Sub Hunt ROM variant?

[Britishcar]

I can't find any information about a ROM variant for Sub Hunt other than "No ROM variants have been identified" at INTV Funhouse. However, I've recently noticed that I have two Sub Hunt red label carts that are *clearly* different. One of them has the "upper land mass" -- the place the enemy ships are headed -- AND the number of ships sunk indicator on the left shown in RED. This is a common screen shot and is the image on the standard box art I believe. However, my other Sub Hunt has the "upper land mass" shown in black and the number of ships sunk counter is also in black. Interestingly, this "black" version seems *harder* to win, at least on the Admiral level. I'll need to really test this theory more but the destroyers seem more aggressive in this version. Am I missing something here? Is this a well known ROM variant, say Mattel / Sears or something that I've never heard about or noticed? Did Mattel update the ROM during the run of this game?

 

[freewheel]

The color depends on how you start the game. Pressing 5 on the keypad will give you the black mode.

 

I've never been a fan of the game, but from the manual:

Keypad 1-5 set skill level & Engine Speed1 = Skill *** / Stop Engines2 = Skill ** / Engines 1/43 = Skill * / Engines 1/24 = Skill **** / Engines 3/45 = Skill ***** / Engines Full 

You're playing on the hardest skill level with black, so no, you're not imagining things!

Edited February 18, 2015 by freeweed

[Britishcar]

Oh good grief! Talk about feeling like an idiot. I've been playing this game exclusively on the highest level for so many years that I never realized that the numbers and islands CHANGE COLOR depending on what level you're playing. Ok, idiot posting, move on, nothing to see here.

[freewheel]

That's OK, I never realized there were difficulty levels to begin with. So I learned something, at least

[+JasonlikesINTV]

I'm terrible about reading manuals before I play and I'm usually to lazy to insert my overlays (except for the really button-heavy games like Utopia, Tarmin, etc), so I normally just start pounding the buttons like a monkey trying to write a novel until the game starts. This explains a lot

 

It's ironic because I love manuals and overlays as collectibles. The backstory and art in the manuals make them like little comics and the overlays are like artsy collector cards. I forgot they were functional Have I lost my way!?

[+DZ-Jay]

I'm terrible about reading manuals before I play and I'm usually to lazy to insert my overlays (except for the really button-heavy games like Utopia, Tarmin, etc), so I normally just start pounding the buttons like a monkey trying to write a novel until the game starts. This explains a lot

 

It's ironic because I love manuals and overlays as collectibles. The backstory and art in the manuals make them like little comics and the overlays are like artsy collector cards. I forgot they were functional Have I lost my way!?

Strange, I am the exact opposite: I read the back of the box and the manual, and insert the overlays--all in preparation to play a game. It provides deeper immersion into the game, at least that's how I feel.

 

dZ.

[+JasonlikesINTV]

Strange, I am the exact opposite: I read the back of the box and the manual, and insert the overlays--all in preparation to play a game. It provides deeper immersion into the game, at least that's how I feel.

 

dZ.

I don't disagree at all. I've actually started doing this with my Homebrews. How do you think I rock Carol so well?

[+DZ-Jay]

I don't disagree at all. I've actually started doing this with my Homebrews. How do you think I rock Carol so well?

Ah, that's just because Carol is easily impressed.

[+JasonlikesINTV]

Ah, that's just because Carol is easily impressed.

My 16 directional joystick it's nothing to sneeze at I played her until my thumbs were numb.

[m-crew]

for me its , try without any instructions ...Then when I suck so bad.. I go back read manual , box, ext.. front to back.. then back to front... lol

[freewheel]

I'm terrible about reading manuals before I play and I'm usually to lazy to insert my overlays (except for the really button-heavy games like Utopia, Tarmin, etc), so I normally just start pounding the buttons like a monkey trying to write a novel until the game starts. This explains a lot

 

 

I think I've already shared this story, but... at CGE I got to introduce a younger friend to 80s gaming in all its glory. No manuals nor overlays at hand. She figured out a lot of the Atari stuff relatively quickly, but Intellivision? Let's just say hilarity ensued. In fact her first attempt at it was at Keith's booth and it may well have been Utopia. A couple of the BSR folks were trying to explain what various buttons did, etc... it was just such a generation gap.

 

People think the AVGN makes stuff up, but honestly? For someone raised on anything NES or later, these systems can be cryptic and do in fact make a lot of "fart noises" (her exact words - cracked me up at the time because of James' rant).