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Insights and feedback on WIZARD OF WOR & THE INCREDIBLE WIZARD


timdu

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I have written an article on Insights and feedback on THE INCREDIBLE WIZARD, the Bally Astrocade version of WIZARD OF WOR. It includes a comparison of the coin-operated machine of WZARD OF WOR and the INCREDIBLE WIZARD home version and a "how to" for playing both games under emulation.

 

Although I am a fan of the Atari 2600 version of WIZARD OF WOR (by CBS Games) I am really glad that I checked out this version on the Astrocade! You will not be dissapointed!

 

Enjoy reading this PDF file.

 

inc_wizard.pdf

 

 

To my fellow friends in the USA, Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Tim D.

 

http://www.2600connection.com/

Edited by timdu
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Hi Tim,

 

Very good article.

Some of your experiences match mine exactly -- like playing in the bowling alley, then the 2600, then the 800XL.

I would've found a way to buy an Astrocade in 1981 if I had known Wizard of War could be played at home!

Naming it The Incredible Wizard was "incredibly stupid" in my opinion. Aside from the fact that it is the best game on the Bally Professional Arcade, I never knew anything about that system.

 

Turns out the only time I saw one was in National Lampoon's movie Vacation with Chevy Chase, the Griswolds... He plots the family driving course to Wally World using the Bally joystick-paddle knob controller (with a fake TV display).

 

And that system's "unofficial" release of Munchie/Muncher = (Pac-Man) is light years closer to the arcade than what Atari gave us! But I digress.

 

I helped with the 2600 hacked version. Maybe the flickering could be better if it was programmed from scratch, but it's about the gameplay. All the mazes are added. The graphics detail is increased. The scoring is fixed and the extra digit enabled, and it talks.

I did the speech strings. This will talk using the AtariVox+ plugged into joystick 2. It only can talk playing one player unfortunately, unless additional hardware was developed. (And we know how long hardware development takes!) I also was surprised to learn it said over 70 sentences, and all I remember it saying is "Insert coin" pronounced In-sssssRT coy-een , and "I'm out of spite. Ha ah ah ah", whatever that means.

 

The hardware (Z80) and sound chips and display chips are the same in the home version and the arcade, (less RAM, so lower resolution home version) so that's why they're so close.

Needs confirmation, but I thought I read the arcade programmer did the home version, or helped?

 

I was able (and lucky) to get a working Bally Professional Arcade with lots of controllers and games, so this unit was used "a lot" (or they wouldn't have bought so many games and controllers), and it is still going, so as long as it stays cool and doesn't overheat it think it will last. Plus I have added a fan, heat sinks, replaced capacitors and power regulators... and was lucky to get the S-video mod that was offered recently, but last sold in early 2000's.

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Grew up with the arcade game in our living room BITD. Don't remember them selling like hotcakes but we had a few throughout the years, so just took a little while to sell each time. I never minded of course as I absolutely love the game. Especially 2-Player mode. Great gameplay, graphics, sounds and atmosphere. It's got it all!

 

Years and years later, was pleasantly surprised to learn it had been released for the 2600. A favorite on the system, I can't wait for the new and improved version to be released on cart! :love:

 

And yeah, Incredible Wizard for the Astrocade is definitely awesome. May as well have called it the Incredible Game, because it is! :lol:

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