Galaxian2 by Entex / WIP

[DarthNuno]

Long time ago I had a game : Galaxian2 by Namco ...huh ... Midway? ...nope... ENTEX!
Very strange, there is NO mention at all about Namco or Midway somewhere?! Legal ?

Well, each time I went to my father's house these last years, I tried to find it out... because I'm sure I saw it *boxed* before I left the house.
But no luck... impossible to put the hand on it  So the only option for me is to buy it... once again 
Fortunately, I got it for fews bucks on ebay... but, without the box  It's better than nothing, and because I'm not a crazy Handheld games collector, I can live without a box 

OK, here's the beast I got from ... US (too bad I didn't find it back close to my home/country at the time I was looking for  )



Not too bad condition... but very dirty   





See the back... fortunately, the battery cover is there 



...and under the cover, the SN maybe? :



The instructions are on a sticker on the back :



Some scratches on the plastic 'bezel'... but I can live with...



Closer :



Important : the game works 



...but I'll have to clean the button contacts, because I've to press to much on them for moving my ship.

Here's the to do list :

- clean the game
- clean the button contacts

 

[Belike]

Looks great, thanks for the pics and for the new handheld topic!

[Blanka]

I'm very good at cleaning them now . The magic is a soft tricot sheet with plain water, and an empty balpen or so to push the cloth in the edges. Sometimes some alcohol, but never near the stickers that are supposed to be on a hand held. I just did a Tomy Ufo Attack that was gross like shit with tape remainders and pen-marks in the grill, but it turned out pretty well. Got it for free with an order of some nice ones. Bought one of these Galaxians too. Hope the women in France got the money by now. Damn those French banks are lazy. Germans get my money within 3 hours, French take 10 days or so.

[DarthNuno]

Thanks for the Tips Blanka. I'll try to work on this one this WE. I also have to clean the contacts (I've to push very strong on the button  )... hope it's not harder than cleaning the controls on our arcade games 

[Blanka]

The controls are easy to fix. Same as remote buttons. I fixed a dead button on a Entex Pac-Man 2, very similar to this one technically. Just remove the rubber pad, wipe the logic board tracks and put it back together.

[Blanka]

I have this one on the way to me now too. Curious how it looks. Quote from "The complete guide to Electronic Games", a book from 1982:

This is the finest, most sophisticated version of SPACE INVADERS ever published in Hand Held electronic form....this is everything an electronic game should be, and more

Can't wait to open the box when it arrives. Mine will come from just accross the border next to your place Bruno. You can probably CYCLE there.... 

[DarthNuno]

Did you get it boxed?
When the price is not to high, I try of course get the games boxed...but I do not want to buy such games for pure collection or speculation... just want to found back the games I've meet/played in the past (owned or not)... and get a good dose of 'Back In Time Feeling' when I try them 

[level42]

I love the trouble shooting section on that instruction sticker ! 

"Malfunction: Try new batteries"

[Blanka]

My Galaxian arrived this morning . Looks good, but the transparent window is cleaned with Cif one time I guess. No hurt to the letters printed on the glass though. Anyone know a good way to polish perspex?
Yours Bruno looks like it can use some polish of the glass too
I also have the same yellow edges, but it seems to come off. No flame retardants in this one, thank god. That's stupid shit Nintendo (poor DK Jr tabletops and panorama's   ) and Bandai used, and a problem maker everyone with a C64 must know.
BTW, it is REALLY big. Did not expect it to be that thick and large.
Mine is not boxed. I don't like paying double to receive a piece of smelly shit around it . The game counts for me. I only have a few with box because they were unused (Mint LCD Zaxxon, Mattel Gravity, Tomy Speedline and DK Hockey micro VS). That's OK with me .

What I don't get, is that you can get a beauty like this for half you pay on a piece of shit version of Donkey Kong jr, which is sold 100 times more. The name Nintendo makes people turn wacko with their wallet.

[level42]

My Galaxian arrived this morning . Looks good, but the transparent window is cleaned with Cif one time I guess. No hurt to the letters printed on the glass though. Anyone know a good way to polish perspex?
Yours Bruno looks like it can use some polish of the glass too

MicroMesh:
http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/acrylic_plastic_hand_kits.htm

Be sure to get a kit for acrylic !

I picked up a kit here (at the shop) but they don't seem to list it on their site anymore:
http://www.modelbrouwers.nl/shop/catalog/advanced_search_result.php/keywords/mba0/sort/3d/language/nl/page/1

They do have ultra-fine waterproof sanding paper in various grids. However, the micro-mesh kit is re-usable LOTS of times.

Lot's of other people use Novus 1-2-3: http://www.novuspolish.com/

By the way some guy found out a method against the yellowing from fire retardants as you mention but I can't find the link right now....

[jimmy2x2x]

like this?
http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/

[Blanka]

I know Retrobright, but this game does not have the problem.

Bruno, mine is clean now. I have some experiences to share:
-With all the little edges, I found out a toothbrush is very handy. And then the type with a softer tip for not damaging your gums. Use this tip with some alcohol and the edges are very easy to clean, even the holes in the small embossed text and the FIRE in the red buttons.
-There was some sticky tape on the black ENTEX sign on the side, but don't use alcohol on that, the black is printed and is not so black anymore on mine :S
-Removing the pads and cleaning the contacts and the black circles on top of them was very useful. Have much better button response now.

[level42]

Why does one side have up/down buttons ?

[Blanka]

Player 2 can play the Galaxians. You control the one that goes down, and thus you can move it in 4 directions.

[level42]

AHA ! That's pretty funny !