Extra Terrestrials Game FOUND! (5th copy)

[beardman32]

I have only seen a couple cib air raids sell on ebay in the past 10 years so if new in box were found one would have surfaced by now.

 

I'm sure a sealed box or two of stadium events have been found its not that rare but sells for 20 to 40k range because the hoard of Nintendo collectors, they need a holy grail too even though there's probably a couple hundred copies.

 

Racketboy:

 

Air Raid was long considered to be a pirate cartridge from South America because of its unusual case and scanline count. There are no solid publication estimates, but there about 23 known copies (with about 10 found in the last five years including all five known boxed units)

[beardman32]

I think eBay will get you the highest price and it would be quite a spectacle. You'd have an article on every gaming site and more...

 

But, only if it's a "real" auction. No super-high starting bid and no reserve. That would be a non-story just like the hundreds of other auctions like it where people want $50k for an Apple IIe.

 

Appreciate the advice will look into it later on, thanks

[+Wonder007]

Ok, everybody will have a different perspective.

[beardman32]

Ok, everybody will have a different perspective.

 

Agreed!

[bradhig1]

The game not in the 2600 rarity guide

[beardman32]

The game not in the 2600 rarity guide

 

Yes it's that rare that not many sites have been updated, it was just discovered in 2012.

 

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/rarest-and-most-valuable-atari-2600-games

https://pcmuseum.ca/extraterrestrials.asp

[AtariLeaf]

If you do go the ebay route please post a link to the auction

[Albert]

Glad to hear you think you're so important.

 

P.S. Syd Bolton just died a couple months ago but I'm sure your research was only into dollar signs not the recent obituaries.

 

If you don't have something positive to contribute to a thread, please move along to the next one, rather than crapping all over someone excited to have found a rare game who wants to share that discovery with others. If you want to correct what you feel is false information, you can do so in a much less antagonistic way than you have in this thread, which you have now been banned from.

 

..Al

[beardman32]

 

 

If you don't have something positive to contribute to a thread, please move along to the next one, rather than crapping all over someone excited to have found a rare game who wants to share that discovery with others. If you want to correct what you feel is false information, you can do so in a much less antagonistic way than you have in this thread, which you have now been banned from.

 

..Al

 

Thank you Admin, you couldn't have said it better.

[Supergun]

Amazing find. Congratulations. And thanks for sharing about it here.

 

Now, I have just a few comments.

 

1) You might want to be a bit cautious about returning to the place you got it from. More specifically, in regards to how much information you reveal to them regarding the value of the item. Things could go south, quickly, in any number of ways. Personally, I wouldnt go back at all.

 

2) Only ONE Birthday Mania cartridge has been found to date. And it has NOT been sold as of yet. In fact, it has never even been offered for sale. And I know the owner. I met him in person. So where you got that information from is a mystery to me.

 

3) Will you be accepting an offer for the item here, through private message, or placing the item on eBay? Can you clarify this a little bit more clearly? More specifically, are you indeed looking to SELL the item to the highest bidder? (because I can promise you that the two are mutually exclusive)

[GameGirl420]

Nice rare find! I never heard of the game til now and it looks rad. Makes me wonder what Howard Scott Warshaw might think of it lol.

 

 

So what's the price of this game going for?

[beardman32]

Amazing find. Congratulations. And thanks for sharing about it here.

 

Now, I have just a few comments.

 

1) You might want to be a bit cautious about returning to the place you got it from. More specifically, in regards to how much information you reveal to them regarding the value of the item. Things could go south, quickly, in any number of ways. Personally, I wouldnt go back at all.

 

2) Only ONE Birthday Mania cartridge has been found to date. And it has NOT been sold as of yet. In fact, it has never even been offered for sale. And I know the owner. I met him in person. So where you got that information from is a mystery to me.

 

3) Will you be accepting an offer for the item here, through private message, or placing the item on eBay? Can you clarify this a little bit more clearly? More specifically, are you indeed looking to SELL the item to the highest bidder? (because I can promise you that the two are mutually exclusive)

 

Thank you so much for the response and advice. I found the information on google specifically racketboys rarest atari 2600 games. Beneath Birthday Mania it explains two copies were found one which was supposedly purchased by a collector a few years back. Now im not sure to what extent this information is real or not just going off what the internet says.

 

Im sorry if its confusing but to clarify to everyone, Atari has a warm place in my heart but I am specifically a Nintendo Collector. I don't have much attachment to this game and figure someone out there who truly wants to finish the collection will appreciate the game more than me. I don't want to just sell this game to make a little profit or get rid of it quick or just give it out to anyone, I want to sell it to the right person who's been wanting and looking for this game and can give me an offer I can't refuse. If no serious offers are sent in AA I'll be possibly putting it on ebay in the upcoming months. I can tell you that for the right price and to the highest bidder ill be selling the game.

[beardman32]

Nice rare find! I never heard of the game til now and it looks rad. Makes me wonder what Howard Scott Warshaw might think of it lol.

 

 

So what's the price of this game going for?

 

Yea that would be interesting hahah. The game has no set value as no copies have ever been sold and I'm the only collector who owns a copy as of now. Its difficult to set a price on this but I can tell you the number is high. Its whatever someone wants to pay for it really.

[+5-11under]

Great find! Growing up in the area (in "The Hammer") and later visiting the flea markets in the area very regularly in the '90's, I really wish I would have found something like this. It's definitely cool, though, because generally it seems all the great finds are in far off places, like California.

[+Wonder007]

 

Like Karate has the same identical game by a different producer that is very cheap (Froggo games) so it's just a variant, Atlantis II again same game but the numbers are different (variant), Gauntlet a copy in 2012 sold for $600 and multiple copies sold for $3000 in early 2000's, Air Raid multiple CIB copies found, Gamma attack some say is still debatable because people still believe it's a homebrew as no information was officially released.

 

In my opinion Birthday Mania and Extra terrestrials are the "rarest" as they have the most information behind them and least copies owned and sold.

Actually, there only two to four known complete cart Gauntlets. There is only one known CIB Air Raid, the other two known do not have the instruction manual. I also forgot to mention Red Sea Crossing, there are only three known to exist. Lastly, on Gamma Attack, there are advertisements that show that the game was available in the early 80's and there is only one original known,- the other one found does not match the old internal parts of the first one found. Thus, in my personal opinion, Birthday Mania, Gamma Attack and the Monogrammed Space Chase games are the rarest, followed closely by Red Sea Crossing and Gauntlet. I would say Extra Terrestrials would be in the top 6 to 8 depending on what 'lense' you use.

 

Remember that my opinion is based on commercially released games. There are several one of a kind Atari 2600 prototypes (some complete and others incomplete) that are even rarer that the games I mentioned.

[Swami]

Actually, there only two to four known complete cart Gauntlets. There is only one known CIB Air Raid, the other two known do not have the instruction manual. I also forgot to mention Red Sea Crossing, there are only three known to exist. Lastly, on Gamma Attack, there are advertisements that show that the game was available in the early 80's and there is only one original known,- the other one found does not match the old internal parts of the first one found. Thus, in my personal opinion, Birthday Mania, Gamma Attack and the Monogrammed Space Chase games are the rarest, followed closely by Red Sea Crossing and Gauntlet. I would say Extra Terrestrials would be in the top 6 to 8 depending on what 'lense' you use.

 

Remember that my opinion is based on commercially released games. There are several one of a kind Atari 2600 prototypes (some complete and others incomplete) that are even rarer that the games I mentioned.

 

Always makes me wonder what happened to all the others, whether 100 or 1000. I know the most likely sorry fates, but you wonder how many are simply forgotten in a parents basements to be sold, as fate would have it to a clueless person or an enthusiast.

[+cmart604]

Awesome find! Glad I was able to get one of the repros from Syd. Have you come across any Intellivision rarities in your travels? ? I hope you and Wonder are able to come to an agreement on this item.

[beardman32]

Actually, there only two to four known complete cart Gauntlets. There is only one known CIB Air Raid, the other two known do not have the instruction manual. I also forgot to mention Red Sea Crossing, there are only three known to exist. Lastly, on Gamma Attack, there are advertisements that show that the game was available in the early 80's and there is only one original known,- the other one found does not match the old internal parts of the first one found. Thus, in my personal opinion, Birthday Mania, Gamma Attack and the Monogrammed Space Chase games are the rarest, followed closely by Red Sea Crossing and Gauntlet. I would say Extra Terrestrials would be in the top 6 to 8 depending on what 'lense' you use.

 

Remember that my opinion is based on commercially released games. There are several one of a kind Atari 2600 prototypes (some complete and others incomplete) that are even rarer that the games I mentioned.

 

Hey wonder! I can definitely agree with you that there are many other games out there, but to me personally I believe that extra terrestrials is in the top 3 if not top 5 rarest commercially available atari games. Here is my reasoning behind that,

 

1) Only 2-3 copies were ever truly found in the wild, the other 2-3 copies were donated and owned by the developer, so only considering in the wild finds there have been only 2-3 in the last decade.

 

2) The way the game was distributed was a lottery in itself, it was sold door to door in a small part of Ontario by a sales man during the game crash, the chances of the guy knocking on your door are already small now imagine purchasing this game from a stranger at a time where games were in a slump. I don't know about you guys but personally if any one tries selling anything to me at my door its an instant rejection.

 

3)The game cartridge is different than any other atari game, its smaller and oddly shaped just like the infamous air raid cartridge, its odd shape combined with its beautiful art work definitely adds to its rarity value

 

4) This game was technically a rip off of the infamous E.T which arguably started the whole game crash, trying to rip off a horrible game like that during the time of the crash definitely adds to the prestige

 

5) 2/3 of the copies are owned by the museum, they were donated by the developers, only 2 people in the world currently have this game privately and I am the only collector as of now who has it, so just like gauntlet there are only 2 carts available, the rest are not available to the public.

 

6)This atari game eluded detection the longest out of any other atari cart, birthday mania, gamma attack, red sea crossing and many other rare games were found way earlier than this one, it was only discovered by the late syd bolton (RIP) after it was donated to him by the developer. Eluding detection for decades is no small feat, this gives legitimacy to its claim that it is one of the rarest games of all time.

 

7) Finally, with this game we are lucky that the developers themselves explained the story and how many copies they produced and sold, so nothing is shrouded in mystery or speculation. The fact that the developers verified everything is a big plus, it solidifies it legitimacy.

 

PS: forgot to mention that one of the copies was confirmed NOT WORKING.

Edited August 20, 2018 by beardman32

[+Wonder007]

Hey wonder! i can definitely agree with you that there are many are games out there, but to me personally i believe extraterrestrials is in the top 3 if not top 5 rarest commercially available atari games. Here is my reasoning behind that,

1) Only 2-3 copies were ever truly found in the wild, the other 2-3 copies were donated and owned by the developer, so only considering in the wild finds there have been only 2-3 in the last decade.

2) The way the game was distributed was a lottery in itself, it was sold door to door in a small part of Ontario by a sales man during the game crash, the chances of the guy knocking on your door are already small now imagine purchasing this game from a stranger at a time where games were in a slump. i don't know about you guys but personally if any one tries selling anything to me at my door its an instant rejection.

3)The game cartridge is different than any other atari game, its smaller and oddly shaped just like the infamous air raid cartridge, its odd shape combined with its beautiful art work definitely adds to its rarity value

4) This game was technically a rip off of the infamous E.t which arguably started the whole game crash, trying to rip off a horrible game like that during the time of the crash definitely adds to the prestige

5) 2/3 of the copies are owned by the museum, they were donated by the developers, only 2 people in the world currently have this game privately and i am the only collector as of now who has it, so just like gauntlet there are only 2 carts available, the rest are not available to the public.

6)This atari game eluded detection the longest out of any other atari cart, birthday mania, gamma attack, red sea crossing and many other rare games were found way earlier than this one, it was only discovered by the late syd bolton (RIP) after it was donated to him by the developer. eluding detection for decades is no small feat, this gives legitimacy to its claim that it is one of the rarest games of all time.

7) finally, with this game we are lucky that the developers themselves explained the story and how many copies they produced and sold, so nothing is shrouded in mystery or speculation. The fact that the developers verified everything is a big plus, it solidifies it legitimacy.

Ok, so noted. BTW, I know somebody else that owns it privately and another one that may exist based on information I have heard from other collectors.

[beardman32]

Ok, so noted. BTW, I know somebody else that owns it privately and another one that may exist based on information I have heard from other collectors.

 

Yes the only one right now is privately owned by a lady in hamilton and the original producer also has one. No one else has come forward according to the Personal Computer Museum and Atari Age

[+Wonder007]

 

Yes the only one right now is privately owned by a lady in hamilton and the original producer also has one. No one else has come forward according to the Personal Computer Museum and Atari Age

So, according to my math, there are three in private hands and I know of one or two more which would take it to four or five in private hands, not one as you have mentioned.

[+Wonder007]

So, according to my math, there are three in private hands and I know of one or two more which would take it to four or five in private hands, not one as you have mentioned.

Plus, there are two or three that the museum has which would be potentially 7 to 8 accounted for, far less the number of the other rarer games I mentioned earlier.

[Swami]

So, according to my math, there are three in private hands and I know of one or two more which would take it to four or five in private hands, not one as you have mentioned.

 

Yeah, I don't know, a little P.T. Barnum feeling to it all. Its a big find, no doubt, but trying to bump it from ~7th rarest to ~2nd rarest (originally first, now 1-3) based on some of these claims...

[Crimefighter]

Glad to hear you think you're so important.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Crimefighter

[beardman32]

Plus, there are two or three that the museum has which would be potentially 7 to 8 accounted for, far less the number of the other rarer games I mentioned earlier.

 

Unless they come forward on Atari Age or publicize it then its fair to say it doesn't exsist. Im sure there are probably tons of stadium events or even a few Air raids stashed in someones basement but if they don't know what they have then its just another piece of plastic. I advise if anyone else has this game they come forward otherwise it's a myth.

Edited August 20, 2018 by beardman32