The Video Game Graveyard

[Cyclonepride]

An interesting merger of two of my favorite things (video games and archaeology).

https://www.archaeology.org/issues/139-1407/trenches/2189-new-mexico-atari-dump-site-excavation

"Legend has it that Atari buried millions of unsold and returned copies of E.T., and perhaps other titles, in a New Mexico dump as the company struggled to stay afloat. Thirty years was long enough for the dump site—and the truth behind the story—to be lost."

"These Atari games are part of my generation’s cultural heritage, and mark a tipping point in the history of technology. Two years after the crash, Nintendo released its own American game system, starting a second boom that continues today. It is significant that the documentary, Atari: Game Over, will debut on Microsoft’s Xbox, a direct descendant of the “ancient” culture that created this video game midden. Potentially millions more cartridges, along with other artifacts such as Atari computers, prototypes, and corporate documents, remain at the dump site. Future archaeologists will have their work cut out for them."

For what it's worth, I had a lot of fun with the E.T. game. Sure, it was pretty bad in hindsight, but I'm sure I got my money's worth out of it (not a lot of options for kids in those days).

 

[1100011CS]

Speaking of graveyard, that article is dated Monday, June 09, 2014

 

[Nothingman]

Speaking of graveyard, that article is dated Monday, June 09, 2014

I was thinking I had already seen this but I've probably forgotten by now how it ends so I can watch again.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Speaking of graveyard, that article is dated Monday, June 09, 2014

4 years behind is pretty good for me. You should listen to my music list.

 

[Freebird]

I had that game when I was a kid and can confirm that it was ******* horrible.

 

[brianhos]

I had that game when I was a kid and can confirm that it was ******* horrible.

ET was the worst game of all time.

 

[harimad]

Better thread would be which Atari games were the best?

I'm going with:
Adventure
Pitfall
Laser Blast
Yar's Revenge

 

[Cyclonepride]

Better thread would be which Atari games were the best?

I'm going with:
Adventure
Pitfall
Laser Blast
Yar's Revenge

I played the crap out of Pitfall. It's funny, because now if I died as many times in a game within minutes that I did in that game, I'd quit playing. No game saves, no nothing. You played the same **** over and over until you won or quit.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Was there an actual ending?

No idea lol. I remember getting decent at it, but they probably made the game 5 minutes long in a perfect death run, and didn't have to do anything past that because no one could get there.

 

[3TrueFans]

Was there an actual ending?

The kid yelled out "I hate this game" and threw the controller down, that was the ending.

 

[Freebird]

Combat
Yaras Revenge
Pitfall
"Square basketball"
Asteroids
"Kangaroo game"

Funny how Combat came with the console and just never got old, could always play it. I would add Raiders to the list.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Combat was great. Have to mention River Raid too.

 

[mywayorcyway]

I've never been very good at video games, but I was absolutely unstoppable at Atari 2600 Football. If I didn't roll the scoreboard over on whomever I was playing, they felt they had won.

 

[laminak]

Better thread would be which Atari games were the best?

I'm going with:
Adventure
Pitfall
Laser Blast
Yar's Revenge

Combat was the only good game on the 2600.

Sorry for the snobbery, as I was playing Colecovision and Intellivision in this era, with both consoles being far superior to the 2600.

 

[harimad]

My neighbor had a Coleco and the only game I remember playing is Popeye.

Donkey Kong actually looked like Donkey Kong on the Coleco.

 

[ArgentCy]

An interesting merger of two of my favorite things (video games and archaeology).

https://www.archaeology.org/issues/139-1407/trenches/2189-new-mexico-atari-dump-site-excavation

"Legend has it that Atari buried millions of unsold and returned copies of E.T., and perhaps other titles, in a New Mexico dump as the company struggled to stay afloat. Thirty years was long enough for the dump site—and the truth behind the story—to be lost."

"These Atari games are part of my generation’s cultural heritage, and mark a tipping point in the history of technology. Two years after the crash, Nintendo released its own American game system, starting a second boom that continues today. It is significant that the documentary, Atari: Game Over, will debut on Microsoft’s Xbox, a direct descendant of the “ancient” culture that created this video game midden. Potentially millions more cartridges, along with other artifacts such as Atari computers, prototypes, and corporate documents, remain at the dump site. Future archaeologists will have their work cut out for them."

For what it's worth, I had a lot of fun with the E.T. game. Sure, it was pretty bad in hindsight, but I'm sure I got my money's worth out of it (not a lot of options for kids in those days).

WAIT, WHAT. are you kidding. That was the most ridiculous non-nonsensical game ever made. The first 5 minutes were WTF. The next 5 minutes ended with F this.

Wasn't this part of the movie from 2014. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3715406/?ref_=nv_sr_2

 

[Cyclonepride]

WAIT, WHAT. are you kidding. That was the most ridiculous non-nonsensical game ever made. The first 5 minutes were WTF. The next 5 minutes ended with F this.

Wasn't this part of the movie from 2014. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3715406/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Something about walking around looking for **** that appeals to me. Still does, maybe in a less futile way.

 

[ArgentCy]

Was he floating... by stretching his neck? I still don't know what that game was supposed to be and I watched the documentary.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Moon Patrol, Frogger, Mario Brothers, and Qbert were all the ****! Humble brag but I still have my childhood 2600

 

[Cyclonepride]

I also remember playing Atari baseball and having to bat for the other team with my feet lol. I was a lonely child.