Our friends over at AtariAge have incredible online store deals for the Atari VCS 2600 and Atari 7800 Pro System going on now. Check out the new homebrew stuff! Information below:

The Warp Factor (SSI, 1981): Front of box image from an eBay auctionAh, the wonders of eBay. While you can occasionally get a hard-to-find game for a low price with lots of luck - say maybe $35 with shipping - other times you'll see boxed software go for ridiculous prices that no mere mortal can afford, like SSI's classic "The Warp Factor" for the Apple II, with a very recent final sale price before shipping of $449.44! Even though it's sealed, it's still an amazingly over-the-top winning bid. As is usual with SSI games - particularly pre-1986 SSI games - the cover artwork is beautiful and there are nice extras inside the oversized box. A fine specimen or not (though this one is actually a bit crushed!), average-to-good game itself or not, it can't help but make you reflect on the meaning of collecting, particularly as it applies to our hobby.

NEC Turbo Duo: Photo - Bill LoguidiceWell, the narcissist in me just had to make mention of the fact that my NEC TurboGrafx-16/Duo-based interview and review is making the rounds in the very recently released (or soon to be released depending on your status), "Video Game Collector" magazine #6, Summer 2006 (they print them quarterly). It is or will be available at select retail outlets and popular online Websites, including their own, which is http://www.vgcollector.com/ .

Well, as many of you know, several of us here at Armchair Arcade have been in the process of moving or have recently moved. I'm finally in the "recently moved" category after being in the former for a little over a month. As many of you also know, I'm very much into collecting computer and videogame-related stuff, hardware, software, books, accessories, collectibles, etc. Pretty much anything and everything relevant. Unfortunately, the bigger the collection, the harder the move.

Commodore's SuperPET: From the collection of Bill LoguidiceIt was back on February 7, 2006, that Matt Barton and I collaborated again publicly for the first time since early 2005. Of course we were working together behind the scenes to kick-start Armchair Arcade's rebirth prior to that, but the now defunct Computer Collector Newsletter's 100th issue was where some of the more observant Armchair Arcadian's would first catch a glimpse of what was to come again. In the interest of historical preservation, I present what was eventually published in that newsletter's 100th issue, complete with edits and changes by newsletter editor, Evan Koblentz: