View Full Version : This is a regular 2600 Plaque Attack cart right? (And not a proto?)
TheDomesticInstitution
09-29-2012, 07:41 PM
I've been opening and cleaning NES, Sega, SNES, etc. carts for years. I can't recall if I've ever opened a 2600 cart before, because I didn't want to damage the label. I found this cart today for .75 at a garage sale, and since it didn't have a label I opened it up. I did a little googling, but was curious- is it normal for Atari PCBs to have socketed ROMs? After opening up hundreds of other carts, I haven't come across any from Nintendo or Sega. I think some atari games were socketed- from searching. Is that right?
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8178/8037342345_8950b9167f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhanlen1/8037342345/)
Plaque Attack 2600 label (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhanlen1/8037342345/) by mhanlen1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mhanlen1/), on Flickr
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8449/8037342533_28b7c97479_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhanlen1/8037342533/)
Plaque attack 2600 PCB front (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhanlen1/8037342533/) by mhanlen1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mhanlen1/), on Flickr
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/8037345796_a7afda8c44_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhanlen1/8037345796/)
Plaque Attack 2600 PCB rear (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhanlen1/8037345796/) by mhanlen1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/mhanlen1/), on Flickr
dendawg
09-29-2012, 10:10 PM
What you have is more than likely a prototype. The socketed chip is a big hint.
Superman
09-30-2012, 04:39 AM
Although I'm not familiar with the internals for Atari games, I'm thinking it is a prototype as well. Just looking at it from a non-technical standpoint, the stickers are what leads me in that direction.
Most end users, if they were to put a a sticker on the outside of the cart, would simple handwrite it. Even if they did type and/or print the sticker, it's even less likely the would take the time to put all the info shown on the sticker, including the copyright.
In addition, the chip inside also has a sticker. It looks like it shows the date, and a code (part of which matches the code on the case sticker), which is likley the reference to it's revision.
TheDomesticInstitution
09-30-2012, 05:42 AM
Although I'm not familiar with the internals for Atari games, I'm thinking it is a prototype as well. Just looking at it from a non-technical standpoint, the stickers are what leads me in that direction.
Most end users, if they were to put a a sticker on the outside of the cart, would simple handwrite it. Even if they did type and/or print the sticker, it's even less likely the would take the time to put all the info shown on the sticker, including the copyright.
In addition, the chip inside also has a sticker. It looks like it shows the date, and a code (part of which matches the code on the case sticker), which is likley the reference to it's revision.
I purchased the game because of the unusual sticker- for reasoning like you just laid out. But that code is just the part number for the cart according to google. It was an Atari Age thread, if I remember correctly, where there was a member who came across a socketed chip game- and someone else mentioned there were some production carts like that. But that's the only thread I could find referencing that. I wish I had another cart with a missing label I could open up, to compare it to- but I'd rather not damage any of my other games.
Superman
10-01-2012, 03:34 AM
I see what you're talking about with the item number. I did notice the manual at Atari Age has it listed as AX-027-03, whereas yours is AX-027-01, which is an earlier version. Of course, after checking the date on the sticker (2-22-83) I see it is the release date of the game, so there's not much help there.
I know what you mean about the labels. I had a few games that I wanted to check, but unfortunately, they put the screw in the worst possible location! In fact, I think there was a thread dedicated to that particular problem.
TheDomesticInstitution
10-01-2012, 09:18 PM
I see what you're talking about with the item number. I did notice the manual at Atari Age has it listed as AX-027-03, whereas yours is AX-027-01, which is an earlier version. Of course, after checking the date on the sticker (2-22-83) I see it is the release date of the game, so there's not much help there.
I know what you mean about the labels. I had a few games that I wanted to check, but unfortunately, they put the screw in the worst possible location! In fact, I think there was a thread dedicated to that particular problem.
Jeez you'd think a few more people would chime in. I would have went to AA, but I feel it's a little obnoxious to join a site for one question. Oh well.
Rickstilwell1
10-01-2012, 10:02 PM
I see what you're talking about with the item number. I did notice the manual at Atari Age has it listed as AX-027-03, whereas yours is AX-027-01, which is an earlier version. Of course, after checking the date on the sticker (2-22-83) I see it is the release date of the game, so there's not much help there.
I know what you mean about the labels. I had a few games that I wanted to check, but unfortunately, they put the screw in the worst possible location! In fact, I think there was a thread dedicated to that particular problem.
Exact release dates of Atari 2600 games are usually really hard to find. Is there a website you know of that has a list of them for almost all games? Where did you get the information that that is the actual release date and not just the date it was finished being programmed?
Vectorman0
10-01-2012, 10:13 PM
It's a prototype cartridge, but you would have to dump it to find out whether or not it varies from the released version. I don't believe any games sold at retail came with socketed EPROM's. Some rarer ones may have come with soldered EPROM's, I believe.
TheDomesticInstitution
10-01-2012, 11:02 PM
Exact release dates of Atari 2600 games are usually really hard to find. Is there a website you know of that has a list of them for almost all games? Where did you get the information that that is the actual release date and not just the date it was finished being programmed?
I think that's according to Wikipedia.
It's a prototype cartridge, but you would have to dump it to find out whether or not it varies from the released version. I don't believe any games sold at retail came with socketed EPROM's. Some rarer ones may have come with soldered EPROM's, I believe.
Cool, thanks. I thought it was very unusual- but didn't want to jump to conclusions- since I'm not an Atari expert. I played it and gameplay seems pretty identical to what I've found on youtube.
Instead of making a duplicate thread, any idea what they're worth?
Well, take Pac-Man, box says 1981 Atari, release date was April 1982.
Anyway, http://www.atarimania.com/index.html is as good as any (lists when the game was ready).
Rickstilwell1
10-02-2012, 04:42 PM
Well, take Pac-Man, box says 1981 Atari, release date was April 1982.
Anyway, http://www.atarimania.com/index.html is as good as any (lists when the game was ready).
The website you just gave me a link to doesn't say April 1982 for Pac-Man (USA) though. It says 1981 with no month even mentioned.
Superman
10-03-2012, 02:32 AM
I think that's according to Wikipedia.
That was one source and I think there was another, but even if there was, it was probably just taken from there. I wasn't looking for the release date, just details, when I came upon it (and it matched your details), so it is possible that I jumped the gun on that.
Rickstilwell1
10-03-2012, 02:45 AM
Release dates for anything tend to really be disputed a lot and differ from website to website. This happens with video games, music albums, and even original airdates of TV episodes. On Wikipedia I've noticed things I've already entered into my file storage change dates on me by a couple months or a few days. For example Billy Joel's album The Stranger used to say 9-29-1977 but it got changed to 9-22-1977 when I looked it up again 6 months later. What I really find odd is when someone changes something from a concrete date to a month that doesn't specify which day. It makes it nearly impossible for anyone to try doing a "Chrontendo" with any other product line.
Enmity
10-03-2012, 03:18 AM
I have a box of old Atari games in garbage condition at my storage unit. When I get a chance I'm willing to open some up and take pics if you want me to.
The website you just gave me a link to doesn't say April 1982 for Pac-Man (USA) though. It says 1981 with no month even mentioned.
Exactly, and we all know that April 82 is Pac-Man day.
I have a box of old Atari games in garbage condition at my storage unit. When I get a chance I'm willing to open some up and take pics if you want me to.
Al from AtariAge takes carts for homebrews for $s, if you wanna get rid of them
TheDomesticInstitution
10-03-2012, 07:55 AM
I have a box of old Atari games in garbage condition at my storage unit. When I get a chance I'm willing to open some up and take pics if you want me to.
That's not necessary. Someone PM'ed me about buying it, and I'm shipping it out today. The consensus was that 2600 carts that were socketed are some sort of pre-retail version, even if it's not entirely certain what this one is.
Enmity
10-03-2012, 05:01 PM
Al from AtariAge takes carts for homebrews for $s, if you wanna get rid of them
I'm not actually on AtariAge, maybe I should be.