From: phineas@cube.net (Stephan Freundorfer)
Guide to german classic cart variations
==============================
by Stephan Freundorfer (phineas@cube.net)
(with a little help from kingkong@uni-paderborn.de)
v 1.0
1. Atari 2600
1.1 Bit Corporation
1.2 CBS
1.3 Dynamics
1.4 HES
1.5 ITT Family Games
1.6 Goliath/Hot Shot
1.7 Quelle
1.8 StarSoft
1.9 Parker
1.10 Activision/Imagic
1.11 Other
2. Atari 7800
3. Colecovision
4. Philips G7000/G7400
5. Saba Videoplay
6. Microvision
As a lot of american classic collectors try to collect every available cart for their system, I thought it would be a good idea to make a list which contains carts that were only made or available in Germany (or Europe), giving information about the meaning of the titles and about the game itself.
There are also producers mentioned, who released their games with german titles or in a different case. The game lists are not complete!! They show carts which I own or which I've heard from in any way. If you have something to add, tell me!
I try to include also other systems besides the VCS; if you like the FAQ or if you want to include or correct some information or if you want to tell me that my english is bad, just write (also ask for my recent trading list).
1. Atari 2600
==========
A lot of german VCS carts are games which have been copied one to one from an original game, probably leaving out the company name and copyright, maybe with some changes in colours (copies), others have reduced gameplay or major graphic changes, but are obviously more than only inspired from an original game (clones).
German and European carts are in PAL format, which means that you may have problems to run them properly on a NTSC television. Most collectors avoid that problem by using a TV unit with the ability to adjust the horizontal screen setup (right??). There's no big problem to run NTSC carts on PAL TVs, some colours may change.
1.1 Bit Corporation
-------------------------
There are 9 Bit Corp. games as far as I know. Pal versions can be found with german or english title. The labels are one-piece labels, which are wrapped around the edge. English versions do have the BIT trademark on the end, a copyright notice, the serial number, a drawn picture, the title and the text "Video game cartridge - Use with joystick controller" on the front
label. German labels do only have the picture and the title on the label.
The cart has Activision shape, but on the back there are two slits in size of the small rods (I don't know a better word), which are needed to fit the cart in the slot. The labels have a glossy black background.The manual is little but nice, a folded sheet of printed paper, on the outer sides are coloured screenshots.
German Name English Name Model No.
See-Monster Sea Monster PG201
Weltraum-Tunnel Space Tunnel PG202
Phantom Panzer Phantom Tank PG203
Sesam, oeffne dich Open, Sesame! PG204
Tanzende Teller Dancing Plates PG205
Bobby geht nach Hause Bobby is going home PG206
Bobby geht heim (title variation, same meaning)
Mission 3000 Mission 3000 AD PG207
Schnecke und Eichhoernchen Snail against Squirrel PG208
Mr. Postman Mr. Postman PG209
1.2 CBS
-----------
VCS games by Coleco were brought to Europe by CBS Electronics (as the Colecovision system and games). Most European CBS carts are black. I only have one cart, which is grey coloured like the american ones, but all the labels look quite like the CBS labels for the Colecovision games - coloured title and a lot of writing in a white box (often with 'for use on pal t.v. system only'). One of my Donkey Kong's is a Activision shaped cart with the two slits.
The manuals look like the ones for the Colecovision.
These carts exist for sure:
Name Model No.
Donkey Kong 4L1700
Carnival 4L1717
Wizard of Wor 4L1721
Roc'n Rope 4L1751
Gorf 4L1752
Smurf 4L1768
Venture 4L1803
Mouse Trap 4L1820
Solar Fox 4L1845
Zaxxon 4L2277
Blue Print 4L4171
Mr. Do 4L4478
1.3 Dynamics
------------------
There is little I know about Dynamics games. There are Dynamics games which are the same as Bomb games, they just have a different name. I only found one cart by Dynamics until now, Laser Loop, which has a label with the Dynamics copyright on it, but the case is a Bomb one (even the Bomb logo is imprinted in the plastic on the back). The following games should exist:
Name Same as Bomb game
Laser-Loop Z-Tack
Orbit-Base Assault
Break-Down -
Jumping Jack -
1.4 HES (Home Entertainment Suppliers)
-------------------------------------------------------
The Australian company HES manufactured a lot of games from Activision, Absolute, CBS, Epyx (any more?) for the European after-crash market. Usually the carts have the Activision shape, but the labels look a bit different (colours, pictures) to the originals. On the label there's always the original company name, but on the back of the plastic boxes, which look like video-film boxes there's always the HES company name and adress. You have to remove and turn over the slick for the english game instructions. The german instructions are on a cheap paper sheet in the box.
They also released 2in1 carts (in 1992!) in paper boxes. You can choose a game through a joystick-driven menu after turning on the system. The carts have the same colour as the boxes, the labels say "2 PAK SPECIAL * name * name Use Joystick Controllers"; they are Activision-shaped.
The games below are only the ones I have, there should be lots of others
(for more information on HES games look in JerryG's catalog).
Name Copyrighted by
Donkey Kong CBS
Go for Gold Pack Epyx (big plastic box with 2 carts - Summer/Winter Games, golden label)
Tennis Activision
H.E.R.O. Activision
Kung-Fu Master Activision
Rampage Activision
Ghostbusters Activision
Skate Boardin' Activision
F-14 Tomcat ? Absolute
2-Pak-Special:
Alien Force/Hoppy
Boom Bang/Motocross
Cavern Blaster/City War
Dolphin/Pigs'n'Wolf
Planet Patrol/Wall Defender
Space Voyage/Fire Alert
1.5 ITT Family Games
------------------------------
The first advertisments for ITT Family Games I found are in the german video game mag "Telematch", 10/11 1983. ITT released 3 games in their "Perry Rhodan-series", "Cosmic Town", "Laser Base" and "Fire Birds". They all came in plastic boxes, shaped and sized like video-film boxes.
Also in that issue is an advertisment for a double game pack, including "Alien's Return" and "Meteor Defense" (those two seem to be the only games to be sold in usual paper boxes).
In issue 12/83 there are ads for "Peter Penguin" and "Pumuckl I", two games of their "Pumuckl series". Pumuckl - a red-haired gnome - is a popular german children's book character ("Wilma Wanderer" is the 3. in the Pumuckl-series). Two games shown on another side are "Mountain Man" and "Hell Driver".
Some ITT games are for sure copies of other games, some may be original. The carts are shaped like Atari-carts, with front and end label. The label background shows space (different shades of blue with white stars), there is always a drawn picture of the game on the front, the name is printed in yellow-orange colour. There is always a model number on the label.
I have one cart, where the ITT label has been pasted over an original Homevision label.
Name Original game Producer Changes
Alien's Return
Base Attack Homevision?
Cosmic Town
Fire Birds Sancho
Hell Driver
Laser Base
Meteor Defense Astrowar Goliath copy
Mountain Man
Peter Penguin Pengo?? Atari
Pumuckl I
Wilma Wanderer
1.6 Goliath/Hot Shot
---------------------------
Goliath has been a label for discount games, nearly all of them with the game value as low as the price. Some or all seem to be copies or clones of other games.
Name Original game Producer
Astrowar (Asteroids clone)
Condor Attack (Phoenix clone)
Open Sesame Open Sesame? Bit
Phantom Tank Phantom Tank? Bit
Space Tunnel (Vanguard clone)
Sea Monster
Space Robot (Missile Command clone)
Spider Kong
After these games Goliath released more discount games under the label 'Hot Shot'. My old videogame mag says they released 24 games. One of the carts is a six-in-one cart with the games Mafia, Felix Return, Squirrel & Snail, Astro Attack, Tom Boy and Ground Zero.
Some (or all) of this carts should be very rare, some didn't possibly ever hit the market, because Goliath was sued by the german retailer for Activision games, Ariola, for copying games. One example I read about is Ground Zero, a copy of Bermuda (Suntek), which is a clone of River Raid (and which I have in my collection :-)).
There is no company name on my Ground Zero cart, but there is a writing 'For use with Goliath video game system' on the Time Race label. Both carts have the SS initials on the back.
Name Original game Producer Changes
Black Hole Nexar Spectravision clone
Ground Zero Bermuda Suntek
Labyrinth
Missile War
Pac Kong
Sea Master
Sky Scraper Laser Base copy
Space Robot
Space Eagle
Time Race Space Jockey US Games clone
1.7 Quelle
-------------
Quelle (source) is one of the biggest mail-order department stores of the world. They also sell and sold popular video games. In the beginning 80s they sold the VCS and Atari-made games. I don't know at what time they began to produce their own games, but it seems they started after the video game crash. The Quelle games were mid- to low-priced.
The name 'Quelle' doesn't appear neither on the box nor on the game, but you mostly find a Quelle tag on a box and always two security strips which have to be cut through, if you want to take out the game. The text on them says, that you can't exchange them, if you opened the box.
The box contains the cart, a small single sheet, folded, coloured manual with the name Quelle and the order number on the back, and a green quality information sheet. The cart has a Star Soft case with the S.S. initials on the back. Front and end label are in the same colour, on the front label there's a drawn picture with the name of the game above, which is also on the end label. A lot of different games from Quelle exist, maybe around 60. I'm working on the changes list.
Name Original game Producer Changes
Alices Abenteuer Lilly Adventure Homevision
("Alice's adventure")
Angriff der Luftflotten M.A.D. US Games
("Attack of air fleets")
Aufruhr im Zoo Pumuckl I ITT
("Uproar in the zoo")
Baumeister Master Builder Spectravision
("Master builder)
Bermuda Bermuda Suntek
("Bermuda)
Billard Trick Shot Imagic -
("Pool")
Bobby geht nach Hause Bobby goes home Bit Corp.
("Bobby goes home")
Der flinke Architekt
("The nimble architect)
Der Geheimkurier Mr. Postman Bit Corp.
("The secret courier")
Der hungrige Panda Panda Chase Homevision
("The hungry panda")
Der kleine Baer Frostbite Activision copy
("The little bear")
Der moderne Ritter Fast Eddie 20th C.F.
("The modern knight")
Der Vielfrass Fast Food Telesys
("The glutton")
Die Ente und der Wolf Pooyan Konami
("The duck and the wolf")
Die hungrigen Froesche Frogs & Flies Matell -
("The hungry frogs")
Die Ratte und die Karotte Gopher US Games -
("The rat and the carots")
Die Springteufel
("The jacks-in-the-box")
Die Unterwasser-Bestien Mariana Rainbow Vision
("The undersea-beasts")
Dschungel Boy Pitfall Activision clone
("Jungle boy")
Eddy Langfinger-Museumsdieb Criminal Pursuit
("E. Longfinger - museum-thief")
Eishockey-Fieber Ice-Hockey Activision -
("Icehockey fever)
Feuerwehr im Einsatz Fire Fighter Imagic -
("Fire fighters inset")
Fuchs & Schweinchen Schlau Oink Activision
("Fox & smart pig")
Gefaehrliche Maeusejagd
("Dangerous mouse hunt")
Gefecht im All
("Space engagement")
Hili Ball Raquetball Apollo
("Hili ball")
Im Reich der Spinne Amidar Parker copy
("In spider's empire")
Im Schutz der Drachen
("In dragon's protection")
Invasion aus der Galaxis World End Homevision
("Invasion from space")
Invasion der UFOs
("Invasion of the UFO's")
Jagd auf Diamanten-Frisco Penguin Peter ITT
("Hunt on diamond-frisco")
Jagd im Apfelbaum
("Hunt in the apple tree")
Kampf dem Steinfresser Boom Bang Rainbow Vision
("Fight the stone-eater")
Kampf im Asteroidenguertel Astrowar Homevision
("Asteroid fight")
Kampf um die Schatzinsel Homevision
("Fight for the treasure island")
Katastropheneinsatz
("Catastrophe inset")
Labyrinth Maze Craze Atari
("Maze")
Landung in der Normandie Commando Raid US Games
("Landing in the normandy")
Landungskommando Strategy X Konami
("Landing commando")
Marineflieger Marine Wars?
("Marine pilot")
Marspatroullie
("Mars Patrol")
Mein Weg My Way Funvision
("My way")
Mission 3000 Mission 3000 AD Bit Corp.
("Mission 3000")
Motocross Street Racer Atari -
("Motocross")
Pac-Kong Pac-Kong Rainbow Vision
("Pac Kong")
Phantom Panzer Phantom Tank Bit Corp.
("Phantom tank")
Phantom Panzer II Thunderground Sega
("Phantom tank II")
Piratenschiff
("Pirate ship")
Raumbasen Attacke
("Spacebase attack")
Robin Hood Save our ship Technovision
("Robin Hood")
Schiessbude Carnival Coleco???
("Shooting gallery")
Schnapp die Apfeldiebe
("Catch the apple thiefs")
Spiderman Spiderman Parker copy
("Spiderman")
Stopp die Gangster
("Stop the gangsters")
Strahlen der Teufelsvoegel Atlantis Imagic clone
("Rays of the hellbirds")
Super-Cowboy beim Rodeo Stampede Activision
("Super cowboy at the rodeo")
Super-Ferrari Enduro Activision -
("Super Ferrari")
Tanzende Teller Dancing plates Bit Corp.
("Dancing plates")
Top Gun Air Raiders Mattel
("Top Gun")
Ufi und sein gefaehrlicher Einsatz Homevision
("Ufi and his dangerous mission")
Ufo Patrol Time Race
("Ufo patrol")
Ungeheuer der Tiefe Bi!Bi! Rainbow Vision
("Monster from the deep")
Vogel flieh Tuby Bird Rainbow Vision
("Bird, flee!")
Vom Himmel durch die Hoelle Skydiver Atari
("From heaven through hell")
Wachroboter jagt Jupy Keystone Kapers Activision
("Watch-robot hunts Jupy")
Weltraumtunnel Laser Gates Imagic -
("Space Tunnel")
Winterjagd
("Winter Hunt")
Wolf und Schwein Pooyan Konami
("Wolf and pig")
Wuestenschlacht Chopper Command Activision
("Dessert battle")
1.8 StarSoft
----------------
These carts were also sold by Quelle, but they have a different look. They often have the initials S.S. on the back and came in 2 different sizes. There are small carts, 1.5 cm smaller than normal carts, and there are normal sized carts. The front and end labels are always black, the title letters are white and rather simple. There's always a drawn picture on the front.
The carts were sold in 'Double-game packages'; on each side of the box is a different name and picture; the manual is just a single sheet of cheap paper for every game with german instructions on one and dutch on the other side.
These games are also clones/copies of other games.
Name Original game Producer Changes
Air Patrol
Astro War
Base Attack Base Attack Homevision
Black Hole Cosmic Ark Imagic
Boom Bang Crackpots Activision
Der Geheimkurier
Flippern Video Pinball Atari
Kampf in der Galaxie Space Rad
King Arthur
Lilly Adventure Lilly Adventure Homevision
Motorcross Enduro Activision
Mr. T
See Saw
Space Raid
Super Cowboy beim Rodeo Stampede Activision
World End
1.9 Parker
--------------
G.I. Joe is/was a real American hero (as I remember from the speech of the C64 game :-)) and didn't ever make it to the german toy or comics market. But we had those boy's action dolls like Action Man, so Parker changed the name of the game "G.I. Joe" into "Action Force".
1.10 Activision/Imagic
-----------------------------
It seems that the American blue label variation for Activision and Imagic games is a white label variation in Germany. Most of the carts have typical Activision cases, but some are made of some kind of soft plastic with a different shape than normally. The labels are always white with black writing in english. There are always model numbers on the labels.
I have the following white label variations:
Name by
Atlantis Imagic
Moon Sweeper
Quick Step
Riddle of the sphinx
Wing War
Chopper Command Activision
H.E.R.O.
Keystone Kapers
Kung-Fu Master
River Raid
Spider Fighter
There are also some black labeled Activision carts, sometimes with something that looks like a barcode on the label. I don't know, if these are normal variations or really PAL ones (tell me!).
Fighter Pilot
Kung-Fu Master
Rampage
River Raid II
Skate Boardin'
1.11 Other
--------------
There exist other games having a SS case. The labels are black with drawn pictures on the front. There's a writing 'VIDEO GAME' on the top and the name of the game below (with a trademark sign on the end). In the lower right corner there's a model number for each game. The games should be clones of other games, I have to check that.
Name Translation Model No.
Raumroboter Space Robot SP-203
Weltuntergang End of the world SP-205
Das Raumschiff The Spaceship SP-211
Ski-Jagd Ski Hunt SP-215
The following carts are from an unknown manufacturer. The case is the same like the Bit ones. The labels have different colours, the writing is complete German and there's a screenshot on the label. Also the model number is printed on the label and a german text saying 'please turn off system before inserting another cart'. The games are clones of other known
and popular games.
Name Original game Producer
Angeln I Fishing Derby Activision
Autorennen Grand Prix Activision
Fussball
Gangster Outlaw Atari
Krieg der Sterne
Raketenangriff Missile Control Video Gems
2. Atari 7800
==========
Most of the 7800 PAL carts don't work with NTSC systems and vice versa. But that's not a real problem, because there aren't too much games which are only available in Europe; in fact there are no games only released in Europe, just a few carts which have been produced by HES and designed by Activision and Absolute (any more?). The HES games come with the usual plastic box.
Name
Double Dragon
Kung-Fu Master
Super Skateboardin'
Title Match Pro Wrestling
Tomcat
3. Colecovision
============
Coleco games for the European market were produced by CBS Electronics in England. The carts have the same size as the US ones, but the upper end has a different shape. There is a finger-thick indentation on each side, probably to get the cart better out of the system slot. The labels are black; on the upper half there's the CBS/Colecovision character and the name of the game. Below is a white box with a lot of writing, copyright and production information, the model number (4Lxxxx), and often the sentence "for use on pal-tv-system only". Sometimes the labels are multilingual.
Other Coleco carts, which seem to exist only in Europe (?) are the Xonox Double-Enders. I found only one version of these until now, that's Robin Hood/Sir Lancelot. The boxes and manuals are the same as for the VCS.
There's no problem to run PAL carts on NTSC systems and vice versa.
List may not be complete!
Name Model No.
Pepper II 4L1878
Gorf 4L1905
Donkey Kong 4L1922
Smurf 4L1939
Space Panic 4L1952
Zaxxon 4L1956
Venture 4L1973
Donkey Kong Junior4L1980
Mouse Trap 4L1990
Space Fury 4L1998
Carnival 4L2007
Cosmic Avenger 4L2024
Lady Bug 4L2039
Turbo 4L2057
Mr. Do! 4L2073
Victory 4L4065
Slither 4L4255
Omega Race 4L4305
Frenzy 4L4311
Buck Rogers 4L4448
Burger Time 4L4454
Destructor 4L4460
Cab. Patch Kids-Adv. ?
4. Philips G7000/G7400
==================
Known in the US as Odyssey^2, this system has been released in Germany by Philips as G7000. The carts have the same shape as the american Odyssey^2 carts, the labels are plain black, either with the words 'Videopac' 'Philips' and the cart number or with symbols for choosing the different games and the name of the game in different languages (up to 10). The boxes are hard plastic, the manuals are rather thick booklets, which also work as covers (like in CDs). Some boxes are paper boxes. The carts should work on NTSC systems. The following Videopacs are known to exist (the bigger part of them were also released in the US):
Name Videopac No.
Newscaster A
Race/Spin-out/Cryptogram 1
Pairs/Space Rendezvous/Logic 2
American Football 3
Air-Sea War/Battle 4
Blackjack 5
Tenpin Bowling/Basketball 6
Mathematician/Echo 7
Baseball 8
Computer Programmer 9
Golf 10
Cosmic Conflict 11
Take the money 12
Playschool Maths 13
Gunfighter 14
Samurai 15
Marksman/Depth Charge 16
Chinese Logic 17
Laser War 18
Catch the ball 19
Stone Sling 20
Secret of the Pharaos 21
Space Monster 22
Las Vegas Gambling 23
Flipper game 24
Skiing 25
Basket Game 26
Electronic table football 27
Electronic Volleyball 28
Dam Buster 29
Battlefield 30
Musician 31 comes with large manual and nice keyboard overlay
Labyrinth/Supermind 32
Jumping Acrobats 33
Satellite Attack 34
Electronic Billiards 35
Electronic Soccer/Ice Hockey 36
Monkeyshines 37
Munchkin 38
Freedom Fighters 39
4 in 1 row 40
Search for the rings 41 big box with lots of extra stuff
Conquest of the world 42 big box with lots of extra stuff
Pickaxe Pete 43
Crazy Chase 44
Morse 45
Wall Street Fortune Hunt 46 big box with lots of extra stuff
Mousing Cat 47
Backgammon 48
Turtle 49
Super Bee 50
The following Videopacs plus were designed for the Philips G7400, the only in Europe released powered up Odyssey^3 system. You can play them on the G7000/Odyssey^2, too, but you have got background graphics (and more?), if you play them on the G7400.
Terrahawks 51+
Killerbees 52+
Nightmare 53+(?)
Loony Balloon 54+
Neutron Star 55+(?)
Blobbers 56+(?)
Norseman 57+(?)
? 58+(?)
Helicopter 59+(?)
Trans America Ralley 60+(?)
I don't know, if there are any more Videopacs +.
There is another nice item for the G7000; it's a chess cart with additional hardware, which looks rather strange (like a little electric heater). The serial number is C7010. Another great collector's item, which seemed never to be released is the Philips G7200. It's a G7000 system with integrated b/w monitor! I have a picture in a catalog, but never saw this cute thing.
Parker seemed to release some of their games also only in Europe. I just own one of them, Super Cobra, but I know the existence of the following:
Name
Frogger
Popeye
Q*bert
Super Cobra
5. Saba Videoplay
=============
The Fairchild Channel F system has been released in Germany as Saba Video- play. I own 20 different carts and don't know, if there is anything above no. 20. The carts are big and dark yellow. The paper box is just as big as the cart, leaving little place for the cheap manual.
Name No. US no.
Muehle/Tontaubenschiessen 1 =1
Wuestenfuchs/Tontaubensch. 2 =2
Blackjack 3 =3
Luftkampf 4 =4
Kampf im Weltraum 5 =5
Magische Zahlen 6 =8
Autorennen 7 =9
Labyrinth 8 =10
Backgammon 9 =11
Baseball 10 =12
Robot-Jagd/Torpedo 11 =13
Sonar-Peilung 12 =14
Memory 13 =15
Voelkerball 14 =16?
Barriere 15 =17
Rat' mal 16 =18
Kickball 17 =20??
Bowling 18 =21
Odyssee im Weltraum 19 =23??
Schach 20 =19? (this is a chess cart)
6. Microvision
===========
MB's Microvision game has been sold in Germany, too. But only the first 7 titles made it to the german market. Blockbuster was included in the main system's box.
German name No. Original name
Blockbuster (1) Blockbuster
Bowling 2 Bowling
Shooting Star 3 Star Trek: Phaser Strike
Pinball 4 Pinball
4 gewinnt 5 Connect four
See-Duell 6 Sea-Duel
Blitz! 7 Alien Raiders
Super Blockbuster 8 Mindbuster
That's it for now. I hope you had fun reading the first version of this german.faq.
Stephan Freundorfer German classic videogame collector
phineas@cube.net Ask for trade list!
(auch deutsche Sammler willkommen, habe die meisten Geraete und viele Module
vorraetig)
