The Official Atari Age Secret Santa 2023 Thread!

[Dopy25]

 

 

Oh man this was an amazing bunch of gifts! This year my Santa was CaptainBreakout! I did not realize how many people live "close" by me. We live in the same state! Which is normally enough for most states, but this one is pretty long. Still a few hours away is a short enough drive to hang with someone that has similar interests. Perhaps my family and I will make the drive soon to say hello!

 

I got excited and opened what I consider to be the wrong one first, because... See below.

But wing commander 3 for the 3DO is perfect. I don't have many games for my 3do so this was a very nice addition and I'll be playing this as soon as I find the time.

 

Everything else was set aside for Christmas Day so I didn't get myself too worked up, but I had this one wrapped with Sneaky Peeky wrapping paper! The game was Sneak and Peek! Haha that's awesome. I really should have opened this first. It felt like a great Segway into the rest but I missed that opportunity. Oh well. I'll pay attention next year. Haha.

 

Here's the rest! I got a wireless N64 controller. This is perfect because I've been trying to add to my wireless controller collection. OEM controllers are great, but there were never really any (good ones) for our beloved consoles. 

 

The 8 track Christmas organ chimes will be playing next Christmas. My goal is to find an 8 track player over the next year.

 

Super 64 has been on my want list for awhile and Santa came through for Christmas this year. Thank you! It will go great with the wireless controller.

 

ANYTHING Zelda related is always a hit with me so this master sword lamp is going on my night stand. Haha.

 

Iron Soldier is an amazing gift, but bittersweet for me this year as the only thing I had of value was sold to a friend in order to make Christmas happen so I'll have to come up with another one soon in order to play this magical piece of gaming history. 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for such a wonderful set of Christmas gifts.

 

 

On 12/18/2023 at 4:21 PM, Armscar Coder said:

To my Secret Santa, thank you so much!  This is perfect.

 

There is only one problem.  My Secret Santa did not reveal themselves.  Please, I ask that you do reveal your AtariAge identity and take credit for this very thoughtful gift package. 

 

And for all of you Secret Santas out there, both givers and receivers, have a very Merry Christmas!

 

Hey @Armscar Coder!!

I was your Santa this year. I am very happy you enjoy your gifts. I had a bit of help with the image, thanks to @CaptainBreakout, but my wife has a hobby of her own where she does custom tee shirts for friends and family. I figured we could come up with something to have a unique fit to your tee shirt request.

I'm also glad I could come through with the calculator. I was really trying for boxed stuff this year so you'd have some nostalgia while opening your gifts. That one was the second one I ordered.... the first had to go back because it was not working. I hope that one last you many years!

As for the games, I read up on your posts and saw that you were interested in Xevious and you said at one point that was the only reason you considered getting a 7800. I hoped that one would be the right gift for you to play on your 2600+.

BTW, how did that go?

 

You mentioned memories with your bro on the NES, and I wanted to share mine. Our favorite was Tetris! We still have contests to see who can get the higher score. He's my older bro, so naturally he can still beat me in the first sitting. 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by Dopy25

[Machine]

So my Santa really went above and beyond!

 

The picture has already found a spot in the gameroom. The Jaguar Shell is amazing. I can't wait to squeeze all 64bits into this see-thru sexy outfit!

I put the Gift certificate to good use! Albert just put new Jaguar games in the store, so it's great timing!!!!

Whoever my Santa is, THANK YOU!!!

Amazing!

Edited December 26, 2023 by Machine

[DrMooCowz]

On 12/18/2023 at 7:21 PM, Armscar Coder said:

I had mentioned in my letter to Santa that I like to wear T-shirts.  It is boring I know, but basically If I am not at work (casual Fridays excluded), I am wearing a T-shirt.  And Santa got me what I asked for, but in a totally unexpected way.  It is a T-shirt with the box art from my first Atari 2600 game Doggone It!.  I gotta say it, that is doggone awesome.

     

 

That is freaking awesome!

[ClassicGMR]

1 hour ago, Dopy25 said:

wing commander 3 for the 3DO is perfect.

This is - in my opinion - the 2nd best 3DO game out there and THE definitive example of the series. If you never play a WC game except this one it’s a win. 😊

[DrMooCowz]

I finally caught up on a the openings! Well done, everyone! It's always fun to watch this unfold!

[+Neon Wraith]

7 hours ago, ClassicGMR said:

I HAZ A SAD NOW…

 

 

They're going to have to fix that.  2024 is a leap year so... an extra day.  Sorry, now you haz an extra sad.

[HoshiChiri]

5 hours ago, Machine said:

The Jaguar Shell is amazing. 

GASP! They EXIST!

 

I still want to put a retro pie into a Jaguar shell & slap a Coleco Chameleon sticker on it- now I know all the bits I'd need exist! I just have to figure out how to put them together!😆

[carlsson]

6 hours ago, HoshiChiri said:

I still want to put a retro pie into a Jaguar shell & slap a Coleco Chameleon sticker on it

If you fail obtaining a shell, maybe you can make your own and launch the HoshiVision. If nothing else, it should pronounce the same both in sober and intoxicated state.

[CaptainBreakout]

HoshiVision does have a certain ring to it. Like something out of the world of Wreck-It Ralph.

[+Armscar Coder]

19 hours ago, Dopy25 said:

Hey @Armscar Coder!!

I was your Santa this year. I am very happy you enjoy your gifts. I had a bit of help with the image, thanks to @CaptainBreakout, but my wife has a hobby of her own where she does custom tee shirts for friends and family. I figured we could come up with something to have a unique fit to your tee shirt request.

I'm also glad I could come through with the calculator. I was really trying for boxed stuff this year so you'd have some nostalgia while opening your gifts. That one was the second one I ordered.... the first had to go back because it was not working. I hope that one last you many years!

As for the games, I read up on your posts and saw that you were interested in Xevious and you said at one point that was the only reason you considered getting a 7800. I hoped that one would be the right gift for you to play on your 2600+.

BTW, how did that go?

Cool!  Thanks for coming forward @Dopy25.  The Doggone It! shirt is hanging up in my closet next to all of my "nice" shirts.  I can't decide if it will be a wear around the house shirt or if I will only don it for special occasions.

 

This is going to be pretty nerdy, but I love the calculator.  It is really satisfying to see my previous operations on the large screen.  The fact that the original packaging was included (even the original batteries, but I put in fresh ones) is pretty cool.  I was using it yesterday and I do believe it is better than my old TI-81.

 

Even though I felt like I was carpet bombing hints for it, I haven't gotten my 2600+ yet.  I do have one more family get together to go.  If it doesn't come to fruition then, I will be taking matters into my own hands.

 

19 hours ago, Dopy25 said:

You mentioned memories with your bro on the NES, and I wanted to share mine. Our favorite was Tetris! We still have contests to see who can get the higher score. He's my older bro, so naturally he can still beat me in the first sitting.

I saw my brother on Christmas and since he possesses our NES, I gave him the games I received.  Even though I am the older brother, and obviously better, he is already getting a leg up on me by practicing Tetris and texting me photos of his high scores.  Oh, it's on!

 

Thanks again for all of the gifts.  It was, as it has been in my first two years, a special experience to have participated in the AtariAge Secret Santa.

[+cvga]

3 hours ago, Armscar Coder said:

It was, as it has been in my first two years, a special experience to have participated in the AtariAge Secret Santa.

Hopefully Brutus has a little more magic in him

 

[thevnaguy]

I want to thank my Secret Santa for all the great things that was sent to me   Loved them all!

 

I did a video, but its part of a larger video and is over on my Youtube Channel if anyone is interested.  My channel is linked in my signature below.

 

 

[+Zeptari]

@thevnaguy we’re so glad you enjoyed your gifts, it was fun to watch the unpacking video.Unfortunately we forgot to put batteries in for a little Yoda. Do yourself a favor and put some in, you’ll get a kick out of it. Lots of great gifts this year and it looks like everyone had a fantastic time again. Happy new year to all. 
 

by the way, we wanna know if you have a little dog like in the picture ☝️ above?!?

[carlsson]

After a Christmas weekend that came and went, plus three days of work from morning to late evening, I finally found some time to open my package, picked up on Christmas Eve.

 

So many gifts in such a small package! Actually it took me quite a few minutes to figure out how to open the outer package with all its wrapping plastic and where to put a knife without damaging anything.

 

Inside we have a recommended cook book, so I guess after all there will be soup for me. We also have Cars for PSP, meaning I might get additional use for the only "modern" console I own. It is interesting that I got a golf game for SNES (in PAL version even) as I have toyed with the idea to get a collection of golf games for all systems. I have well over a half dozen by now, despite I don't play golf, unlike a friend of mine who plays golf but only collects ZX Spectrum games.

 

 

The CD is also on-topic, as I may have mentioned in my Secret Santa letter that I play the alto saxophone and thus got an album of saxophone quintet music. From time to time I have tired to lure my saxophonist friends into forming a quartet and twice we have come really far in obtaining suitable material and rehearsing a few times, but then the ensemble broke up and we still haven't got a gig like the joke says.

 

And yes, the four Reeses Trees look like very nice treats. I already had one, and consider putting the other in the refrigerator as they seem a little melted and sticky.

 

Big thanks to my not so anonymous Santa, @Armscar Coder.

 

But wait, there's more! Earlier in December, our local friend group had a Christmas party with gift exchange in which I got a power bank. Late at night, I drove my friend home and he told me to wait, he had an extra gift for me. I have waited to open it until Christmas which apparently was today, December 30. To be honest, I kind of expected to find a boxed Intellivision inside but something else awaited me! I suppose some of our French guys recognize this little cute girl, complete with manual, demo tape and styrofoam. Actually I already own a boxed Alice 4K in worse condition, which I thought was lost earlier until I found it in the back of my closet but you can never have too many.

 

[Fadest]

Wow, this Alice packaging with Moebius artwork is so nice. Far better than the computer itself.

 

I also received my parcel, took some pictures but there are family at home so I can not play yet to my gifts and my main computer if off so you will have to wait until next week to see the amazing stuff I got.

Only one word, Wow...

Was not expecting to get such madness...

 

Thanks you very much to my Secret Santa who is still secret

[thevnaguy]

22 hours ago, Zeptari said:

@thevnaguy we’re so glad you enjoyed your gifts, it was fun to watch the unpacking video.Unfortunately we forgot to put batteries in for a little Yoda. Do yourself a favor and put some in, you’ll get a kick out of it. Lots of great gifts this year and it looks like everyone had a fantastic time again. Happy new year to all. 
 

by the way, we wanna know if you have a little dog like in the picture ☝️ above?!?

Yep, thats Maximus

[+bent_pin]

@davidcalgary29

 

The Coffee Crisp are amazing. They have the correct amount of chocolate to the lightly sweetened, crunchy wafer center. We are slowly rationing them out.

Anyone who likes a candy treat that's not overly sweet should grab one.

[+davidcalgary29]

5 minutes ago, bent_pin said:

@davidcalgary29

 

The Coffee Crisp are amazing. They have the correct amount of chocolate to the lightly sweetened, crunchy wafer center. We are slowly rationing them out.

Anyone who likes a candy treat that's not overly sweet should grab one.

Santa's always happy to send out more, although he also might sneak in another Big Turk or --shudder-- Cherry Blossom if you're naughty, so beware.  

 

Also a possibility: Ketchup and all-dressed chips. You've been warned.

[+davidcalgary29]

8 hours ago, carlsson said:

After a Christmas weekend that came and went, plus three days of work from morning to late evening, I finally found some time to open my package, picked up on Christmas Eve.

 

So many gifts in such a small package! Actually it took me quite a few minutes to figure out how to open the outer package with all its wrapping plastic and where to put a knife without damaging anything.

 

Inside we have a recommended cook book, so I guess after all there will be soup for me. We also have Cars for PSP, meaning I might get additional use for the only "modern" console I own. It is interesting that I got a golf game for SNES (in PAL version even) as I have toyed with the idea to get a collection of golf games for all systems. I have well over a half dozen by now, despite I don't play golf, unlike a friend of mine who plays golf but only collects ZX Spectrum games.

 

 

The CD is also on-topic, as I may have mentioned in my Secret Santa letter that I play the alto saxophone and thus got an album of saxophone quintet music. From time to time I have tired to lure my saxophonist friends into forming a quartet and twice we have come really far in obtaining suitable material and rehearsing a few times, but then the ensemble broke up and we still haven't got a gig like the joke says.

 

And yes, the four Reeses Trees look like very nice treats. I already had one, and consider putting the other in the refrigerator as they seem a little melted and sticky.

 

Big thanks to my not so anonymous Santa, @Armscar Coder.

 

But wait, there's more! Earlier in December, our local friend group had a Christmas party with gift exchange in which I got a power bank. Late at night, I drove my friend home and he told me to wait, he had an extra gift for me. I have waited to open it until Christmas which apparently was today, December 30. To be honest, I kind of expected to find a boxed Intellivision inside but something else awaited me! I suppose some of our French guys recognize this little cute girl, complete with manual, demo tape and styrofoam. Actually I already own a boxed Alice 4K in worse condition, which I thought was lost earlier until I found it in the back of my closet but you can never have too many.

 

So that is an Alice 32, right? There's zero information about it floating around (except that it's red), so this is fun. And please tell me that you have the matching red monitor and cassette drive...

[+bent_pin]

Just now, davidcalgary29 said:

Santa's always happy to send out more, although he also might sneak in another Big Turk or --shudder-- Cherry Blossom if you're naughty, so beware.  

 

Also a possibility: Ketchup and all-dressed chips. You've been warned.

Santa will probably find himself to be the first recipient of Pong of War sometime this year.

[carlsson]

3 minutes ago, davidcalgary29 said:

So that is an Alice 32, right?

Alice 4K, due to the silver label. Essentially the same as TRS-80 MC-10 but with AZERTY keyboard and RGB output. The Alice 32 looks the same but has a green label.

 

Unfortunately I neither have the cassette recorder nor TV, but I do have the MCX-128 RAM expansion which allows me to load larger programs.

[+davidcalgary29]

4 hours ago, bent_pin said:

@davidcalgary29

 

The Coffee Crisp are amazing. They have the correct amount of chocolate to the lightly sweetened, crunchy wafer center. We are slowly rationing them out.

Anyone who likes a candy treat that's not overly sweet should grab one.

 

[ClassicGMR]

Thank you @chicgamer and @CaptainBreakout for another great Santa run. 🥰

 

 

Edited January 1 by ClassicGMR

[Fadest]

So here we are, the parcel arroved on friday, but I had just time to open it and store it in my desk before family visit (apart chocolates that are already mostly eaten  )

 

As you can see, lots of nice wrapped gifts, plus 3 boxes of Asher's Chocolate & caramel not pictured.

 

In fact 4 boxes as the red gift is a bigger box.

 

I said I like books and history about games and vuideogames, I wwas not expecting to receive from the US a book in french that I was not aware of, what a nice surprise.

A bit of history of 8bits consoles plus technical aspects and a bit of programming, right up in my alley. I will read it many times I guess.

Plus a crosswords book in french also (would have been fun to test crosswords in english, even if my englisk skills are probably too low)

 

What about the small box on the right, it is a cute and tiny arcade replica that can be used as keychain (but I will probably never do it, too afraid to scratch it)

And yes, it is functionnal.

Sorry for the blurry picture, seems my phone does not like this tiny screen.

This is cute, this is fun, this is playable, this collectable (argh.... now I want more of them )

 

And the big box was the cherry on the cake, I was wondering what it could be but certainly not expecting to find what was inside.

Wow, it seems I have been kind in 2023 !

I was looking at it for a while but they are not so common in shops in France, and here it is.

 

I took time for some gaming this morning, especially with Dark Chambers 7800, as you can see, it works very well on my desk monitor (just need to fin an option to get music and sound as there are no speakers on this monitor)

 

So I don't who my Secret Santa is but thanks you very much. This was beyond my expectations and it's so nice to get suprise gifts.

 

[carlsson]

On 12/23/2023 at 8:30 PM, Fadest said:

Custom fees depending on type of goods (video games is usually 0%) but video games parts us taxable for example. 

This year it was my turn after all. UPS sent an invoice on December 13, to be due on December 23 and arrived in my mailbox on January 2.

 

Apparently I'm paying customs fees equivalent of $16 per kg of video games. No customs on books, CDs or candy. However all of those are tainted with their respective VAT rates, plus around $13 in handling fees. The total for me to pay equals to ~$38 to receive a package with value of $30 and marked as gift. At least they didn't add VAT to the shipping costs, unless that is hidden in those $13 for handling. Now hopefully I can pay this invoice before I get a delay fee.

 

Again, for next year it should be mandatory to give out your email address and/or cellphone number, and for the sender to use that information as in particular overseas shipping seems worse than before.