Atari 2600 clone with 444 games built in

[recoil]

Hi, this is my first post so go easy on me. I have been collecting old console stuff for a few years now, but don't know to much about it. I have just bought what i think is a clone of the 1982 black Atari 2600. The console has 444 games built in signs on it, and a 3 way switch with 128 games, 32 games, and 284 games possessions. Underneath it has a sticker with 2600B, and made in Taiwan. I am wondering if this is a rare console, or just a cheap copy. I have tried to attach photo's but am not sure if they will work.

Thanks, Chris.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2008 by recoil

[phuzzed]

hi Chris,

 

Welcoem to the forum. And thanks for sharing your picture.

 

Where did you find such a find? what games are on the system?

 

I have never seen such a system, but the 2600 was copied/cloned a quite a bit overseas, and even some in the States.

 

Have you ever taken it apart? Is there a marking on the motherboard on who made it?

 

Delf

[recoil]

Hi Delf, thanks for the welcome. I live in Australia, and picked it up on the weekend at a market. It was in a box with a Sega Saturn, and about 5 games. I haven't tried it yet, so im not even sure if it works. I am wondering why they split the games up into 3 switch positions. No i haven't had it apart yet.

Chris.

Edited January 7, 2008 by recoil

[opeygon]

my guess is that there are really only 3 different "games" on it. one game with 128 different variations, one game with 32 variations, and another with 284. but i could be wrong, as i have no idea, and have never seen one of those before.

Edited January 7, 2008 by opeygon

[Noelio]

My guess is that the rear selector is probably for selecting the appropriate mode for 1: (128 in 1 cartridge) 2:(32 built in games multi rom) 3:(284 in 1 cartridge).

Then, with the chosen cart or internal rom in place you select the game on the menu using the "game switch" that's in place of the color / b&w.

 

Again this is just a guess as it could just be switchable banks of roms with many variations of each.

 

Neat find and I hope it works!

[SeaGtGruff]

My guess is that the rear selector is probably for selecting the appropriate mode for 1: (128 in 1 cartridge) 2:(32 built in games multi rom) 3:(284 in 1 cartridge).

Then, with the chosen cart or internal rom in place you select the game on the menu using the "game switch" that's in place of the color / b&w.

 

Again this is just a guess as it could just be switchable banks of roms with many variations of each.

 

Neat find and I hope it works!

Yeah, I'd guess the games might be divided up according to ROM size and bankswitching method, just like you would load only games that use the same bankswitching method on a multicart.

 

I'm also guessing this is the same type of clone that the gentleman from the Ukraine posted about in another thread (note the "2600 B").

 

Michael

Edited January 7, 2008 by SeaGtGruff

[Omegamatrix]

Wow that is a shit load of games. If you could try making a list of what games are on it. If you have trouble identifying any of them take a picture of the TV screen and any of us on here will take a crack at it.

 

 

 

~Omega

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Wow that is a shit load of games. If you could try making a list of what games are on it. If you have trouble identifying any of them take a picture of the TV screen and any of us on here will take a crack at it.

Yes, a list would be great. You knever know if there isn't a yet unknown game hiding on those consoles.

[Foxsolo2000]

Yes, a list would be great. You knever know if there isn't a yet unknown game hiding on those consoles.

 

That is what I love about these foreign multi game consoles, the surprise of never knowing what they might contain. Fingers crossed for another TUG

[Rom Hunter]

I'm especially interested in that 284 games list.

 

I assume it didn't come with a list of the games (on the back of the box)?

 

If not, please post any screenshots of games you don't recognize.

 

I can pick out the true unknowns in a split second.

 

Remember: TUG (The Unknown Game) was also found on a clone:

http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?...ERSION_ID=15501

 

And Cat Trax was first found on a multi-cart:

http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?...ERSION_ID=17181

 

So IMO it's worth the effort.

 

Edited January 7, 2008 by Rom Hunter

[recoil]

Thanks for your help guys. I will have to try the console as soon as i get a chance now. I just notice the only power supply i got with the consoles is not an Australian one ( 3 flat pins), it has two round pins. It says input ac 220 V 50 hz, and out put 9v 500ma. Is this an American power supply. In might not be for the Atari. I have other ones that will fit anyway. Also the games i got with it i just through in a big box of other ones, but i am pretty sure one that come with it is called Jawbreaker. Another odd one in there was a Sega cartridge called Congo Bongo for a sc3000. What ever that is.

[Rom Hunter]

AFAIK two round pins is not American, but European.

 

You most probably have a PAL clone.

 

Edited January 7, 2008 by Rom Hunter

[mimo]

220volt is uk/europe.

USA is 110 volt

 

SC3000 Wiki

Edited January 7, 2008 by mimo

[opeygon]

My guess is that the rear selector is probably for selecting the appropriate mode for 1: (128 in 1 cartridge) 2:(32 built in games multi rom) 3:(284 in 1 cartridge).

Then, with the chosen cart or internal rom in place you select the game on the menu using the "game switch" that's in place of the color / b&w.

 

Again this is just a guess as it could just be switchable banks of roms with many variations of each.

 

Neat find and I hope it works!

Yeah, I'd guess the games might be divided up according to ROM size and bankswitching method, just like you would load only games that use the same bankswitching method on a multicart.

 

I'm also guessing this is the same type of clone that the gentleman from the Ukraine posted about in another thread (note the "2600 B").

 

Michael

 

after thinking about it, i agree

[recoil]

O.k good news, i plugged it in and it worked straight away. It seems to have heaps of different games on it. I have no idea what the names of them are. There are a few that have writing on the screen, some of these said - Word zapper, Mafia,Fast Eddie, Marianna, Tuby Bird Tomboy, Pac Kong, and i recognised Frogger, and Pacman, but there is what looks like heaps. In each of the 3 game settings, if i pressed the game switch it would change to a new game. I think some of the games may be on more that one of the 3 settings.

[Noelio]

Sweet!

 

I'd say this clone will generate considerable interest. Hang on to it or sell it to me hehehe!

 

Would be nice to source either more of these machines or get a good rom dump!

 

If there was only a manufacturer's decal on it or something to indicate who made / sold it etc and what country... This thing could be a flashback on steroids and meth@! Weeeeeeeeee!

 

Good find man... Would love to see the games list but that might be a little laborious hehehe.

 

O.k good news, i plugged it in and it worked straight away. It seems to have heaps of different games on it. I have no idea what the names of them are. There are a few that have writing on the screen, some of these said - Word zapper, Mafia,Fast Eddie, Marianna, Tuby Bird Tomboy, Pac Kong, and i recognised Frogger, and Pacman, but there is what looks like heaps. In each of the 3 game settings, if i pressed the game switch it would change to a new game. I think some of the games may be on more that one of the 3 settings.

[Rom Hunter]

O.k good news, i plugged it in and it worked straight away. It seems to have heaps of different games on it. I have no idea what the names of them are. There are a few that have writing on the screen, some of these said - Word zapper, Mafia,Fast Eddie, Marianna, Tuby Bird Tomboy, Pac Kong, and i recognised Frogger, and Pacman, but there is what looks like heaps. In each of the 3 game settings, if i pressed the game switch it would change to a new game. I think some of the games may be on more that one of the 3 settings.

Maybe I can help you out here.

 

I'm convinced that some of these games exist on more than 1 game setting.

 

Here's a list of a 160 in 1 clone:

 

Perhaps you can recognize a pattern.

 

Edited January 8, 2008 by Rom Hunter

[BigO]

Chick Beset?

Sanil on Squirrel?

Dragon Defenerpp?

 

Musta been the same writer that named the games on the 999999999 in 1 NES cloneish game I saw at the swap meet last weekend for $17.00.

[Spirantho]

Ah, yes, the cheap knock-off Atari clones. Gotta love 'em. They usually come from Asia or Arabia (I have a few Arabian ones) I think.

 

First thing to know is that the number of games on the label rarely has anything whatsoever to do with the amount of games on the console.

 

Most of these consoles have 128 games. Some have switches like this one to switch between banks, but in this case usually the second position will have many duplicates of the first.

 

I think the most I've seen on a console was 256 games... I think my "444 games" version actually has just 128 on it.

 

All the games on it are 2K or 4K. There's no bankswitching or anything like that. Most of them are early Atari/Activision games, often with graphical hacks. There also tends to be a lot of PAL only games - you'll find at least one copy of Save our Ship for instance, so it's a good cheap way of getting some of the more obscure ones.

 

Hardware-wise, from memory I seem to recall they consist of basically one all-in-one processor/TIA/RIOT but I'd have to check that. Maybe the 6507 is seperate - can't remember. Usually all the games are on one ROM.

 

I've spent many an hour going through my multi-game consoles trying to identify the games - it's actually quite fun! - but don't expect anything rare. T.U.G. for instance was on a Brazilian console so you're unlikely to find it on a PAL console... but hey, no harm in checking.

 

 

Best thing to do is what I did - take screenshots of games you don't recognise and post them to us. Then we can try and identify them for you!

 

Enjoy your clone.

[Rom Hunter]

Here's one with '500':

 

[mimo]

I see your 500 and raise you 60

 

Edited January 8, 2008 by mimo

[Jek]

I see your 500 and raise you 60

 

 

I offer my "3000" and "4001" pirate consoles (vader-style)

they look same - no need to post pictures

 

So there must be at least more than 2000 unreleased games on them

 

Jens

[cosmosiss]

Here's one with '500':

 

 

And a beauty she is. It's like a Sears vader

[Phantom]

I love these but the only ones I come across have been PAL so I pass.

I would love an NTSC one. Great find and fun Post!

[recoil]

Yes you were right Rom Hunter , the 128 position and the 284 position seem to have the same games. The 32 position is different. The games don't seem to follow the list order though. The first 6 screen shots in order from start in the 128/284 position are below. Then the next 6 are on the 32 position in order.