The Astrocade Thread

[ManekiNeko]

Has anyone spent time with this system? Please post your thoughts. I just bought an Astrocade and I'm wondering if it's worth holding onto.

JR

[Zaxxon]

I've spent time with it and I thought it was great. Arcade quality games at home before the CV! After playing Wizard of War and some others on it I couldn't understand why it wasn't a success and why people bought a 2600 or O2 over it. I know it may of cost a little more than the 2600 but this thing smokes the 2600 now or then. I wanted to get more games for it but most of the ones I didn't already have went for too much on Ebay. Since I couldn't buy any more new stuff for it my interest began to wane and I sold it on Ebay. Of course right after I sell it on Ebay some guy announces he's making a Bally multicart with all the games on it I wanted. I may get another and that multicart. A lot of the games for it have yet to be dumped to the net so having the cart is the only way to play them. I also had bought every issue of the Bally user group newsletter that had tons of ads for software and acces. plus source code. It's also cool that it's an open system and you were encouraged to program it, unlike CV, Intv, 2600, etc.. It's weird but I've seen a lot of these in the 90's and never saw one anywhere in the 70's or 80's.

[y-bot]

go to ballyalley.com and you can download BASIC games and play them from your computer on a real Astrocade. Or make tapes/CDs of the games and play them that way.

[Aswald]

I've got some old 1970s catalog ads for that system. Is there anything you'd like to know from them, such as prices or such? The catalogs were from M. Ward's.

[ManekiNeko]

I'd appreciate it if you can scan them, Aswald. If not, it's no big deal.
Thanks for the link, y-bot. The Bally Alley site doesn't seem to have the files, but luckily, the Yahoo Group of the same name does.

JR

[Aswald]

I'd appreciate it if you can scan them, Aswald. If not, it's no big deal.
Thanks for the link, y-bot. The Bally Alley site doesn't seem to have the files, but luckily, the Yahoo Group of the same name does.

JR

There's no way I can scan them here, but I can run off a few color copies. Once I've done this, I'll let you know, and then I can mail them to you.

[Videogamerdaryll]

I've spend a decent amount of time playing this system..
It's one of my favorites..

My favorite game is Bally Pin....

it's a must have for any vintage video game system collector..

Here's an old pic.
http://www.imagemagician.org/images/cokegirl/112781.jpg

[swlovinist]

Being friends with Zach Meston, he was nice enough to invite me over for some Astrocade fun. I had a blast! Incredible Wizard and Artillary Duel are the best two player games I have played on an older system in a long time. I just scored the Astrocade mail away version(Bally Home Library Computer) released in 1977. I just got Muncher and Space Invaders. I have to say that good Bally Pin as mentioned above is AWSOME!!!! If there is one thing I can add.......DO NOT PUT THE SYSTEM ON THE CARPET!!!!!!! It will kill it dead, with no coming back.....sniff...sniff...:(

[ianoid]

I found ALOT of Astrocades when I lived in Chicago- literally 7 or 8 over the course of 4 years. I haven't found any elsewhere, except for a solitary sealed hanging cart (Football) in SF.

It's a great system with GREAT sound. Super farty. And you can remove and insert carts while the system is powered on. And it's fun to collect because there are a few unusual third party titles that are tough to get.

I highly recommend it, and if you can get one with games for $50, you won't be disappointed if you're into classic stuff. Paying more than $100 would be a rip, IMHO, since it's not THAT rare- more regionally rare.


Hey- swlovinist- where you live in Nor Cal? PM me...