2024/12/11: Fairchild Channel F: Hockey/Tennis, Magic Numbers, Checkers

[VideoGameCritic]

Here are some new Fairchild Channel F reviews for your reading pleasure.

Hockey/Tennis is a re-review, raised from B to A. The other two reviews are new.

What do you think?

[VideoGameCritic]

Did anybody think the paper scans were helpful/interesting at all?

[Teddybear]

While of no benefit to this topic, I chuckled at the yellowing papyrus comment.

[SavagePencil]

Did anybody think the paper scans were helpful/interesting at all?

Yeah, they were awesome! Do you know if much of the Fairchild library has been archived?

[_craker_]

Do you know if much of the Fairchild library has been archived?

There's a Tosec collection on archive.org. I couldn't comment on how complete or accurate it is though (looks like there's 70 or so roms in it).

[goldenband]

What do you think?

What do I think? I love 'em! This is the kind of stuff that keeps me coming back to your site.

It's amazing how much well-designed, non-standard controllers can breathe life into an otherwise-underpowered system. The Channel F and the Astrocade got it right in this regard -- they offer a worthwhile and novel interface without being burdensome.

I was saddened to read that Chess isn't working on your multicart, as I'd love to see a review. It even got coverage on Reddit --

https://old.reddit.com/r/chess/comments ... me_on_the/

-- though emulation may explain why they couldn't access the a1-square (QR1 in the old notation).

Chess/Schach was a Germany-only release, but supposedly it should work with no PAL vs. NTSC issue (which is why the Odyssey² 32X-style chess module won't work on American hardware). Maybe your multicart doesn't have the extra RAM. Did you get one of e5frog's multicarts from AtariAge? Maybe he can help troubleshoot the issue.

(By the way, the Intellivision has chess and checkers games you haven't reviewed. I know the Backening is coming, with backgammon reviews in the pipeline for the Channel F and Intellivision.

Dare we also await...the checkening??)

[BlasteroidAli]

The Grandstand Video Entertainment Computer was not a big seller. It was a nice idea but the quality of the graphics even back in the 70s was primitive, an interesting controller, but again it was let down by the software. Ice Hockey looks great. Over here in the UK it had zero press apart from that game that the Critic hated Star Chess. I was intrigued by it, until I saw it. Also, it was competing with women back in the day. Back then they always won. Quite the reverse these days.


I think I would have loved to have one back in the late 70s, but really it passed me by. I think The VCS was the first thing I truly wanted.

[crimefighter]

So the only games left to review on this system - the Arlasoft homebrews which includes a port of Centipede.

https://arlagames.itch.io/

[goldenband]

So the only games left to review on this system - the Arlasoft homebrews which includes a port of Centipede.

https://arlagames.itch.io/

I thought all these were still in play too?

Videocart-06: Math Quiz I (Addition & Subtraction)
Videocart-07: Math Quiz II (Multiplication & Division)
Videocart-11: Backgammon, Acey-Deucey

The Critic might skip the first two since they're edutainment, but I don't see why Backgammon wouldn't get its due.