Can Anybody Tell Me Whats up With this Game?

[jumbojohnny]

I have multiple copies of this game, but this one was heavier than the others. I opened the game and this was inside. The second I opened had only two chips, and no writing on them. Why is this one different?


http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009181.jpg

[MarioMania]

What game is it??

[jumbojohnny]

Sorry about that, the picture is a little fuzzy. Its Donkey Kong


What game is it??

[Vectorman0]

Looks like Donkey Kong for Colecovision?

Anyway, those three chips are EPROMS, which are usually used for prototypes and pre-production versions before the game is mass produced.

[jumbojohnny]

So it could be a prototype? How would I find that out?


Looks like Donkey Kong for Colecovision?

Anyway, those three chips are EPROMS, which are usually used for prototypes and pre-production versions before the game is mass produced.

[Baloo]

So it could be a prototype? How would I find that out?

Is there any difference between the two games?

Is there a different label (or lack therof one?)

[FantasiaWHT]

It was worth a MILLION dollars... and then you opened it up!

JK. Neat find though, good catch on the weights.

[vrikkgwj]

Neat find, at least. I don't know if it's worth anything. The only part I know about eproms is that my SNES reproduction carts are made with them.

[BetaWolf47]

Instead of looking at the games themselves, how about firing up the old console and seeing if there are any differences in the two games?

[jumbojohnny]

Thats a fine idea...but I dont really know what I would be looking for to be different. Obvious things would stand out, but what if it is something obscure? I play PS2, XBox, and Wii...I would really dont much to look for.

I have read some of the postingshere and I see a lot of tech talk that I am not familiar with. In spite of sounding dumb or naive, can anybody tell me what common differences might be?


Instead of looking at the games themselves, how about firing up the old console and seeing if there are any differences in the two games?

[Kiddo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yDWuhkHHpw

does a reference video help?

[PapaStu]

Thats a fine idea...but I dont really know what I would be looking for to be different. Obvious things would stand out, but what if it is something obscure? I play PS2, XBox, and Wii...I would really dont much to look for.

I have read some of the postings here and I see a lot of tech talk that I am not familiar with. In spite of sounding dumb or naive, can anybody tell me what common differences might be?


The potential differeneces could be almost too numerous to mention, but obvious ones would include

* Title screen differences (including copyrights, fonts, logos)
* Character sprites / item sprites
* Level differences
* Scoring differences
* Music / sound effects

But i'm no Coleco guy so I could be missing some other in your face things beyond those above.

[BeaglePuss]

This definitely appears to be a Donkey Kong prototype from the pictures. Congrats on the find!

DK was released in 1982 fpr the colecovision, but I'm having trouble finding out which month. Your car appears to be labeled July of '82. If you find out when DK was officially released, you can get a better idea of how early your build is.

Are the chips socketed or soldered? If they're socketed, they should be easy to dump.

[jumbojohnny]

I appreciate any tips and information.

How valuable are these types of things? I have little interest in this hobby, and I am sure somebody else would rather have this.

I have a lot more blank carts and pics of the insides, the chips all have writing on them. Most just the name, some with dates and numbers.

I really dont know how collectible these games are, so I am glad that I can find some help on the boards.

[Kiddo]

I don't have any experience with pre-game-crash prototype collecting attampts, but... Prototypes are generally considered collectible when it comes to the stuff I look at - so let's assume that you can sell the game for at least 200.
Now, beyond that, you'd need to figure out the demand for the game, and the best way to do that would priobably be to entice potential purchasers by showing all the "differences" that would make it collectible. If it's a game that has drastic differences from -or even little resemblence to - what it would become, it could jump in value dramatically.

[googlefest1]

just don't peel off those labels man - you could erase the game - really
the pic is fuzzy but they look like the uv eraseable eproms

[jumbojohnny]

I don't have any experience with pre-game-crash prototype collecting attampts, but... Prototypes are generally considered collectible when it comes to the stuff I look at - so let's assume that you can sell the game for at least 200.
Now, beyond that, you'd need to figure out the demand for the game, and the best way to do that would priobably be to entice potential purchasers by showing all the "differences" that would make it collectible. If it's a game that has drastic differences from -or even little resemblence to - what it would become, it could jump in value dramatically.


These things can really sell that much? I have to figure if thats what it is, i would love to get rid of all my Colecovision stuff, these included. I have 21 of these games, most writen out like this DK game.

After its properly identified, how do I sell it? I read on here that Ebay is not a good idea.

[BeaglePuss]

just don't peel off those labels man - you could erase the game - really
the pic is fuzzy but they look like the uv eraseable eproms
Those are EPROMs, but they are far more durable than you're making them out to be. These things are pretty hard to erase, so simply removing the stickers for a short period of time wouldn't do any harm (there's absolutely no reason to remove them though, so I don't see it being an issue). I've had 20+ year old prototypes with completely exposed windows and haven't had any trouble recovering data.



These things can really sell that much? I have to figure if thats what it is, i would love to get rid of all my Colecovision stuff, these included. I have 21 of these games, most writen out like this DK game.

After its properly identified, how do I sell it? I read on here that Ebay is not a good idea.
First thing you need to do is make a list of the games you have and post them here. If you have a title that went unreleased, it could be worth a great deal of money. I wouldn't count on getting $200 per title, but it's not out of the question either.

Next, post pics of the carts and the PCBs. That would help determine what you have, and that you're a legitimate seller.

As far as eBay goes, they do tend to pull proto listings but not nearly as often as you would think. Auctions from big time prototype sellers get pulled more often than anything else, and I would think jealousy has a lot to do with it. If you want a sure fire place that doesn't charge fees, these forums would be a good start. You'll have to post some previous feedback of course.

Looking forward to seeing what else you might have!

[jumbojohnny]

First thing you need to do is make a list of the games you have and post them here. If you have a title that went unreleased, it could be worth a great deal of money. I wouldn't count on getting $200 per title, but it's not out of the question either.

Next, post pics of the carts and the PCBs. That would help determine what you have, and that you're a legitimate seller.

As far as eBay goes, they do tend to pull proto listings but not nearly as often as you would think. Auctions from big time prototype sellers get pulled more often than anything else, and I would think jealousy has a lot to do with it. If you want a sure fire place that doesn't charge fees, these forums would be a good start. You'll have to post some previous feedback of course.

Looking forward to seeing what else you might have!

Ok, I understand the feedback, I have Ebay feedback, as well as a feedback from a baseball card trading forum that I use. It operates much like this site, just not for gaming, and they have a feedback system like Ebay.

I played most of the games last night, and I will be honest...Nothing looked different to me...Then again I dont know what I am looking for. My girlfriend's father does Networking and PC for a living, he his looking for am EProm Reader?? He said he will dump the games for me, rather than have a stranger do it, that way it the files dont get saved and dumped by somebody else. I am guessing this will be the easiest way to discover any differences.

As for pics, I have some already taken and I will post them in a few. I dont have all of them. I started with the ones that are just hand labeled titles on the Chips.

[jumbojohnny]

These games are socketed not soldered. I plugged in my system and all of these play.

Two different copies of Q-Bert
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009182.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009183.jpg


Burger Time
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009184.jpg

Cabbage Patch Kids Adventure in the Park
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009003.jpg


Congo Bongo
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009024.jpg

Space Panic
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009018.jpg


War Games
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009019.jpg


Antarctic Adventure
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009020.jpg


Black Jack Poker
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009025.jpg

[jumbojohnny]

Telly Turtle
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009029.jpg


Popeye
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009031.jpg


Carnival
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009033.jpg


GORF
Defender
Video Hustler (Pool game)
Spectron
Smurfs (doesnt say which one)
Sammy Lighfoot

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009001-1.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009002-1.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009005.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009006.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009007-1.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009008.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009009.jpg

[jumbojohnny]

Mysterious No House Board - I popped it in a cart and played it...this is Lady Bug
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/metswillwin06/Maybefrom2009034.jpg
[/quote]

[Cauterize]

It would appear you might have found a small gold mine here! :)

[jumbojohnny]

It would appear you might have found a small gold mine here! :)


That would be nice, which is why I want to figure out what they are, if they hold any value, and how I can successfully sell them. I really would like to buy a new sofa, and fix my truck up. Dont know how much I can get for things like this, but it will all go to funding those two projects.

[BeaglePuss]

There's at least one unreleased game in the mix:
http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=71

Awesome score!!!

Edit: It appears that the rom available isn't the most complete game on the planet. I would fire your copy up and see if it's any further along than the previous found copy.

[jumbojohnny]

How do know how far along the other one is?




There's at least one unreleased game in the mix:
http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=71

Awesome score!!!

Edit: It appears that the rom available isn't the most complete game on the planet. I would fire your copy up and see if it's any further along than the previous found copy.

[BeaglePuss]

How do know how far along the other one is?
Good question. I'm sure the rom is readily available for download on the net, but if you don't feel comfortable dl it, check out this link:
http://www.lakupo.com/grblitz/colecovision.htm

At the very bottom of the page there is a review of the game that talks about how raw it is. It should give you a decent idea as to what to look for.

I would give all the games a quick play through at the very least and see if anything jumps out at you. From there, you could always dump the chips and have someone examine the code (seeing as they are socketed, it should be SUPER easy to do).

Do you live in CT? If you do, I'm close enough to you that I could dump the roms for you (for free of course). Just something to consider.

[jumbojohnny]

Good question. I'm sure the rom is readily available for download on the net, but if you don't feel comfortable dl it, check out this link:
http://www.lakupo.com/grblitz/colecovision.htm

At the very bottom of the page there is a review of the game that talks about how raw it is. It should give you a decent idea as to what to look for.

I would give all the games a quick play through at the very least and see if anything jumps out at you. From there, you could always dump the chips and have someone examine the code (seeing as they are socketed, it should be SUPER easy to do).

Do you live in CT? If you do, I'm close enough to you that I could dump the roms for you (for free of course). Just something to consider.


Thanks for the link. My girlfriend's father is getting the hardware to dump the games for me. Hopefully soon. After that the next step is selling these off.

[whoisKeel]

How did you find these? Did they come all together?

[jumbojohnny]

How did you find these? Did they come all together?

All of the games did come together. I recieved them from a former Coleco employee. I believe I mentioned all of this in my first post. I am already selling off the two systems and regular games that I have. Soon all that will be left are these games. Eventually I will sell these also, I dont have any interests in classic games so...Why hold them from people who are passionate about this hobby?