Problems with Atari 2600 carts?

[HawgWyld]

Just wondering if folks are having any emulation problems with 2600 carts on the good ol' 7800. I have had no trouble with any of my games (Activision or otherwise) in terms of software compatibility. However, there are two hardware issues that bother me:

 

1. Can't play Starmaster by Activision (one of my favorite games) because I need the "B/W - Color" switch from the 2600 to switch between the "map" and "ship" views. Bugs the hell out of me.

 

2. Imagic carts -- the back of those are too wide to fit comfortably in my 7800. That wouldn't be an issue if games like Atlantis and Demon Attack weren't so great. So, I wind up jamming those things in, anyway.

 

Just wondering if anyone else had any problems -- hardware or software -- that interfered with 2600 emulation.

[ubersaurus]

Well, you can use difficulty switches in starmaster.

[HawgWyld]

quote:

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Originally posted by ubersaurus:

Well, you can use difficulty switches in starmaster.

---

 

Really? Thought it had to be the "B/W - Color" switch. I'll have to test that out.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

nope the difficulty switched will work fine. what gets me though is why the manual clearly states not to!

 

Also if you ever play shuttle (activision). you will discover that you can't use your primary engines either since thay are on the b/w switch. thank goodness the game also has backup engines which can be used and are controlled via one of the difficulty switches.

[liveinabin]

I was aware that Robot Tank didn't work on NTSC 7800 machines, but I have discovered that it also fails on PAL.

[+Propane13]

I always had trouble with Space War. The screen just rolls and rolls. On my 2600, it works perfectly. No idea what's going on there.

 

-John K. Harvey

[HawgWyld]

quote:

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Originally posted by liveinabin:

I was aware that Robot Tank didn't work on NTSC 7800 machines, but I have discovered that it also fails on PAL.

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I'm almost certain that works on mine! I know I've played it, but now feel compelled to test it out again. That's truly odd.

[HawgWyld]

quote:

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Originally posted by John K. Harvey:

I always had trouble with Space War. The screen just rolls and rolls. On my 2600, it works perfectly. No idea what's going on there.

 

-John K. Harvey

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Haven't dusted off that Space War cart in years. Have to check that out, too.

[HawgWyld]

quote:

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Originally posted by liveinabin:

I was aware that Robot Tank didn't work on NTSC 7800 machines, but I have discovered that it also fails on PAL.

---

 

Yep. "Robot Tank" works perfectly well on mine!

[Markimus of K.]

Hawgwyld: If you got Robot Tank to work on your 7800, please let me know the particulars! It's one of my favourite games but it definetley doestn't work on mine. I'd love to play it more but I have to pull out one of my 2600's to play it which seems a shame when I've already got the 7800 hooked up.

 

I also cannot play Decathelon on the 7800. In fact I threw one out around 2 years ago and now I'm wondering if I just tried it on the 7800 instead of the 2600? I don't remember. From what I've read, these two games cannot be played on the 7800, but I'd sure love someone to prove me wrong!

 

as always,

Markimus of K.

PS: can someone tell me how to quote previous messages here? thanks!

[+Mitch]

quote

From what I've read, these two games cannot be played on the 7800, but I'd sure love someone to prove me wrong!

 

Check here and here.

 

Mitch

http://atari7800.atari.org

[HawgWyld]

quote:

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Originally posted by Markimus of K.:

Hawgwyld: If you got Robot Tank to work on your 7800, please let me know the particulars! It's one of my favourite games but it definetley doestn't work on mine. I'd love to play it more but I have to pull out one of my 2600's to play it which seems a shame when I've already got the 7800 hooked up.

 

I also cannot play Decathelon on the 7800. In fact I threw one out around 2 years ago and now I'm wondering if I just tried it on the 7800 instead of the 2600? I don't remember. From what I've read, these two games cannot be played on the 7800, but I'd sure love someone to prove me wrong!

 

as always,

Markimus of K.

PS: can someone tell me how to quote previous messages here? thanks!

---

 

There's some info about incompatible carts listed in anAtari 7800 faq.

 

Evidently, units made in '84 play just about everything, while later ones might not play a few carts.

 

The ones I have on that list that work are "Robot Tank," and "Kool-Aid Man."

 

I suppose, then, I got lucky and got one of the earlier models. I'd hate to not be able to play "Robot Tank" or "Kool-Aid Man."

 

And, don't laugh at my love for "Kool-Aid Man." Anyone remember the Kool-Aid promotion when kids were encouraged to save up points from Kool-Aid products in order to get that cart for free? I drank a hell of a lot of Kool-Aid to save up the points, and was one happy kid when the cart arrived. Love that game!

 

And, to quote posts, hit the quote symbol at the top of the box surrounding the post you want to refer to. That'll do the trick!

[HawgWyld]

quote:

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Originally posted by -^Cro§Bow^-:

nope the difficulty switched will work fine. what gets me though is why the manual clearly states not to!

 

Also if you ever play shuttle (activision). you will discover that you can't use your primary engines either since thay are on the b/w switch. thank goodness the game also has backup engines which can be used and are controlled via one of the difficulty switches.

 

 

---

 

I can't tell you how happy I am to know that. I don't own "Space Shuttle," but "Star Master" is one of my favorite games for the 2600 -- I've been addicted to that one since it came out. Thanks again for the info.!

[Markimus of K.]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mitch:

Check

here

and

here

.

 

Mitch

http://atari7800.atari.org

---

 

Mitch: Thanks for that link, I'm printing it out right now (we'll see if the quote worked too!). I had no idea that there were different 7800 hardware configurations. I'll probably try this mod, the only thing holding me back is the fact that I only have one 7800 system and sure don't want to kill it. Howerver, I'd sure love to play Robot Tank on my 7800, I played the heck out of that game when it was released!

 

Hawgwyld: Thanks for the compatibility link, like I said earlier, I think I might have tossed some good carts out of ignorance.

 

Has anyone modded a 7800 in this way? Any advice?

 

as always,

Markimus of K.

[Markimus of K.]

Hawgwyld: also forgot to mention in my prev post, I agree with you on Starmaster, what an awesome game even to this day! If I was on a desert Island and could only have one 2600 game I would pick Starmster with Robot Tank a close second I think.

 

btw, am I the only one the noticed Robot Tank was not on the Activision compilation disk for the Playstation? Oh sure they included Fishing Derby, much better than Robot Tank!

 

But I'm not bitter...