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Just Picked up an Odyssey 2!


captcapcom

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Perfectly working unit with 2 perfectly functional black controllers (red Buttons). Also picked up 4 titles. Pick Axe Pete, UFO, Thunderball and Freedom Fighters.

 

I ordered a KC Munchkin off of eBay... should arrive shortly.

 

So far, I am loving it, the games are so simple and at the same time are so FUN!!! I had a hard time putting down UFO and Pick Axe Pete!!!

 

 

Any other great games I should pick up or look for? Are there any which I should completely avoid? How much to the voice modules usually run?

 

So many questions... sorry... I get excited when I get a new console!!!

 

 

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Yeah, what he said. This isn't one of my favorite systems, but good times will had by all if you get a copy of KC's Crazy Chase. Attack of the Timelord is also a decent and viciously challenging shooter, although I don't think I'll ever understand what the hell the "Timelord" is saying.

 

If you're the modding sort, you might want to replace the hardwired joysticks with 9-pin D-shell joystick ports. It's not a tough mod; just straight point to point soldering that'll take you maybe a couple of hours. This way, you'll also be able to use Atari 2600, Master System, or (my favorite) Sega Genesis controllers instead of the usual Odyssey2 sticks. Those can be modded to make them 2600 compatible if you're really that attached to them.

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When I hooked up my O2 system and played it for the first time in +/- 25 years, I was shocked at how crystal clear the RF to TV video output was, after having played CV, 2600, 7800, SMS, NES etc.. The O2 RF output looked sharper and had better color saturation than many systems composite video output. There's no video mod needed for O2.

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I've had the O2 a few different times in my life and regarding the multi-cart... just wanted to chime in that while it would be great to have, wouldn't use it to circumvent tracking down the originals. NOT having the original boxes and manuals to go with the games really takes away from the whole Magnavox Odyssey experience - IMO. You know... the marketing, verbiage and artwork that got or gets you excited about the system and games. When it comes to a system like this, where the graphics and sounds are scant, it's the total package that makes it as compelling as possible. Just my two cents. Even though I currently don't own one, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the Odyssey 2. :)

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Congrats!

You got 2 (soon to be 3) great games..

I love UFO and Pick Axe Pete!!

And KC is just awesome...

 

You don't need The Voice module, but after a bit, you'll want one.. ;-)

 

I would recommend a multicart, but agree that it's an addition to original games. I have more originals for my O2 than any other system.

 

And the RF is great and you won't need to composite MOD you O2, but you might want to..

My little TV died downstairs and I'm thinking of replacing it with a composite monitor (which I have, rather than buying another TV).

More ease of connectivity. Haven't done the mod yet tho. Should get around to it soon...

 

As for other great games, there are lots..

Just googled this:

 

Now I have to try some of those.. ;-)

 

desiv

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I really dug the O2, even if it doesn't have the best rap. Phosphor Dot Fossils has some excellent writeups of the games, as the site's owner is quite knowledgeable about the system. Offhand I can recommend the two Imagic games, the KC games, Attack of the Timelord, UFO, Smithereens (for 2 players), Killer Bees, Turtles, Freedom Fighters, and the homebrew games Planet Lander and Kill The Attacking Aliens (KTAA). The multicart is indeed great though, if only to access the overseas titles and unreleased ones that are also really fun - if you get one, I recommend Spiderman, Frogger, Robot City, Q-Bert, and Ralph Baer's pinball, if only for the interesting glimpse of what he wanted to do.

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Hell yes composite video is necessary! Some televisions and monitors aren't compatible with RF.

 

But don't most TVs (new and old) have cable/antenna connections? As long as there is a cable/antenna connection, you can use RF hook ups. I guess some monitors don't have that though. But I agree with an earlier poster who stated that the O2 gives a very good RF picture; looks more 'composite' because of it's clarity.

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OH, thats good to hear that there is a composite video mod! As for the Voice module, I found a few on eBay, but they are untested, so i am hesitant for now.

 

I'm hitting a local shop here on Friday that I am told has a TON of O2 stuff. So I may be having another Christmas!!!

 

I have yet to find a Voice module that didn't work. Big thing is to clean the connections on it and keep the cartridge slot covered when not in use. I recently broke out my O2 and played Turtles with my kids (3 and 6 years old), both of them really enjoyed the old system. Congrats on the purchase and hope you continue to enjoy it!

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I never had a chance to play Odyssey2 back in the day, though I do recall seeing them in the store. I started playing with the O2EM emulator a while back. I really like some of the games, especially UFO! and Killer Bees! so I decided to get one. I won an auction a couple of weeks ago, and today my O2 arrived!

post-8320-0-99953600-1390018027_thumb.jpg

 

It came with 10 games, including boxes and manuals in decent shape. The games are Football, UFO, Alien Invaders Plus, Speedway, Thunderball, KC Munchkin, Alpine Skiing, Computer Golf, Monkeyshines, and Freedom Fighters. I played with it for a bit just now and found that everything seems to work well.

 

 

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Update: My O2 was frankly pretty dirty and scruffy - it looks like it spent the last 30 years or so sitting in someone's attic unprotected.

post-8320-0-82437900-1390064156_thumb.jpg

 

After giving it a quick test to make sure it was working, I spent some time cleaning it with a J-cloth and some Pledge. Now it not only smells lemony, it actually looks pretty decent. Not new, as it has a few minor scuffs and scratches, but decent.

 

It has a regular RCA-type connector, and when I plug that into a small RCA-RF adaptor, I get an OK picture on my LCD screen. I had no trouble at all getting video output.

 

I tried some typing games, and all the membrane keys work fine. Both joystick controllers work well and have no issues with directions or fire.

 

I have to say, I really like the controllers! I've never tried playing an O2 before, and I think for a console designed in the late 1970s these controllers are actually very good. Comfortable to hold, decent response, easily pushed in diagonals, fire buttons work okay. I like the way they self-center, and they just have a nice feel to them. The only complaints I see are that the cables could be longer, and I don't like the way they feed into the console directly. I would prefer that they have plug-in connections so that a broken controller can be swapped out easily.

 

The games themselves are a mixed bunch. I think I have some really great games like UFO! or KC Munchkin! Some of the games I will try once and hardly ever return to, like Football.

Overall I think I did alright, and I look forward to many hours of Odyssey playing and collecting.

 

I do have one negative observation: the boxes. All of my games came with boxes and manuals. I like the boxes, except the corners are torn out on several. If you look at this photo, the top box is decent but the bottom one looks like it got crunched under something heavy!

post-8320-0-80615500-1390064877_thumb.jpg

Is there anything I can do to salvage this, other than some cellophane tape on the corners?

Edited by ls650
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Odyssey 2 box construction is terrible. Most CIB games are dirt cheap, so I wouldn't worry about tape harming the value. I'm not sure if people make box protectors for the O2 box, but they make wonky boxes look square and nice. Honestly, one of the big reasons why I decided not to collect games for the O2 (I have a multicart) is because I hate the look of ratty boxes. And O2 boxes can be the rattiest.

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Too bad the O² didn't get the European boxes. But you're more lucky as the O² style is just awesome, a mix of the 70's and 80's!

Tho European game covers are nice too; you just gotta like the "realist" style of them.

But Philips system box was terrible, very bland.

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Honestly, one of the big reasons why I decided not to collect games for the O2 (I have a multicart) is because I hate the look of ratty boxes. And O2 boxes can be the rattiest.

The O2 is one of the few systems I collect boxed games for, because I love the look/style of the boxes.

But I totally agree that the quality (they are just cardboard) means they tend to be ratty...

 

Too bad, because they are generally beautiful designs.. ;-)

 

And I do love the O2 joysticks. After my original O2 died back in the day, I took one of it's joysticks and wired it to work on my Vic-20. (As that triangle shaped thing Commodore released as a joystick was hideous!!)

 

Hoping to get some time to composite mod mine this weekend. But I need either to buy some female RCA jacks I can attach to my 02 or just wire in a male pair on a cord long enough to cover my setups...

 

desiv

Edited by desiv
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