New Tempest release for the Atari 5200!

[opt2not]

http://www.retrocollect.com/News/unfini ... ammer.html

[lilmanjs]

That's awesome! Nice to see the man who worked on the port actually finish it.

[Friendly]

Not interested in buying it, but it's amazing that the original programmer from 30 years ago (Keithen Hayenga) returned and completed the unfinished code. That's probably a pretty unique occurance.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Atari Corp. was planning to release Tempest for it's 5200 SuperSystem back in the day and even have built-in support for the optional 5200-based paddle controllers (which a prototype was constructed but never released at retail). Would've been ace to have seen it and it's 2600 Tempest game counterpart released properly at retail as well.

Of course, the 5200 joysticks had two analog pots to register the inputs as digital or analog (like with the 5200 version of Super Breakout with it's analog input support from the get-go back in 1982) but without built-in return springs to center them back properly. Atari's R&D department had made a pair of prototype 5200 joysticks that centered the joystick automatically. The 3rd-party 5200 Wico Command arcade joystick was an alternative answer to that particular issue.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Ed Oscuro]

AA forum thread here, purchase page here. So tempted to buy a copy (this thing is basically been waiting to be released almost my whole life), but I've no 5200.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Went ahead & ordered a boxed copy. Thanks to the OP for bringing up this 5200 Tempest release thread.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Skykid]

Shit, supremely tempted to buy one.

[cools]

Ordered for the investment

[Friendly]

Ordered for the investment

But who are you going to sell it to? It's entirely possible that the Atari 5200 collectors out there (all three of them) have already bought one.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Well, the initial 250 copies of 5200 Tempest comes with a slick full-color box -- something that the later produced 5200 Tempest game cart + manual bundled sets won't have down the road. It's a given.

I missed the golden opportunity to pre-order 4Play/Scatalogical's Battlesphere debut release back in February of 2000 for the Jag (didn't learn of it until a month later & it was already too late). The ol' saying: You snooze, you lose -- it rang true in that particular instance/case.

I surely won't miss out this time around for a high-profile limited release with this upcoming 5200 Tempest game. It's an ol' favorite of mine.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Lord Satori]

If only the ancient system I inherited from my grandfather was an atari 5200 instead of an Intellivision II.

[Skykid]

Ordered for the investment

The problem is the cartridge will continue to be sold indefinitely, so you're investing in a chipboard box and colour manual, which can be recreated by anyone at any point should there be enough demand (which isn't usually so likely with Atari games.) See, I thought this through!

[Ed Oscuro]

The problem is the cartridge will continue to be sold indefinitely, so you're investing in a chipboard box and colour manual

Explain that to people who would literally murder somebody for an Air Raid box and manual. (Or NES Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, for that matter.)


Nothing like a good flog, right Barney?

[Skykid]

Explain that to people who would literally murder somebody for an Air Raid box and manual. (Or NES Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, for that matter.)

But I would think this is different, right, since it's not original in any way shape or form, so there's nothing stopping anyone from reproducing it.

[Ed Oscuro]

On the contrary, it's a well-respected game and the original programmer finished it (which, rightly, means more to people nowadays than the flogging of the Atari brand name). No, it's not "old," but this already looks miles beyond most homebrew games and releases.

I don't really know what you're getting at - this will likely hold its value and then some. Still not running out to get one but I'm glad it's being done, at least. A shame they won't keep the box and other contents in continuous production but that's not realistic to expect.

[Skykid]

Stop Ed. I'm trying not to buy one.

[Ed Oscuro]

you will fail like all the rest

It's pretty easy for me not to do it. It's just Tempest. I can just plug in a trackball or even suffer with a high-DPI mouse for MAME

[BrianC]

This was playable at the Atari Age booth at the classic gaming expo 2010. It seemed to be a bit on the easy side, but it was pretty cool. Telling from vids, the final version looks more polished than the one I played. I just wish this was available on the Atari 800 since I prefer that over the 5200.

CGE 2K10 Demo
Final version

[cools]

Explain that to people who would literally murder somebody for an Air Raid box and manual. (Or NES Flintstones: Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, for that matter.)

But I would think this is different, right, since it's not original in any way shape or form, so there's nothing stopping anyone from reproducing it.

Better than a frankenkit at least. Reproducing the box/manual etc without the original files is non-trivial - see neo-geo fakes. Should also have proof of purchase. If I keep it sealed in the original shipping package it'll even have the date stamps

Besides it's cheap enough that if it drops it's no big deal.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Just got word that the 5200 Tempest is now shipping from the fine folks at Atari Age. Am looking forward to see how it plays.

On a related note: The DS cart of Atari Greatest Hits Vol. 1 has a great version of Tempest sans the proper DS paddle controller support (then it'd be arcade perfect). Surprisingly, the framerate on the DS port of Tempest is on par with that of a real Tempest cabinet indeed.

Sure, a Tempest cab setup has a resolution of 1,024 x 768 and looks super razor sharp on a carefully calibrated vector monitor with the contrast not too bright that it over-blooms but just bright enough (of like how it was during the Golden Age of Arcades back in 1980-1981). Back in 1985, it was possible to buy an actual Tempest cab for a paltry $100.00 USD on the secondary used arcade game market from the local arcade distros or private arcade game owners. Nowdays, it's definitely more than that easily. It's always a pleasure to give Tempest Tubes (a variant version of Tempest with all new webs to try your hand at) a spin from time to time at those awesome California Extreme shows held every year.

PC Engine Fan X ! ^_~

[Ed Oscuro]

1,024 x 768 [...] vector monitor

Oh?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The 5200 Tempest package arrived today in the mailbox. Upon unboxing it, it came with a full-color promo card stock with some new homebrew games to check out including the aforementioned 5200 Tempest release & a cool rainbow colored Atari Age promo magnet as a nifty bonus.

On the backside of this 5200 Supersystem Tempest gamebox, it says:

* One or Two players

* 96 Challenging Levels

* Use your 5200 controllers or (optional) Trak-Ball with this Atari Game cartridge.

* For use with North American & other NTSC television sets only.

* Model 5220

* Programmed by Keithen with graphics by Michael Kosaka.

* Arcade perfect sound effects

* All the skill and action of the arcade game

* 30 years late! (Better late than never released at all for that matter.)

Game Description as worded on the gamebox in it's entirety --

------------------------

Tempest is a unique experience that transports the player into abstract realms of space. You pilot the 'Blaster', a crab-like ship travelling along the outside rim of a series of interconnected playfields (tubes) while strange enemies approach from the center of the screen intent on destroying you! Blast them back through 96 levels. When you find yourself in a tight spot, you still have your 'Super Zapper' to destroy all the enemies on screen, but beware, you can only use it once per level!

------------------------

The gamebox still has the ol' Warner Communications logo + the classic Atari logo as well (and even the ol' Atari Inc. Sunnyvale-based P.O. Box address as well for completeness). How cool is that?

A proper (C)1984 is in place and only a standard UPC barcode SKU is missing (if it was originally released at retail in '84 -- that's a given). Otherwise, it has a modern-day QR code for the year 2013 in the usual UPC area as a gentle reminder of what could've been a sure-fire 5200 must-have killer app back in the day to own/play.

That's great news to hear that AA's 5200 Tempest release supports the 5200 Trak-Ball controller setup for more precise movement in the higher stages. Of course, Dan Kramer is the main man responsible for creating both the 5200 & 2600 variant Trak-ball controllers. He even gave his expertise to Nyko with their own PSX-based Trakball controller (as they were having techincal problems with the prototypes) before it was relesased to market stateside in November of 1998 with an original MSRP of $44.99 USD.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[opt2not]

Sounds awesome, thanks for following up with this, PCEFX!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It's a pleasure to share the 411 on this newfangled 5200 game release. As a retro gamer, it's quite amazing that such a "lost" 5200 prototype Tempest cart was rescued from what could've have been a gem lost forever. Otherwise, this finally completed version of 5200 Tempest wasn't going to see the light of day in this day of age. The long wait for it, is now over.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[brentsg]

I grabbed one as well but I don't think I have a working 5200. I recall some disappointment with one I picked up, and I remember trying to wash all the piece parts in the bathtub (looked like it came out of a barn).

I've got a brand new in box 5200 controller though.. but no track ball. Hmm..

As an aside I did also pick up Jr. Pac-Man and Pac Collection for 7800 also. I definitely have a NOS 7800 from several years back and love Pac Jr.

[BrianC]

As an aside I did also pick up Jr. Pac-Man and Pac Collection for 7800 also. I definitely have a NOS 7800 from several years back and love Pac Jr.

Jr. Pac-Man 7800 is good stuff. I also have a repro of the Atari 800 version, which is different from the port of the unfinished 5200 version on the web. It lacks the glitch that keeps you form beating a maze when you beat it at the same time a toy destroys a power pill, has different sounds (based on Jr. Pac-Man rather than using Ms. Pac-Man's sounds, though not arcade perfect), and plays smoother. Still missing the intermissions and even the music (2600 lacked the former, but kept some of the latter) and still feels somewhat less polished than the 2600 port. The funny thing about the 2600 port is that it's a vertical scrolling port of a horizontal scrolling, vertical oritented game.