Loaner Cartridge? What are these?

[scl789]

I was recently cleaning out our basement and found some old Atari stuff. One of the games I found was QIX but it says its a loaner cartridge? Also I found Defender that i think is also a loaner cartridge even though it does not say so. What are these and are they worth anything? I attached images of both games.

[+Psionic]

They're both prototype cartridges from Atari. Yes, they are worth something, but it depends on whether they're identical to the final versions of the games (that were actually released). Prototypes that contain incomplete, work-in-progress versions of released games are generally more desirable to collectors.

[scl789]

How could I tell if these are complete or not? Does the red dot tell anything about the version they are? I have no clue where these things came from. My guess is a garage sale many years ago.

[bennybingo]

I wish one of those said Cloak & Dagger....

[+Psionic]

How could I tell if these are complete or not?

 

Either play them or dump the ROM contents. It's usually a good idea to dump them anyway (to compare for any code differences).

 

Do you currently have a working 5200?

 

Does the red dot tell anything about the version they are?

 

Not necessarily. I've seen those red dot stickers in the past, but I'm not sure exactly what they mean.

[scl789]

We have a 5200 that has not been turned on in at least 10 years. It did worked last time we used it. How would i go about dumping the ROM?

[sqoon]

Those are virtually worthless. If you are thinking of throwing them away, I may be able to take them off your hands. Its the least I could do.

[+Psionic]

We have a 5200 that has not been turned on in at least 10 years. It did worked last time we used it.

 

If it's been that long, I can almost guarantee that the controllers don't work.

 

How would i go about dumping the ROM?

 

You'd have to find someone who has the proper equipment. There are plenty of people here who can help you out with that, but the trick is finding someone local.

[scl789]

if I get time this week ill test out the games. The 5200 is in the box so it should not have gotten too dusty or anything. Hopefully the controllers work.

[bennybingo]

Those are virtually worthless. If you are thinking of throwing them away, I may be able to take them off your hands. Its the least I could do.

Be fair now....$0.05 per lb is the going rate these days for useless carts. Now pay up!!!

[scl789]

haha i think ill keep these for now. I have been looking these up on the internet and it looks like $100ish each is the going rate. Fair estimate?

[scl789]

Also any idea how these got in the wild? Im more interested in figuring out the history behind them than selling these. Im in Rochester NY so not sure if maybe there were beta testers out here or what happened?

[bennybingo]

haha i think ill keep these for now. I have been looking these up on the internet and it looks like $100ish each is the going rate. Fair estimate?

yea...but if you have a loaner/proto with a revision that has not yet been discovered, it could be worth a little more.

[shadow460]

IMO, it's anybody's guess as to how they got in the wild. I've heard of prototypes being found in places ranging from attics to salvage yards to warehouses. If you're at all interested in ANY classic gaming, my advice is to hold on to 'em. A prototype or two would make an excellent addition to any collection, even if it's for a system you don't own.

[kensu]

I remember hearing about something like this, they're copies for internal use at Atari. They're essentially the great grand-daddies of flash cartridges like the AtariMax, since the EPROM's are rewritable.