Antic: The Atari Resource (January 1985)

Antic was one of the most popular Atari 8-bit magazines. While primarily covering the Atari 8-bit, it also covered the 16-bit Atari ST once it came along. The January 1985 issue includes:

Antic: The Atari Resource (January 1985)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (417-420)

All of the photos in this set were taken in the early 1970s. All were likely taken in the Lansing Michigan area.

The first photo was taken in January 1973 and is labeled 'Grandma'. It looks like it was her birthday based on all of the cards on the table.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (417-420)

Mindshadow (Activision/Interplay)

Mindshadow was first released in 1984 and is essentially and illustrated text adventure game. The text adventure genre is perhaps best illustrated by Infocom and the Zork series. Adding illustrations was basically the next step in the evolutionary development of these games. This game was developed by Interplay and published by Activision.

Mindshadow (Activision/Interplay

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (413-416)

Most of the photos in this set are not labeled or dated but it looks like that range from as early as the 1960s to as late as 1980. These were all probably taken in the Lansing, Michigan area.

The first photo features a girls softball game. This is probably from the late 1960s or 1970s.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (413-416)

Digital Archaeology: Floppy Disk #14 – INFIDELI.DOC

This post includes the contents of INFIDELI.DOC. This file is dated September 2nd, 1985 and is in a subdirectory called TELEPSYC

Digital Archaeology: Floppy Disk #14 – INFIDELI.DOC

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (409-412)

The photos in this set were all taken in the early 1960s and they were probably all taken in the Lansing, Michigan area.

The first photo was processed in May 1963 and was presumably taken at a golf course since it features a bunch of signs with golf rules. $2 for 18 holes doesn't seem bad...

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (409-412)

Mortal Kombat Trilogy (NES)

I posted previously about "demakes" on the Atari 2600 which are basically just clones of newer games on an older system. There can be a fine line as to what is legal and not, particularly when selling such products. But then there are those who just don't give a crap.

Mortal Kombat Trilogy was released officially on various home platforms in 1996 and 1997 but these were 32-bit releases on the PlayStation, Saturn, Nintendo 64 and DOS/Windows. There were no official releases on older platforms. However, that didn't stop Cony Soft from developing an unlicensed bootleg version for the original Nintendo in 1998.

Cony Soft, a Hong Kong based company that went by a variety of other names made a number of bootleg games for the NES from 1993 through at least 1998. Most of them were fighting games. I suppose there must have been some demand for them somewhere at some point but it's hard to imagine that they are very good. Though I suppose given the limits of the system, Mortal Kombat doesn't look half bad on the NES.

PC World (February 1993)

By 1993, PC World was pretty ubiquitous. You could find it in grocery stores, book stores, etc. It was probably the most popular magazine dedicated to PC compatible computers. I bought my first PC in 1993 several months after this issue hit the stands. The February 1993 issue of PC World includes:

PC World (February 1993)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (405-408)

I believe all of these photos were taken in the late 1950s or 1960s an were all taken in Michigan.

The first photo was taken in 1957 and is labeled 'Big Mac 1957' which is a nickname for the Mackinac Bridge which connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. This five mile long bridge first opened in 1957.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (405-408)

Byte (August 1982)

If you were looking for technical coverage of a variety of computers in the 1980s then Byte was the magazine for you. The August 1982 issue of Byte includes:

Byte (August 1982)

Super NES Buyer's Guide (May 1993)

Super NES Buyer's Guide was a relatively short-lived Super Nintendo specific magazine published by the same people who published EGM. It was very much a Super Nintendo specific version of EGM. However, you didn't get very many pages for the price and at least some of the material was reused from EGM. The first issue was included free with an issue of EGM. The May 1993 issue includes:

• Feedback - Letters about Super Star Wars, video game mascots, sports games, mail order sales, release dates, batteries in games and more.

• SNES Hi-Tech - The Super Scope's lack of sensitivity to the color red, and Nintendo lists all the reasons you shouldn't play import games and plans encoding games to prevent simple adapters from working.

• Future Play - Coverage of future releases in the U.S. and Japan including R-Type III, G-2, Alien 3, Doremon, Septentrion, Super Air Diver, Y's IV: Mask of the Sun, Art of Fighting, Neugier, Battle Royal, Bio-Metal, Air Management 2, Fatal Fury 2, Tekkaman Blade, Great Battle 3, Kamen Riders-SD, Super Godzilla, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Ren & Stimpy, Crash Dummies, Special Tee Shot, and Superman.

• SNES Tricks - "Tricks of the Trade" section including detailed instruction for how to find the black hole in StarFox, passwords for Tiny Toon Adventures, a stage select for Super Valis IV, secret options for Street Combat, a password to max out your abilities in Best of the Best, car customization for Test Drive 2, how to get 75 lives in Death Valley Rally, and more.

• SNES Review Crew - Reviews of The Lost Vikings, Family Dog, Mechwarrior (more fun on the PC if you ask me), Troddlers, and Dream Probe.

• Game Over - This section would show the ending of games. This month Firepower 2000 is featured.

• Special Feature - A detailed preview of Alien vs. Predator by Activision. There were a lot of unrelated games with this name. This one is a beat 'em up though it is not related to the arcade version by Capcom. There was also a first person shooter game with this name for the Jaguar. All of these were released around the same time period (1994).

• Super Reviews - More detailed reviews of games including Bubsy, StarFox (the first to use the SuperFX chip), Tuff E Nuff (yet another fighting game), Saber Run (never played this one but it reminds me of Strider on the NES a bit, and Mario is Missing (an educational game for kids).

• Super Previews - Previews, only more super... Games featured include Taz-Mania (you play the role of the Tazmanian Devil but this one plays like a racing game), Alien vs. Predator (the Special Feature above), Brawl Brothers (another mediocre fighting game), Rocky Rodent (an obscure side-scrolling adventure game by Irem), Rock & Roll Racing (an excellent racing game featuring a heavy metal sound track and originally developed as a sequel to RPM Racing. and with roots in Racing Destruction Set and R.C. Pro-Am.), Black Bass (seriously, just go fishing), Dracula (based on the movie), Super Baseball 2020 (a futuristic baseball game despite being a bit anachronistic now), P.T.O. (a World War II naval sim/strategy game), Caribbean Kawasaki Challenge (a motorcycle and jet ski racing game), and Wolfchild (a horror themed side-scrolling adventure).

...and more!

Digital Archaeology: Codex (Floppy Disk) #8 (part 2)

Continuing the exploration of the contents of this floppy disk (see the first part here). This disk is from a batch I picked up at a thrift store a number of years ago. As I have been digging through these disks, it has become obvious that at least some of them were once owned by someone named Connie A. Buys who used to run the "Close Encounters" Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.

My understanding is that a SIG, as it relates to Delphi, consisted of forums, live chat and files to download centered around a particular topic or theme. In this case, "Close Encounters" was about relationships and sex, particularly as it related to the online world of the day. Everything was text based from whatever terminal program you used to dial in to Delphi's servers. Many of these disks have forum messages, e-mails and chat session logs. All of this is pre-internet stuff and I don't know if there are any archives in existence today of what was on Delphi in the 1980s. In any case, much of this stuff would have been private at the time and some of it is quite personal.

I'm splitting up the contents of this disk (descriptively labeled "File Disk") since it contains a number of documents, some of which are pretty long. The second document I'm posting (DM1001B.DOC) is a series of e-mails, some of which are, um, love letters and some of which are administrative in nature about running the SIG. All are from October 1st, 1985.

---

DM1001B.DOC

---

 #58          1-OCT-1985 00:08:51                                   
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   curious!
 
 My Beloved Darling Connie,
  
 I am simply dying of curiousity about something and I hope you don't
 mind my asking and more importantly I hope you don't mind answering.
  
 I was on-line and typing to John Sunday night and he asked if we were
 still together and my reply was "no! All gone! [sigh]" and
 IMMEDIATELY he typed back "brb sending mail" and I would have put
 money on it that he that very instant sent mail to YOU!!
  
 He would disappoint me I THINK if he didn't - SO what I am asking is
 did you get mail from John that was originated at approx. 11 PM
 Sunday!!!
  
 I am NOT asking WHAT it was but just from his behavior I have to
 believe that he was sending it to you!! PLEASE! answer my curiousity!
  
 NOSEY AREN'T I !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
 Love,
  
 Rod
  
 P. S. The entire system [DELPHI] crashed before I could finish
 talking to him!
 
 
 #59          1-OCT-1985 01:23:46                                 
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   !
 
 My Dearest Delicous Darling Connie,
  
 I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
                                                                   
                                                                    
 Love,                                                              
                                                                    
 Rod                                                                
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
 
 
 #60          1-OCT-1985 01:33:03                                  
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   !!
 
  RODM>> its past your bedtime - so LET'S go to bed!!!        
 
 My Dearest Delicous Darling Connie,
  
 I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          
 
          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU          I LOVE YOU
 
                                                                   
                                                                    
 Love,                                                              
                                                                    
 Rod                                                                
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
                                                                    
 
 
 #61          1-OCT-1985 01:35:17                                  
 From:   BOS1A::RODM        
 To:     CABUYS,RODM        
 Subj:   real
 
 My Beloved Darling,
 
 I wish I could find some way of telling you just how very much I love
 you!
 
 Talk to you soon!
 
 
 Love, 
 
 Rod

 #3           1-OCT-1985 19:01:20                                     
 From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
 To:     RODM,CABUYS      
 Subj:   flags in Close Encounters sig
 
 
 Sweetheart,
 
 I'm going to set up some flags on your account in Insiders as
 follows:
 
 "A" flag - allows you to edit and delete Forum messages and display
 complete entry log

 "E" flag - allows you to edit announcements and experiment with
 Forms.
 
 "D" flag - allows you to access the database maintenance features.
 
 "V" flag - vendor flag in Shopping.
 
 I will also be forwarding to you some messages from Insiders Sig
 regarding the Forms program.
 
 Experiement as you wish with these flags - however please do keep me
 informed via dmail of any changes you do make.  And by all means
 *don't* let this new toy run your bill up and out of sight!
 
 I'll notify John that I've set up these flags for you but would
 prefer that you not make it public knowledge to others for now.
 
 I love you very, very much!
 
 -Connie
 
 
 #4           1-OCT-1985 19:03:06                                     
 From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
 To:     JOHNMYSELF,CABUYS      
 Subj:   flags
 
 I've set flags A,E,D, and V for Rodm.
 
 I'm not sure yet but I may be setting A & D for Joey if he's
 agreeable.  Will let you know when I do.
 
 I love you!
 
 -Connie
 
 
 #9           1-OCT-1985 21:07:58                                     
 From:   BOS1A::JOHNMYSELF  
 To:     BOS1A::CABUYS,JOHNMYSELF  
 Subj:   RE: flags
 
 I remember a e and d but what is v?
 
 
 #10          1-OCT-1985 22:48:48                                     
 From:   BOS1A::CABUYS       "CONNIE"
 To:     BOS1A::JOHNMYSELF,CABUYS      
 Subj:   RE: flags
 
 V has to do with Vendors for the shopping area, dear.
 
 Tho I'm not sure *exactly* what it has to do! [sigh]
 

Compute! (October 1983)

Compute! was perhaps the first magazine for home computer users. Not just hobbyists building or putting together their own computers but those wanting to by computers and use commercial software. It concentrated on 6502 based computers in its early days but eventually covered most popular home computers. The October 1983 issue includes:

Compute! (October 1983)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (401-404)

All of the photos in this set were taken in the late 1960s and early 1970s and they were probably all taken in the Lansing, Michigan area.

The first photo was processed in July 1967 ad feature a ballet class.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (401-404)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (397-400)

All of the photos in this set were taken in the late 1960s in the Lansing, Michigan area.

The first photo was processed in October 1968. It shows an anti-war protest in Lansing. There have been a few photos from this event in previous sets.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (397-400)

Outlander (Super Nintendo)

Outlander was released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo and would have been right at home as a Mad Max license. The theme is much the same. You drive along a post apocalyptic wasteland searching for weapons, food, fuel and other items while you fend off various enemies. In addition to the vehicular battle, there are also some side-scrolling walking around and fighting parts.

Unfortunately, while the theme of the game certainly resembles Mad Max, it doesn’t live up to the standard set by the movie. The graphics on the Super Nintendo have a digitized look and aren’t terrible but aren’t great either. The animation and frame rate seem pretty bad as well. Control is passable but the graphics and gameplay are extremely repetitive.

There was a Genesis version of this game also. The primary difference between the two was that the driving parts of the Genesis version were from a first person perspective while on the SNES they were from a third person perspective. Either way, it isn’t a very good game.

Other than owning a Super Nintendo (or Genesis) there really isn’t any other way to play this game besides emulation. It hasn’t had any re-releases and given the quality of the game I wouldn’t expect any. This is one of those games that would have been really disappointing had you bought it based on what the box art promised.

Byte (July 1976)

1976 was before the personal computer revolution really got going. That would happen the following year with the release of systems like the Commodore PET, Apple 2, Atari 400/800, and TRS-80. However, Byte was already covering computers for hobbyists and other small systems users. The July 1976 issue includes:

Byte (July 1976)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (393-396)

Most or all of the photos in this set were taken in the 1960s and they were probably all taken in the Lansing, Michigan area.

The first photo features a high school graduation. It looks like the name tag on the guy in uniform says 'Kipke' which I know to be the family name of the original photographer.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (393-396)

Digital Archaeology: Dell Latitude XT

The Dell Latitude XT is a tablet PC that was released at the end of 2007. When closed or first opened, it looks like a fairly typical laptop albeit a relatively small one. However, the screen can rotate and fold back so that it functions as more of a tablet when you want it to.

Digital Archaeology: Dell Latitude XT

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (389-392)

The photos in this set were all taken in the 1970s.

The first photo was processed in June 1971 and is labeled 'Mesa Verde Colo'. It wass taken in Mesa Verde, Colorado and features one of the archeological sites there.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (389-392)

Mecarobot Golf (Super Nintendo)

If you like golf games, there were a number of good ones released for the Super Nintendo. This really isn't one of them. Mecarobot Golf features an odd story about a robot who is discriminated against on the golf course. Somebody purchases Eagle (the robot) and builds a course for him to practice on. It is up to you to determine if robots or humans are the better golfers.

The Sound is pretty minimal and while the graphics feature a couple of interesting effects, overall they are pretty subpar. In Japan this game was endorsed by a famous Japanese golfer but when it was released in 1993 in North America, the robot got all of the credit. It really isn't a terrible game but there were just so many better ones.

I don't think this game had any sequels or any subsequent releases so if you want to play it you'll have to break out your Super Nintendo and find an original cart. Or just resort to emulation. But unless you just want to see how the story ends, you will probably be better off picking from one of the better alternatives.

Byte (February 1978)

Byte was one of the earliest and most technical computer magazines available. In 1978, things were really starting to take off in the 'small computer' arena. The closest thing to a standard were the S100 bus based 8008 or Z80 machines running CP/M. However, the Commodore PET, TRS-80, and Apple II had all recently been introduced. The February 1978 issue of Byte includes:

Byte (February 1978)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (385-388)

All of the photos in this set were taken in the 1970s and were all probably taken in Michigan.

The first three photos were all processed in August 1979 and all appear to show the same lakeside vacation (or maybe just weekend getaway). There have been a bunch of photos from this same place in previous sets. The ones in this set show people sunbathing and playing in the water.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (385-388)

Maximum PC (February 2002)

Maximum PC was my favorite PC magazine (and its incarnation as 'boot' before it). It covered PCs from an enthusiast point of view for those that liked to build or upgrade their own machines, gamers, those who liked to edit video, etc. The February 2002 issue includes:

Maximum PC (February 2002)

T&C Surf Designs (NES)

Town & Country Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage was released in 1987 and reminds me a little bit of California Games. In part, this game seems to be an advertisement for the surfboard manufacturer of the same name. Where California Games has multiple events, this game has only two: skateboarding and surfing.

The skateboarding subgame is the better of the two. In it you maneuver through an obstacle course while performing as many tricks as you can. The surfing subgame works in much the same way. You are attempting to ride the wave all the way to shore while performing tricks and avoiding obstacles. It's kind of like the surfing part of California Games with a few more complexities.

Overall, the game isn't great and there isn't a enough to keep you interested for very long. The graphics are well done and the music is pretty good if limited but there just isn't enough game. This would be a good game to rent if such games were still rented.

You'll have to emulate or find an original NES cart for this one because there have been no re-releases I know about. However, there was a somewhat better sequel called Town & Country II: Thrilla's Surfari released for the NES several years later in 1992.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (381-384)

All of the photos in this set were taken from the early 1970s to the early 1980s.

The first photo was processed in October 1980. It's not clear exactly where it was taken but since most of the photos in this batch have been from Michigan, I'm inclined to think this is one of the Great Lakes.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (381-384)

PC World (October 1997)

PC World was probably the most popular PC specific magazine in the U.S. and the late 1990s was still pretty early days of the Internet (at least in terms of widespread public access). To me, the 1990s to the early 2000s will always be the golden age of the PC. The October 1997 issue of PC World includes:

PC World (October 1997)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (377-380)

All of the photos in this set were taken in the 1960s in the Lansing, Michigan area.

The first photo was processed in March 1966 and is labeled 'Kipke Birthday 66'. I believe this might be the photographer's father.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (377-380)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (NES)

I don’t know why they have to be so confusing with game numbering sometimes. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game was in fact based on the original arcade game. However, when the original arcade game was released in 1989, a different Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game was released at the same time for the NES. Hence when they released the one actually based on the arcade game a year later, they put a II in the title. The home computer ports just stuck with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game and left off the II.

he NES version is probably the best known port and included a couple of extra levels with new enemies and also extended many of the original arcade levels. The NES version also added some Pizza Hut product placement advertising. I believe that the computer ports (Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, etc.) were more straight ports of the arcade.

The original NES version, to the best of my knowledge, has not seen any subsequent releases. A port of the arcade version appears as a hidden bonus in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus for the PS2, Xbox and GameCube and an emulated version of the original arcade game appeared for Xbox Live Arcade in 2007 but if you want to play the NES version with extra levels, you’ll have to track down an NES or emulate.

The NES and arcade versions were especially good with most of the other versions being worthwhile as well. If you like arcade style games then this is one of the better ones from that era. And who can resist the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

The One (April 1993)

The One is a computer gaming magazine that was published in the U.K. in the 1980s and 1990s. It covered various computers over its life but by 1993 it was exclusively covering the Amiga. In fact, at that time it was called The One Amiga. The April 1993 issue includes:

The One (April 1993)

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (373-376)

The photos in this set were probably all taken in the 1960s and 1970s in Michigan.

The first photo features a woman standing in front of a bridge. It is labeled "Covered Ada Bridge". This bridge is located near Ada Township close to Grand Rapids. My best guess is that this photo was taken in the early 1960s. However, the car that can be seen at the other end looks to be from the 1950s so it could be older. This bridge was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1979. The original was built in 1867.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (373-376)

Digital Archaeology: Floppy Disk #14 – FEMALE.DOC

This post includes the contents of FEMALE.DOC. This file is dated September 2nd, 1985 and is in a subdirectory called TELEPSYC. This is an article on nonmedical female sexual problems. No name or other credit is listed in the file. I tried doing a web search on a few strings from this article but couldn't find anything so I'm not sure who wrote it. Like the last few posts in this series, I believe this article came from a special interest group or some other kind of feature or area on Delphi called "TelePsych". As far as I can tell, these articles were exclusive to Delphi.

Digital Archaeology: Floppy Disk #14 – FEMALE.DOC/a>

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (369-372)

All of the photos in this set were processed in August 1979. It looks like these were all taken at a weekend getaway or vacation at a lake.

Vintage Photos - Lot 6 (369-372)

Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)

Super Mario Bros. 2 is of course the sequel to what was at the time the most popular video game ever, Super Mario Bros. However, Super Mario Bros. 2 in North America and most of the rest of the world was not the same sequel that was released in Japan. Nintendo of America deemed the Japanese sequel to be too difficult and too much like its predecessor to be successful. Instead, an unrelated game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic was improved upon and retrofitted with Mario Bros. related graphics, characters, etc. and released as Super Mario Bros. 2.

Despite being derived from a non-Super Mario Bros. game, SMB 2 was still a huge success. In fact, it was so successful that it was later also released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. USA. The original Japanese sequel was also later released to the rest of the world as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels as part of Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo.

Super Mario Bros. 2 as a whole is very similar to the original. It is the epitome of the side-scrolling platform adventure game. However, gone is the two-player mode of the original and you now have four protagonists to chose from instead of just two. In addition, each one has slightly different abilities as opposed to all playing identically. One key new feature was the ability to lift and throw enemies and objects. This ability, along with a several new characters, have been included in a number of sequels and spin-offs since.

Super Mario Bros. 2 was hugely successful, selling in the neighborhood of 10 million copies and becoming the third highest selling video game for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Because of its success, it has seen several re-releases. In 2001 it was released as Super Mario Bros. Advance for the Game Boy Advance. It was also included as part of Super Mario Bros. All-Stars for the Super Nintendo which was itself expanded and re-released multiple times for the Super Nintendo and Wii. It has also seen various Virtual Console releases for multiple subsequent Nintendo systems. This is one of those games that every gamer should at least try and it's pretty easy to come by in one form or another so what are you waiting for?