The Long-Lost Atari Game Has Found: The preservation of gaming has led to many fascinating and original discoveries about gaming’s rich history, particularly with those systems that didn’t sell well at the time.
It turned out that an obscure arcade ride could hold the key to another part of the Atari Jaguar history.
In the 1990s, the Atari Jaguar was most well-known for its 64-bit marketing.
Despite its claimed power, its exclusive games weren’t enough to draw the same sales figures as its rivals. Since then, it has fallen into complete obscurity.
Gaming Alexandria released a game with a very obscure history to help explain the Atari Jaguar’s obscurity. Speedster I was first discovered at an auction in 2001.
It originally intended to an arcade racing game with a children’s ride. The cabinet had a seat that could move with the car.
Although the game may seem simple, it has a complicated history. Carousel created it, a company well-known for other “kiddie rides” products.
The Long-Lost Atari Game Has Found
The company also developed two more arcade-style games to keep up with changing markets.
The carousel would have made a smart move to license the Atari Jaguar’s hardware when it was an incomplete market failure.
This was because it was cheaper than developing new hardware and allowed them to access existing hardware.
According to a programmer, the Speedster II was completed in late 1995, though conflicting reports indicate that the ride never saw release.
Even though the prototype cartridge is a kiddie ride, it has a fascinating history.
Despite a collector’s item like many others. The ROM would not discard and kept safe from its discovery from 2001 to January 2022.
Gaming Alexandria claims that reproduction cartridges circulate through Atari collectors. This would not be very pleasant to game preservationists.
Collectors known for hoarding prototypes and selling them at high prices. Even when stored in the best conditions, the aging hardware can fail easily.
Speedster II isn’t a particularly interesting game, but the game’s gameplay involves simple left-right dodging of objects on the road.
Its history offers an interesting glimpse into the life of an obscure, commercially unsuccessful game.
Although this is not a prototype for a more well-known game, it offers an interesting glimpse into the history of Atarigaming hardware.
