What the heck do I have?! Is this a prototype??

[Satoshi_Matrix]

This might not be the best place to ask, but I've already posted this on AtariAge and thought I might get more insight by asking here as well.

About a month ago, on a residential side street in Toronto, I came across...an unusual find. Standing on the ground near the sidewalk was an old plastic case holding 14 Atari 800 games, and also an Atari 2600 Joystick.

I don't own an Atari 800 to test any of these but here's what I got:

Pole Position RX8034
Star Raider CXL4ON
Pac-Man CXL4022
Donkey Kong RX8031
K-razy Kritters ATR1001
Soccer THB 12003
Joust RX8044
Space Invaders CXL4008
Centipede CXL4020
Qix CXL4027
BASIC Computing Language CXL4002
Pitfall II CZ-011
and finally
H.E.R.O CZ-007


Are these worth anything? Probably not but I know next to nothing about the Atari 800.

Even still, I know enough to know there's something odd about the copy of H.E.R.O I have. It doesn't look anything like the others. In fact, I wonder if it might even be a prototype? Here's a picture.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5143/5652043867_76ef99c38f_b.jpg

Can anyone provide some insight for just what I might have? There's a single screw holding it together, but even after removing the screw, I can't figure out how to get the shell apart to take a look at the pcb. If the label is correct, I suspect to see an EPROM chip without a window. If so, should I cover it with black electrical tape before taking a pic? I'm a total noob when it comes to Atari 800. As much info as you guys can provide would be appreciated.

[Baloo]

From the label alone you can tell it's a prototype, probably a sample copy sent out to magazines for reviewing.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

So then......what could be its value?

[buzz_n64]

Here's the section to put this under-

Prototype Central
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=15

[Baloo]

So then......what could be its value?

Depends on a few factors:

Stage of development the prototype is in.
Whether the game is released or unreleased.
If a prototype has been found for this game.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I know this looks like a 2600 cart, but its definitely not. I don't know a whole lot about the Atari 800, but this cartridge is smaller and has a different number of connector pins. There's no way this is a 2600 game. I wish it were, as then I could test it and see what I've got going on.

[Brianvgplayer]

I know this looks like a 2600 cart, but its definitely not. I don't know a whole lot about the Atari 800, but this cartridge is smaller and has a different number of connector pins. There's no way this is a 2600 game. I wish it were, as then I could test it and see what I've got going on.

No need to explain. It's clear from the first post it's a 800 cart (what's interesting is that the cart has the same style as the Spinnaker Kids on Keys cart rather than an Activision style cart), but prototype central is the correct forum for this. I'm no expert on protos, but maybe someone on the Atari Age forums would know. Also Krazy Kritters would need to be tested on an older non XL 400 or 800 since that game is known to have issues with the XL/XE line of Atari 8 bit computers.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Sorry for the wait. Here's some photos of the entire lot.

All 14 games
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5655470687_df855eb577_b.jpg

H.E.R.O proto(?) compared to Kaboom for the 2600, also by Activision
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/5655473607_3587eabbd8_b.jpg

Comparison of the edge connectors. H.E.R.O on top.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5655475233_60c9839379_b.jpg

The back of the H.E.R.O proto. Pitfall II also looks exactly like this.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5656049768_a1afb66390_b.jpg

Here's Pitfall II. It lacks the extra info H.E.R.O has, but considering it's age, the top sticker could well have simply fell off and I didn't notice it. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5655477689_178c2b436f_b.jpg

H.E.R.O and Pitfall II carts
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5655472163_dbbc781378_b.jpg

The tops of both H.E.R.O and Pitfall II completely lack end labels. Most of the others say <- Left Cartridge. Not these.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5181/5655481411_0c2c2acf29_b.jpg

So this presents the question: Do I have two prototypes here? They look so very different from the others.

[Brianvgplayer]

And it's not a Spinnaker case, which looks like THIS (http://www.atarimania.com/8bit/boxes/hi_res/delta_drawing_cart.jpg).

Thanks for the correction....(without even checking to see if Spinnaker uses more than one case)

That's not what my Kids on Keys looks like. I can take a pic if necessary, but my Kids on Keys looks like those Activision games in the pics. It's the only Spinnaker game I have and I had it for a long time.

[Brianvgplayer]

Atarimania does't have photos of every Spinnaker cart, but the ones they do all look like the one I linked to. Can you post some photos of yours?

Atarimania doesn't have photos of a lot of games, nor are they the only place to look. I'll take a pic of the cart, but I'm not fond of this being put into question.

[Brianvgplayer]

I'm not fond of people who make claims w/o backing them up. So either post a photo, or don't. Doesn't really matter to me either way.

My point is that I shouldn't have to back every single thing up. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't understand why people are questioned over the most minor thing on the internet. Here's the picture.

[Kitsune Sniper]

My point is that I shouldn't have to back every single thing up. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't understand why people are questioned over the most minor thing on the internet. Here's the picture.

Think of it as being less questioned and more to make info available for future generations / inquiries.

[Brianvgplayer]

Think of it as being less questioned and more to make info available for future generations / inquiries.

I want to encourage people to look things up themselves instead of doubting every single person who says something that doesn't seem right.

[Brianvgplayer]

Talk is cheap (and on the internet, it's free). Like I said, most companies didn't use different cart shells. I did a quick search on Atarimania, and found 3 or 4 games using the same cart casing, and figured if anything those cart casings were either the one ones they used, or more common than the one you have. All you had to do was post that photo to begin with, or a link to a similar one, instead of making some smartass comment. I was asking for a photo, not bloodwork :)

Sorry about that. I'll just post a pic next time.