KERMEL LAURENT (A2600:PAL & SECAM Info Page)

ATARI 2600
Just Carts

If you collect Classic Video Games (what I suppose you do) you'll be perhaps one day attracted by Label variations. Perhaps because all is still vague about what has been really released and, also, because a collector is always hungry ? This article is not going to present all label variations available for the ATARI 2600, a whole book would be necessary. I just wanted to talk about PAL versions and introduce, as I am French, SECAM versions.

STANDARD ?

Today we have three sort of video standard available: NTSC, PAL and SECAM. As mentioned they are only "Video Standards", and , twenty years ago, most of consoles worked through TV's antenna. Then, things become more complex. Thus PAL is split up in two parts, PAL BG (Germany, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands and Spain), and PAL I (England), as SECAM, with SECAM L (France) and SECAM DK(Africa). But about cartridges, all is easiest, they were produced only in NTSC, PAL and SECAM.

PAL.

I think most of collectors know what I'm going to explain, but, I think it would be nevertheless interesting. Many firms released their own games, others were exported by local companies. About label variations, more common and famous is a game, more re-editions it has (I have about 7 different labels for PAL SPACE-INVADERS).

ATARI
Some cartridges have a 'P' stuck on the back.Often, they have also a 'P' added at the end of the serial number (For example CX2632-P). A 'P' is also often stuck on boxes.I've got also a CASINO with a 'PAL' directly stamped in it. Another weird fact is that some games were produced only in PAL format ! (like KLAX, 32in1).

ACTIVISION
A 'P' or 'E' is added in front of the serial number (for instance EAX-00( or PAX-009). Some carts are INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS translated in 5 languages (English, French, German, Spanish and Italian) or 2 languages (English and French).

IMAGIC
Sometimes it is possible to find PAL EA-PAL stuck on boxes or just PAL written next to the title.Normally, they are INTERNATIONAL EDITION translated in 5 languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish).

PARKER BROTHERS
'STARWARS The Empire Strikes Back' has a red PAL label stuck on the back of the cartridge. If you look at the back of each cartridge, you can find a 'MADE IN FRANCE' written, of course, they are all PAL. A sticker [PASSED QCQA] is often present on the carts 'MADE IN HONG KONG', this is a Quality Control confirming that the cartridge has been tested before been sold.

CBS/COLECO
PAL format is directly written on the label. Curiously, each country seems to have his own labels. As far as I know, some cartridges have only a 'FOR USE ON PAL TV SYSTEM', but some games released in UK have 'FOR USE ON PAL(UK)TV SYSTEM ONLY' and games released in Germany have "NUR FUR DEUTCHES PAL-TV-SYSTEM VERWENDBAR." Another point for 'label variation hunters', like me, CBS/COLECO have released their games both in color and Black&white labels.

DATA AGE

These cartridges were distributed in Europe by GAME WORLD.So, all the GAME WORLD games are PAL and they keep exactly the same labels than the NTSC versions, only GAME WORLD is written instead of DATA AGE.

All SALU, HES, ITT and CARRERE games are PAL, as all 'white labels' distributed by SALU and ABSOLUTE. Some German pirates (StarSoft, Quelle,or Dynacom) copied famous games or released original productions. Of course, american collectors are really interested by German cartridges, even if they are not so hard to find in German flea markets. H.E.S (Home Entertainment Supplies) from Australia produced PAL cartridges for the ATARI 2600. Those games were often copied from famous companies like Activision, Atari, Epyx or Imagic.HES also released '2 PAK SPECIALS' series and some original games.

ADULT CARTRIDGES
Few X-rated cartridges were released in US. Some companies tried to import these games in Europe.Sadly, of hopefully for us, collectors, they were censored and, normally, only the ultra-rare X-MAN, first and ultime game from GAMEX, has been released.

SECAM.

Basically, most of games released in France were PAL, only the ATARI console was SECAM. But, the major result was a loss of quality compared to the original games.

. Often, colors weren't the same.
. the screen was smaller
. loss of clearness

Curiously, some companies decided to create some games directly in SECAM. The first was CBS Electronics, perhaps the only company taking care about the quality of their games.Thus, all games produced by CBS for the COLECOVISION and the INTELLIVISION were also SECAM ! But, as far as I know, no original games were produced in France.

CBS/COLECOVISION
Normally, all games released by CBS/COLECO are SECAM. All details are written on the main label 'SYSTEM TV SECAM EXCLUSIVEMENT'. The oddest is perhaps the french version of SMURF, called, as well, SCHTROUMPFS.

ACTIVISION
Activision decided to create some cartridges directly in SECAM to save the original quality. But, most of games on the French market are PAL, so were are Activision's SECAM cartridges ? They exist ! This is just an assumption, but some Activision's cartridges have a 'S' stuck on the main label. At this time I've found only DECATHLON and HERO.Perhaps some more exist...

SPECTRAVISION
Another odd point. Normally CROSS FORCE and CHINA SYNDROME have been produced in SECAM, PAL versions didn't worked in France ... but I've never seen these versions.

APOLLO
An advert in an old French magazine about video games mentioned that some APOLLO game have been distributed by RCA and, curiously, with French's names:

NID D'ESPIONS = Infiltrate
LES GUERRIES DE L'ESPACE =???
LA VALISE PIEGEE =Lost Luggage
ALERTE AUX REQUINS =Shark Attack

But have been they released ? Some Apollo games have been released in PAL format, so, perhaps some SECAM cartridges were also produced...
To be continued ...