The Quadrun quandary

[stonic]

I discovered the rom version that's all over the 'net is NOT the released cart version, but rather very likely a prototype dated 3-18-83. According to the manual, clearing 5 rounds brings you to the "Crazed Wave". A few years ago when I interviewed programmer Steve Woita, he mentioned there was an Easter egg in the game, which is basically the same one that's in Taz - turning the "Crazed Wave" text to "Woita Wave". Only problem is, all the available rom versions automatically show "Woita Wave", and since Steve couldn't remember exactly how to trigger the Easter egg, and I didn't have the cart or manual reference, I figured there wasn't anything to find.

Then Doug "5th Ghost" emailed me, saying his cart didn't have the "Woita Wave" text, but rather "Crazed Wave". I dumped his cart and verified it's indeed a different version from what we probably all have. Once more, I checked the code, and the "Woita" text is in there (verifying Steve's Easter egg)! The online version doesn't even have the "Crazed" text, which led me to believe it's an earlier version. I thought the version online was possibly the well-known Best Electronics version, but I recently dumped one of their copies and found that it's not the same (for one thing, the voice sample never speeds up, as it does with the 3-18 proto and cart versions).

What's more, the 3-18 proto version is the one used in both the Flashback 2 (all revisions), as well as the Atari 80 Classic Games in One compilation! Yep - nobody at Atari (or Legacy Engineering) bothered to verify their own roms. LOL

[le geek]

Good read!

[tiggerthehun]

This may be an "inappropriate" reply, but have you posted this at AtariAge? I'll bet there's a few folks there who would enjoy the read!

[D.Yancey]

Hey Stonic and 5th Ghost: Thanks for sharing that with us. That's pretty exciting. How would one get a copy of the released rom?

David B. Yancey

[rbudrick]

Freaky stuff!....unless Woita's wrong about the versions, heh heh.

-Rob

[Pente]

Wowsa :) 'Course I, not having an original Quadrun ever in my life would have never known this :P Great info!

[Mayhem]

Guess I'll check both copies I have in time...

(yes, I own two Quadruns heh)

[digitalpress]

stonic also informed me that the Best Electronics "prototype" I own is different from the Quadrun ROM that's been floating around the 'net AND different from this revelation, the actual released version.

Scott, feel free to offer my ROM to the interweb as well.

Thanks as always for the research!

[GrandAmChandler]

Wow that is quite interesting. Who would have known there are so many versions? I guess it is a little tough when a game like Quadrun is quite scarce to begin with.

[the 5th ghost]

I'm surprised that this wasn't discovered a long time ago. Maybe most collectors out there that have an original Quadrun cart are too afraid to actually play the game!

LOL ;)

[Mayhem]

I wasn't actually aware... and I've played the game a fair bit. As said, I'll try out my copies if I can find them and see what I get...

[The Plucky Little Ninja]

Not only an interesting read, but also a flat out fantastic topic title.

[-hellvin-]

Hmm...I'd check this out but it would mean hooking up my atari somewhere. Then it would mean ACTUALLY PLAYING that game. I don't think I can deal with that.

[vulcanjedi]

Hey

The quadrun on gametap (http://gametap.vulcanjedi.com) mentions the crazy crazed wave every 6 rounds. But I can't get the hang of the game to get past even one round yet :)

Any of you guys gametap (http://gametap.vulcanjedi.com) subscribers?

vj

[the 5th ghost]

The Crazed Wave only happens after clearing the 1st five waves.

Each of the 1st five waves represents and intoduction of each type of enemy that you will face in the Crazed Wave. You must shoot five to move on to the next type of enemy.

Here's the list in order that they appear...

First Wave: Goons
Second Wave: Snags
Third Wave: Yo-Yos
Fourth Wave: Nods
Fifth Wave: Brats

Consider the first five waves as practice in how to deal with each type of enemy. Once you clear the Brats Wave, you move on to the Crazed Wave, which is when the game actually kicks in.

During the Crazed Wave, enemies appear at random, so you have to have a good strategy to prepare for each of the five enemies when they appear.

The challenge is in the fact that you cannot gain extra lives in the Crazed Wave. Basically, you just play as long as you can without missing.

This is a great game with enormous replay value! Enjoy!

[stonic]

@vulcanjedi

I'm surprised they would have that one online. Turns out Gametap is using the same prototype version as everyone else! I checked to see what other 2600 titles they have, and there's several quetionable ones. Codebreaker? Math Gran Prix? Human f'n Cannonball? Jeezus, it's like the Flashback 2 all over again :roll:

I also wonder why they bother to have both the arcade and 2600 versions of some games (like Battlezone and Crystal Castles), or why have both Football, RealSports Football, and Super Football? From the list (below) it seems they're going for quantity over quality (pretty funny since their TV commercials tout "over 500 of the GREATEST games!").


3D Tic-Tac-Toe Board & Card Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
A Game of Concentration Board & Card Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Adventure™ Adventure Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Air-Sea Battle™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Atlantis™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Barnstorming™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Battlezone® Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Beamrider™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Breakout® Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Canyon Bomber™ Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Centipede™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Circus Atari® Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Codebreaker Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Combat™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Cosmic Ark™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Cosmic Commuter™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Crackpots™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Crystal Castles™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Decathlon™ Sports Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Demon Attack™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Dodge 'Em™ Racing Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Dolphin™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Double Dunk™ Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Dragonfire™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Dragster™ Racing Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Enduro™ Racing Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Fathom™ Adventure Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Fishing Derby™ Sports Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Flag Capture™ Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Football Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Freeway™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Fun With Numbers™ Family Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Glacier Patrol Action Atari 2600 Telegames, Inc.
Golf Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Grand Prix™ Racing Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Gravitar™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
H.E.R.O.™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Haunted House™ Adventure Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Home Run™ Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Human Cannonball™ Simulation Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Human Freeway™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Kabobber™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Kaboom! ® Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Keystone Kapers™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Laser Blast™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Laser Gates ™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Math Gran Prix™ Family Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Maze Craze™ Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Megamania™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Millipede™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Minature Golf™ Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Missile Command™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Moonsweeper™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Night Driver™ Racing Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Outlaw™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Pitfall!™ Adventure Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Pitfall™ II: The Lost Caverns Adventure Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Plaque Attack™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Private Eye™ Adventure Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Quadrun™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Quick Step!™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Realsports™ Baseball Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Realsports™ Football Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Realsports™ Tennis Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Realsports™ Volleyball Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
River Raid II™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
River Raid™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Robot Tank™ Simulation Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Seaquest™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Sky Diver™ Simulation Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Sky Jinks™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Slot Machine™ Board & Card Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Slot Racers™ Racing Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Space War™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Spider Fighter™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Stampede™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Stellar Track™ Strategy Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Street Racer™ Racing Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Submarine Commander™ Simulation Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Subterranea ™ Action Atari 2600 Activision Publishing, Inc.
Super Baseball™ Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Super Breakout™ Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Super Football Sports Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Surround™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Swordquest™: Earthworld™ Adventure Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Swordquest™: Fireworld™ Adventure Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Swordquest™: Waterworld™ Adventure Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Universal Chaos™ Action Atari 2600 Telegames, Inc.
Video Checkers™ Board & Card Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Video Chess™ Board & Card Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Video Pinball™ Puzzle Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Warlords ® Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.
Yars' Revenge™ Action Atari 2600 Atari, Inc.

EDIT: I wondered why the Imagic titles were listed as being Activision titles (it's still never been proven that Activision actually owns any Imagic games), and now I know why - Ken Love was involved :roll:

[vulcanjedi]

I would say out of the 500+ games on gametap I only play about 30 on a regular basis. I like switching between the 2600 version of centipede and the arcade version. It is a definite flashback. I have been a subscriber for 4 months now.

As for the quadrun I think I need a better controller. I can not get the hang of it. I like it though! It has a great twitchy feel like cosmic ark. Maybe it's time to get a joystick with an actual stick :)

And I want to thank you guys for pointing the game out I only knew of it as a rare game but I had no idea it was a good game also.

vj