WTB: Sidewinder Complete Original Game

[Archminion]

Hi,

I'm new to the boards but a long time player and collector of Amiga games.

I'm looking to get a complete copy of the classic Sidewinder by Mastertronic.

Preferably in Excellent condition.

The better the condition the more I'd be willing to pay for a copy


I am actually trying to locate one specific disk variant that does not have the virus warning on the label but would be interested in any version.

Also if anyone has the very rare US release, I'd be very interested...

Cheers

[Archminion]

Quick bump:

I'd be willing to pay £200 + shipping for the rare disk variant mentioned earlier.

Thanks

Please pm me if you have a copy to sell...

[Archminion]

I'm no longer looking for this item thanks

[DrBong]

Out of curiosity, did you manage to find the almost mythical U.S. release of Sidewinder?!

I've got a few copies of the UK release and a copy of the U.S. version from the Awesome Arcade Action Pack, but have never seen any evidence of a standalone U.S. release except for the box scan on Exotica.

[Archminion]

Hi DrBong,

No not at all mate.
It's interesting to know that the box scan is actually from one of the original dev's blogs.

I have a feeling it's just a PC version box with an Amiga sticker on it.

The programmer didn't actually work on the other 2 games on the Awesome Arcade Action Pack, so it's possible he just wanted a standalone box/copy to display?

Also, some evidence to support this is I know for a fact is Mastertronic / Melbourne House sometimes sent copies of their games in large cardboard boxes to the press for review purposes (while the actual retail copy would come in a small plastic case.)

Roadwars on the Spectrum was released like this, so theoretically there's large boxed copies of Roadwars for the Speccy (along with a possible big box separate Amiga release of SW...?


BTW: I'm still looking for the CU Amiga demo disk with Sidewinder on it, if anyone has a copy to sell?
I'd offer 20 quid + postage for one of those...

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by Archminion

No not at all mate.
It's interesting to know that the box scan is actually from one of the original dev's blogs.

I have a feeling it's just a PC version box with an Amiga sticker on it.

Bummer that you didn't get any bites for the U.S. release. In any case, the box scan on Darrin Massena's blog has been taken from the Exotica website rather than the reverse. I doubt that he supplied it to Exotica as the scan has been on their website for 20 years now (see HERE - scroll down to news item 1998-08-27). Best way to find out is to email Buzz from the Exotica website and ask if he remembers who supplied that box scan.

The programmer didn't actually work on the other 2 games on the Awesome Arcade Action Pack, so it's possible he just wanted a standalone box/copy to display?

Possibly. It could also be that Mastertronic had plans to release a standalone version in the U.S. on their Arcadia label, but then backflipped on the idea after getting some promo versions of the box produced in preparation for standalone release and didn't tell Darrin Massena. Incidentally, Massena looks to have left the games industry altogether after the release of Sidewinder......so he may have been none-the-wiser if Mastertronic changed their mind on a standalone U.S release.

Also, some evidence to support this is I know for a fact is Mastertronic / Melbourne House sometimes sent copies of their games in large cardboard boxes to the press for review purposes (while the actual retail copy would come in a small plastic case.)

Roadwars on the Spectrum was released like this, so theoretically there's large boxed copies of Roadwars for the Speccy (along with a possible big box separate Amiga release of SW...?

Are you talking about UK or U.S. releases of games sent for review here?

BTW: I'm still looking for the CU Amiga demo disk with Sidewinder on it, if anyone has a copy to sell?
I'd offer 20 quid + postage for one of those...

Think I have the CU Amiga coverdisk here somewhere, but I like to hang on to ones that have full games released on them. Sorry. Still, you may be interested to know that I don't think they duplicated Sidewinder properly on that coverdisk.....as the files corresponding to later levels seem to be missing IIRC.

[Archminion]

It's all very mysterious,

I'd love to see the reverse of that US Amiga box.
The regular US PC release only has screen shots and info related to the PC version...

Of course, they could have just use the one box style with PC only shots because of laziness?

E.G. The US box version of Roadwars for the C64 actually shows only Amiga (Arcadia V1 actually) screen shots and the blurb on the back mentions the 16-Bit versions only...

About the large box Spectrum version of Roadwars: I'd read in several UK Speccy mags of the day, that RW came in a large cardboard box and the reviewers liked the packaging presentation.

There's no evidence of a disk release of RW on the Speccy (unlike the C64), and there's no evidence of the Spectrum version ever been released in a large box.

Tne UK C64 disk version comes in the same packaging as the UK Amiga and ST versions.

To confuse things a little more though: There is a very rare UK MSX release, and that one DOES come in a large cardboard box...

Maybe there was a small quantity of boxed Spectrum versions released before they started shipping in double plastic cases?

About the CU Amiga disk: I would really like to get this disk if at all possible but I'm happy to wait til one does turn up.

However, I'm also willing to look at negotiations for it if you would ever consider selling

Cheers

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by Archminion

It's all very mysterious,

I'd love to see the reverse of that US Amiga box.
The regular US PC release only has screen shots and info related to the PC version...

Of course, they could have just use the one box style with PC only shots because of laziness?

I dunno if it was so much laziness as marketing strategy. In 1988, the C64 was still going great guns in the U.S. and the PC was its biggest competitor outside the consoles in the home videogames arena there.

A good example illustrating this perhaps is another game from 1988 named Phantom Fighter. Developed specifically for the Amiga in Ireland by Emerald Software, they did a PC conversion also and it was released by a different publisher (Brøderbund) in the U.S. as If It Moves, Shoot It!

On the game's box rear are 4 PC screenshots (notably VGA) plus a lone Amiga screenshot. Despite the Amiga screenshot, the game was never released under that title for the platform by Brøderbund in the U.S.. Presumably they had plans to release the Amiga version (Brøderbund were still an Amiga-friendly publisher at that stage), but probably canned it because they didn't think it was a strong enough title to sell to the smaller Amiga market there or perhaps did so on the back of poor initial sales of the PC release.

Whatever the reason, I think it's a good bet that there would've been more Amiga screenshots on the back of that game box if there was no VGA support or, alternatively, if the game box was for a C64 version. Check out this thread on bogus/misleading screenshots on game boxes to see what I mean.

Originally Posted by Archminion

E.G. The US box version of Roadwars for the C64 actually shows only Amiga (Arcadia V1 actually) screen shots and the blurb on the back mentions the 16-Bit versions only...

Well, well, well....see above!

Originally Posted by Archminion

About the large box Spectrum version of Roadwars: I'd read in several UK Speccy mags of the day, that RW came in a large cardboard box and the reviewers liked the packaging presentation.

There's no evidence of a disk release of RW on the Speccy (unlike the C64), and there's no evidence of the Spectrum version ever been released in a large box.

The UK C64 disk version comes in the same packaging as the UK Amiga and ST versions.

To confuse things a little more though: There is a very rare UK MSX release, and that one DOES come in a large cardboard box...

Maybe there was a small quantity of boxed Spectrum versions released before they started shipping in double plastic cases?

I suspected you were talking more about UK releases of games (well, those sent for review at any rate).

Originally Posted by Archminion

About the CU Amiga disk: I would really like to get this disk if at all possible but I'm happy to wait til one does turn up.

However, I'm also willing to look at negotiations for it if you would ever consider selling

I'm guessing that Scuzz wasn't willing to part with his non-working coverdisk then? There are a few people here who know the black magic of resuscitating and restoring such disks, assuming no serious physical damage or deterioration of the innards.

Anyway, I'm not even sure where my Sidewinder coverdisk is at the minute.....but you'll be the first to know if I ever do decide to part with it!

[nolunchman]

this disk?

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/sh...9u3hWRtgDutV9U

[Archminion]

I have Phantom Fighter, pretty nice but difficult (and short) shooter.

Completely agree with the issue with the screenshots on the back of the box.

The opposite seems true though with Roadwars though, which actually has several shots on the back all claiming to be from the Amiga version.

(They're actually from the little know 1st version of the Arcadia coin-op, not the home Amiga version).

About the demo disk- I have in fact found that now so the case is closed on that one


Going back to Roadwars: I'm actually looking for a boxed copy of the game on the Mastertronic 16-Blitz label, if anyone has one they'd be willing to sell?

I'd offer a good price on this (far more than it would usually have sold for on eBay), because I'm looking to complete a set of 16-Blitz titles.

They look quite nice on my shelf

Cheers