classicgamesnut
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Posts posted by classicgamesnut
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My family didn't have an Atari until well into the crash, when they were on clearance tables with double-digit price tags. Before that, my time on the VCS / 2600 was mainly on the displays in the stores. There wasn't a Sears, Kmart, or Woolworth's within walking or biking distance for me--let alone any arcades--so I had to wait until the folks went to the store. And then, it was game on! Maybe.
If there was a pile of bikes by the store entrance, then the store display was usually mobbed with kids all waiting for their short turns to play whatever cartridge was being featured. If there were any 13-15 year olds in the crowd, forget it. They'd hog the controls until the store closed, while the pre-teens like myself looked on helplessly. Any polite requests to play were met with stony silence. Sometimes we'd resort to watching the unplayable demonstration cartridge repeat itself over and over on the nearby Intellivision display.
Another obstacle was grouchy sales clerks, usually old ladies with curly hair, horn-rimmed bifocals and perma-frowns. Couldn't get within ten feet of the display without being halted by a snappy "Don't touch that!"
But other times it was wide open, and I got to spend some quality time with Asteroids, Berzerk, Pitfall, and Seaquest. Some of my best Atari play sessions were at the Air Force BX...there weren't usually many other kids there, my folks would shop for hours, and the sales clerks were young and friendly. Sometimes they'd even play a game or two with me.
Got any memories like these? Please share!
Larry
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BEAUTIFUL WORK. The Japanese version should be collectible already.
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SWEET controllers!
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If you type "new minivex twin stick" in the search bar on this site, you can see my post from last year with pictures and description of my dual stick controller, compatible with both the 2600 and 7800. I only made a few of these, to test the waters, and there just wasn't enough interest to justify a whole batch. Kept the prototype for myself and it does come in very handy for Raiders and Stargate. Might give you some ideas for building your own.
I'd put a link here to that post if I knew how, but I'm computer illiterate.
Larry
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I need me some retro socks like those! Very appropriate for playing old school games!
Larry
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There's a "secret" fifth selection on the dial that's not labeled...one click past number 4...try that one
Larry
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That's cool!
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Never knew I could be that convincing...
I wasn't kidding about being a redneck, however. In the photo is my "Fairweather Drying Rack" and the drying room for freshly coated MiniVex cases. Keeping tumbleweeds out of the drying room is a real challenge.
Larry
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Update: last day for sales will be Monday, July 22!
Larry
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WAY COOL, thanks for the info. Now it's here on AtariAge for all to see. I can't tell you just how difficult it was to find the tiny amount of info that I did, and what I presented above was pretty much the extent of it. Even Atari Mania, which has quite a few variants listed, didn't have much of anything on these at the time I was looking.
Probably fair to say then, that Ocean City is also in PAL format.
Larry
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Up for auction on eBay are two weird cartridge variants I ran into a while back, never having seen either before...at least, they're weird in the U.S. but maybe not overseas.
First up is "Ocean City" by Funvision. I don't know the region format of this cart, because even after cleaning the game won't come up but a second, long enough to glimpse a screen like Atlantis. Tried it on two TV's, one of which does display PAL, and got the same result on both. The picture label matches that of a game called Inca Gold by Zellers, which is strange because they had their own Atlantis hack "Ocean City Defender", and it had yet a different picture on the cart.
Second up is "Quick Step" by Imagic. Not an uncommon game by any means, but the cartridge sure is...in an Activision-style case with an orange label. This one IS working, and turned out to be PAL format. Only learned today (slap) that most modern TV's can display PAL. Never knew that before.
By the way, the dates in the photos are incorrect. My camera eats batteries and I'm tired of the setting the date.
If you're interested in either of these, please visit my eBay page:
[ebayseller]classicgamesandcarsfan[/ebayseller]
Larry
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Hi again, fellow Vectrex-aholics. I know there are already some good rapid-fire add-ons for the Vectrex, but I thought I'd take a stab at one. This Universal Four-Channel Rapid Fire Module (that's a mouthful) hooks up inline with any Vectrex controller. The four locking buttons on the unit let you assign rapid fire to any or all of the buttons on your favorite controller, and the rotary pot and pulsing LED on the back of the unit let you adjust the firing rate to your liking. Very simple and easy to use.
Thanks to all for your support.
Larry
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Addendum: someone please let me know if eBay link does not work. It was acting strangely.
Larry
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Hi folks, sorry if the title sounds like a loud TV commercial for a used car dealership.
Going to be relocating soon, and anything I don't have to pack up means one less headache. (Will probably run out of aspirin regardless.) Thus if you've been considering a MiniVex controller for Vectrex or Atari, they'll be available for the next few weeks, last week of July at the latest, and that will be it for a while. I do expect to be back up and running sometime in the mid-to-late fall, but there's just too many variables to say exactly when.
Please visit my eBay seller's page; all serious offers will be considered.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/classicgamesandcarsfan/m.html?_trksid=p3692
To all who have been supportive in one way or another...thank you.
Larry
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Here are the photos again, somehow they got lost during the recent renovation:
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Way cool innovation, man!
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Thanks for the heads-up!
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Howdy folks! Check out the newest and BEST YET, the MiniVex Redneck Edition Limited Release controller for Vectrex!
Comes in the sturdy steel case you've come to expect, and this batch was made from a 1974 Ford LTD Country Squire Station Wagon hood, so you know it's tough. Joystick features the latest in anti-slip technology, revered by the world's best screwdriver manufacturers, and guaranteed not to get away from you during that critical last Minestorm level. No room to label the buttons on this one, so they're handily color-coded with a detachable reference card to tell you which one is which. And, you ask, does this MiniVex come with the rapid-fire feature that most other models do? Of course it does! Shots will fly just as FAST as you can turn the hand crank on the side of the case! Not only does this eliminate the need for a separate adjustment knob, but you can BURN CALORIES while playing video games!
But that's not all! The first ten orders come with a special bonus, a FREE MiniVex camo hat, GUARANTEED to be a conversation starter at your next classic gaming or outdoor sports convention!
GET YOURS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
DISCLAIMERS:
- Warranty not honored if beer, soda pop, transmission fluid or other liquids spilled inside unit.
- No offense intended to any rednecks, anywhere, as I myself am at least partially a redneck.
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I'd like to see this!
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Hi again, Vectrex-aholics. Just wanted to share a brief glimpse of two new MiniVex creations.
In the first photo is the Mini-Twist, a pint sized spinner controller that includes all four button functions (numbered 1-4, left to right) and a rocker switch on the back to scroll through on-screen menus. Like the other MiniVex spinner units, the spinner doubles as an extra fire button.
In the second photo is the Driving Package...a spinner controller that includes a detachable foot pedal. You can use it like any other spinner controller, but for an added fun element you can plug the foot pedal into the back and select any button 1-4 with the rotary dial. Using it with driving games is NOT required of course, but it was indeed made with that possibility in mind. This one is also menu compatible with a rocker switch for scrolling through menus, and the spinner doubling as an extra fire button.
Wish any more info? Please contact me or post here.
Larry
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So a MiniVex made it to the Vintage Computer Festival? Awesome!
Larry
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Here's the newest addition to the MiniVex controller lineup for Vectrex. The MiniVex V features a steel case and an adjustable rapid fire feature for button #4, like the other models do. This one's got a LH mounted spinner control and a RH mounted analog paddle control. The spinner can be used with some homebrew games and an assortment of original Vectrex titles that have been modified for spinner use. It also doubles as an extra fire button, just push down on it. The paddle control can be used with the game "Hyperchase" in its original, unmodified Vectrex cartridge format, as well as Vectrace, Spike's Water Balloons, Vaboom, and a few other homebrew titles. There's also a switch that selects the X or Y axis for the paddle, which allows you to navigate menus on multi-carts AND crank up the thrusters on Moon Lander. All in all, a versatile package.
Need additional info? Please post here or PM me.
Larry
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BinaryStar software carries a multi-game cartridge that's full of spinner compatible games. Some of these are titles from the original Vectrex library that have been modified for use with a spinner. I don't know how to post a direct link to that site, but it should be easy to find.
Larry
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Been striving for months to streamline and improve production methods as well as find better deals on parts and materials, and I'm finally there. All MiniVex controllers for the Vectrex are now $99 plus shipping. Except the MiniVex I, that one's $89. You can see pictures and descriptions of each model in the Vectrex forum here on AtariAge, or visit my eBay page at:
eBay Seller: classicgamesandcarsfan
Thank you to all who have helped MiniVex to become established in the classic gaming community.
Larry
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Playing Atari in the stores when you were a kid...
in Atari 2600
Posted
"Service Merchandise Guy" jogged my memory. I believe his cousin must've worked at a store I visited as a kid. The store's Atari display had a sign on it: "NO ONE UNDER 18 MAY PLAY WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION." Since playing was out of the question I started checking out all the cool cartridges in stock. I picked up a Frogger box to see the game description and pictures on the back, and SMG's cousin stomped over, RIPPED the box from my hands and SNARLED "Don't touch anything else!" I found my folks elsewhere in the store and convinced them to come over to the Electronics department, where they watched me play for a good 15 minutes, while the rotten clerk stood by fuming and speechless. Hee hee.