rarest / hard to find software

[Cholo]

Might add another category or 2 to "rare software" as i resently got hold of "Baby Jo - In Going Home". Now Baby Jo is indeed a disc only & 128kb game only .. but what surpriced me was the size of the game box. Easily half a inch larger than most of my amiga game boxes (and those are pretty big indeed). The 16bits did tend to make boxes twice the size of the 8bits so perhaps it isnt so odd that late 8bit games also got a large box as well sometimes.

So "rare" is:
- Late amstrad software aka 91' or later. Like Indy 4 is a 94 game i think .. and probably as rare as the holy grail
- Large box software in general. And not just games as programs did tend to come nice big boxes with binders and whatnot. Do note that a large box dosnt mean that its a better program though .. but it does usually mean there was less sold (or big boxes took up to much space so only the disc/tapes themselves turn up later on).
- Still sealed software. Again there is probably a lot of exceptions (like there are probably still some larger stock budget tape sellers on ebay) but if its a sealed disc game it might make it even more rare.

[Gryzor]

Ah, then yes. I had forgotten about that.

[TCMSLP]

Cholo mentions a CPC release in 1994.  I wonder, what were the last commercially produced games for the CPC?
Who was the last major publisher supporting the platform, and when did they cease support?

I'm guessing anything ~1994 could have only sold in small quantities.   

[TFM]

There were some during the last years, f.e. Subhunter. And there will be a relase at 2013 too ;-) Yes, a official software company release.

[Bryce]

Getting back to the original question. Rarest / hard to find software. I have to say, with both software and hardware, the rarest / hardest thing to find, is the thing that you happen to be looking for at the moment! If I for example browse ebay I could see 10 DDI-1 on offer within a month, but if I decide I want one, ebay is suddenly devoid of them and the few that do turn up are stupidly over-priced.

So as far as I'm concerned, the rarest software is the one you happen to be looking for.

Bryce.

[ivarf]

There were some during the last years, f.e. Subhunter. And there will be a relase at 2013 too ;-) Yes, a official software company release.

but not from a major publisher like in the old days

[remax]

Have you seen the Demo which accompanies CP/M 2.2 on Side 4 for the 6128? 

Ahhh the memories!

[TFM]

but not from a major publisher like in the old days

Just be patient for 2013    The 464 version is 95%[nb]5% is just some sound effects, and a title song[/nb] finished (TAPE). 6128/Disc will take some time more. CPC and PC versions are there.

[Cholo]

Cholo mentions a CPC release in 1994.  I wonder, what were the last commercially produced games for the CPC?
Who was the last major publisher supporting the platform, and when did they cease support?

I'm guessing anything ~1994 could have only sold in small quantities.

I had a quick look over at the cpc-power site and it thankfully has a search on year. I was wrong about Indy 4 though its "only" a 93' game (but one of extremely few commercial games). In 94 it gets really low and there is basicly only the 5 games released by Radical Software. 95' its pretty much only public domain.
93' does see a few major commercial games like:

Codemasters: Wrestling Superstars, Robin Hood - Legend Quest
Titus: Prehistorik 2, Super Cauldron
Gremlin: Nigel Mansell's World Championship
U.S.Gold: Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis
Radical: Ball Bearing
Alternative: Bully's Sporting Darts
and perhaps a couple more "stragglers" or "oneshots" too.

As mentioned by people earlier there has actually been quite a few "commercially" sold games in the last couple of years. Like Orion Prime being probably the most "flashy" one being sold in dvd cover with extras inside and in different versions (3" and 3,5") and languages.

[remax]

I heard that the Boxed CPC Version of ALS, by a small deutsch company was really rare. None has seen it to these days, but people says that the programmer might have some remaining sealed boxes of this game, which saw a really confidential distribution in its days.


If we knew his name, perhaps we could contact him and ask him directly 


At least, the disk at been dumped for preservation!

[Gryzor]

Huh, I don't think I've ever seen Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis before... better check it out!

[Devilmarkus]

I heard that the Boxed CPC Version of ALS, by a small deutsch company was really rare. None has seen it to these days, but people says that the programmer might have some remaining sealed boxes of this game, which saw a really confidential distribution in its days.


If we knew his name, perhaps we could contact him and ask him directly 


At least, the disk at been dumped for preservation!

So sorry, but the last boxed version I accidentially destroyed while using my lawn mower

But hey the DSK survived!
http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6262

[remax]

So sorry, but the last boxed version I accidentially destroyed while using my lawn mower

But hey the DSK survived!
http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6262

Even the K7 version What a shame!


You lawnmowed hundreds of dollars!

[steve]

So sorry, but the last boxed version I accidentially destroyed while using my lawn mower

But hey the DSK survived!
http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6262

Did you confuse lawn mower with lawn mower simulator?

Or do you keep your software on the lawn?

Please explain how this happened.

[Devilmarkus]

Did you confuse lawn mower with lawn mower simulator?

Or do you keep your software on the lawn?

Please explain how this happened.

Err... Emmm..... Well...
I always use my lawn mower to tidy up my room

[Shaun M. Neary]

Just wondering if this would qualify, but what about Italy 1990 - The World Cup Starts here by U.S Gold?


I don't think a lot of these hit the shelves because there was a bug in the game where the the losing team is announced the winner. So they repackaged the game after the bug was fixed and released it as Italy 1990 - Winners Edition.


That would probably make the original release somewhat of a rarity?

[buzby]

Just wondering if this would qualify, but what about Italy 1990 - The World Cup Starts here by U.S Gold?


I don't think a lot of these hit the shelves because there was a bug in the game where the the losing team is announced the winner. So they repackaged the game after the bug was fixed and released it as Italy 1990 - Winners Edition.


That would probably make the original release somewhat of a rarity?

i know the game your on about as i have it so i will check mine to see which version it is

[buzby]

 i have just brought this due to the fact that i have never seen this edition before and i didnt know that codemasters did a plus version of there games

[Shaun M. Neary]

i know the game your on about as i have it so i will check mine to see which version it is

It's very easy to tell them apart:


Original version:
Winners edition:


The loading screens differed slightly too, the Subtitle under the Italy 1990 logo changed from "The World Cup Starts Here" to "Winners Edition"


Not sure how many of the originals got out before the fixed version replaced it.

[Xyphoe]

Winners Edition also appeared on other formats (eg C64) - I don't think they had the same bug but a few player names were adjusted to match the actual squads used in the finals.

[Bryce]

i have just brought this due to the fact that i have never seen this edition before and i didnt know that codemasters did a plus version of there games

The "Plus" in "CodeMasters Plus" doesn't mean it's for the CPC Plus. It was just their name for re-released games with bonus content.

Bryce.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Winners Edition also appeared on other formats (eg C64) - I don't think they had the same bug but a few player names were adjusted to match the actual squads used in the finals.

They all have one thing in common, once the Winners edition arrived, the original disappeared off the shelves pretty quickly.
It's almost as if they were recalled and replaced. By proxy, it would make the first release a rarity for all formats, no?

[buzby]

So today I have managed to pick up the original back to the future game by electric dreams
S

[Gryzor]

Where's the photo then?

[buzby]

Where's the photo then?

just for you gryzor