Odyssey^2 Fun Time

[Ze_ro]

I finally managed to find one of these at a thrift store in town. Unfortunately, it seems that the power supply doesn't work. I haven't tried to open it up and fix it yet (I plan to), but it turns out that it's an old Odyssey^2 that uses a different voltage than the NES does... in fact, it uses 11.5V AC. Anyone know what kind of tolerance the system has? Like, if I find a 15V AC supply, will it fry the O2 or not?

 

Also, is this older version rare at all? It's controllers are not socketed... which is actually a good thing, since they seem like good controllers, and now I don't have to look for controllers for it

 

Finally, what are some of the better games on this machine? I've played through some of them on the emulators, and Monkeyshines, K.C. Munchkin & Crazy Chase, and U.F.O. caught my eye... as did Quest For The Rings. I was actually fairly impressed with Quest... is it hard to find the whole set? Y'know, with all the tokens and board and all? (I know most of that isn't necessary to enjoy the game, but I'd like to have the complete thing).

 

--Zero

[ubersaurus]

Attack of the Timelord rocks. It's one of my favs. Also try Killer Bees, Amok, and if you can find em, the Imagic games and Turtles.

[christianscott]

pick axe pete is a title to get, but for the most part the O2 library is pretty lame. amazingly 90% of the games were programmed by the same guy, sadly he was no david crane. your real fun starts once you score the "voice" since the software is not clever enough to block out dirty words. imagine the fun.

 

the console itself is not worth a lot, maybe $25 in working order. i guess thats due to the fact that almost no one gets nostalgic for this console. the later model with removable controllers is the more valueable one.

 

the keyboard is key!

[Gunstar]

If your going to substitute one voltage/amp level supply with another, always go lower, it may not work properly, but you won't blow anything. If you step up, there is always the very likely chance that you will short it out. Amperage is more important than voltage, if you can find say, a 10 or 12 volt power supply with the same amperage as the 11.5, that should work without a problem. Make sure amperage is as close to exact as possible.

[Flojomojo]

I always liked the Challenge series -- the ones with the blue bar across the box that let you enter the high scorer's name. It's very cool that they only give you one life. Some O2 shrine can give you a full list, but off the top of my head, these are good:

 

K.C. Munchkin

UFO

Pick Axe Pete

Freedom Fighters

Monkeyshines

Killer Bees

Turtles

PT Barnum's Acrobats

 

I also like the pack in game, Speedway/Spinout/CryptoLogic in some weird, purple, chunky way.

 

None of these are "deep" by today's standards, but it's possible to get in the zone with them and play for a long time if you get your rhythm on.

 

Quest for the Rings shouldn't be too hard to find on Ebay. It's a nice party game if you can find some friends who can look past the graphics and get into it. That should be easier to do now that Lord of the Rings is so popular again.

 

Regarding power for this model -- I forget the settings, but it's the same unit that I had as a kid. The transformer got REALLY hot then. Perhaps it's just as well you don't have one of those.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I can kick butt at Pick Axe Pete. My recommendations include K.C. Munchkin, K.C.'s Krazy Chase, Turtles, Attack Of The Timelord, Power Lords (if you can find it or get a multicart with it), Amok, Demon Attack, Atlantis, and if you can get a second player, Invaders From Hyperspace and Baseball.

 

The Odyssey 2 is still my all-time favorite system.

[Flojomojo]

Damn, I forgot to put in my plug for Attack of the Timelord. That's a nice one which I often cite as an email alias elsewhere . I have never played it with The Voice, but I'll bet it's a hoot with that attachment if you can find it.

 

:love:"I am Spyrus the Deathless, Timelord of Chaos!":love:

 

Funny you should mention Power Lords. I had sent away for that one direct from Magnavox, but they were having production trouble or something, so they sent me a coupon for TWO games in its place. Then they sent me the coupon again.

 

Needless to say, that went a long way towards making me a happy O2 camper way back when. Can't say it's still my favorite system (although I would probably choose it over many others), but some of those games were lots of fun.

[Big Player]

The Odyssy games don't look like much, but they do have some fun ones as have been mentioned above. I'll add Smithereens to the list. It's fun but only a two player game. It's also a voice game so I don't know if they work without the voice module.

 

I would really love to get all three of the master strategy games--especially the Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt. Does anyone know what would be a good price range for a complete one?

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I paid about $25 for a complete Wall Street Fortune Hunt, but the box was practically falling apart when I got it. Everything else was intact though.

 

By the way, if anyone needs new scoring or options sheets for Wall Street Fortune Hunt, you can find 'em here.

[liquid_sky]

I love the O2 page you have Earl.

[Big Player]

I love the O2 page you have Earl.

 

I'll second that. I came across his page a few weeks ago when I was googling for info on the Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt.

 

Cool having those scoring and option sheets available as well.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Glad ya guys like it. I'm looking at adding more stuff soon, including cover-to-cover scans of the Odyssey2 Adventure magazines, and possibly print-your-own replacement game boards and tokens for the Master Strategy series games. I don't snipe all this stuff on eBay just to hide it away, y'know.

 

Also, if anyone needs 'em for a multicart, a ROM or what have you, the complete Power Lords docs are available on the site too. I'm hoping that, by the time I ever actually get done with the thing, somewhere between Phosphor Dot Fossils and William Cassidy's mind-boggling O2 Homepage at ClassicGaming.com will be all anyone would ever need. (I go out of my way to avoid treading into his territory, because his site impresses even me.)

 

Anyway, I'm glad it's useful to someone. Kinda justifies my faith in why I keep doing the whole thing.

[Flojomojo]

Oooh! Ohh! O2 Adventure magazines!!! Yes, please!

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Well, since you asked nicely...go forth and look at the first scanned issue. Consider it a sneak preview for the AtariAge crowd.

 

If anyone else has issues of Odyssey 2 Adventure out there, I'll definitely need some major reader support on this one. There was a recent auction on eBay for four issues (including the one that I've scanned and posted here) that went for $250! There's no way I can afford that kind of expenditure on this. If anyone out there has a copy they can scan, all due credit will be given. Even if it's beaten up, don't worry - trust me, the one issue already posted was a major reconstruction project in a few places.

 

Enjoy!

[Flojomojo]

I had several issues of this long ago. Don't think I do anymore, alas.

 

Thanks for making this one available. I never had this one!

 

This thing is just amazing for the sheer amount of filler and empty words within. "The future is now," indeed. Heheheheh.

And the bit about the traveling samesman who takes his mainframe with him on the road? Ahh, yes. His Odyssey 2 mainframe. OK then...

Also glad to see that prices weren't completely out of hand, especially for the older games.

[raindog]

hee, I had forgotten all about that magazine until I read a few of the articles! I'm pretty sure I had a number of issues of that, so the only question is whether they're in my parents' attic somewhere, or a landfill

 

Rob

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Yummy...yet another issue has been scanned and is now online! If I'm not mistaken, this is the last one that was printed. I'm also currently working on getting another issue "visually acceptable" for posting.

 

Keep those cards and letters coming. At this rate, we may actually have the full archive before too long - and here I was thinking this project would take years.

[Ze_ro]

Well, I finally managed to test my Odyssey^2, and it works fine! It turns out a NES power supply worked for it after all. I didn't think the NES power supply put out AC though Anyways, I opened up the actual O2 power supply, and the transformer inside is in good shape, so I think I'll replace the cord, and it should be good to go.

 

I still don't have any O2 cartridges... although I borrowed Speedway/ Spin-out/ Crypto-Logic and Cosmic Conflict from a friend to test it out (He never plays his O2, and those were the only games he has).

 

Despite my years of collecting, I've never once found any O2 stuff in the wild other than this system now... I guess Magnavox didn't have much market penetration in Canada... Once I pay off some debts, I'll have to go eBaying for O2 stuff. I don't get why people don't like this system, I think it's great! It's like an INTV with worse graphics, and much better controllers.

 

--Zero

[Brad2600]

I have an Odyssey2 coming in the mail soon....any advice I should heed regarding it?

 

I am planning to use a NES power supply...since the O2 will not come with one.

 

It looks like a neat little system though.

[jhd]

Despite my years of collecting, I've never once found any O2 stuff in the wild other than this system now... I guess Magnavox didn't have much market penetration in Canada...

 

About 12-14 years ago, when I first became interested in Classic video games, I passed on one at a yard sale in Halifax. It was in pretty rough shape and only included sports games.

 

I have never seen another for sale in Canada. I don't even recall having seen the Magnavox brand on anything else in Canada -- just Philips.

[gulag picture radio]

That's werid. Here in Chicago, I've found several batches of O^2 games. Twice it was big lots of 10-15 games in their boxes. That's another weird thing... they turn up in their original packaging way more than other games I've found (though Intellivision games come close - I guess people kept the boxes so thaty'd have a place to store the overlays).

 

All this stuff is crammed into my storage space so I don't know what I've got. I know that there are several dupes including KC Munchman, but it'll be a while before I get around to organizing that part of my life.

 

If I find anything good, I'll let you guys know.

[Flojomojo]

I don't get why people don't like this system, I think it's great! It's like an INTV with worse graphics, and much better controllers.

Wow, that's high praise indeed for the "last-place"system of the time. When it came out, most people said the controllers were the only thing going for it. Some of the games ahve their charms, and the keyboard differentiates it a bit, but the repetitive graphics (play a few games and you'll see the same little men, trees, letters and numbers), lack of library depth (most were programmed by one guy, and there are no big franchises like Atari or Parker Brothers) killed it for most people.

 

Personally, I liked it for what it was until I could get my own Atari and Intellivision after the crash.

[Ze_ro]

repetitive graphics (play a few games and you'll see the same little men, trees, letters and numbers)

 

I kind of like that actually... the consistency is appealing somehow. The INTV does that too.

 

lack of library depth (most were programmed by one guy, and there are no big franchises like Atari or Parker Brothers) killed it for most people.

 

I don't think the library is all that bad... it doesn't have the blockbuster titles like Space Invaders or Asteroids, but it has some good ripoffs like Alien Invaders and U.F.O. as well as some decent unique games like Pick Axe Pete and Quest For The Rings. Aside from Wall Street Kid for the NES, how many consoles had a stock market game?

 

I can see why it was mostly a failure in it's time... but for a guy like me who already has all the other systems, it's like a brand new adventure or something.

 

--Zero

[Brad2600]

I have one and I think it's a wonderful little system. I haven't hooked it up yet but I found a NES power plug that fits and an RFU Adaptor and the games I won for it are on their way, so I can't wait to hook it up. Best of all, I still have it in the original box.

 

I don't think I will sell it ever again. It's simply too nice and it's a wonderful addition to my collection.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Just a little heads-up to all...the Odyssey2 Adventure Archive is now complete: all seven issues have been scanned from cover to cover and are now available. Go forth and check it out. Enjoy! And many thanks to those who offered or sent scans.

 

Now whatever shall I do for an encore? Stay tuned...