Atari games buried in landfill net $37,000 on eBay

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — What some have called the worst video game ever made has fetched thousands of dollars for a New Mexico city.

An old "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" game cartridge drew the highest bid among 100 Atari games auctioned on eBay by Alamogordo officials.

The games were part of a cache of some 800 Atari video games buried more than 30 years ago in a landfill and dug up in April.

Joe Lewandowski, a consultant for the film companies that documented the dig, says the online auction, which ended Thursday, generated $37,000.

FULL story at link.



FILE - In an April 26, 2014 file photo, film director Zak Penn shows a box of a decades-old Atari 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' game found in a dumpsite in Alamogordo, N.M. Joe Lewandowski, a consultant for the film companies that documented the dig, says the online auction of 100 Atari games, which ended Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, generated $37,000. The "E.T." game, still in its original box, sold for $1,537. (AP Photo/Juan Carlos Llorca, File)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141116/us--atari_games-landfill-d6041cbf7f.html

[E-Z-B]

1. It was NOT the worst game in Atari history. I loved this game.

SwordQuest was worse than this, for example

[Needa Moment]

4. the best

Was ones like berserker and yar's revenge. ooo.. an zaxxon

[Reter]

8. You mean Berzerk?

Chicken! Fight like a robot! The humanoid must not escape!

[Scootaloo]

10. Wugh. Berzerk and E.T. were awful

Not sure if they beat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and BattleToads for the NES, though. E.T. and Berzerk at least had the excuses of being, what, four-bit games powered by a transistor made of moist yarn and hope, controlled by this thing:

[dionysus]

17. oh man i has Super Zaxxon for my Adam computer.. i really loved that game!

[closeupready]

7. I loved Swordquest, you heathen! I played it over and over...

Berzerker was good - I had so many of them.

Othello was another favorite of mine.

[shenmue]

2. Oh dear

[onehandle]

3. These games are available at flea markets for 99 cents.

And are emulated online for free.

But, hey... It's not my money.

[Omaha Steve]

5. There is something...

About booting up an old game system. The simple graphics, joy stick, etc.

We had an Atari 2600. Went on to Coleco!!! Were gifted an Intelevision AFTER we were into Adam.

We ran a bulletin board (bbs, pre-internet)

We still have a couple full blown Adam computers to bring out from time to time. A z-80 time machine if you will.

We have a cocktail table (bootleg B&W) Space Invaders and an stand up Armour Attack.

OS

[Scootaloo]

11. Imagine my joy when I found out my old Atari games were 100% compatable with a commodore 64

In 1994.

I was a child deprived of basic needs

[dionysus]

18. I had a Colecovision and ADAM! After that, my beloved Amiga 500...

[jmowreader]

6. I'm sorry, young filmmakers, but "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" was not the worst video game ever made

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer's_Revenge

[Scootaloo]

12. "worst" generally regards gameplay

But... yeah, Custer's revenge... yeah...

I don't have words for that one.

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Unsold Apple Lisa's were buried in a landfill ...

wonder what those would be worth.

[DeSwiss]

14. I have a TI-99 I bought in 1980 that still works!

Also came with--


Space Invaders


Hunt the Wumpus


Tank

And the one that's loved by all the kids: ''Household Budget Management''


- So what am I bid??? How 'bout we start at $37,000 and go from there.



And the manual's around here somewhere......

K&R

[reflection]

16. You and me, buddy.

"Hunt the Wumpus" was great.

[Ron Obvious]

20. I had one too

I once played a single Parsec game for some 6 or 7 hours straight. Also, Tunnels of Doom!

Hardly ever played video games after that. I got it out of my system early.

Those were the days.

[Vinca]

15. I can't seem to find this in eBay "solds."

As an eBay seller I try to keep track of what's hot and what's not. This must be a true story, but I can't seem to find the auction result on the site. Has anyone else looked for it?

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. why were they dug up? Did the diggers know they were there?