The Quest for the Rings (Odyssey 2)

The Quest for the Rings for the Odyssey 2 (the US version of the Philips Videopac G7000, that is) is a beautiful video-board game hybrid, that comes in a truly impressive box filled with counters, maps etc. I'd actually go as far as saying its reason enough to own an Odyssey 2. Now, better grab this fully boxed and finely preserved Quest for the Rings box then. Seller ships worldwide.

Sega CD: Boxed & Complete

Well, we all know that the Sega Genesis does need its Sega CD expansion to truly shine; so, uhm, here's a boxed and complete Sega CD (Mark I) auction to enhance your retro hardware collection with something sleek and shiny. You'll be bidding on a Sega CD, its box, them necessary bits and pieces, a manual and four CD games with their cases and manuals (Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Sega Classics, Sol Feace, Hot Hits/Rock Paintings). Seller ships worldwide. 

Shiny ZX Spectrum 128

Having just received a tip from reader Eddie82, I couldn't help but bring this Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128 auction to your 8-bit loving attention. It's the original Sinclair heatsink model of the 128k Speccy and it comes complete with its original leads, the manual and a carry-case. What's more -and that's quite a rarity mind- the seller does ship worldwide.

The Complete NEC Turbo Duo Collection

10,000$ is a lot of money, but -frankly- if I had it I might just spend it to grab this pretty amazing NEC Turbo Duo collection. Then again, I don't believe I'd find the room necessary to store the stuff, so I guess only the rich in money and space should apply for one mint, boxed Turbo Duo System, three complete and excellently  preserved unboxed ones, both Diving Board and Arcade cards, 129 US games and an almost complete import library. That's a lot of HuCards and Super-CDs you know. Seller ships only within the US. 

Among the dozens of included games you'll find such gems and rarities as R-Type, Turrican, Alien Crush, Bomberman, Bonk's Adventure, SimEarth, Loom, Y's III, Last Alert, Garou Densetsou Special, Might and Magic III and Aero Blasters.

Boxed Atari Lynx II & Games

I do feel the constant urge to tell everyone just how much I love the Atari Lynx, but I have learned to control it. I wont say a thing; I will instead simply link to this fab Atari Lynx II auction and then stare at my three Lynx II consoles while scheming for a Mark I. Oh, and maybe even mention that said auction's winning bidder will apparently be getting a boxed Lynx II in excellent working condition complete with nine boxed games, among which he or she will find Hard Drivin', California Games, Road Blasters and European Soccer Challenge. Seller ships to N. and S. America, Europe, Asia and Australia. 

Sega Master System Plus

I usually don't post on Sundays, but this Sega Master System Plus auction will be over in less than a day, and I really thought it was something worth sharing. The particular console -the lovely Master System Mark I- comes complete in its box with manual, two joypads, cables and four boxed games (Asterix, Rampage, Zillion and Gangster Town). Besides, I do believe the machine also sports two more games (Hang on, Safari Hunt) built into it. Seller ships worldwide. 

Ultimate Play the Game: The Collected Works

Ultimate Play the Game was a true legend among Spectrum developers and its The Collected Works ..err.. collection remains a fantastic and relatively rare piece of gaming history. You can own an almost complete (it does sadly lack the poster) boxed copy of the thing via this Ultimate Play the Game: The Collected Works auction. You'll be getting the box, the manual, a hint-sheet in an envelope and two tapes filled with 11 excellent games: Jetpac, Psst, Atic Atac, Lunar Jetman, Cookie, Tranz-Am, Knight Lore, Alien 8, Nightshade, Gunfright and Sabre Wulf. Seller ships worldwide.

Snatcher (Sega CD)

Snatcher, the excellent though pretty easy to beat adventure for Sega's 16-bit CD-ROM add-on, has been featured quite a few times on this very blog and keeping said tradition alive I decided to let you know of a brand new Snatcher Sega CD auction. The game comes complete with manual in its original case and the seller only ships to US addresses. 

The Atari ST Book

I distinctly remember reading about Atari's ST Book, the follow-up to Stacy, back in 1991 and seeing it as a truly exotic, truly awe-inspiring machine that was beyond the reach of mere mortals. Apparently it was too, as Atari fumbled with it and only managed to sell a few thousand ST Books at best, effectively turning this lovely laptop into quite a collectible. The machine, mind, was very powerful for its time and size -easily bettering the STe- sported a sharp screen and was actually really portable. You can find out more about it here, here and here.

Oh, and I wouldn't be mentioning it if it weren't for this Atari ST Book auction over at eBay. Keep in mind that you will be bidding on an untested computer (lack of a power supply can be a nasty thing), but also probably grabbing it for much cheaper than is customary. Seller ships worldwide! Oh, and good luck too.

Commodore 64 Night Moves

This particular, UK only Commodore 64 eBay auction seems quite lovely indeed. The seller, you see, isn't merely offering a boxed Night Moves Commodore 64, but also providing prospective C64 gamers with two joysticks, a datassette, the manual, all necessary cables and an excellent selection of games, software and coverdisks. 

Ninja Gaiden NES

Well, if you like your copies of Ninja Gaiden factory sealed, then this Ninja Gaiden (NES) auction should be of interest. Seller ships worldwide and the game's box does admittedly look quite stunning. Wont be cheap, mind.

Adventure Construction Set (C64)

Coming packed with 7 mini adventures and the tools to actually create your own CRPG-like adventures, Stuart Smith's 1984 Adventure Construction Set for the Commodore 64 was a most impressive offering made available in EA's equally impressive packaging. Happily and as Magisterrex is still having its lovely sale thing, you can now grab the complete, boxed Adventure Construction Set for 20$. The game comes with its original box, the 5.25" game diskette, the manual, the Command Summary card, and an Electronic Arts Adventure Writing Contest registration form.

The BBC Domesday Project System

The Domesday Project was an immensely ambitious project, that would create a contemporary, multimedia version of the 11th century Domesday Book, accessible via Acorn's BBC micros and laserdiscs. Shockingly, the 1984-86 project more or less succeeded in its lofty goals and came up both with the needed hardware and two discs (the Community Disc and the National Disc) filled with census data and personal accounts of the mid-80s. You can find out more about the BBC Domesday Project over at Wikipedia.

What's more, you can now actually own a complete Domesday System and either start a computer museum or deeply impress your friends. You can start by grabbing the main system (a SCSI enabled BBC Master with trackball), the laser-disc drive (Philips' LV-ROM), the monitor, the system discs (with some extras) and and the BBC Countryside LV-ROM. All those links do of course lead to eBay auctions (by the same seller) and the items can be shipped to Europe, United States, Australia and Canada.

Chu Chu Rocket SE (Dreamcast)

Chu Chu Rocket is a brilliant game and the Sega Dreamcast is a brilliant console, but I'm sure you were aware of such trivialities. So, uhm, may I interest you in a pretty fantastic special edition of Chu Chu Rocket then? It comes boxed (in a most colourful box indeed) with a lovely collectible controller and, though a Japanese NTSC release, I'm pretty sure you can get it running on any Dreamcast. Grab it over at Play Asia. 

Sega Saturn NetLink Edition

The NetLink was the only way to (slowly) connect a Sega Saturn to the internet and enjoy the modern wonders of the world wide web, email and net-enabled gaming. Not surprisingly judging by its price and connection speed (28.8kbps) the NetLink more or less flopped and never even made it to Europe. To actually see what the fuss was all about and own this almost rare piece of gaming history you could bid on this complete Sega Saturn NetLink Edition. You'll be getting a NTSC/US Sega Saturn console, the NetLink thingy, a Saturn Keyboard, one controller and the software/cables needed to get things working. Seller ships to Canada and the U.S..

Boxed Amiga 600HD

If you are willing to live without the HD part of this particular Amiga 600HD, then you are in for a very well priced treat indeed. You will after all be getting a boxed Amiga 600 complete with its manuals, system disks and cables, that will also be accompanied by a mouse, a variety of game-filled disks, a boxed copy of Deluxe Paint III, a joystick and 5 boxed games, which include the amazing Frontier Elite II. Seller ships worldwide.  

Tatung Einstein (boxed)

The Tatung Einstein, a computer produced by the Taiwanese Tatung yet designed and assembled in the UK, was an interesting and bulky 8-bit micro, that never really managed to sell very well. Still, it was a proper and quite powerful 8-bit computer that was compatible with CP/M and seemed to prefer disk drives over tape recorders. You can find out more about the Einstein here and here, and you can emulate it with the help of MESS.

To physically own one of those bulky machines, you could have a look at this Tatung Einstein auction. The micro is fully working and comes complete with its original box and polys, manuals, required cables and 2 discs. Seller ships only within the UK.

M.U.L.E. Commodore 64

M.U.L.E. was released by Electronic Arts in 1983 for the Commodore 64 and a variety of other 8-bit home micros and has since been considered a truly excellent, wildly innovative and actually unique multiplayer game; hence a proper classic. Interestingly and despite its popularity, the original EA release is now quite a rarity especially when in good condition, and this is why this particular M.U.L.E. (C64) on eBay is bound to end up being quite expensive. The game comes in those lovely LP-like boxes complete with 5.25 disk, manual and warranty card. Seller ships worldwide. Oh, and you can try a modernized/remade version of the thing via the excellent Planet M.U.L.E.. 

Zork by Personal Software (Apple II)

I used to believe that Personal Software only published Zork (actually, Infocom's Zork I) for the TRS-80, but I finally stand corrected. This Zork Personal Software (Apple II) auction on eBay was all the proof I needed. Infocom's early publisher did apparently provide the Apple II with some quality text adventuring, that has aged into a really obscure rarity. Then again, a starting bid of $1495.00 does seem a bit steep; most Personal Software Zork auctions (for the TRS-80, mind) I remember never reached $1000. Oh, and the seller does ship worldwide. 

Sinclair QL - boxed & complete

The Sinclair QL was a fantastic machine; it was an incredibly priced 16-bit computer that could actually be used in an office but also made for a rather decent games machine. Yet, it flopped. Must have been the combination of a disastrous launch and the use of them unreliable microdrives. Oh, well, that's life I suppose. Still, the QL (short for Quantum Leap) is absolutely worth owning and this Sinclair QL auction seems pretty great. The computer comes complete in its original box and is followed by an always handy Qdisk card. Seller only ships to European addresses.

90 Games for the ZX Spectrum

What you see above is part of the games you'll be grabbing if you decide to buy one of these perfectly priced ZX Spectrum Games Collections off of eBay. The seller, who in a wise move is shipping worldwide, is including 90 games, among which you'll find such gems and relative rarities as Nodes of Yesod, Xenon, Elevator Action, Barbarian, Rescue on Fractalus, Ghostbuster II and Heavy on the Magick. Most games are pretty much new too mind. 

A playful Macintosh SE

Well, it seems this is the Retro Treasures period of beautifully designed systems, and that's why I'm pretty sure the eclectic readers of this humble blog will appreciate this Macinstoch SE eBay auction. This particular vintage, stylish Mac comes complete with keyboard, mouse, some manuals and quite a few games (including Civilization). Seller ships only within the US.

Sharp X68000 Pro

The Sharp X68000 Pro is a powerful (well, for its time obviously) and pretty slick 16-bit home micro that was more or less the equivalent of a Japanese Amiga. It was released only in Japan and to this day remains far from cheap. This particular Sharp X68000 Pro from eBay comes with a decent price tag, mouse and keyboard, and RGB to VGA cable and 10 (!) boxed games. Seller ships worldwide.

Sega Game Gear White

The Sega Game Gear White, an apparently white version of Sega's 8-bit handheld, was only released in Japan and is a highly collectible rarity. Even more so when it comes in good condition, in its original box (essentially a Game Gear carrying case) and complete with a white GG TV-Tuner. You can bid on the Game Gear White on eBay and expect to pay quite a bit. Seller ships worldwide.

bargain.bin retro review: TI Invaders (TI 99/4A)

TI Invaders for the Texas Instrument TI 99/4A home computer was the first game I actually owned and played at home, and I absolutely loved it. It did after all look and play so much better than Space Invaders on my cousins' Atari 2600 and was actually better than the eponymous game glimpsed in arcades. Or at lest, well, so I fiercely believed.

I also remember being rather good at it too, but that was probably the result of spending more hours playing TI Invaders than anyone else in my then-limited social circle. This beautiful cartridge, you see, was constantly replacing boring math and alphabet games, just like nature intended it to:

The game itself, a bold Space Invaders clone, felt totally unique and incredibly high-tech. Little did I know back then that the cheap yet powerful TI 99/4A my father had bought off a colleague was an early 16-bit machine. All I cared for was its one-button joystick, the impressive looking keyboard and its infuriating lack of a pause function, the inclusion of which would make mandatory sleep-breaks a mere temporary stop to my high score beating attempts.

Nowadays, in our era where everything comes with pause buttons and save options and despite the fact that I always keep the old Texas Instruments micro close, I rarely plug the thing in. Connecting it to a modern TV can be quite a problem, you see, but, as I recently re-discovered, a problem worth solving. TI Invaders remains a fantastic game. Possibly the best retro iteration of Space Invaders ever. I mean, really, look at these graphics. How many 1981 game could be this wondrous?

The game is slightly faster than your average invaders shooting offering, sports a lovely death animation, has a unique scoring system and way more variety than even the arcade it perfectly apes itself. Every three or so levels a new kind of invading alien appears -all of them sporting unique appearances and abilities- two difficulty levels allow you to start off with a less brutal game, an impressive variety of smart little touches enhances the overall experience and then there's the bonus stage that really spices things up. Obviously, constantly improving ones high-score remains as addictive and enjoyable as ever...

Where to get it:
TI Invaders (TI 99/4A): eBay.com, eBay.co.uk
Via emulation: Win994a

More info on TI Invaders:

• Wikipedia
• MobyGames
• VideogameHouse
• Retroist
• TI Invaders manual

More bargain.bin Retro Reviews:
King's Quest I
Target; Renegade
Berzerk
Sensible Soccer

9 Games for the Archimedes

Acorn's Archimedes, despite being all technically advanced and lovely, never really threatened the 16-bit behemoths that were the Amiga and Atari ST. Must have been its price I believe... Anyway, the machine still got itself some amazing games, nine of which you can grab via this Archimedes Games auction. All the games come complete in their boxes and include classics like Populous, Sim City and Mig-29. Seller ships worldwide.

Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space (PC)

Released to generally glowing reviews in 1992 for DOS PCs, Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space was an excellent space exploration management/strategy/sim offering. It might sport a slightly annoying cold-war atmosphere, but it still is a great and lavishly boxed game indeed. Happily, you can grab a complete, well-priced box copy via the ever brilliant Magisterrex.com. 

The Complete Amiga 1000

The Commodore Amiga 1000, the first and most beautiful Amiga computer ever released, was -by far- the best micro of 1985; it did after all costs 1,500$. The A1000 came in an elegant case with a separate keyboard, sported 256k of RAM and -importantly- the signatures of the design team. You can find out more about it here, here and here.

What's more, US residents can grab a fully working, rather complete and in excellent condition A1000 via this Commodore Amiga 1000 auction. The computer comes with the Commodore 1080 monitor, its mouse, the original keyboard, the original manuals, all necessary leads and a ton of software, including the Workbench and  Kickstart disks.

Α 18.75Mhz TRANSWARP IIGS accelerator

The wise curator of the excellent Byte Cellar has discovered something that will get Apple retroheads most excited: a 18.75Mhz Transwarp GS for the Apple IIGS. The lovely set of chips Applied Engineering came up with to boost the performance of the GS and actually make it more powerful than the fastest Amiga. Quite an impressive and relatively rare piece of kit then... Seller ships worldwide, and I wouldn't expect the thing to be too cheap.

But is this a Spectrum?

I've never seen something like this before, but apparently its seller believes it to be some sort of heavily modded ZX Spectrum and claims it's rare, which frankly does make sense. It apparently comes with built-in on/off and reset switches, a proper keyboard and an Interface 1. You can see more piccies and bid on the thing here. Seller only ships within Europe.