Princess of Atari: An Adventure Many Years in the Making

I have a few passions, Atari was my first.

Coming soon, a breakdown and possible reviews of all my favourite games I own and my own personal quests when tracking down Atari games.

Current Quest – Own all Atari Star Wars Games, (see below rated from common to rare)

1. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Have! (Actually have two, this game is pretty common, but I got one with the original box!)
2. Star Wars: Jedi Arena – HAVE!
3. Star Wars: Death Star Battle – Have!
4. Star Wars: The Arcade Game <– last one in my quest, OMG I’ve found so many for the Atari 5200, but I’m a strictly Atari 2600 girl.
5. Star Wars: Ewok Adventure (Prototype that was never released, Unlikely to ever get)

Own: Atari 2600

List of Games Currently Have (Doubles are not mistakes):

1. Asteroids
2. Asteroids
3. Astroblast
4. Atlantis
5. Basketball
6. Berzerk
7. Berzerk
8. Bowling
9. Breakout
10. Carnival
11. Checkers
12. Video Checkers
13. Circus Atari
14. Combat
15. Combat
16. Cosmic Ark
17. Cosmic Creeps
18. Crystal Castles
19. Defender
20. Defender
21. Double Dragon
22. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
23. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
24. Grand Prix
25. Homerun
26. Infiltrate
27. Joust
28. Missile Command
29. Missile Command
30. Moon Patrol
31. Moon Patrol
32. Ms. Pac-Man
33. Video Olympics
34. Outlaw
35. Phoenix
36. Pitfall! Pitfall Harry’s Jungle Adventure
37. Pole Position
38. Realsports Football
39. River Raid
40. Seaquest
41. Solar Fox
42. Space Invaders
43. Space Invaders
44. Space War
45. Star Raiders
46. Star Raiders
47. Star Voyager
48. Star Wars: Jedi Arena
49. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Death Star Battle
50. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Death Star Battle
51. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
52. Stargate
53. Starmaster
54. Super Breakout
55. Swordquest: Earthworld
56. Tron Deadly Discs
57. Venture
58. Wizard of Wor
59. Yars’ Revenge
60. Yars’ Revenge

Most Common Games for Atari 2600:

1. Asteroids – Have Two
2. Berzerk – Have Two
3. Casino – Don’t Have Yet
4. Combat – Have Two
5. Defender – Have Two
6. Donkey Kong – Don’t Have Yet
7. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – Have Two
8. Football – Don’t Have Yet
9. Frogger – Don’t Have Yet
10. Missile Command – Have Two
11. Night Driver – Don’t Have Yet
12. Pac-Man – Don’t Have Yet
13. Space Invaders – Have Two
14. Star Raiders – Have Two
15. Video Pinball – Don’t Have Yet
16. Warlords– Don’t Have Yet

A mystery bot has asked: “Where do you find 30 year old video games?”

There are a few places in my beloved Hamilton you can find them.  This starts from “Probably not” to “YUP, I got it from there”:

• You might get lucky and score a find at a garage sale.  I’m going to tell you this, it is rare.  You are more likely to find a Gamecube before anything Atari.
• Fleamarket – Hamilton only has two, both bad:
  1. Haggler’s Flea Market – This is a general opinion from my observation; as Flea Markets go, this one is fairly clean and neatly laid out.  Most booths are rented out.  Now the bad, there is only one or two booths that have video games.  When they got them, they over charge for very common titles.  Example:  I was quoted $10 for a very much abused, no guaranteed that it will work Pac-Man.  (There was at one time 7 million pac-man games for the Atari 2600.  The most common, least rare games of the Atari 2600.)
     

     PSA – PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT – PAC-MAN ATARI 2600

     Pac-man is a $1-2 Atari 2600 game depending on condition without box or manual (like most Atari 2600 games out there.)  With Box, Manual and Pac-Man Cartridge, in mint condition – $20-$30.  If anyone tells you differently, you should walk away unless you think you haggle them down to a reasonable range.  Now if they are holding up a Pac-Man Cartridge that says Sears Tele-games, that is $1-5 depending on condition.  With Box and Manual – $20-$40.

     I usually end up saying this: I don’t think you know what you are talking about and I’m going to buy it off Ebay for $2.  DON’T DO THIS.  THIS LIKELY WILL PISS OFF SHOPKEEPER AND FOREVER THEY WILL REMEMBER YOU FOR BEING RUDE.  You are welcome to do it if you intend to never shop there again and can run fast.

     TIPS: Don’t confuse Pac-man with Jr. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man.  Do your research when you go to haggle about those two.  Be nice, don’t pull out your phone to show them ebay or amazon or any other online shop.  Flea Market folk are like Carnies.  They are a throwback to years gone by and haven’t caught up yet to the marvels of online shopping and just like Carnies, they will try to bleed you dry when they know they hooked you.

  2. The Flea Market – on Barton St too – by the train tracks.
     In recent years, they’ve been slowly trying to clean themselves up.  No longer dim and dirty; they are very bright and clean.  There is two shops that always have games.  Both usually carry Atari games, but commons.  And like the Hagglers flea market, they too over charge for them.I’ve actually sworn off going to both flea markets because deals aren’t there.  The shopkeepers aren’t nice unless you really are there to buy something or sell something.
• Ebay – always a good source but don’t forget shipping and if you buy ultra rare games at high price there is duty.  TIP: Look for Lots of games.  You might get a few doubles, but you can always trade them in at most used game shops.
• Amazon – I buy from stuff from amazon, haven’t actually got to buying atari games from there yet.
• Cheapies – apparently has some, haven’t confirm.  A tomorrow update.
• Letterbox – I haven’t been in for a while, I will update this tomorrow when I visit.
• 1up Games and Super 1up Games – They’ve got two stores in Hamilton.  They price according to the value of the game plus their mark-up which is reasonable.