Martian Threat Videopac

[Seob]

Hello,

 

I'm not sure if i will do it, but i'm thinking of selling my martian threat prototype for videopac. If own is intressed give me a pm.

Please note that i'm still not sure if i'm going to sell.

Since it's something special. But on the otherhand it is laying in a drawer and it's not being played. So that's it.

Let me know if you're interessed.

[Foxsolo2000]

Hello,

 

I'm not sure if i will do it, but i'm thinking of selling my martian threat prototype for videopac. If own is intressed give me a pm.

Please note that i'm still not sure if i'm going to sell.

Since it's something special. But on the otherhand it is laying in a drawer and it's not being played. So that's it.

Let me know if you're interessed.

 

I am interested to learn more of this game. When was it made, which company and do you have any pics of screen shots? I have PM you as well with the same questions but I am sure others would like to know the answers as well

[Seob]

We'll the game was produced by a company called GST-video. They have also programmed these videopac+ titles: Super Bee, Norseman, and Blobbers and the never officiale released games: Interpol and Shark Hunter. The last 2 have been released by videopac enthusiast.

This game was formaly knows as 'jake', but this year it was discoverd that the real name is "martian threat".

I tested the game with steelballs from the videopac.org website here's the reveu:

Martian Threat

Allready on our second try we got our highscore into the 1000 points. It's graphical a great game. It doesn't use + graphics but it still is one of the most

 

inpressive graphical games that uses standard g7000 hardware.

For game play, well we didn't like it to much. The only thrill is to get a higher score every time you play. It is not very hard to get into 1000 points and

 

the game never is very tactical. What we did notice is that if you die with less then 1000 point, the end screen shows a ufo shooting at the earth, and when

 

the earth is hit it turns red.

The first time you get 1000+ points and you die you get a differnt ending.

This time there's a shot from earth that hits the ufo. The ufo then breaks into pieces. After this the only time you see this ending again is by getting a higher highscore.

 

What is know of GST-Video:

Comes from a interview with Jon Shuttleworth.

"We used a few of the designs that came from Magnavox but thought that the "peaceful" Europeans would like things more slanted to their "delicate" taste, so we either thought them up ourselves and had somebody make mock-ups, or we used a Swedish company in Vittslo (I've forgotten the name) to design the game, and then we had it programmed by a contract program company called GST, which was already doing a lot of serious program work for Philips. That's why they called it GST Video so as to distinguish it from the "real" program work. "

 

Screenshot can be found here:odyssey2 home

picture of the cart Martian Threat

 

This is one of the 2 know protoypes.

 

Hope this is enough info.

Edited October 28, 2006 by Seob

[kirin jensen]

Christmas is coming, but if you haven't sold it by next year, I'd be interested.

Will it play on an NTSC machine (Odyssey2)?

[Seob]

we'll i don't know how far a pal game wil work on ntsc. But it looks like it's possible. See: http://pelikonepeijoonit.net/palntsc.html.

But can't garante

[Foxsolo2000]

Thanks for the information Seob, fascinating stuff. Its a pity that the O2 is often overlooked. Keep it safe though

[Godzilla]

wow the characters in that game are very detailed for an o2 game... most impressive. wish i had the dosh to own it. i love my o2.

[Foxsolo2000]

What would be reserve price

[Seob]

We'll i don't have a price in my head. But because it's a unique piece it won't sell cheap, but not for an insane price. I will include a print of the original dutch manual, and also a translation done by me in english. The original manual was found by rene, a dutch o2 collector and was posted on the videopac.org site.

Some more info about the find. My dad works at a garbageyard and every now and then he takes a look into the container where the dump the electronic stuff into. One day he found a cartboard box from a philips coffeemachine containing about 12 or so lose videopac games.

4 carts didn't have an offical label onto them. 1 of them didn't have a label at all. When looking for the names of the games on the internet i first didn't find a link, with the games "nachtvlucht", "martian threat". But when i tryed the name "robot city" i was surpriced to find out it was a prototype. After looking onto the internet and checking videopac.org i was able to connect the name "martian threat" to a game formaly called "jake". It was called "jake" since this name appeared on the screen after powering the console. This year we finaly linked the names "jake" and "martian threat" together after the discovery of the manuals and the prototype.

The finding place was a smalle town about 30 km from eindhoven where Philips has it's headquarters. So it lookes like some of the emploies where testing the games back home, and forgot about it after the discontinuing of the videopac. Putting it to the garbage many years later.

[Seob]

For those who are interesed.

I'm selling my videopac collection including 4 prototypes

Air battle No Plus graphics

Nightfighter No Plus graphics

Martian Threat

Robot City

See my threat in the marketplace