Below is a list of unsolved mysteries waiting to be solved by someone - perhaps YOU! Answers can be derived by most any means necessary (straight-out playing, translating the actual code, contacting the programmers, etc.). Those marked with a (VT) require video-taped proof of someone playing the game (on an actual Atari system – no emulators!), whereas the others simply require step-by-step instructions on how to reveal it. How much each solution is worth depends on what color the title is in:
Answers for RED titles are worth $100 each
Answers for BLUE titles are worth $75 each
Answers for GOLD titles are worth $50 each
Answers for GREEN titles are worth $25 each
Clicking on the title will bring up DP's Easter egg entry for it. There’s also a $50 bounty for any as-of-yet undiscovered hidden names/initials/messages (i.e. those not already in our Easter egg database) that can be revealed while playing a game (be sure to check DP’s Easter egg section for a current list of known Easter eggs). If you have an answer to submit, or any questions about the contest, email us.
Good luck and happy hunting!
ARCADE
FOOD FIGHT
● "hi Jon" is coded as graphics in
the program (see entry). It's currently unknown whether or not they can be
triggered to appear onscreen.
ORBIT
● The initials “LR”
(for Lyle Rains), “OR” (for Owen Rubin), “Ly” (for
?), “Mh” (for Morgan Hoff), and “PM” (for Paul Mancuso?)
can be found in the program, coded as graphics (see entry). According to Rubin,
it’s quite possible these can be triggered to appear on the screen!
SKYDIVER
● The initials “OR” (for
programmer Owen Rubin) can be found in the program, as graphics (see
entry). It's currently unknown whether or not they can be triggered to appear
onscreen.
●
According to programmer Ed
Rotberg, the prototype version has a somewhat risqué ending sequence that can be
triggered to appear, but this was completely removed from the release version.
UP 'N DOWN
● A strange, blue character appears
on round 7, but it’s unknown how to trigger it.
Atari VCS/2600
BOB POLARO's missing egg(s)
● Do any more of Bob’s games have Easter eggs left
in them? The remaining titles are
Holey
Moley,
Rampage,
RealSports Volleyball
,
Road Runner, and
Stunt Cycle (inc. the Dukes of Hazzard variant).
DAN OLIVER left-handed joystick option
● Dan Oliver mentioned in an interview with
the 2600 Connection newsletter that one of his games (Laser Gates,
Rescue Terra 1,
Space Cavern, or possibly
Telepathy) contained an undocumented (?) feature that reconfigured the joystick for a left-handed
player.
CALIFORNIA GAMES
● Is there a way to
trigger M. Peter Engelbrite’s initials to appear?
CROSSBOW
● Does this contain a hidden
name/initials?
CRYSTAL
CASTLES
● It's very possible that the initials for
programmer Peter C. Niday are hidden somewhere.
● Need a videotape of someone scoring 199 points against the computer (and revealing the programmers initials). Tips: play a 15-minute game with all options on. (VT)
FATHOM
● Rob Fulop claims that the
“escape” ship (shown at the end of Atlantis and Cosmic Ark) is
hidden somewhere in the game somewhere, but he doesn’t recall how to uncover it.
HAUNTED HOUSE
● Is there a
way to trigger the hidden staff object? (see the entry in the 2600 section for
more info)
MISSILE COMMAND
● Copies of this game are rumored to exist without
Rob Fulop's initials in them - does anybody have one?
● Programmer Steve DeFrisco’s initials are hidden in the game, but he doesn’t recall how to trigger them. We found a possible location of the initials in the code, at byte offsets $3da1-$3da5.
● Steve Woita revealed/confirmed that there is a way to change “CRAZED WAVE” to “WOITA WAVE” (picture #1) but he doesn’t recall how to do it.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST
● According to an interview with programmer Howard
Scott Warshaw (in the
Winter 1999 issue of Classic Gamer Magazine) a Yar will fly up through
the treasure room (inside a mesa) when you start digging. It depends on
the right configuration of (three?) items in your inventory. Chances are
the flying Yar doesn’t exist, but is it possible that “something” happens
with the right inventory?
REACTOR
● Programmer Charlie Heath’s initials are hidden in the game, but it’s
unknown exactly how to trigger them. It’s believed there are 2 different
versions of the game (one stops at 999,999; the other rolls at 999,999). It’s
unknown if the initials are in both, but the version that rolls seems to be more
common. Analysis of the code shows you must score at least 200,000 points and
that it doesn’t matter which game variation you play.
● Programmer Steve DeFrisco mentions his initials might be hidden in the game, but he doesn’t recall how to trigger them.
STAR RAIDERS
Atari 5200/8-bit
ATARIWRITER
·
According to some Analog magazines, there are several Easter eggs (a game
and a couple of demos, one that makes the colors perform a rainbow effect) which
can be accessed by shorting certain joystick pins together. Approximately 80k
carts were made before Atari found out about it and had them removed. Has
anyone seen these before, or know how to tell them apart? There’s also one that
display’s programmer William Robinson’s name when a certain combination of
joystick inputs were entered. Supposedly Atari sued Robinson over this one but
the lawsuit was settled out of court. The cartridges with the Easter eggs were
rumored to have been recalled, but thousands had already been sold by that
time. To this day it is unknown how to trigger it.
THE
SPY STRIKES BACK
● As with the original game, Spy’s Demise, this game
also has a cryptograph message. What is it?
SUPER PAC-MAN
VEGAS POKER
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Atari 7800
● Hidden in the graphics code is the message “Pete “kid” Gaston”, but it's unknown how to trigger it.
PLANET SMASHERS
● According to the programmer, James V.
Zalewski, there is a hidden invincibility mode, but he couldn’t recall how to
unlock it.
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COLECOVISION
GALAXIAN
● The manual mentions
to look for special surprises during a game. What are they?
MOUNTAIN KING
● Does an
Easter egg similar to the ones in the Atari versions exist?
Note the blue “pathway” through the spider’s lair.
By using a Super Action controller (and pressing all the trigger buttons)
you can fall through the bottom floor, but is there a way that's intentionally
programmed?
WING
WAR
● According to the programmer, James V.
Zalewski, there is a hidden invincibility mode, but he couldn’t recall how to
unlock it.
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Commodore 64
MOUNTAIN KING
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VIC-20
MOUNTAIN KING
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