Nostalgic ramblings - the first game you ever played?

QuizMaster · Post by **QuizMaster** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:06 am

The machine with the depth charges was called 'Believe It or Not' and was 3 games in 1.

The Believe It or Not game had Believe It or Not which I think was True/False, a pretty basic quiz game and the Sub/Depth Charges game.

Barcrest messed around with something called Option 3 at around the same time which included Turnover, Barquest and a card game called Wild Thing. Days of Mammon, they were.

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:10 am

Thanks QM - now you mention it, I think I recall you pointing that out to me before...

Would be QI to try and locate some pictures of said machine.

ggdr · Post by **ggdr** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:13 am

Matt, you might be interested to learn that two of the OPEN Dual Core (or whatever they're called) machines I've played feature Believe It Or Not. This along with other absolute gems like the true/false Blackjack game where you get an extra life every time you manage 21 in two moves, and Quest For Nefertiti, which I generally play in a constant state of fear that my precious lives will be taken away from me.

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:29 am

That is indeed interesting! Is that a new 'box'? It certainly sounds it from the name. Am intending to do a bit of a tour (15ish pubs!) on Friday, so will keep an eye out for it.

cp999 · Post by **cp999** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:30 am

QuizMaster wrote:Barcrest messed around with something called Option 3 at around the same time which included Turnover, Barquest and a card game called Wild Thing. Days of Mammon, they were.

The card game was actually called Card Sharp. I found it quite interesting in an abstract sense and fresh ones rewarding in a financial sense. There were only a limited number of predetermined card sequences, so it was possible to construct repeatable winning games. Oddly the O3 Barquests I had never seemed to offer 50p and £1 trails, unlike the standalones, no matter how hard you attacked them.

cp999 · Post by **cp999** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:34 am

ggdr wrote:Matt, you might be interested to learn that two of the OPEN Dual Core (or whatever they're called) machines I've played feature Believe It Or Not. This along with other absolute gems like the true/false Blackjack game where you get an extra life every time you manage 21 in two moves, and Quest For Nefertiti, which I generally play in a constant state of fear that my precious lives will be taken away from me.

Blackjack is often pretty difficult to locate on Opens; tends to be hidden in the backwoods of the menu system. Pen and paper time

QuizMaster · Post by **QuizMaster** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:52 am

The Believe It Or Not on the Opens is a different game. It's another lame attempt at a DOND rip a la Take It Or Leave It (original)

On a separate note, I may have to change my long held opinion that Paragons are shit, having come across an updated one yesterday. It would be remiss of me to indicate early thoughts at this stage, suffice to say that it may hold promise.........

ggdr · Post by **ggdr** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:24 pm

[quote="cp999"] Pen and paper time ]

Coward, use your memory!

grecian · Post by **grecian** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:56 am

QuizMaster wrote: On a separate note, I may have to change my long held opinion that Paragons are shit, having come across an updated one yesterday. It would be remiss of me to indicate early thoughts at this stage, suffice to say that it may hold promise.........

Good to hear they are starting to appear QM. I'd been starting to believe that Games Warehouse had been pulling my leg about the timing! I haven't seen one yet down in the big smoke.

dmac · Post by **dmac** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:54 pm

kidgloves · Post by **kidgloves** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:21 pm

I remember playing Crazy Maze, DLT's Treble Top and 10 quid grid.
DLT's was an easy £20 when ready.

gambogaz1 · Post by **gambogaz1** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:32 pm

When I read this I didn't realise what give us a break was until I stumbled across it on ebay just

Cracking Quizzer that was relitively fair to us thicko's. I remember JP'n it a few times but only on the lower stake. £10JP never the £20JP

grecian · Post by **grecian** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:38 pm

gambogaz1 wrote:When I read this I didn't realise what give us a break was until I stumbled across it on ebay just

Cracking Quizzer that was relitively fair to us thicko's. I remember JP'n it a few times but only on the lower stake. £10JP never the £20JP

This is other's speciality rather than mine, but as far as I am aware, Give Us A Break was a totally different SWP to Big Break. GUAB dated from the early 90s (or maybe late 80s) and was based on the quiz on Dave Lee Travis' radio programme, BB dated from 1996/7 ish and was based on the Jim Davidson gameshow. GUAB was before my time but BB was not: as you say it was a decent game, as (to be fair) were most of the standalones turned out by Maygay in that era.

gambogaz1 · Post by **gambogaz1** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:43 pm

Ah yes, I'm getting my wires crossed here, I was visioning Give us a break fruit machine which was set out just like BB on the feature board. Didn't even click it was BB till you pointed it out

tonkarentino · Post by **tonkarentino** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:17 pm

grecian wrote:
gambogaz1 wrote:When I read this I didn't realise what give us a break was until I stumbled across it on ebay just

Cracking Quizzer that was relitively fair to us thicko's. I remember JP'n it a few times but only on the lower stake. £10JP never the £20JP
This is other's speciality rather than mine, but as far as I am aware, Give Us A Break was a totally different SWP to Big Break. GUAB dated from the early 90s (or maybe late 80s) and was based on the quiz on Dave Lee Travis' radio programme, BB dated from 1996/7 ish and was based on the Jim Davidson gameshow. GUAB was before my time but BB was not: as you say it was a decent game, as (to be fair) were most of the standalones turned out by Maygay in that era.

GUAB made it's first appearance in 1987. GUAB 1 had a small programme and the scores on the prize chart were always present (i.e. 10-12 £1.00) Only when GUAB 2 came out did you not have any idea what the prize settings were until the game started. This then followed on to all the other versions. Like with a lot of other machines at the time a £10.00 win was always possible. When they were "wound up" you had to take blacks with every red. The time bar speeded up but the good players simply added speed to their knowledge. I'm struggling for memory now but I think I might have seen editions in the thirties....
Towards the end of the lifespan there weren't enough of each edition around to make learning an edition worthwhile but it was VERY good for a couple of years. My favourite was GUAB 7 which had a history bias.
I wouldn't swear to this but I think Treble Top was seen as the successor.