Ah yes, as a kid, wanting that really cool game, we learned to check the backs for in-game images or if possible check the booklet for a good impression. Of course magazines helped a great deal as well. There was certainly some research required to not end up with disappointment 
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Agreed, game purchases back then were so important. Where to spend my hard earned cash…research was required before deciding to finally plump for that irresistible new title…Battlezone, Galaxian, Missile Command, Zaxxon, Stargate Defender, Mr Do, Tazz Mania, Scramble, Crazy Balloon, Moon Lander, Phoenix, Asteroids…I spent a lot of my youth in arcades…purely research lol…
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Finally getting back here after a week! Nice classic collection you’re amassing! Some great memories! Pitfall!!! Yes, I need to play that again!
Thanks for some tips on pinball too. One day, I will take a chance on a nice classic one. I really want Whirlwind but there are quite a few others I’d be happy with.
Have fun organizing (and playing of course!) your classic gaming consoles/computers!
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That would be my kind of train ride!
When I saw Evel Knievel, it instantly brought back some good memories. Played that one quite a bit back then.
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Thank you all for this thread. I plan to come back and read more. I skimmed and just had this rush of nostalgia…Cheeto’s, Pepsi, the first time I heard of a country going to war (Falklands…had no idea where that was at the time), my love hate relationship with Pitfall, the Baby Bells-(also did not understand until later-just remember how upset and concerned my parents were about still having a phone in the country), being amazed by E.T., US Space Command, and having the shit scared out of me by Thriller.
Sorry for the drone, but I mean it, thanks all.
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Found this while browsing this arts and crafts store. Only $25 bucks with 10 games. Found it funny that it was in the “nostalgia” section.
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Those were very popular for a time. The beginning of the nostalgia era. We have one of those, one for Pac-Man and a couple more at my mom’s house. They came preloaded with a number of different games from the old systems like Atari and Namco. Great for when my kids were small. They could take them to grandma’s house, just plug into the composite jacks on the TV and play.
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Received my boxed Superlectron TVC-3000 (1977) today, which is a Pong clone with 4 game modes: Tennis, Hockey, Squash, Solo (one player squash). I am super happy with it, as it was my very first introduction to video games 
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RadioShack TV Scoreboard circa 1976. Left player controller detaches though still wired to the main part. Speaker on the back. Requires 6 AA batteries to operate. Notice the pistol, way before Nintendo Duck Hunt. Also it is the kind of toy gun that got kids shot. You can see why. Flea Market find at $5. Originally sold for about $69.
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Oh, nice old Tandy product, pretty cool to see a light gun that old. Never knew they existed as early as the 1930s. I think my first experience with pointing devices like that was in the early 80s with my dad doing experiments.
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Packages just keep arriving Just received the following:
Philips G7000 (videopac) cartridges
Philips G7000 (videopac) x2 & Atari 2600 x3
MSX cassettes
Atari cassette players XC12 + 1010 (for 600XL/800XL) & Atari 2600 Video pad
Atari 600XL, 2x 800XL, Commodore 1541 Floppy Drive, and WHSmith MSX Data Recorder should be arriving by the end of the month. The Atari SM124 monitor should arrive this week. That should then be it for now, to complete my vintage computer collection.
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You’ll have to post a couple of pics of your ‘ancient tech’ collection room when its all set up.
Your parcels arriving reminds me of when I’ve had a project going and then order all the parts. It’s like every day is a birthday with little bundles arriving full of goodies.
Much more fun than bills. 
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@Mad-Hatter I will certainly do that, although getting the room all prepared and setup may take a bit.
Yesterday I received the following:
Atari SM124 monochrome b/w monitor (11.5’')
WHSmith MSX Data Recorder (boxed)
Another Commodore 1541 Floppy Drive (boxed)
Atari 600XL (boxed)
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Today the boxed Atari 800XL arrived from the UK. It appears in good condition and came with some extras. As expected, it has an imitation adapter included, for which I had an original ordered separately. I am glad this one has the composite cable included as most the consoles/computers are from an era where RF TV-cable was common. I did however find a good solution to switch between those using RF only, on just a single TV, without going the de-modulator route (expensive). More on that as soon as it arrives.
Atari 800XL
Manuals, lovely 80s Joystick, Atari XC12 Program Recorder, manuals.
Some games (cassettes)
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And now it will take the same time to load a game on cassette as downloading NMS on Steam 
I remember that time when i had to load it during dinner time.
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I hardly know where to start with all this that you’ve posted, all just so fantastic 
but maybe this though, is where I should start, the such beautiful cat on the one-armed bandit penny slot machine photo oh my word…I would buy that as a poster and change nothing!!! So wonderful in so many ways, hehe
Massive thanks from over here, for each and every post of your retro-gaming room progress and fully with Mad-Hatter in saying this:
Officially seconding that!
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How I wish I could claim that sentence as my own…
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Ah sure go on, take it. I wasn’t doing anything with it anyway.
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@sheralmyst
I’m quietly working away on a project motorbike, mumbling away to myself as I carefully think through wiring and cable routings and the intricacies of how everything must be positioned when reassembled… when suddenly, I burst into song for like the 20th time since the post I’m replying to, over a month ago!
Are you keeping up with the Commodore,
'Cos the Commodore is keeping up with you.
That damn jingle has been stalking me ever since I watched that clip. 
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Yeah. My son and I keep giving each other the ‘Commodore salute’ as a way of saying yes. People already thought we were a little odd, now they are convinced! 
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