Gremlins...

[eightbit]

I found a boxed/complete and pretty mint copy of this today (finally!). I must say, this game is much more rare than I expected it to be. Heck, I found "Meteorites" before I found this title. I am assuming the rarity is because of the late release...way late.

 

This game was released in 1986...much after the crash! Now, I know that the game went to manufacturing the day before the Tramiel takeover, and they immediatelly halted manufacturing much to the dismay of Spielberg. It should have been released alongside the movie, but it was not.

 

But it was released in 1986, two years after the crash. What is the reasoning behind that? Wasn't the 5200 "old" by then? Were 5200's even being sold in 1986? Just seems like an extremely odd decision on the part of the Atari of '86.

 

Nonetheless, glad they did release it. It is really a great game and I am pretty glad to check that one off the list today!

[Rybags]

After the initial clampdown and suspending practically all development, the Tramiels actually did give the go-ahead for lots of stuff to bring in the cash, including release or re-release of old and/or suspended projects and software.

 

They even produced calculators... probably the one thing that you rarely/never hear about on this site.

 

I suppose they probably looked through the unreleased library and figured that they'd still be able to squeeze a few bucks out of the 5200 community. Given that the system didn't exactly have a huge catalog, the owners probably would have been grateful for anything that they bothered to put out by that time.

[GameGirl420]

I've got this game! I had a 5200 back in the 80's and never heard of this game until 10 years ago,and was'nt able to score a copy until last year.

 

 

I think this should have been a really big hit back then. Atari definitely released it way too late.

[eightbit]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

[ApolloBoy]

I think Gremlins was actually released in 1987 as opposed to 1986. If you look at the sales lists that Curt put up a year ago, you'll notice that it wasn't on the 1986 list but first shows up in '87. That might be the reason why it's harder to find than Ballblazer or Rescue on Fractalus, both of which were '86 releases.

[DracIsBack]

I think Gremlins was actually released in 1987 as opposed to 1986. If you look at the sales lists that Curt put up a year ago, you'll notice that it wasn't on the 1986 list but first shows up in '87. That might be the reason why it's harder to find than Ballblazer or Rescue on Fractalus, both of which were '86 releases.

 

 

These must have been released in ultra limited quantities. I have Atari Corp and Atari Canada price sheets from 1989 or so that flat out say they have nothig in stock for the 5200.

 

Wonder what the scoop is with them releasing new 5200 games in such a limited manner?

[Chris Leach]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

 

 

You live near the Digitpress store...Eighbit that is sweet.,...>!

[eightbit]

Yep, it is about 5 minutes from me...right down rt46. After I leave there I usually hit up the White Castle a few blocks down

[128Kgames]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

 

So it sounds like I should have kept my sealed copy of Gremlins sealed, huh?

 

Nah, where would the fun be in that?

 

Nice that you scored a copy, I've gone to DP a fee times (I work over in Lodi) but never really found anything on my "must have" list. Cool store though, although not what I expected.

[eightbit]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

 

So it sounds like I should have kept my sealed copy of Gremlins sealed, huh?

 

Nah, where would the fun be in that?

 

Nice that you scored a copy, I've gone to DP a fee times (I work over in Lodi) but never really found anything on my "must have" list. Cool store though, although not what I expected.

 

I've never been a fan of collecting sealed games myself, and if mine were sealed I would have opened it as well Easily one of the best games on the system. Too bad it came out when people were playing NES!

 

As for the store, yeah, not what I expected either. I guess I expected some more rarities locked up in glass cases for purchase or something. The mini museum in the back is cool...although none of those items are for sale! A lot of common games of course. Prices are somewhat equal to ebay, but at least you don't have to pay shipping

 

You know that most anything sold or traded that is REALLY rare ends up in Joe's hands, either for his personal collection or a forum/ebay sale. Guess that is one of the downsides (or upsides?) of being a mega-collector with a game collecting storefront!

[Zwackery]

Gremlins (2600, 5200, APL, C64, PC; Atari; 1984) – 2600 version very different from 5200 version (2600 version re-released in 1986 by Atari Corp.). 2600 version is basically two screens of action, the first involving the player controlling Billy Peltzer to catch Mogwais so they don't turn into gremlins, and then shooting gremlins in the next screen as they advance down the game field. The 5200 version (completed in 1984 but delayed until 1986) is more complicated, but also involves catching and collecting Mogwais and destroying gremlins with a sword (or stunning them with flash cubes) while distracting them with an assortment of devices (a popcorn popper, a television set, a refrigerator) derived from the mise-en-scène of the film (alternately, since each level is timed, the player can "survive" until 6:00am to advance to the next round). For one or two-players and features a demo mode. The instruction manual is divided into major sections including: "The Cast" (introducing the characters in the game); "The Plot" (briefly recounting the plot of the film); "On the Set" (explaining the game rules); and "Special Props" (describing how to use the Mogwai pen, the sword, and the flash cubes as well as the function of other devices). This was the last title released for the 5200. Mentioned as a 7800 release in the November 1984 issue of Electronic Games. Drawing of box found for XE version.

[hhwolfman]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

 

Wow! A really nice condition 2600 Gremlins, CIB is worth around $70 bucks. Congrates. HHW

[Zwackery]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

 

Wow! A really nice condition 2600 Gremlins, CIB is worth around $70 bucks. Congrates. HHW

Didn't the OP find the 5200 version?

[hhwolfman]

I actually found it at the Digital Press store here in NJ today. I am only a few miles from the store and usually hit it up with my brother on Sundays. I was surprised to see it complete and in perfect condition honestly, as I usually only see very common boxed titles there. Don't get me wrong, I love Joe's store...just usually never find that rare I have been looking for right there on the shelf. $22 later it was mine. Well worth it I think, as I really like this game! Gotta watch Gremlins again tomorrow to celebrate

 

Wow! A really nice condition 2600 Gremlins, CIB is worth around $70 bucks. Congrates. HHW

Didn't the OP find the 5200 version?

 

 

Ahh My Bad , I read through the thread very fast. Was cooking Egg And Potato Tacos. Still congrates on the find. HHW

[moycon]

I really love the 5200 version of Gremlins. I think it's one of the best games released on the system. I never got to play it back in the day, but I saw screen shots and reviews in magazines and always thought it looked AWESOME and game play sounded interesting. Years later I finally got a copy off eBay and discovered it was just as great as I had always imagined.

[eightbit]

There's one (Sealed) copy on ebay right now for $65 or so. The seller claims it is mint...but the box in the pic looks somewhat crushed Either way, pretty rare game I think. Like I said, it was harder to find than Meteorites for me. Definitely a much better game than Meteorites as well

 

I still think that it is so freakin' odd for Atari to release a "hot" game a few years after the system demise. It would have definitely been better suited for the 7800 which was basically in its infancy at the time. How many people did they actually think they would sell this game to?

[Zwackery]

I first played Gremlins on the C64 and only later acquired it for the Atari 2600 & 5200. I found it in the wild (cart only) for the 2600 and eventually got it boxed, and I picked up the 5200 version NIB on half.com many years ago for $20 or so. It's a rare-ish game that is also fun to play.