Insights and Feedback on the INCREDIBLE WIZARD and WIZARD of WOR ( Coin-Op )
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2600 Connection November 23, 2016 Insights and feedback on THE INCREDIBLE WIZARD and WIZARD OF WOR ( coin-op ) by Tim Duarte This article could have also been titled: again for providing the necessary “How to play the THE INCREDIBLE Astrocade system files and helping me in WIZARD ( Bally Astrocade ) and setting it up correctly so that the Bally WIZARD OF WOR ( coin-op ) on the Astrocade is enabled, recognized, and cheap” configured as a system under the MAME emulator software. I’ve recently become extremely interested in the Bally Astrocade The unique Bally Astrocade controller computer videogame system. I’ve been would also be a challenge. If I could find listening to podcasts like the one, I discovered it would work with INTELLIVISIONARIES ( for the MAME under emulation on a computer, Intellivision ) and the COLECOVISIONS A few weeks later, Adam asked me if pending that I purchased a device called PODCAST ( for the Colecovision) and the I would provide some feedback and my the Astro-daptor. I could not locate SELECT GAME podcast ( for the insights on THE INCREDIBLE controllers locally and I did not want to Odyssey2) And then I discovered there WIZARD, which is the Bally Astrocade’s pay a small fortune for genuine Astrocade was a podcast about the Bally Astrocade home version of WIZARD OF WOR, for controllers on ebay. I wasn’t going to be called the ASTROCAST. their Astrocast podcast which spotlights able to experience the unique controller this game cartridge. The February 1983 with the small paddle on top. I settled for I also discovered that there was a issue of Video magazine has an article the next best thing that I knew I would be community forum dedicated to the Bally called “Arcade Alley: The Fourth Annual comfortable with under emulation: the Astrocade on Atariage.com. I later Arcade Awards.” In the article, THE standard Atari 2600 style joystick ( the discovered that the moderator of the INCREDIBLE WIZARD gets the CX-40). Fortunately, I already own a forum was Adam Trionfo, an old friend I following praise: “ [it is ] the finest USB-based Atari 2600 joystick that I use used to correspond with about videogames cartridge ever produced for [the for the excellent STELLA Atari 2600 via the U.S. mail over 20 years ago! This Astrocade]” That is high praise. More to emulator and the O2EM Odyssey2 was the “good old days” before the come on this. emulator. The beautiful thing is that internet. Adam and I “go way back.” We MAME recognized it, so I was all set to both published print newsletters about I knew I had a daunting task that enjoy some games. Almost. videogames in the 1990’s. Adam stood before me: finding a Bally published ORPHANED COMPUTERS Astrocade. Adam informed me that this MAME was working fine, but AND GAME SYSTEMS (a newsletter would be tough. The hardware is rare and something was missing : the Bally about various consoles) and I published pricey, too. Sure, I could look on ebay and Astrocade files needed for MAME to 2600 CONNECTION ( a newsletter with overpay. There are some systems out there emulate this system. I sent Adam a a sole focus on the Atari 2600 videogame for sale, but they are likely to be in need message, and he pointed me to his fine system). We started corresponding again. of repair and may or may not even work. I web site http://www.ballyalley.com. This time it was electronically and not also learned through the podcast that There’s a section on emulation and the through the U.S. mail. We “talked” about many of the Bally Astrocade consoles first file in the list is the Bally Astrocade the good old days of classic videogames, were prone to overheating issues and ROM collection. It’s everything you need. the games we enjoyed playing, our problems. I would also need to find THE As I listened to Adam and his co-host families, and more. Hard to believe it has INCREDIBLE WIZARD on cartridge. I Chris discuss the game SEA DEVIL, I been so many years. Time goes by fast. would plan on getting a complete, in-box really wanted to check this game out. To copy, so I could get the full effect of what my good fortune, SEA DEVIL was I’ve told Adam that I have wished to it was like to buy the game. included in the ROM collection. Looking contribute in some form. I told him I was further down the list of games to choose interested in the Bally Astrocade and its I came up with an idea to solve these from, I spotted THE INCREDIBLE games. I’ve always rooted for these predicaments: emulation. Again, Adam WIZARD, which is essentially WIZARD underdog systems like the Bally Astrocade was a big help and he pointed me in the OF WOR. I shared the news with Adam and the Magnavox Odyssey2. Some small right direction. The plan was to use that I was excited to finally check out this problems: I didn’t own a Bally Astrocade. MAME, a free program that is a Multi game. I have great memories of my And I am a Bally Astrocade “virgin!” Arcade Machine Emulator. MAME was teenage years playing the arcade coin-op easy to download and install on my of WIZARD OF WOR at the Brunswick Windows 10 laptop. Kudos to Adam once 2600 Connection November 23, 2016 bowling alley in Fairhaven, MA. I later There have been very few games over the years that enjoyed playing the game at home when I have shaped an entire video game generation (specifically, my circle of gaming friends). John bought the Atari 2600 version which was Madden Football for the Genesis was one of licensed by CBS. It was OK and I thought them. Rocky Super Action Boxing for the it did a pretty good job at capturing the ColecoVision was another. To a lesser degree NHL essence of the game. I later owned the Hockey for Genesis and TV Sports Football (remember that one, Mr. Annick?) for the Atari 8-bit version which was licensed by Turbografx-16 did the same. It doesn't take long to Roklan and played it on my Atari 800XL figure out that they're all sports games though. The computer. One day, a friend of mine in only house-rocking NON sports game that I can high school named Paul, who also was an truly say made us understand each other as gamers Atari nut, handed me a box of about ten is this little ditty called The Incredible Wizard, or, as it was known in the arcades, Wizard of Wor. 5.25” floppy diskettes that were “chock- filled” with video games. WIZARD OF “Never trust Santulli” became the slogan WOR was on one of those diskettes. I amongst the Ringwood clan of video game players couldn’t believe that some “pirates” found where I grew up. It was developed after several gamers, thinking they were involved in a a way to illegally copy all of these games cooperative match of worling slaying, were that I was now the owner of. There must "inadvertently" shot in the back when they crossed have been over 100 games and I didn’t my path. I developed this little strategy after pay one cent for any of the games! I take realizing that other players were not only stealing MY points, but were worth more themselves than that back. I did have to drive to K-mart to the denizens of the maze we were supposedly out to purchase a box of floppies so I could defeat. Even more importantly, I could ALWAYS make a set of copies of these diskettes for It is interesting to note that Astrocade also predict where that other player was going to appear myself before I had to give them back to again after he died, and with five of them lined up may have escaped an expensive licensing to go that was five times that many points I could Paul. I was pleasantly surprised and fee by also naming their GALAXIAN have in my till. Call me greedy, but that strategy happy with this version of WIZARD OF clone as GALACTIC INVASION. eventually caught on with just about everyone else I WOR because the graphics were upgraded ever played this game with, including recent friends and I didn’t see the flickering that was on who were introduced to this game in the past month So how is THE INCREDIBLE WIZARD? while I was preparing this review. By the way, the the 2600 version. To be honest, I really In baseball terms, I think this game is a "strategy" of using the other player as point-bait didn’t care about the flickering. I was “home run” that gets “knocked out of the has stuck with me into my adult life. Streets of happy because my friend Scott and I could ball park. ” Take my word for it: It an is Rage and Gauntlet has shown a new crop of gamers a different side of me ("heh heh, deal with play simultaneously without having to go EXCELLENT translation of the arcade to the Fairhaven bowling alley to play the it!"). I am happy to say that my wife shares this coin-op. Don’t believe me? The 1982 strategy with me, and our game sessions together coin-op arcade game of WIZARD OF issue Video magazine's Guide to make the Civil War look like a carnival game.