arcade machine? A video game geek, that's what kind. Video gamers are not even much of a threat to anyone when they are alive, why be afraid of one that is a ghost? What is the worst he could do, beat your hi score?

Put the box in a platic tote with a lid and put it in a cool dry place. Put the the dumb cat outside where it belongs.

Check out ebay. I just picked up a Famicom (no box, no manual) for 54 dollars. It looks like new and works great. I am not serious about having the box or packaging or any of that stuff. If you search on "completed items" you can get a good idea of what they are going for. They are not as numerous as other systems and you usually have to wait for shipment from Japan, but they are not too hard to find. Are they going to be "garage sale" price items? No. But if you want one, you can find one. If a merchant says it is not for sale, just tell him "OK, I will just have to look on ebay.". The guys who own local stores are no longer the only game in town.

Just purchased an original Famicom from Japan (good old Ebay!) I wanted to verify a couple of things that I have been tryin to figure out. It did not come with a power supply. I found that it is 10V DC center negative. I read that a Genesis 1 power adapter will work (but not a Genesis 2 or 3, nor will any of the umpteen left over powwr adapters that I have laying around). Will a Genesis 1 power adapter work? I will need to order one so I want to be sure. It has an RF cable socket. Will the Atari 7800 cable work OK? Is there a mod cable available that enables you to use the RCA inputs on the TV (like the AV cables they sell for some of the other older consoles)? The channel one and two switch corespond to like channel 97 and 98 here in the US or something like that. Correct? Thanks for the help. My son and I are dying to try it out, but we don't want to fry it.

Gee whiz, what kind of job do you have that you can play video games for 5 hours a day at work!? You are the king! I'm not worthy... After all the feedback, I bought the Dingoo. So far I really like it. It plays NES, GBA and SNES games on the built in emulators pretty well so far. The music player seems to work well. I haven't tried to install any videos, but the sample videos look and sound really good. (Using the included headphones of course). The menus are direct replicas of PSP and are pretty easy to navigate once you figure out that you need to page back to the main menu before changing applicatons. Unfortunately, there is one problem. I got a black one and there is a small area where the black has pulled away from under the cover leaving a white patch. I will be contacting Thinkgeek via email and seeing if I can send it back for replacement. It is not a huge issue, but when you buy something brand new, it should not have such a cosmetic defect. Should have gone with the white. I will do that before installing any of my own software. I am a big Lynx fan and I can't wait to try out the Lynx emulator! Overall - not bad at all for a little $100 Chinese gadget. I can see this going on roadtrips. Thanks for all the feedback. CatSmasher

I look foreward to viewing them. I am glad you have so much free time.

You have Atari boxers and call your little friend your "joystick"

Do another one! Do another one!

I wasn't all that great at arcade games as a teenager no matter how many quarters I pumped into the machines. I had a lot of fun, though! Then there was my friend, Joe. No matter what new machine showed up at the pizza place, he could burn through about two or three dollars worth of quarters and be hitting 20+ levels or racking up million point scores. The guy had a knack for the games. He knew where the ghosts were going before they went there, he memorized where to move the ships to knock off all the aliens, etc. No matter how hard I tried, I could not even come close. Now that I have a MAME machine, it is the same way. I play a game a few times every now and then, hit a new high score from time to time, and have a lot of fun. Do I play Galaga into the 30th level? No way! Can I still get past level four or five in PacMan? No way. I figured out the hard way that it wasn't lack of playing time, it was lack of ability. But that is the great thing about video games, you don't have to master a game to have a lot of fun. Don't worry about it. Keep playing. Catsmasher

Did SPUD ever get his gas money?

. . . Looks to me like it is emulating the Lynx perfectly

That is what I want - to be able to run emulators. Is it comparable to running them on a PC? I am not much of a hacker - how straightforward is it to install and run the programs? All the talk about overclocking and different operating systems is scaring me. Can I just load emulators and run them with the installed OS? Thanks for the help. This sounds like it could be really cool. Keep on playing! Catsmasher