Atari2600: Submarine Commander question

[cyberfluxor]

Okay, so some know I picked this game up the other day loose but is it really worth anywhere near the $60 as listed on the rarity guide let alone a rarity of 6?

http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=24315

I don't come across 6's often at all let alone a highly priced game. On ebay there are 3 going (Which doesn't seem "rarity of 6") and 2 of them are NTSC going for well under $10. Is it just not in demand right now or is the guide off by a long shot in this one?

PS. I know this thread might belong in the "Collector Guides and Rarity Database" but I'd like to see how many others may at least know of this game and maybe an insight for it.

Thanks in advance!

[digitalpress]

It may be down a little bit from a rarity 6 but not much, from what I've seen over the past few years 6 still seems about right. Incidentally, the two NTSC versions on eBay right now are the only ones that have been on eBay over the past 15 days if not longer.

However, the $60 is way high. The values of Atari 2600 games have changed pretty drastically since our last book. Very rares have gone way up while mid-to-common games have gone way down. Incidentally, be careful when using eBay as your price checker. "Going for under $10 right now" is a bad way to check prices for as you know many many collectors snipe. If you're going to use eBay at all as an indicator (gulp)... check the COMPLETED auctions, and only those with actual bids.

We're working on a new book as you probably know, and the 2600 section is getting major revisions, particularly with regards to pricing. If I were to price Submarine Commander today I'd put it closer to the $15-$20 range.

[Pantechnicon]

Unlike most of the Sears Telegames 2600 titles, Submarine Commander was not merely a re-labeled, re-packaged 2600 title but was in fact a unique game available in its day through only one retail source. Given this, it's safe to say that the cart deserves its R6 rating. Remember that the R-scale is less about pricing than it is about relative scarcity.

As for the price disparity between the DP Guide and Ebay, all I can say is that one is not governed by the other. It would be foolish for DP to try and base a printed guide's pricing on an ever-fluctuating online market. Likewise adherents to the guide cannot and should not expect guide pricing for every item they trade in that same online market. Until such time (as I hope) that the DP guide becomes to gaming what, say, Overstreet or Wizard are to comic books, then the guide remains only a guide, and not a rule book.

Congrats on your find anyway. Now you can go out and find the other two Telegames exclusive titles: Steeplechase and Stellar Track.

[cyberfluxor]

Well unfortunetly I went ahead and sold it with Entombed for $8 at a store a few hours ago. I was going around and checking one what they sell for and was getting the under $10 as I said. Since they are loose and all I was pricing them at that for the best in my position as well though.

The reason I brought up Ebay was because they have 1 that's got a bid for under $1 on it and a few bucks shipping, with the other 2 no bids. That made me think there must not be a big enough demand of the game out there to push bidders on it.

But by any rate though, I think selling them for $4 each was a decent deal because personally it's not too worth keeping when it's loose. If it were complete though it'd be a keeper 100%.

Thanks for the info and follow up though, it's helpful. I did talk to one store owner that remembered playing it and found it to be quite unique, but could only offer the few bucks for it as well. This somewhat makes me want to get out of the retro Atari market though because all I ever find are loose cards, banged up and my system needs fixing so it may become more of a costly thing to stay up with the older games. In addition most games I find end up being rip offs and aren't really worth much time playing. Makes me wish I had a better knowledge on the older games.

As a side note though, because I don't own too many Atari2600 games do you think it's alright to play the ROMs of games we don't own to better our knowledge of those lost games? Because I'm thinking about edging towards making an Atari portion of my site that does overviews of these retro games and since most sites (Even AtariAge) just openly share the ROMs, anything wrong with NOT sharing but offering more insight on them. I'm sure it's been done somewhere else on the web, but I think it's more unique if I were to personally dive into the realm and write up on what I learn about each game. Feel free to give insight on that little rant/idea fabrication.

[digitalpress]

WOW.

Submarine Commander and Entombed for 8 bucks total? I would have paid three times that. Next time, post these questions in the Buy & Sell forum so I can jump on 'em before you unload!

PS Entombed ROCKS. I had the game running at the store early last week, even the kids liked it.

[Kid Ice]

As a side note though, because I don't own too many Atari2600 games do you think it's alright to play the ROMs of games we don't own to better our knowledge of those lost games? Because I'm thinking about edging towards making an Atari portion of my site that does overviews of these retro games and since most sites (Even AtariAge) just openly share the ROMs, anything wrong with NOT sharing but offering more insight on them. I'm sure it's been done somewhere else on the web, but I think it's more unique if I were to personally dive into the realm and write up on what I learn about each game. Feel free to give insight on that little rant/idea fabrication.

I'm always interested in thoughts on VCS games, especially coming from someone trying them out for the first time. For "review" purposes it's probably better to stick with the original carts, rather than emulated. Not a moral issue, it's just that some games aren't very well represented in emulation (even some of the games in the official compilations are a little off).

[cyberfluxor]

WOW.

Submarine Commander and Entombed for 8 bucks total? I would have paid three times that. Next time, post these questions in the Buy & Sell forum so I can jump on 'em before you unload!

I'll try and keep that more so in mind. It's pretty sad but it was a jump on the moment kind of deal. I was going out to get some pizza for dinner and the extra $8 sounded good. :/ The sad thing is I actually told myself I wouldn't sell them off before walking in!


I'm always interested in thoughts on VCS games, especially coming from someone trying them out for the first time. For "review" purposes it's probably better to stick with the original carts, rather than emulated. Not a moral issue, it's just that some games aren't very well represented in emulation (even some of the games in the official compilations are a little off).

Although it doesn't make it THAT much better, I was going to get a really nice arcade stick for my compy later down the road when/if I decide to do something like that. But like I said, the Atari I have wasn't well taken care of before me or something and it needs a replaced capacitor still. In addition the controllers aren't in the best condition, some buttons don't really respond. And of course you can replace everything but it'll cost more than just getting another used system with better controllers.

The big plus I see with doing it all in emulation is the ease of having everthing I can't get from the store allowing me to push through and do more writting at a quicker pase. Then you have the ability to load up ROMs without jiggling with a consule.

[Sanriostar]

SC *AND* Entombed for $8?
Damn.

Know your Sears exclusives:
Stellar Wars
Steeplechase
Submarine Commander

Know your Rare Black Label 2600 carts:
Star Ship/Outer Space
Miniature Golf
Slot Machine.

These are the ones that look common, but aren't. I have yet to see an Outer Space cart with my own eyes.

[leorange]

Stellar Wars

track, 'stead of wars.



Know your Rare Black Label 2600 carts:
Star Ship/Outer Space
Miniature Golf
Slot Machine.

there are mini golf and slot machine labels like this star ship (http://www.atariage.com/cart_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=493), if that's the label type you mean?

[k8track]

even the kids liked it.

You allow baby goats in your store?

[rbudrick]

Of course, if you can find the Atari version of Submarine Commander, it's worth a lot more. :-)

-Rob

[cyberfluxor]

Of course, if you can find the Atari version of Submarine Commander, it's worth a lot more. :-)

-Rob

Ya, that's why I'll try and make a better decision next time. :/

Like I said, I didn't want to but as an urge to get food I sold it. What a great reason to sell it. Gamer needed money fast for food, so sold a worthy game dirt cheap. LOL
At least GameStop and EB Games didn't get it.