My Atari Halloween Story (and Contest)

[Sleep]

ok...wait...its coming to me.......ASTERIODS!

 

explanation:

see the two blanks symbolyze asteroids and the...aww who am i kidding? im such a stupid face

[Osmeroid]

I'm sticking with the 3-word thing (has cvga been dropping hints in posts?) and reckon the game is "Name This Game"????

[Happy_Dude]

Game of Concentration.

 

(that would be a sick joke )

[bcprs1]

I will guess Jawbreaker

[Cupcakus]

Piece O' Cake

 

I didn't even know that was a game until I looked it up :-)

 

HE GAVE US THE ANSWER!!!!!!!

 

I'll let someone else figure out how to get it from his story.

[+cvga]

I don't have much time (we're between hands of bridge) but wanted to check in to see if anyone got the answer. Good guesses but no one has the answer yet. Everyone is free to guess again.

[Big Player]

Superman?

[Big Player]

Well, there also is a certain college, but I will not post the name, since any of my football teams that I mention on this board seem to lose.

 

They'll lose anyway Big Player...don't you know that when they are having a good season...they can't beat the team from...up north???

 

 

GO

 

And this coming from a die-hard Indiana Hoosier...

 

Remember, John Cooper now works for the Cincinnati Bengals.

[church]

Pete Rose Baseball?

[Ze_ro]

they can't beat the team from...up north???

 

GO

 

Huh... I'm not familiar with American Football (college or NFL)... but our CFL team is call the Blue Bombers, and our team colors are blue and gold... and "Go Blue!" is a fairly common chant to hear at a game... Although I really doubt you're talking about a Canadian team here?

 

Oh, I have to guess at an answer? Hmm... Gee, I dunno... Before I guess, lets review some of the hints. Since I need to quote, I'll make a new message...

 

--Zero

[Ze_ro]

Since messing with letters isn't getting me anywhere, I figured I'd look more into what the descriptions were. Since we were told that the order has at least some bearing on things, and that listing the games is at least one step in things, then I'm sure there's more to it than what I have here... but oh well. Here's my interpretation of some of the clues. If you have a better idea, or just think I'm full of crap, please reply so that we can figure this one out!

 

6:04 P.M. My first treater! Look at you. I know that game I cried out in joy. As he left I could see the Atari symbol on his back.

 

I'm thinking this means it's a game made by Atari.

 

Also, didn't the Atari Force gang have Atari logos on their uniforms? Perhaps this is saying that the game had one of these comics included with it (Which would also imply that it was an Atari game)

 

6:12 P.M. Doorbell rings. Look at this little guy! What a cute costume!

 

Hmm... who knows? Could mean that the characters in the game are cute. Could turn out to be one of the kids games. Or perhaps it implies that the characters are small?

 

6:18 P.M. Whack, whack, whack. I opened my door just in time to catch a stick in the head from this kid. "Take some candy and get the puck outta here!!" I yelled

 

I have no idea here...

 

6:25 P.M. This time they came as a pair. Nice kids and cute costumes I thought.

 

Asteroids and E.T. together... perhaps it's a two player game?

 

6:37 P.M. I didn't recognize this kid so I asked, "Do you live around here?" "Yes, I'm one of the Zellers" he replied.

 

Well, I live in Canada, so this works fine for me... but "Living around here" and "Zellers" don't fit too well anywhere else. Since I already said I think it's an Atari game, then that kinda discounts it being a Zellers game. "Living around here" could mean that it's common for a Zellers game?

 

Alternatively, it could mean that it "lives close to" Inca Gold... maybe it starts with an I (alphabetically close), or that it has a similar theme to the label that cvga showed a picture of? Or a similar theme to the game itself?

 

6:43 P.M. Ding-dong. I answered the door but no one was there.

 

I also think this means that the name has three words in it. I suppose it could mean something else though.

 

6:48 P.M. What in the world is this I ask myself. I don't know but it looks like pure chaos I respond.

 

Perhaps the game is complicated?

 

6:56 Instead of ding-dong, I hear ding, ding, ding, ding. I nearly flipped out when I saw this costume.

 

A clue as to the sound effects? (I'm still not sure how someone would dress like a pinball machine )

 

7:01 P.M. Thump, thump, thump. Sounds like arrows hitting my door. No wonder. "Why do you look so sad on Halloween?" I ask. "Because I have to trick or treat alone tonight" was the reply.

 

The game is a one-player game? Combined with the above thought that it's a 2-player game, it might be possible to play with or without a computer opponent.

 

Since Robin Hood is sad, this could mean that playing it alone is crappy (Ala Maze Craze or Air-Sea Battle)

 

7:08 P.M. I heard the faint cry "HELP!" and there she was. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I'm afraid of heights both the smelly ape and man keep taking me higher" she replied. I gave her some airheads seeing how her name was already on the wrapper.

 

I have no idea what "airheads" are... I hope that's not important. Maybe Mario's girlfriend has something to do with the label? (I can't remember what her name is anymore... the DK manual just calls her "Mario's girlfriend"... Pauline? Peach? I forget)

 

7:13 P.M. Knock, knock, knock. Greedy pig took a whole handful before I could say "just one".

 

Another clue as to the single player ability?

 

7:21 P.M. Ding-dong. I answered the door but again no one was there.

 

Already covered this... although as mentioned the two of these could mean that there are two "voids" in the game somehow.

 

7:25 P.M. I think to myself "Weren't these guys here earlier tonight?" but give them more candy anyhow. The one on the right really seems to like those Reeces Pieces.

 

Hmm... maybe there are two pairs of something in the game? Or perhaps this refers to repeated enemies in the game?

 

7:30 P.M. Last beggar of the night. I gave him the rest of the candy.

 

?

 

As you may have noticed, I haven't actually guessed anything yet. Uhh... Off The Wall?

 

--Zero

[+cvga]

The first half of the puzzle is solved!!!

 

Congratulations goes to Big Player!!!

 

The answer to the contest is Superman.

 

Now the tough part is figuring out why!

 

 

 

Big Player: You probably already have Superman. I don't know how large your collection is but if you list a few games you're looking for that aren't too rare, I'll let you know if I have an extra.

[Big Player]

Yes, I have two or three Superman carts.

 

As to any games I am looking for that are not too rare. Hmmm. This is tough since I filled a lot of these holes at the Cinciclassic. Is there a rarety level I could use to narrow my list?

 

Well, I worry about this tomorrow.

[Happy_Dude]

O.k here goes...

 

You use a lot of sound effects, ding ding ding ding, thump thump thump

etc...

And comment on "Cute Costume" a lot.

Also The guy with the atari symbol on the back of his costume..

well ... Superman has a symbol ... Right?

 

awww Who am I kidding I got nothing.

[+cvga]

Not yet. Here's some tips for anyone actually trying to figure it out:

 

- Pay attention to the carts instead of the descriptions of the trick-or-treaters. Most of the wording was intentionally there to help you identify the carts although some of it could be marginally useful in the explanation. The main thing is that I didn't want the contest to be too hard. While figuring out the carts is very important, I wanted everyone to be able to do so.

 

- There is only one answer using the correct solution key (and we already know that answer is Superman).

 

- It's possible that a completely different set of trick-or-treaters could have come and produced the exact same cart but it wouldn't be possible for this set of trick-or-treaters to represent a different cart (unless they arrived in a different order).

 

- It is important when the doorbell rings and no one is at the door but no one has figured out why yet.

 

Well, I've probably said too much. Someone will probably be able to get it now without any additional clues.

 

I can't wait to see which atari guests show up for our traditional Thanksgiving feast

[bcprs1]

i still have no clue.

[WyldKard]

because of the person not being there, was superman flying away to help some one. maybe...

[bcprs1]

We need more clues

[+cvga]

BigPlayer wrote:

As to any games I am looking for that are not too rare. Hmmm. This is tough since I filled a lot of these holes at the Cinciclassic. Is there a rarety level I could use to narrow my list?

 

I have a bunch of different titles from Pitfall II and less rare that you can pick from. I have Infiltrate, MouseTrap, Popeye, Spiderman, Pitfall II, Challenge of Nexar (I think), Planet Patrol, and a bunch more. If there's something in that range you need, let me know.

[+cvga]

We need more clues

 

Hmmm. You know the answer is Superman. The clues lead you directly to the answer if you know how to interpret them. The games (instead of the times, descriptions, etc) are the most important pieces of each clue. I'm not sure what I can say without giving the answer (well actually the solution) away but I'll try to give out another clue tomorrow night if no one has solved it by then.

[WyldKard]

Its a list of games made by the company up until the time they produced Superman

[Big Player]

BigPlayer wrote:

As to any games I am looking for that are not too rare. Hmmm. This is tough since I filled a lot of these holes at the Cinciclassic. Is there a rarety level I could use to narrow my list?

 

I have a bunch of different titles from Pitfall II and less rare that you can pick from. I have Infiltrate, MouseTrap, Popeye, Spiderman, Pitfall II, Challenge of Nexar (I think), Planet Patrol, and a bunch more. If there's something in that range you need, let me know.

 

Searched my collection and Infiltrate is my choice. I could have sworn I had this game.

[+cvga]

BP: Cool. PM me an address and I'll send it out. Congratulations on the win. I forgot to ask if you happened to just guess it or got it from one of my context clues such as "my neighbor 3 doors down got it right away" (referring to the band).

 

For everyone else: You can still win a great prize if you can figure out why the answer is Superman. The answer should be as simple as 1-2-3...

[Big Player]

BTW, we had a neighborhood gathering tonight and I told a few people about this contest and the solution to see if they thought it was too hard. I don't think my next door neighbor has ever even heard of Atari although she has heard of Nintendo. Her neighbor thought the contest was a cool idea but said he would not be able to come up with the answer. However, my neighbor three doors down got the answer before I even had a chance to start explaining the solution. Go figure.

 

By the way, no one has it yet so you can all guess again.

 

If anyone is wondering how I guessed Superman, I had to use the above clue.

 

Three Doors Down(rock band)=>Kryptonite(song)=>Superman

 

I hope someone can come up with the explanation.

[WyldKard]

BTW, we had a neighborhood gathering tonight and I told a few people about this contest and the solution to see if they thought it was too hard. I don't think my next door neighbor has ever even heard of Atari although she has heard of Nintendo. Her neighbor thought the contest was a cool idea but said he would not be able to come up with the answer. However, my neighbor three doors down got the answer before I even had a chance to start explaining the solution. Go figure.

 

By the way, no one has it yet so you can all guess again.

 

If anyone is wondering how I guessed Superman, I had to use the above clue.

 

Three Doors Down(rock band)=>Kryptonite(song)=>Superman

 

I hope someone can come up with the explanation.

 

 

Sad thing is i thought of superman when i read that...