Collecting Obscure Video Games: Aquarius Computer Homebrew

[@joewyatt2407]

We briefly had an Aquarius. The games we had for it were terrible! If only those people making them today were doing it back in the 80’s…. My Sinclair ZX Spectrum was my go to machine and the games that are now being made for it today really are mind blowing! I’m so glad these machines are still being kept alive!

[@merman1974]

I've just done a big feature on the Aquarius homebrew for Retro Gamer issue 238. I interviewed Roy Templeman and Heidi Taylor, and covered Heidi's new game Bustout that will be released through Cronosoft.

[@aquariusrevival9089]

Thanks, Andrew! (high five!)

[@treyslay753]

It's pretty strange Mattel even released the Aquarius back in the day. I think around the same time they had FINALLY released the computer keyboard for the Intellivision 2. The games on the Aquarius look inferior to Intellivision games. I've heard that some other company developed the Aquarius for Mattel. I bought one of these from a thrift store years ago and was underwhelmed to say the least. Still, it is amazing that every system or computer has its fans. Kudos to these people for keeping the Aquarius alive.

[@kjhoskins]

I've never heard of this system until now. This has been educational. Thanks for the video, John.

[@Paul29Esx]

Just got an aquarius last week, and there's something I really like about it. Great timing for the video

[@jasonmarsh3165]

I have the base system in my loft. I didn't want a spectrum as all my mates back in the day... So I asked my parents to get this instead. I was gutted it only lasted a year or two but it still works fine... Nice work keep the vids coming. Cheers

[@blackterminal]

Seeing you opening new tapes brings me back to the old excitement of opening new cassettes for the family Sinclair Spectrum. In the later years it was only tapes stuck to the front of magazine's. Later it was disks stuck to the front for my Atari ST. It was a good period. I do miss that. Perhaps we all end up missing our childhood.

[@donnellcooper1011]

OMG! The Aquarius! I remember my 2 older sisters and I wanted Atari 2600 for Christmas. We received The Aquarius instead thanks to our uncle who was a trucker who "got" this from a Toys R Us delivery (LOL on the word "got"). Let's just say we were not happy with The Aquarius and received an Atari 2600 the next Christmas (legitimately)!😅

[@cjh0751]

I think it's great to see people programming games for the Aquarius. It keeps these old machines alive.

[@coffeecuparcade]

I remember being curious about this and wanting ANY computer back in these days. I would have enjoyed it a lot

[@BigHushAffiliate]

Doomsday defender, not catcher. 3:15 Awesome video as always!

[@johnhancockretro]

Haha got it messed up with Bomb Catcher 2.

[@BigHushAffiliate]

@@johnhancockretro lol yeah I figured as much. 😅

[@GeorgesChannel]

Great video, John. The Aquarius definitly needs more love and attention. I think its a cool system :)

[@BillyBetYT]

Tron: Deadly Discs was pretty good on Aquarius…

[@gingerdude94]

I'd never even heard of that computer, I am a UK 70's child and it was new to me.

[@gingerdude94]

Keeping the dream alive. That's pretty awesome

[@Evercade_Effect]

Great video! Never heard of this computer and enjoy learning about this stuff.

[@HiNRGboy]

I'm definitely into the classic 80's computers.. Aquarius is one I haven't really been interested in simply due to its software being mostly the same as the Intellivision I thought.

[@kenwheeler3637]

Very interesting. I didn't know that there were homebrews for the Aquarius.

[@johnhancockretro]

I know, right?

[@eliadefilho]

Dude, that's black hole level obscure...

[@Lagib28]

I still have the Aquarius I got when they were being closed-out in the 80's. The bundle was so cheap that I coouldnt pass it up. I was a dedicated C-64 user then, so I just got it as a novelty, but the appeal wore off quickly when I saw how limited its abilities were and tried typing on that horrendous keyboard. Its been packed away for about 35 years.

[@redstratus97]

I have never heard of this one.

[@randomwrestlingarchive3937]

I wouldn't call these games obscure really: they are homebrew. There are several Aquarius games that came out in UK that are quite rare.

[@johnhancockretro]

Collecting Aquarius Computer Homebrew in general is obscure compared to what other computers and consoles to collect for.

[@randomwrestlingarchive3937]

@@johnhancockretro That makes sense!

[@jdiluigi]

But can it run Doom...JK. It is insane what early computer programmers pulled off to make games. The only retro computer I have is the Texas Instruments TI-99 that my dad bought before I could walk. Only have TI Invaders and Car wars but it still runs perfect.

[@aquariusrevival9089]

Doom? Challenge accepted.

[@jayhouston7054]

Wow the old Aquarius. Had one as a kid, I never had much luck on the AD&D dungeon crawler although the Intellevision version I could beat some of the easier lower floored games.

[@Jarod_Schultz]

I have an interest in obscure systems myself. I want the Odyssey 2, Vectrex, and SG 1000.

[@Horos_de_Vega]

None of these 3 are obscure though…

[@Jarod_Schultz]

@@Horos_de_Vega They're a little obscure, but not as much as the Super A'can or Pioneer Laser Active.

[@Horos_de_Vega]

@@Jarod_Schultz I wouldnt classify them as obscur: the Odyssey 2 was one of the best sellers of its generation (with the help of Philips); the Vectrex was an icon with ads everywhere; and the SG1000 was a success in Japan despite the Famicom.

[@SuperDancingdonkey]

This is the problem with collecting, you start with something that has meaning to yourself. Then it's more about the collection than the items themselves or their meaning. Eventually it loses meaning entirely.

[@michaeladams9807]

👍👍

[@Haftower]

intresting

[@baeleth]

I wonder if the people who made Warp Factor asked to use images from the fan series Star Trek Continues. Makes me wonder where image use rights lie on fan projects. I mean, they weren't allowed to make money on their series but could someone else be allowed to make money using images they made in any way? Plus, many of the actors in STC are working actors and would probably want compensation or at least to be asked to use their likeness. I don't see anything about it with a cursory Google search. I'd like to think they'd have reached out and gotten the okay. Star Trek Continues is pretty awesome, btw. I highly recommend checking it out. Total labor of love.

[@johnhancockretro]

Yes they got permission

[@baeleth]

@@johnhancockretro so glad to hear that. Still curious as to whether it was any kind of a headache. I just remember all the problems fan made stuff has had since one fan project kind of ruined it for everyone else a few years back. Though, as I understand, the Star Trek Continues team worked really hard with Paramount and CBS to make sure they didn't step on any toes, so if there were to be a best case scenario for making it work, using STC imagery would be it. Thanks for the response!

[@blackterminal]

Did you tell on people in class?

[@baeleth]

@@blackterminal I was just wondering about whether they had any problems on something that I knew was already a minefield for the people who made the fan content. But, as an artist and designer, yeah. Depending on who owns what, etc., the original creator or the owner should be contacted. Otherwise it's theft. Doesn't matter who's doing it. You verify, ask, pay, etc.

[@aquariusrevival9089]

FYI - Vic (Captain Kirk) gave his blessing. I made it pretty clear that Roy & I weren't making a penny off of this project. Edit: that's why there's the entire STC disclaimer on the inside of the insert.

[@WilliamSmith-ex9et]

Ugh