My Columns

[Rinku]

OK, I've written Rik a couple of times offering to write some columns for the site, but he's never gotten back to me... darn you, Rik!

So I'm going to start writing them in the forum, and if Rik likes them, maybe he'll put them on the main site. Feel free to post comments and criticisms in this thread.

So... here we goooo!

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To kick my column off, I'm going to rank the top handheld/tabletop game making companies, based primarily on their contributions to handheld gaming.

Honorable Mention: Tomy
Tomy's most important contribution to handheld games is its tabletop version of the arcade game Tron. Tomy managed to cram two of the arcade game's subgames into the handheld, as well as a third game. Light Cycles and MCP from the arcade, but Battle Tanks and I/O Tower were replaced with Ring. Also notable was Tomy's Mini Arcade series. This electro-mechanical games were shaped like arcade cabinets (they even had little coin slots on the stickers) and used records to make their sounds! By the way, Tomy Blip gets the Most Misleading Use of the Word "Digital" Award.

5. Entex
Entex prided itself on the quality of its games and for making "games for the discriminating player." Entex's first games were made in 1979; before that they made model kits and construction toys. They distinguished themselves with their adaptations of Defender, Space Invader(s), Pac Man, and Super Cobra, as well as the cartridge-based Select-a-Game and, of course, their legendary (and legendarily rare) tabletop cartridge system, the Adventure Vision.

4. Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley made relatively few true handheld games. So why are they on this list? Simple: the Microvision! Released in 1979, the Microvision was the world's first cartridge-based portable electronic game, as well as one of the first handheld LCD games. Including the pack-in Block Buster, twelve games were released for the system (one of which, Super Block Buster, was only released in Europe). It was moderately successful, but flaws such as its small 16x16 screen killed it in 1981. Beware of screen rot.

3. Coleco
Coleco made some of today's most sought after electronic games in the form of their mini arcade tabletop series. These games are responsible for more than one person starting a handheld collection, including (in my best Pottsylvanian accent) Fearless Leader. Too bad Berzerk and Omega Race never came out.

2. Mattel
Mattel's Auto Race is the grandaddy of them all. This 1976 LED based toy was the first entirely digital handheld game. Also notable is their popular Football.

1. Nintendo
Nintendo's Game & Watch line made handhelds a big business. Without them, the handheld scene today would be much different. For one thing, competing companies wouldn't have made about a zillion similar games.

[Rik]

[game-boy]

I'm an avid collector and have been trolling the site for at least 6+ years now (as far back as I can recall without having to think too hard) and for some reason didnt even notice there was a forum till the other day. Perhaps have a dynamic button that appears next to each of the games & manufacturers that says "chat about this game & others in our forum!" or something may draw attention to it...

Cheers & happy gaming!

GB

[Rinku]

Column Number 2!

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Expensive!

Today's column is about the games that'll cost you a pretty penny.

Tiger Galaxx: This 3-D game is similar to Space Invaders, but with TIE Fighter knockoffs instead of crablike aliens. This game, which is in the same vein as the Tomy 3-D series, can run you over a thousand dollars.

Actronics Wanted G-Man: Among the most valuable of the Donkey Kong clones, this game features a random point bonus at the end of each level. If you want one, you might need to shell out over $1,100.

Tiger Jawbreaker tabletop: The only known boxed example of this game was sold for over $1000 to Linda. The box was only a C6, and the game didn't even work! Even unboxed, this game fetches a fair amount.

Entex Adventure Vision: This beauty is lovingly known as the holy grail of electronic game collection. Loose examples go for about eight to nine hundred, mint, boxed examples sell for between $1000 and $1500, and mint-in-sealed-box ones can sell for over $5000!

Have fun buying games, and remember to save money for food!