Page 26 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #1

lines. named the Atari 2600/7800 list they're mostly prototypes. The
Finally, the technology ante was VGR (Only he knows what that term prototype is used to refer to
upped again, this time by Coleco stands for). While the list is still pre-production cartridges, which
with their Colecovision. Then around and often referred to, it has fall into two categories. The first is
came The Crash....The Crash was not been updated in quite some a cartridge containing an EPROM
a period in 1983-84 in which the time so portions of it are outdated. (erasable, programmable read only
videogame market took a nosedive. Many lists use the same rarity rat- memory) chip the programmer
This was caused by several fac- ings VGR created: C = common, used to test his or her game on an
tors, including a glut of sub-par U = uncommon, R = rare, ER = ex- actual console. In general, the pro-
games and the falling cost of home tremely rare, and UR = unbelieva- grammer would erase and reuse a
computers. Many video game bly rare. There is also an unofficial cartridge many times during the
companies went out of business rating of OC (obnoxiously common) development process, so few of
during this time. Most collectors that people use in conversation to these exist. The more highly re-
consider this the end of the classic refer to Atari 2600 Combat and garded ones are those that contain
era. It took a company new to the such. either a game with some differ-
American home video game market A great way to get rarity lists for ences from the commercially re-
to turn things around when they leased version or a game that
released the Nintendo Entertain- was never released at all. The
ment System (NES) in 1985. second type is called "lab
As you can see, there are loaners." These were pre-
many "classic" systems out there. production, but usually com-
You might wonder where you can pleted, games sent to magazines
find them and their cartridges for review. Because of the lead
(carts, for short). There are sev- time in publishing a magazine,
eral places. If you have a lot of game companies had to get the
time, but little money, search thrift games to the reviewers early in
stores (such as Value Village or order for the review to be pub-
those run by the Salvation Army lished at the same time the game
or Goodwill), flea markets, and was released. These prototypes
yard sales. Some collectors visit were supposed to be returned to
thrift stores so often that they've the game company afterwards,
coined a word for the act of visit- but many were not. They gener-
ing several thrift stores around ally have an official, yet generic
town: thrifting. label on them including the ad-
If, on the other hand, you have dress to return them to.
plenty of money, but not much Finally, let me mention holy
time, you might try a classic video grails. These are the games or
game dealer. Yes, there really systems that collectors prize
are people who have made a most of all. This is fairly subjec-
business out of selling old video tive as not every collector con-
games. There are no national An NTSC “Asterix” Lab-loaner siders the same game(s) to be their
chains that do so, which makes most classic systems is to buy the "holy grail."
finding them hard. On the bright Digital Press Classic Videogame One game many collectors de-
side, most do their business via Collector's Guide, more com- sire is Chase the Chuckwagon.
mail order throughout the country monly known as the Digital Press (In fact, some collectors use the
and many are based on the World Guide or DPG. Digital Press phrase "chasing the chuck-
Wide Web. Another option is Inter- (www.digitpress.com) is a fanzine wagon" instead of "thrifting.")
net auction sites such as eBay dedicated to all home video game Chase the Chuckwagon is an Atari
(www.ebay.com) or Amazon (www. systems, old and new, with more 2600 game that was only available
amazon.com). emphasis on old. It rates games by mail order from Purina if you
Notice I made the distinction of and hardware on a rarity scale of 1 collected enough proofs of pur-
time vs. money. That's because (common) to 10 (practically chase from their dog food products.
some items are rarer than others. unique). It covers most of the sys- Therefore, it's fairly rare. It's far
For example, you'll have no prob- tems mentioned above from the from the rarest 2600 game, but has
lem finding an Atari 2600 and a Channel F to the NES. To obtain a taken on a certain mystique among
dozen games, while finding a Vec- copy send $20 (for U.S. and Can- collectors. Good luck finding your
trex with any games can be quite a ada; $30 elsewhere) to Joe Santulli own holy grails, whatever they may
feat. Some enterprising collectors at Digital Press, 44 Hunter Place, be.
have created rarity lists of the Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.
games for various systems. The You might wonder what kind of
first to do so was Craig Pell, who items get a rating of 10. Well,

Classic Gamer Magazine Fall 1999 26