New Release: OdysseyNow Game Pack 3 (Magnavox Odyssey)

[zhorton]

This was announced during the summer in the Odyssey Facebook group, but it never got announced on AtariAge, so I'm adding it now!  We actually have 3 copies of these games remaining...

 

We have completed Game Pack 3 for the Magnavox Odyssey!  This is our most elaborate set of games to date, and includes the following:

 

The Haunting of '72

 

 

Just in time for Halloween!  The first Odyssey game to include time travel, this game leads you on an inter-dimensional chase through a haunted house in two eras: 1972 and the present! It makes use of the overlay and cards from the original 1972 game Haunted House, as well as a new, matching overlay and set of cards. The gameplay involves traveling back and forth between 1972 and the present, tracking the changes to a dwelling that has seen nearly 50 years of dilapidation, but also some serious makeovers... but can they conceal the horrific events that happened at the dawn of the '70s?  Find out as you engage in a mad chase that leads you to jump from one time to another by swapping overlays mid-game. The Haunting of '72 involves a rather elaborate storyline that is filled in, mad-lib style, by the players at the beginning of the game. You can watch the video for the full intro, setup, and gameplay by my students. An alternate version of the game can be played by 4 players using two side-by-side screens (but only one Odyssey console). That version is also included in the video below!

 

 

 

Et Tu, Brute

 

 

This game has been in development for almost 3 years in the Vibrant Media Lab at Pitt! It is finally complete, and I'm so proud of it. It's the first social deduction game for the Odyssey, and probably any console. It is set in ancient Rome, with the city on screen and information about public sentiment (including a brewing rebellion against Caesar) located on the tabletop. Players (4-6) take on roles including Caesar, Brutus, and others, traveling around the city to either incite rebellion or root it out. Using a physical device on top of the TV, players can attempt to assassinate each other. It's great, conspiratorial fun, and a real social-medial experiment! This game explores the Odyssey’s pioneering potential as a system that could incorporate players in an interactive environment of information exchange, including on-screen, on a tabletop, and physically within an enlarged space of play.

 

 

 

Interplanetary Voyage (OdysseyNow Re-Creation)

 

 

Introducing an OdysseyNow re-creation of one of the rarest and most amazing games released for the Odyssey. Interplanetary Voyage was released in 1973 as part of a 4-pack of games that would prove to be the final releases for the world's first game console. This sweeping science fiction game was amazing to behold, from its artwork to its unique gameplay. As a labor of love, the OdysseyNow team worked for a long time to re-create and update this game. The artwork for the overlay and cards were re-created from scratch by Brendan Valley, and the cardboard gameboard was recreated as a deluxe neoprene playmat. We re-worked the rules, clarifying and tweaking a number of things to make this a smoother play experience. Our most radical change was to incorporate elements of the trivia game originally included in this release ("University of the Solar System") into the main adventure game. In this video, four of my students introduce and play our updated version.

 

 

 

 

Bonus Game: Deadly Haunted House

 

The original Odyssey Game Haunted House (1972) was a masterpiece of visual design, but flawed in its gameplay. We have created a new game, in the spirit of the original, but re-written with more complex obstacles to avoid for the Detective (including secret, deadly objects), and a greatly expanded role for the Ghost. This game is designed to be played with Card 12 (included in this Game Pack).

 

This is the proper lighting for this game:

 

 

 

 

Hardware

 

In addition to all of the physical components for the individual games, this game pack includes an OdysseyNow re-creation of Game Card 12 (the rarest of all original game cards) and the OdysseyNow Ghost Controller.  The latter is a special accessory controller designed to plug into the Odyssey's ACC port.  It contains two large buttons: when the red button is pressed, it renders an onscreen element (either the ball or Player 2, depending on the current game card) invisible.  When the white button is pressed, it reappears.  This is used to assassinate players in Et Tu, Brute, and will also be used in future OdysseyNow games.

 

 

 

 

 

Game Pack 3 Full Contents

 

Game Card 12
Ghost Controller

Ghost Controller Instructions
Et Tu, Brute Overlay
Et Tu, Brute Card decks
Et Tu, Brute Board Strips (2)
Et Tu, Brute playing pieces and die
Et Tu, Brute Instructions
The Haunting of ‘72 “Happy House” Overlay
The Haunting of ‘72 Cards (30)
The Haunting of ‘72 Card Strips (3)
The Haunting of ‘72 Instructions
Interplanetary Voyage Overlay (reproduction)
Interplanetary Voyage Game Mat
Interplanetary Voyage cards (72)
Interplanetary Voyage Space Station Coin (wood)
Interplanetary Voyage Updated Instructions
Interplanetary Voyage pawns (4)
Bonus: Deadly Haunted House Instructions

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by zhorton