Game Killer
 Game Killer Screenshot | |
| Technical Info | |
|---|---|
| ROM | 8 kbyte |
| Hardware features | 1 Button Freeze |
| Manual | PDF: 00 pages |
| CRT ID | 00 |
| Programming | |
| Control Registers | $DE00/DF00 (likely all IO1/2) |
| LDA #$00 STA $DE00 STA $DF00 ; disables cart | |
| Cart is enabled by the cartridge button and on powerup | |
The adverts found for this rather rare cartridge which was only available in the UK as of current knowledge contain the words:
WARNING: It is possible that some of the games you own will not have all the levels and screens promised by the software houses. This could mean that you could send them back due to false information under the Trade Description Act.
and is somehow funny wording since the rest of the advert just mentions that the cartridge is a revolutionary survival kit, disables sprite collision and for the interesting part start your game where you want!.
The company behind this advert just renamed from Robcom to ROBTEK as the advert states. Robcom was previously selling modems mainly. The change on the company name came with the introduction of the Game Killer cartridges if we can trust the adverts. Publisher Information at Amiga Hall of Light also notes ROBTEK as the company behind a few games.
On powerup a real intro pops up. It is packed with MC CRACKEN COMPRESSOR 1.3 and includes a scroller reading:
Copyright (c) M.F.Zonnefeld/P.A.Share - ROBTEK 1986. Graphics by J.W.A.Kampstra. Music by R.Hubbard. Exclusively licensed to MASTERTRONIC Int. for America, Canada and Australia under the name 'INFINITY MACHINE'. Manufactured by RAM ELECTRONICS....GAME KILLER gives you the advantage over you computer. Break through your game with ROBTEKS GAME KILLER.....HIT SPACE TO CONTINUE....
This article from Zzap! also notes the tune by Rob Hubbard and this excellent article at Commodore Zone about Rob reads:
In 1986 the company Robtek marketed a new product called Game Killer for the Commodore 64. It was a cartridge-based device that allowed gamers to cheat when playing certain games that contained sprite collision code. The cartridge would allow the sprite collision to be switched off, which in effect meant that you could complete a game because the in-game enemies could never kill your character!
Unfortunately it did not work that well as it was only useful for certain games due to the software method used.
Robtek asked Hubbard to compose the theme music for the software. It was the only commercial software utility that contained a Hubbard soundtrack and what a soundtrack it is! It’s actually a remix of some music he did for the Human Race (Mastertronic 1986).
It has a memorable chorus line, which you won’t easily forget, it’s one of those tunes that just seems to stay in your head even after all these years - I can still hear the tune now! As usual it complements the software well and is most appropriate.
 Commodore Horizons Issue 27, March 1986 |
The Zzap! article and the package are also explaining the only functionality of the cartridge being achieved by pressing the joystick button, moving joystick up or down while pressing the button to disable sprite/sprite and sprite/background collision or a combination of them. Along with an option to enable said collisions again a real Killer to many games. Commodore Horizons Issue 27 published some quick docs (see right) which slightly differ from the Zzap! article and since no full manual was seen until now it is unsure if the Commodore Horizons method is also described on the manual.
Missing
- Manual Scan
Binaries
Game_Killer_binaries_rr.c64.org_2020-12.rar contains just the C64 binaries:
- Game Killer bin and crt
- standalone "intro" of the cartridge with Rob Hubbard sound
- Rob Hubbard .sid tune
Many thanks to TNT for this special ROM dump!
Game_Killer_all_rr.c64.org_2020-12.rar contains:
- N/A
Trivia
- As it seems the cartridge was not an overwhelming success and sales quickly were stopped. Advertising apparently was stopped after a very short time and likely only cartridges of a first and final production run were sold. A quick look at the market before said production run might have saved them from doing it as well since the competition was already going strong at that time.
Weblinks
- Game Killer at Commodore Info Page
- Nightfall Crew Blog found the Game Killer and Expert Cartridge
- Rob Hubbard Article at Commodore Zone mentions Game Killer here
- Retroport.de
