atari 2600 video game enhancer

[finguz]

ya know how nes, game boy, snes, genesis etc have game genie, gbc, psx, nintendo 64 etc have gameshark .... was there ever a game enhancer like these for atari 2600? if not, has there ever been plans to make a homebrew one? i think this would be a great idea because who knows what we would discover? like on the nes gamegenie with super mario bros. 3, you can make up your own codes awnd alot of funky stuff happens (like misplaced objects, strange levels, etc)...

[moycon]

A few people have hacked games to make them easier. But as far as I know there was never anything like the gameshark made for the Atari. Sometimes "frying" had the same effect as an enhancer. I remember getting lots of lives in games like Pheonix,Popeye and HERO by frying them. Back in the good ol days ya had to make do!!

[cschell]

There was a product called the PGP (personal game programmer???) that allowed one to do something similar to the Game Genie. I'm not really certain on the details.

 

Bob Colbert's Cheetah program worked like a game genie as well. It used the Supercharger as its hardware base, but presented you with a screen where you entered in codes before starting the game.

 

Chad

[rasty]

Concerning Cheetah, are there any more codes available besides these (6) ones? Anyone willing to hack for more?

 

greets,

Rasty.-

[MagMax667]

Info on the PGP-1 (Personal Game Programmer) can be found at the Atari Gaming Headquarters.AGH PGP-1 page.

[MagMax667]

Info on the PGP-1 (Personal Game Programmer) can be found at the Atari Gaming Headquarters.AGH PGP-1 page.

[moycon]

quote

Info on the PGP-1 (Personal Game Programmer) can be found at the Atari Gaming Headquarters.AGH PGP-1 page.

 

Wow thanks Scorpio!! I never had a clue they released anything like that!! Does anyone A.) Have one or B.) Know someone who does??? I wonder how many were actually released to the public???

[moycon]

quote

Info on the PGP-1 (Personal Game Programmer) can be found at the Atari Gaming Headquarters.AGH PGP-1 page.

 

Wow thanks Scorpio!! I never had a clue they released anything like that!! Does anyone A.) Have one or B.) Know someone who does??? I wonder how many were actually released to the public???

[moycon]

Also this double posting really boosts your "posts" status!!! Thanks for that trick too Scorpio!!! I'll catch up to Stan in no time!!!!

[MagMax667]

quote

Also this double posting really boosts your "posts" status!!! Thanks for that trick too Scorpio!!! I'll catch up to Stan in no time!!!!  

 

Wow! I didn't even realize I did that. If you need a link to the AGH homepage, this is it: ATARI GAMING HEADQUARTERS.

[MagMax667]

Also, if you want more info on the PGP-1, try the Digital Press website.

[Junie]

As far as double posting goes, why do it? Seems silly to me, not to mention having to skip repeated messages...

 

So does anyone here actually have one of the cheating devices?

 

Never a double post - Junie

[foxglove9]

I was wondering if there was ever a Game Genie or Gameshark type device made for the Atari2600. I came across this thread.

[rockman_x_2002]

I was wondering if there was ever a Game Genie or Gameshark type device made for the Atari2600. I came across this thread.

 

I see. And, did you read the thread by chance?

[foxglove9]

I see. And, did you read the thread by chance?

 

I sure did and it ended up with this question that no one had responded.

 

So does anyone here actually have one of the cheating devices?

[CPUWIZ]

Marco owns one of them.

[mvigor]

                               C H E E T A H



                            for the Supercharger



                               by Bob Colbert





What is it?



   The Cheetah allows you to cheat at your favorite games for the Atari

2600 VCS.  With the aid of Cheetah Codes, you can have unlimited lives,

unlimited time, even invincability to get you to those "impossible" levels.



How do you use it?



   The Cheetah is actually two programs in one.  You use The Cheetah

on your PC (Amiga or MSDOS) to convert a ROM image .bin file to either

a .wav file for use with the Supercharger, or a 8448 byte .bin file for

use with the PC Atari Emulator 1.4 or above.



If you want to use Cheetah with a Supercharger, you want to create a .wav.

Once the .wav file is created, you play that into your Supercharger through

your soundcard. (You can also record the .wav file on a tape and play that

into your supercharger if your computer and Atari are far apart).  Instead

of the game starting, you are presented with a code-entry screen, where you

can enter a six-digit Cheetah Code.  When Cheetah starts, you see 6 zeros

on the screen, the word "START" and the Cheetah logo.  If you do not wish

to enter a code, simply press the fire button and the game will start.  If

you do wish to enter a code, use the joystick to move right or left and a

cursor will appear under one of the digits on the screen.  Pushing up on

the joystick will increase a digit's value, which has the range from 0-9 and

A-F.  Pushing down on the joystick will decrease a digit's value. Once you

have the correct Cheetah code entered on the screen, you enter the code by

pressing the joystick button.  When you let go of the fire button, the code

should be all zeros again.  You can enter multiple Cheetah codes before

starting a game, each time by pressing the fire button.  When you are ready

to play the game, simply keep moving the cursor to the left or right until

the word "START" appears in the center of the screen.  At that point,

pressing the button will start the game!  One reminder, if you neglect to

press the fire button while the cursor is under a code digit and then

start the game, the code will not take effect!



If you want to use Cheetah with the PC Atari Emulator 1.4 or above, you

must use the -e (for emulator) flag.  This creates an 8448 byte .bin file

that the emulator will recognize as a Supercharger image.



Where do you get the codes?



   From me, or anybody else who takes the time to make a code up.  The

format of the code is simple enough and is explained in detail later.



Does it work with all games?



   The Cheetah is limited by the hardware of the Supercharger, so it will

only work with 2k and 4k games.  Some games do not work correctly because

they confuse the Supercharger.  I have developed a hardware modificatioin

that allows you to use any 2k or 4k image on the Supercharger.  Please note

that some 2k ROM images still need to be "doubled up" because the coders

were careless in addressing the ROM.  (The address lines for the upper and

lower 2k banks were connected so $f000 = $f800).  I'll probably take care of

this in a later release.



Where do I get The Cheetah?



   At my homepage of course :)



                 http://www.novia.net/~rcolbert



Who helped you?



   Dan Boris - creator of the Virtual VCS for MSDOS.  When I needed that

               vital bit of code to do 6 character graphics, he was there!

               (Thanks Ouphe!)



   Craig Nelson - creator of the Supercharger.  He was nice enough to fax

                  me information on the control byte of the Supercharger.

                  It, along with a lot of experimenting, proved priceless.



What's Next?



   Well, I am going to try and make a good sized library of Cheetah Codes.

Then I want to make a game for the Supercharger.



O.K. now for the technical stuff:



Cheetah command format:



   Cheetah [-f][-e] romfile wavefile (binfile if -e is used)



       The f makes a "super-fast load" version of the .wav file.



Cheetah code format:



                           7 7 B E A A

                              / |_| |_ Number of addresses (minus 1)

                             /   |      to modify

                             |    |                           

             Address to _____/     ___ Byte to put at address

              modify



The last digit is the number of addresses to modify (minus 1).  The code

above is a code for Chase the Chuckwagon, it give unlimited time.  It

modifies the game at address $F77B, and puts 11 ($0a + 1) EAs (NOPs) there.





                       Have Fun!



                               Bob Colbert

                               rcolbert@oasis.novia.net

                               http://www.novia.net/~rcolbert

[mvigor]

The text file I just posted has a modification date of January 1997.

 

I'm attaching the program to this post as a ZIP file.

 

Now can someone make Cuttle Cart 2 Cheetah versions of all the 2 and 4K games so I can add in a whole section to my CC2?

 

cheetah.zip

[mvigor]

Cheetah Codes V1 Aug 26, 1996 By Bob Colbert



Note: You can use multiple codes to get a desired effect, for  example

you would use the first three codes for Adventure  so the dragons

can't harm you at all!



=================================================



Adventure  87CF10 - Dragons can't eat you (but can still push you

around!) 4E9000 & 4DD000 - Dragons can't touch you (but can still eat

you!)  4C6EAF & 4D6EA3 - You can go through walls and barriers



=================================================



Chase the Chuckwagon  77BEAA - Unlimited time



=================================================



Combat Cheetah Codes, by Nick Bensema.



NEW GAME OPTIONS: These codes expand the capabilities

of existing game variations of the right type.



Reversible Tanks

Pull back on the joystick to flip your tank.

Be careful when using the guided missile, you

won't get hit by your own missile but you might

look very stupid.



Codes:	714080



Hard Braking Turns

Snap left and right, allowing for faster

maneuvering.



Codes:	718030 71C0D0 (More natural)

718040 71C0C0 (alternate)



Turbo Tanks

Pull back on the joystick to shoot ahead at

fifteen times normal speed!



Codes:	714F00



Reversible Jets

An experimental device that reverses your jet,

though you can only slow down when turning now.



Codes:	72A080

71F080 (for use in Biplane games)



Braking Biplanes!

Hide in a cloud for as long as you like when

you use your special air brakes.  Does not work

when turning.



Codes:	721000

72A000 (for use in Jet Fighter games)



The Prank Plane

Your friend steps on the gas, and stops dead

in his tracks, while you strafe away.  Just so

long as you don't forget and step on it yourself.



Codes:	725000 (for Biplane)

729000 (for Jet Fighter)



Ice Tanks!

Your tank is stuck in an ice pond.  You're just

plain out of control!



Codes:  70F160 (Try it on a normal playfield.)

70F160 7CC9DB (On a cloudish slalom playfield

                      that wraps around)

70F160 7CC9AB (No obstacles)





ALL-NEW GAME VARIATIONS:  Alone or in conjunction with

the new options, these codes will either replace

game variation 1, or add new variations.



Airliner!

Air pirates try to shoot down a 747.  But thanks

to souped-up security since TWA 800, the airliner

can fire back.



To use game variations 28-31:

Codes:  7F4FF6 7F3CB0 7f4C30 7F5E30 7F6E80



To replace game 1:

7D0C30 (No clouds)

7D0CB0 (Clouds)

7D0E30 (Guided missiles)

7D0EB0 (Both)



Big Guns!

Militia members who don't know much about formation

flying duke it out with huge black market missiles.



Codes: 7D8CC0 (Replaces game 1)



Deluxe Ice Tanks!

This time there's no obstacles, but sometimes

there is fog in parts of the battlefield.

Comes with eight of its own variations,

including #8 where you are in the cockpit

of the new, but cheap, Juggernaut!  These codes

produce a game which is probably more unique

than most Taiwanese ripoffs, IMHO.



And no, those last two codes DON'T look familiar.



7C84F0 1AFEC0 7F4FF6 7F3CB0



MISCELLANEOUS: These are just really, really cool.



Metamorphosis:

Play your jets in Tank Pong!  Play your

biplanes in a maze!  The fun never ends!

These aren't much perfect, but they are cool.



Turn Everyone into Jets!

Codes:	7C68F2 (Look like)

1C8EA1 1CCEA1 (Behave like)



Turn Everyone Into Biplanes!

Codes:  7C6CF2 (Look like)

1C8EA1 (Behave like)



Turn Everyone Into Tanks!

Codes:  7C64F2 (Look like)

1C8EA7 (Behave like)



Groovy-lookin' Eight!

If you had the time you could peck in a new

font for the whole number system.  Hard to

do much in 4x5 though.



Codes:	5EF440



Broken Joystick.

Suddenly you can't move.  Affects all game

variations, but not the fire button.  Leave

the console on when your friend comes in and

tell him to practice while you go to the can.

Leave a box of joysticks next to the machine,

and watch as he tries each one and it doesn't

work!  Start yelling at him, claiming he broke

your machine.  Fun fun fun!



Codes: 71200A 71250A 71290A



Create Your Own Controls!

Spin around like crazy, or run around in circles,

or just throw a hissy fit.



Get started right away with this:  Replace the

X with a velocity from 0 to F and Y with a heading

number (0 is straight ahead, 4 is 90 degrees, etc)



Codes:	714XY0 (Tank, pulling back)

718XY0 (Tank, back and left)

71CXY0 (Tank, back and right)



If you feel more ambitious and know how to add in

hex, try this formula to find the first three

numbers.



712

+ 1 (for Up)

+ 2 (for Down)

+ 4 (for Left)

+ 8 (for Right)

+ B (for Biplane controls)

+16 (for Jet Fighter controls)



Create Your Own Variations!

It's never been easier to program the Atari 2600.

Put your own, random numbers in place of the XY.

Game FF is the end-of-variations marker so don't

use that or the game will poo.  See if you can

find the pattern.  The game isn't entirely

prepared for some values, so the results can

be unpredictable.  



Codes:	7D8XY0 (Replace game 1)



7F4FF6 7F3**0: Create Game Variation 28

Above plus 7F4**0: Game Variation 29 (Safe up to 33)





ON A SIDE NOTE...

Try the following on Pitfall!  See if you notice.



Codes:	FA2116 FB3150 FB5540



......



--

N i c k  B e n s e m a  < n i c k b @ p r i m e n e t . c o m >     ,-._|



=================================================



Keystone Kapers  ED9xx0 - Start at level xx where xx is the level

number in hexadecimal



=================================================



Pacman  53EEA1 - Unlimited lives 516EA3 - Power Pills last forever

5E4EA1 - Able to eat ghosts at any time



=================================================



Pitfall  Codes by Jay Tilton 



A few cheetah codes for Pitfall.  Nothing elegant, just blanking out

some offensive sprites.  



No walls in the underground passages:  db000f

No scorpions:  d9000a + da0009

No fires:  d2100e + d3100e

No snakes:  d4100d + d5100d

No logs:  d0100d + d1100d

--

Jay Tilton  |  tiltonj@erols.com