iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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The Onion @theonion.com · 01/09/2026

Physical Media Collector Pumped For Downfall Of Humanity theonion.com/physical-media-collect…

AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Until the actual answer is known, I shall choose to believe that Nintendo* hired a clandestine factory in Malaysia (for some reason) to make this while negotiating with Atari to sell the Famicom in N. America. * in conjunction with the saucer people, under the supervision of the reverse vampires…

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I barely survived the one in West Virginia!

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Meatba'al @vance.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Very few people have survived the Malaysian Controller Mystery Hole. Rumor says there's still two Hori Support Gameboy Controllers in there, if you're brave and lucky enough

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Internet Archive @archive.org · 01/09/2026

🏛️ Before the Internet, computer clubs helped people learn, trade software & explore personal computing. A surviving binder of 50 Atari newsletters from August 1987 offers a time capsule of that world. Explore the Atari collection & more computer history: blog.archive.org/2026/08/27/a... 🧵

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HerpDerpWolfBlitzer @herpderpwolfb.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Whoaaaa I totally want a 2600 gamepad like that

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

You know how in dreams sometimes your brain invents stuff that seems realistically plausible? This mystery gamepad from Malaysia might as well have arrived from a dream — I’ve never seen another, and I know essentially nothing about its origin. theatari.spot/blog/2026-08...

theatari.spot

Malaysian Mystery: Unidentified Atari 2600 D-Pad Controller

Prototype for something? Unauthorized 3rd-party production? Homemade? Something else entirely?

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Kevin Bunch (ubersaurus) @atariarchive.org · 31/08/2026

Back in May, I helped dump seven prototype game cartridges that represent some of the earliest steps toward home video games as we know them today. I've published my findings on a new Archive Annex video: meet the FRED III. youtu.be/180erQryZFw

youtu.be

FRED III: RCA's Original Prototype Game Console - Archive Annex 6

YouTube video by Atari Archive

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Weasel ⛳🏌️ @wildweasel486.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

My uncle married one of my dad's sisters about 30-ish years ago, by my recollection. I hadn't really been around him a lot, but the handful of times I was, he made very strong impressions. He had quite a talent for computers, was the biggest Java evangelist I've ever met (even back in its infancy).

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Atari Scene News @philsan.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Randy Eric Crihfield has passed away. He was well known in the Atari community as one of the pioneers of #Atari2600 homebrew scene, producing some of the earliest games through his company, Hozer Video Games. Among them was Edtris 2600 (1995). www.morningjournalnews.com/obituaries/2... #atari

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Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

A fun new post about that time for consoles before Atari got in! thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2026/08/22/1... Learn about the strange, interesting, and largely European early history of game consoles!

thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com

1974’s Bizarre Game Consoles

Weird and wonderful early consoles. Let’s talk about them.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

So now this is me wondering if I should try to track down other international in-flight magazines from 1982-1984. I guess I should at least see if there are any held in public repositories somewhere, right?

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Yeah, agreed, the Xevious title gives me pause too, but someone may have written that in error. Could also be Zaxxon or some other CV game.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Is this the definitive answer? No, but it's where I'd wager my chips right now. (BTW I also realize that there's no known port of Xevious for the CV, but the handwritten title may not reflect what game is actually on the cart). Whatever those carts are, they're super intriguing! 🧵 7/7

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Suntek, the likely (Taipei) manufacturer of the mystery carts Crazy Race, Cat & Rat, & Combat, was also active around this time. So, did they maybe make a few Follow Me compatible games, too? If I had to guess at 3 possible CV games, I'd maybe go with Turbo, Mouse Trap, and Tank Wars. 🧵 6/7

Photo of three 日碁企業股份有限公司 (Suntek) produced cartridges for the Atari 2600: Galactic, Netmaker, and Space Raid.

Trademark for the Galactic name (with company name 日碁 above it) from 日碁企業股份有限公司 (Suntek). Application date 1983/04/23, registration date 1983/10/01.

Trademark for the Netmaker name (with company name 日碁 above it) from 日碁企業股份有限公司 (Suntek). Application date 1983/04/30, registration date 1984/02/01.

Trademark for the Space Raid name (with company name 日碁 above it) from 日碁企業股份有限公司 (Suntek). Application date 1983/04/30, registration date 1984/02/01.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

In searching Taiwan's trademark database, we find the first application for ENKUN by Kaohsiung's 詠群電子股份有限公司 (Yong Qun Electronics Co., Ltd.) at the very end of 1984, with registered marks through 1985-1986. 🧵 5/7

B&W image of a trademark that reads 跟我來 Follow Me, with a walking owl in a mortarboard cap pointing forward with one wing above it. Application date 1985/12/19, registration date 1986/07/01.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Turns out the ENKUN "Follow Me" is a largely undocumented ColecoVision-compatible (kinda?) clone. AFAIK it's mentioned in only a few places, including the MSX.org wiki and on the colecovision.dk clones page. (Beware occasional adware when visiting the MSX wiki). 🧵 4/7 www.msx.org/wiki/Enkun_F...

msx.org

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

But it was the second cartridge that was even more helpful. Its label confirms a Taiwan origin (space for an NT$ price has been left on the end label), and the English text points to a console called the ENKUN “Follow Me”. What’s more, the screenshot is from the... ColecoVision port of Zaxxon? 🧵 3/7

White colored game cartridge about the size of an Atari 2600 cartridge with a label that has "跟我来 Follow Me" at the top, 立體空戰 below that, and a ColecoVision screenshot from Zaxxon as the label art.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I showed the two mystery carts to a friend in Taiwan (this was also many years ago), who at first responded with their best-guess answer as seen in this screenshot… 🧵2/7

Email text:

These cartridges are AMAZING! :O

I have never seen cartridge in this type before, but I guess may be it's a MSX game port for SEGA SG-1000 series console.

There have several MSX unlicensed port for SG-1000 games have been found in Taiwan.

Another possibility is it just a simple MSX Clone, but using modified pin for their own MSX clone console only.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Here’s my best shot at answering this quoted mystery. Many years ago @earlthird.bsky.social showed me two unusual carts. One, hand-labeled with 鐵板陣 (Xevious), is pictured in this post). I think these two carts could be similar to / the same as those seen in @ianoid.bsky.social’s AA thread. 🧵 1/7

A hot pink colored plastic cartridge about the size of an Atari 2600 cartridge with 鐵板陣 written on it in black marker.

The hot pink colored cartridge disassembled into top and bottom shell pieces, plus the PCB.

Detail of the PCB, which is marked GAM7. It uses a combination of NEC, TI, and Mitsubishi chips. 25 connector pins are visible.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

So… I may know the answer. Or at least I may get us closer to the answer! Many years ago @earlthird.bsky.social showed me what I think are similar carts. With his permission, I’ll post his old photos, then share what my friend in Taiwan said about them, and finally, share what I found afterward. 😸

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

RSS link should now be on all pages. Thanks for the suggestion!

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

In progress! Thanks for the reminder.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

It’s there! Tiny link at the bottom right now but looking to make it more prominent. Lemme know if you run into any issues.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Let me think on this… somehow I never saw this thread, thanks for the link!

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

No DB9, controllers were once hard-wired (and then subsequently cut off). I have the cartridge either somewhere on a shelf, or it may still be in a moving box. I’ll respond and update the article when I lay my hands on it again!

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

If you missed it… hey, I’m alive! I’ve got a new site going so that I can put things somewhere that isn’t social media. The first truly new post is about a heretofore undocumented 2600 clone console manufactured in a state-owned factory in China. Much more to come! theatari.spot/blog/2026-07...

theatari.spot

Shanghai's Dazzling 2600 Clone: Apollo-8 TV GAME

The 新建 (Xinjian) XJ 8811 -- a beautiful Atari clone console from a Chinese state-owned factory.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Some exciting and interesting things are on the way. Posts will be forthcoming on: - an unreleased board game based on a classic arcade/video game - getting the rarest cartridge for one of the most obscure platforms dumped… but with a twist - an entirely unknown/undocumented Atari 2600 game (!)

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

To you who followed me in this long interim period with no posts, and are now wondering who I am and what I’m doing on your feed: Welcome, or, conversely… seeya! To you with whom I just recently became acquainted in the last few days: it was nice getting to know you! Hope you’ll stick around.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

*blows 14 months of dust off Bluesky* Hi to friends old & new, and to so many followers amassed for no good reason! 😸 I’ve started a website with help from a good friend. Only a few things are there so far, but more will come now that I have a non-social-media place to put things! theAtari.spot

theatari.spot

theAtari.spot

Highlighting the unusual side of Atari 2600 collecting.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Okay, fine, while I’m here… I acquired my first 2600 cartridge that retailed in Uruguay. (The shop in Montevideo is on a street called Paraguay) Neat little 8-in-1 cartridge, and one of them is a game you don’t find too often on unauthorized multicarts: London Blitz!

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Popping in for a quick moment from my ongoing, indefinite, self-imposed social media moratorium to say… 🎊 Unauthorizon is back! 🎊 Cheers to @pirategamething.com and everyone else involved. youtu.be/x7hyVVDj1h0

youtu.be

Unauthorizon is BACK!!

YouTube video by PirateGameThing

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Daily Pac-Man @dailypacman.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Tengen's NES version of Ms. Pac-Man contains an Easter Egg seen by having Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Man bounce off of each other repeatedly as they go through opposite ends of a tunnel. This causes baby Pac-Men to spawn in the middle of the maze! Eating them nets you 5000 points each.

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Parade day. Go Birds. 🦅 More photos later/tomorrow!

Saquon Barkley rides atop a bus and holds out the Lombardi Trophy for the crowd

Jalen Hurts walks alongside the parade of buses. He’s wearing a black “Love,Hurts.” Nike hoodie, sunglasses, and a black hat.

Brandon Graham holds the Lombardi Trophy atop the lead bus in the parade and points to my dad while holding a cigar.

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Dan Orlowitz @aishiterutokyo.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

THEY’RE CLIMBING THE POLES IN TOKYO GO BIRDS🦅🦅🦅

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Had to go celebrate with strangers since I’m not in Philly. What a night!

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Kat Flandermeyer @katflandermeyer.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

funniest highlights of the philly police scanner, a thread

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Dave Itzkoff @ditzkoff.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

It’s time

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Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

World fucking champions!!!

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Video Game History Foundation @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

The Video Game History Foundation Library is now in early access. For free. For everyone. Wherever you are. Read more: gamehistory.org/vghf-library...

youtube.com

library.gamehistory.org — Now in early access

YouTube video by The Video Game History Foundation

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Kevin Bunch (ubersaurus) @atariarchive.org · 28/01/2025

New post on the Atari Archive website: Canyon Bomber! David Crane's melding of two disparate Atari arcade games from the mid-70s really elevates the experience of playing each of them. www.atariarchive.org/atari-vcs/ca...

atariarchive.org

Canyon Bomber – March 1979, Atari Archive

March 1979 brought the VCS a slew of new releases, and while some of those were original works, others returned to the tried-and-true realm of...

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xot @xot.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

I include TV-like controls in my retro emulators but never considered linking preferred settings to certain games. > NTSC Colour In Vintage Games > Includes a proposal for a 2600 container format and additional metadata. via @jetsetilly.bsky.social's Mastodon jetsetilly.github.io/Gopher2600-B...

jetsetilly.github.io

NTSC Colour In Vintage Games

In the previous article while discussing the NTSC colour problem I said that examining vintage 2600 ROMs would be an informative exercise. That is the purpose of today’s article. While selecting ROMs ...

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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

In speedrunning terms, I performed a sequence break and skipped the entire second phase this week (HOLY HELL THEY DID IT!!!)

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