You really should have. BUT The 4A, be it in 1981 or 2023, are pricey as all get-out becaause of the wide range of peripherals and expansion options. Granted, in 2023, there are lower cost options in that regard, but your $5 investment could have grown to several hundred dollars VERY quickly. But because of its short lifespan, collecting a near-complete software library is easily achieved.
@@ClassicContagious I would have to say that the Parker Brothers games are far superior to any Atarisoft games, and they too were limited to 8K. The TI has the best Qbert of any of it's contemporaries, and among the worst Pole Positions.
One of the few home ports with all 4 levels - including the pie level. (although it is missing the bouncing springs on the spring level) Just wish Atarisoft would have paid for TI-GRom licensing fees. If they had, their TI ports would have blown the C64 and Atari XL ports out of contention. The resulting 8K restriction (and Atarisoft's untenable deadlines on their programmers) gave us single channel sound and no cut scenes (or bouncing springs).
if you upgrade the VDP using the F18A, the standard resolution (through VGA) is a doubled 512x384, with overscan bringing it to 640x480 for compatibility with more modern displays. 480p has been the enhanced standard resolution on my TI for several years (although still technically outputing 256x192). Software created specifically for the F18A (Super Mario Bros / Zaxxon / Alex Kidd etc) use higher custom resolutions. You also get a native 80 column mode that is always available. Since the upgrade, It would be impossible for me to capture from my 4A at anything other than 480p.
Unless a GROM licensing fee was paid to TI, developers were restricted to 8K in a cartridge . All Atarisoft carts were restricted in that way, and what they managed to pull of with most of the releases is nothing short of amazing with the insanely limited memory they had to work with. Some did suck (Pole Position sure did) but as far as game play, even without the springs and flames this is a pretty good Donkey Kong port for the time, and a heck of a lot of fun to play. And yes, it most certainly does have the Pie Factory level (albeit with stationary ladders).
I have this Atarisoft cartridge. Also have the joystick expander converter to let me use Atari joysticks on it.
I had this game for my TI, I thought it was a decent port.
I bought a TI-99/4a at a garage sale for $5 and let a friend of mine (a collector of classic games/computers) have it. I should have kept it.
Yeah they are nice little computers. Some of the more recent homebrew games are really showing off what they can do.
You really should have. BUT The 4A, be it in 1981 or 2023, are pricey as all get-out becaause of the wide range of peripherals and expansion options. Granted, in 2023, there are lower cost options in that regard, but your $5 investment could have grown to several hundred dollars VERY quickly. But because of its short lifespan, collecting a near-complete software library is easily achieved.
This is a really good port. TI seems like a very capable gaming machine based on the few video's I've seen.
yes especially for the Atarisoft games, There are also quite a few First party games that are very uniique, Car Wars, Alpiner and Hunt the Wumpus.
Seems to be superior to the Colecovision port, impressive
@@artbell259 Same graphics hardware.
@@ClassicContagious I would have to say that the Parker Brothers games are far superior to any Atarisoft games, and they too were limited to 8K. The TI has the best Qbert of any of it's contemporaries, and among the worst Pole Positions.
@@PeBoVision I wish someone would do a remake for the Ti99. I'm sure it would be excellent as the Ti99/4a was very capable.
One of the few home ports with all 4 levels - including the pie level. (although it is missing the bouncing springs on the spring level)
Just wish Atarisoft would have paid for TI-GRom licensing fees. If they had, their TI ports would have blown the C64 and Atari XL ports out of contention. The resulting 8K restriction (and Atarisoft's untenable deadlines on their programmers) gave us single channel sound and no cut scenes (or bouncing springs).
anyone who can beat my score 81000points get a prize.
+louis j augustin
hehe I don't think I could ever beat that score.
I know it's not that amazing so i would only give small prizes like 2$ or buy you a drink.
Lol love that one channel of sound.
hehe yeah they didn't use any of the TI's sound capabilities. (3 tones and 1 noise at the same time)
Thanks for sharing. No school like the old school.
Aye, That's so true.
Classic Contagious Gaming
It's funny watching Donkey Kong in 480P when the TI only supported 256H x 192V. {|-P Loved that machine.
if you upgrade the VDP using the F18A, the standard resolution (through VGA) is a doubled 512x384, with overscan bringing it to 640x480 for compatibility with more modern displays.
480p has been the enhanced standard resolution on my TI for several years (although still technically outputing 256x192). Software created specifically for the F18A (Super Mario Bros / Zaxxon / Alex Kidd etc) use higher custom resolutions. You also get a native 80 column mode that is always available.
Since the upgrade, It would be impossible for me to capture from my 4A at anything other than 480p.
It Stinks, same Music plays after each board and it's not correct. Donkey Kong is not animated No Springs on the Elevators Board, No Pie Factory.
Unless a GROM licensing fee was paid to TI, developers were restricted to 8K in a cartridge . All Atarisoft carts were restricted in that way, and what they managed to pull of with most of the releases is nothing short of amazing with the insanely limited memory they had to work with. Some did suck (Pole Position sure did) but as far as game play, even without the springs and flames this is a pretty good Donkey Kong port for the time, and a heck of a lot of fun to play.
And yes, it most certainly does have the Pie Factory level (albeit with stationary ladders).