MUNCHER for the Bally Astrocade - now available for sale!

[timdu]

I am proud to announce that I have been working with Brent H. AKA "bah" here on Atari Age and we are offering a reproduction of the Estoerica release of MUNCHER for the Bally Astrocade.

Please note this is a reproduction cartridge and a plastic cassette tape-sized plastic case is being utilized now for safe storage of the game cartridge when you are not playing it. The manual has been scaled down to size as well to fit inside the case.

Please check out the web site page for more information:

http://timduarte.blogspot.com/2018/05/muncher-for-bally-astrocade.html

[ballyalley]

 

I am proud to announce that I have been working with Brent H. AKA "bah" here on Atari Age

 

It is very cool that you're releasing these rare Astrocade games, like "Treasure Cove" and "Muncher" (with the latter, of course, never having had an official release). Your release of "Muncher" looks rather plain (taking it's look, I presume, from one of the non-official releases of the bare cartridge). You're not using the artwork for the game that was presented by Astrovision, Inc. Did you not know that it existed? The artwork looks like this:

 

 

The artwork made for "Munchie" (Astrocade's name for the game) is on page 3 of the "More Games. More Fun. More to Come" catalog. It's kind of weird looking, but in a way, I like it much more for that reason. It comes across as a this-is-not-Pac-Man-just-look-at-out-artwork! The catalog is here:

 

http://www.ballyalley.com/ads_and_catalogs/bally/BPA_Catalog_(With_9_Games).pdf#Page=3

 

(Weirdly, I'm using Internet Explorer 11 under Windows 7 right now; it won't open any pdf files. Not sure why that is at the moment.)

 

If you're interested, I have this catalog in the garage someplace. I can look for it this week and can get you a high-quality scan of this artwork, if you'd like to replace the artwork that you're using for the re-release of "Muncher." This would make the release look so much better. I do like that you're releasing the games in same style of case as the original Bally releases that just came on cardboard backings.

 

Adam

[128Kgames]

 

It is very cool that you're releasing these rare Astrocade games, like "Treasure Cove" and "Muncher" (with the latter, of course, never having had an official release). Your release of "Muncher" looks rather plain (taking it's look, I presume, from one of the non-official releases of the bare cartridge). You're not using the artwork for the game that was presented by Astrovision, Inc. Did you not know that it existed? The artwork looks like this:

 

Munchie_From_Page_3_of_BPA_Catalog_(With_9_Games).jpg

 

The artwork made for "Munchie" (Astrocade's name for the game) is on page 3 of the "More Games. More Fun. More to Come" catalog. It's kind of weird looking, but in a way, I like it much more for that reason. It comes across as a this-is-not-Pac-Man-just-look-at-out-artwork! The catalog is here:

 

http://www.ballyalley.com/ads_and_catalogs/bally/BPA_Catalog_(With_9_Games).pdf#Page=3

 

(Weirdly, I'm using Internet Explorer 11 under Windows 7 right now; it won't open any pdf files. Not sure why that is at the moment.)

 

If you're interested, I have this catalog in the garage someplace. I can look for it this week and can get you a high-quality scan of this artwork, if you'd like to replace the artwork that you're using for the re-release of "Muncher." This would make the release look so much better. I do like that you're releasing the games in same style of case as the original Bally releases that just came on cardboard backings.

 

Adam

 

While I get where Adam is coming from, that artwork was for Munchie, the original release, which was never released.

 

Since you are releasing Muncher, I would say either your take on the "Muncher" artwork (font would be more accurate) or some brand new artwork altogether would be appropriate.

 

Personally, I like what was done with the Treasure Cove release - the Muncher label was always bland, but since "Muncher" wasn't "officially" released either I guess it was as good as could be expected.

 

I think you could go back to the drawing board and cover up with something much better, maybe using the "Munchie" artwork for inspiration.

[BassGuitari]

Ordered!

[BassGuitari]

Ordered!

 

Got my Muncher cart and love it! Great little Pac-Man clone.

 

Is there any chance there will be repros of titles like Solar Conqueror and Cosmic Raiders?

 

Also, I got one of the Treasure Cove carts last year with the repurposed Videocade box (mine formerly housed Space Fortress ) and paper sheet manual; would I be able to get just one of the new cassette cases with manual/insert for that, without the cart?

[bah]

Hi All,

 

I did not know Munchie or its artwork existed. In my mind I was doing a what if scenario based on the Muncher label and the fact that Astrovision used the Astrocade logo on a Bally syle box. Even if I had known, I may not have changed because I wanted to stay in the same style as the original Muncher and admittedly it is plain. My goals here are to make reproductions for people to play and my labels try to remind you of the originals but look different even from an Ebay picture if you get my meaning.

 

For anyone interested in a Treasure cove tape case, insert and small manual, send me a PM. I can do that but my stock of nice unscratched tape cases is limited so soon I may have to get new cases that may or may not match the first ones exactly.

 

As far as what other games, I like Blast Droids, sorry Adam I do. I have also been thinking Ms Candyman and Sea Devil. Any input here?

 

Thanks and as always feel free to PM me

 

Brent

[ballyalley]

As far as what other games, I like Blast Droids, sorry Adam I do. I have also been thinking Ms Candyman and Sea Devil.

I guess Brent is referring to the Astrocast review of Blast Droids where I pick that game apart? It has tons of problems, most of them programming bugs. Brent isn't alone in liking that game. Blast Droids seems okay at first. Once you start playing it and begin to encounter its many bugs, then you'll change your tune.

 

Sea Devil and Ms. Candyman are both great games. If the pinball tables in Astrocade Pinball (aka Bally Pin) are hackable, then it would be very cool to release that game with new tables.

 

Adam

[bah]

I guess Brent is referring to the Astrocast review of Blast Droids

Yes.

 

If the pinball tables in Astrocade Pinball (aka Bally Pin) are hackable, then it would be very cool to release that game with new tables.

YESSS! but I am not a programmer.

[timdu]

I am happy to report these reproduction cartridges are back in stock!

 

$25 each plus shipping.

 

 

More info at:   http://www.2600connection.com/features/muncher/muncher.html

 

 

thanks,

 

Tim

[+Psionic]

On 5/27/2020 at 8:06 AM, timdu said:

More info at:   http://www.2600connection.com/features/muncher/muncher.html

 This link no longer works.  Can someone post a picture of what these cartridges looked like as compared to the originals (which there were several variations of)?

[ballyalley]

2 hours ago, Psionic said:

 This link no longer works.  Can someone post a picture of what these cartridges looked like as compared to the originals (which there were several variations of)?

 

I looked around my hard drive and I don't have a picture of this re-release of "Muncher."  I am surprised to see that Tim's 2600 Connection website is gone.  Surely it is someplace else now.  Tim Duarte does have an active blog, here:

 

http://timduarte.blogspot.com/

 

Perhaps you can contact Tim directly for pictures?  If he sends you some, or links to them, then please post them here.

 

Adam

[timdu]

I have attached the pictures that I have. I located them.

 

You can contact Brent H (  AKA   "bah"   ) here on AA...   He will be able to answer for sure if he is still currently selling MUNCHER.

 

As for the web site, I am not a business. I am a hobbyist. Basically, I had enough with all these expenses and decided not to spend the money for the domain name and the web hosting. Some Indonesian poker company has bought the domain name. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ballyalley]

3 minutes ago, timdu said:

As for the web site, I am not a business. I am a hobbyist. Basically, I had enough with all these expenses and decided not to spend the money for the domain name and the web hosting. Some Indonesian poker company has bought the domain name.

 

Thanks for posting the picture of the "Muncher" cartridge, Tim.  I'm glad you have your Atari blog.  Keeping the hobby fun is what it's all about when we've been part of this classic gaming scene for so long.

 

Adam

[+Psionic]

On 2/27/2023 at 5:27 PM, timdu said:

You can contact Brent H (  AKA   "bah"   ) here on AA...   He will be able to answer for sure if he is still currently selling MUNCHER.

 

I just noticed that he sold a bunch of repros on eBay back in May.  It looks like his more recent copies of Pac-Man were sold as "Munchie" and used the artwork that was intended for the commercial release.

 

[128Kgames]

3 minutes ago, Psionic said:

 

I just noticed that he sold a bunch of repros on eBay back in May.  It looks like his more recent copies of Pac-Man were sold as "Munchie" and used the artwork that was intended for the commercial release.

 

Wow, really? Had no idea, kinda messed up because there actually is a proto / finished ROM of Munchie out there.