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Who knew? You can put a price on obscure video game secrets, after all. Buried in 25,000-odd lines of game code for twenty-six years, an ancient “Easter egg” has been uncovered — thanks to a modest cash reward — from the Atari 8-bit port of Donkey Kong. Hint: You’re looking at it (pictured above). Don’t see it? It’s the initials: LMD. Yeah, that’s it.

Last year, in an unabridged blog post about early-80s programming for Atari, celebrated coder Landon M. Dyer offhandedly remarked, “There’s an Easter egg [in the Donkey Kong port], but it’s totally not worth it, and I don’t remember how to bring it up anyway.” Still, game databaser Digital Press thought it worth it enough to offer up a $75 reward for discovering the hidden treasure; or, more accurately, a reward for discovering the process by which the Easter egg is triggered, as it was known that the bonus itself was simply the programmer’s initials displayed on the title screen. In turn, the seventy-five bucks was worth it enough to a Mr. Don Hodges to scour the game code and dig up the dusty trail to the Easter egg. There are plenty of eggs left to crack, too, if you’re looking for adventure that pays.

Head past the break for the suspenseful reveal. The video’s got quite the build-up. Be patient.

Continue reading Donkey Kong Easter egg cracked 26 years late

Donkey Kong Easter egg cracked 26 years late originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We realize it’s a surprise, but apparently Terminal Reality believes that constantly changing publishers isn’t all that great. The Ghostbusters game has traveled a very rocky publishing road, starting with Sierra, then sitting in limbo following the Activision / Vivendi merger, then moving to Atari and then moving to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for the European market. Adding to the mess, SCEE will initially release the game only on PS3 and PS2 in Europe, leaving the 360, Wii and DS versions for later this year.

Speaking to GI.biz, Terminal Reality executive producer Brendon Goss said that the situation is not “ideal” as the developer prefers to create “a collaborative relationship” with publishers. He adds that all versions of the game are complete and he hopes that European release schedule won’t cause confusion, which he said could harm sales of the game. In the face of the publishing decisions, which Goss said Terminal Reality had no say in, the team decided to focus on improving the game.

We’ll find out if that work paid off when the game releases this June.

Ghostbusters dev: Publisher changes not ‘ideal’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 May 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know, we know — there are those of us who are into Ghostbusters and then there are those of us who are really into Ghostbusters. For the majority of us, dropping a paltry $60 on the Atari-publlished ghost-bustin’ game is more than enough. But don’t worry, folks, if you were looking to spent $130 bucks for the title, Amazon’s got you covered!

In the vein of the “Amazon Exclusive” Fallout 3’s Survival Edition comes the … “Amazon Exclusive” Ghostbusters: The Video Game “Slimer Edition.” Fancy box? Check. Ecto-1 keychain? Check check. Slimer … thing? You bet! We’ve compiled a gallery for your approval below. It seems like just yesterday we were thinking twice about that legendary cat helmet!

First look at Amazon’s exclusive Ghostbusters ‘Slimer Edition’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When she’s not busy appearing in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 or starring in commercials for amazing PS1 games, Jenny McCarthy is a gaming mom. Speaking to WhatTheyPlay this week, McCarthy says she started playing Pac-Man at the age of eight. “I even made my own Atari glove because I had blisters all over my hand from playing Pac-Man,” she notes, saying her own mom bought her the game with an Atari 2600 as a reward for getting a vaccination shot.

While she claims she fell out of gaming because of “cheerleading and boys,” gaming also apparently helped to keep her marriage to Double Dragon film star [actor] John Asher alive. “That’s all we basically did; we just played video games. That saved our marriage — playing video games.” Her current significant other, Jim Carrey, reportedly has a Wii, though McCarthy says she’s doing less gaming and more writing these days (having penned “six books in four years”). “I can’t compete with these kids now. They’ve grown up with this kind of technology … I’m like the brains behind the guy who’s using the controller.”

Jenny McCarthy has been gaming longer than you originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Video

We’re not sure we understand what has happened with Ready 2 Rumble Revolution. The last Ready 2 Rumble game featured some exaggerated celebrity characters as well, and we found it kind of funny. But there is nothing funny about the caricatures in Ready 2 Rumble Revolution. That Hasselhoff-esque boxer is, in fact, kind of upsetting. The good news is that, aside from the substitution of these abominations for Ready 2 Rumble’s cast of wacky stereotypes, this looks a lot like the classic boxing game we know and kind of like.

After the break, a video featuring what looks like custom characters — a possible escape from the offensive appearance of Dewie Strudel.

First gameplay footage makes us doubt our Readiness 2 Rumble originally appeared on Nintendo Wii Fanboy on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: News

Atari sent word over that a teaser site for the upcoming Alone in the Dark game. In checking out the site now, you can see that there isn't much there beyond a small teaser trailer and ... a teaser trailer. So, that's about it.

The site promises to have a bit more content in about 25 days, where the secret of Central Park is to be revealed. Hopefully that's consolation enough for you.

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[Via press release]

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Atari has fallen on hard times recently, even last quarter it was revealed that Atari lost $11.9 million dollars. And now Atari is setting straight it’s business refocus plan.

In response to an announcement by its Atari Inc. subsidiary released on November 13 under the heading “Atari to refocus business plan on publishing and distribution in North America”, Infogrames Entertainment incorporating Atari Europe wishes to make the following clarification:

The November 13 press release only concerns the business of the Group’s 51-percent owned US subsidiary, Atari Inc., currently responsible for publishing and distributing video games in North America.

The announcement states that Atari Inc.’s operations will involve “title acquisition, sales and marketing, and physical distribution of products from Infogrames and other partners” in North America.

In June, Infogrames Entertainment, incorporating Atari Europe, announced a new strategy focused on the relaunch of its publishing business based on an integrated global structure for development and production of games, as well as on the continued reinforcement of its distribution subsidiaries.

For Infogrames Entertainment’s game development and production, the Group’s publishing division relies on its own Eden Games studio and on partnerships with a worldwide network of independent studios.

The recent decisions by Atari, Inc. are consistent with this corporate strategy and do not undermine the Infogrames Group’s ability to carry out its video game development program and to continue selling products under the Atari brand name.

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All is not well at Atari, who filed its already delayed Q1 financial report that showed a $11.9 million loss! That’s 50% more loss than the same period last year. The company was already barely staying afloat despite $13 million in loans earlier this year.

Atari was recently served with a notice to terminate its Dragon Ball Z license by FUNimation, and previously sold its rights to the Stuntman and Driver franchises, not to mention just about every other franchise back in 2006 (also to stave off bankruptcy). So while Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 will be released next week, next year Atari might not be publishing Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4.

Atari didn’t hold a conference call for first quarter results, but did hold a shareholders meeting today. In its quarterly report, Atari stated that it had “substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern,” quotes Gamesindustry.

Personally I wish Infogrames, who after buying the Atari name assumed its identity, had released more unique games in the past, instead of cancelling titles like Outcast II: The Lost Paradise. Hopefully titles like Godzilla Unleashed (2007) and Alone in the Dark (early 2008) and all the DBZ games will sell enough to keep them from going under. But honestly, with a net loss of $70 million in the 2006-2007 fiscal year alone, it’s not looking likely.

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You may have heard recently that Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and creator of Pong (a game idea he took from the real founder, Ralph Baer who made the first home video game console in 1968) called modern video games “unadulterated trash” . . . quite a statement from a guy who’s been out of the business for some time.

On that note, Gametap interviewed him and got some more quotes out of the guy.

Nolan explained that his scorn on modern games was reserved for a “narrow segment” of gaming, which includes titles like “Halo 3″ and “Grand Theft Auto” (natch), calling them out for their “deification of antisocial behavior,” even going so far as to say that Halo 3 is nothing more than a “Doom-clone” (remember that term), stating that Halo 3 is “Doom 1 in different clothing. The clothing is nicer, but the game is the same.”

So what games are innovative and not just “Doom-clones” in his eyes? He pointed to stuff like Guitar Hero, DDR (which are actually quite similar given they are both music rhythm games) and of course, Nintendo’s ultra-popular back-it-and-people-will-love-you-more Wii console, saying, “Even though the bowling is the same, doing it on the videogame, using the Wii controller, that’s an innovation.” (lots of commas, I know . . . Oops)

Finally, he goes on to give us this bit of wisdom: “There’s a lot of people who think that bigger, faster, better is an innovation. It’s not. It’s just bigger, faster, better.”

Erm, yeah . . . Do I laugh or cry? *laughs* — Via Joystiq

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One of the oldest brands in the industry is still alive today and kicking . . . although just barely. Ok and maybe they aren’t kicking. But they are certainly still ticking . . . . ahem.

They already posted a $69.7 million dollar loss (wow what a figure!), considerably cut their workforce and have restructured their board of directors. And now Infogramrd Entertainment shareholders BlueBay High Yield Investments has advanced Atari $10 million in credit to keep the company operating through the 2007 holiday season.

And this is piled on top of the already $3 million in outstanding loans being brought by Bluebay Asset Management funds.

Let’s hope Atari has a huge hit game and fast, or they me going down for the count. — Via Kotaku

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