Ads and Catalogs

     This section has several rare Astrocade advertisements and catalogs to look through. This is the place to spy items that were never released.

Bally Ads Bally and Astrovision Advertisements and Catalogs - These are flyers, catalogs, and other miscellaneous advertisements by Bally and Astrovision. Many of these are full color, eye-candy; worth a look through, especially to see some items that were not released.
Flyers Flyers
JS&A Ads JS&A Advertisements from Catalogs - These are the advertisements that introduced the Bally Professional Arcade to consumors in 1977. It is JS&A that had such a very difficult time (through no fault of their own) supplying customers with their owners.
Postcards Postcards - These are postcards sent to (or to be sent by) Astrocade's owners trying to get their business or offering warranties.
Sourcebooks Sourcebooks - By R.M.H. Glance through these Sourcebooks-- it is highly recommended. Each Sourcebook is a resource, like a catalog for Astrocade, that contains information like: New Owner Information, System Summary, Index to all Sources, Arcadian Newsletter program descriptions, Astrocade Inc. Products, Software and Hardware Sources, Mail Order Dealers, Repairs and Service, User group Information, and a compilation of sources of software and hardware products for the Bally Arcade/Astrocade.
Spectre Systems Ads Spectre Systems Ads - Spectre Systems created cartridges, an analog joystick, and programming sheets.
Wavemakers WaveMakers - Ads by WaveMakers.
Astrocade Hand Controls Sale Thumbnail Astrocade Hand Controls Sale - One page. Full page Astrocade Inc. ad that states "Astrocade Hand Controls for the Low! Low! price of $14.95 per pair (Regular $59.95) You save $45.00!!!!" There is no date on this ad, but it's probably about 1983.
Astrocade Owners Ad (Full Page from magazine) Astrocade Owners Ad (Cropped) Astrocade Owners!
Half-Page ad from Electronic Games, January 1983

Here's a list of professionals who support your computer with programs, hardware and information to help you enjoy your Astrocade to the maximum! Contact any of them for details.

ABC Hobbycraft
Arcadian Newsletter
The Astrobug's User's Group
Astrocade Sourcebook
Bit Fiddlers, The
Esoterica, Inc.
George Moses Co.
Home Arcade Electronics
H.A.R.D. Software
L&M Software
Perkins Engineering
R&L Enterprises
SFP Video Expansion
Spectre Systems
Tiny Arcade, The
TV Arcade Sales
Viper System - Alternative Engineering

Each of the companies listed has contact information, along with a brief summary of what they do. Running this ad was very expensive. Richard Houser, from Astrocade Sourcebook (one of the companies in the ad), has said that everyone in this ad grouped together funds to run it for several issues in Electronic Games magazine. When asked if the ad worked at all, Richard said that it did have noticeable results.

- Magazine Ad. PDF. 2 Pages. 524K (In Context, with magazine and full page)
- Magazine Ad. JPG. 1 Page. 596K (Cropped, for Ad only - Higher-Quality)
Astrocade Sale Thumbnail Astrocade Sale - One page. Full page Astrocade Inc. for a console and your choice of one game for 69.95 as a celebration of Astrocade Inc. getting out of chapter 11. Notice that BASIC isn't noted as being included. I'm not sure if this was an oversight, or if these blow-out consoles didn't come with it to save money.
Astrocade Support List Thumbnail Astrocade Support List - One page. "Here's a list of [19] professionals who support your computer with programs, hardware and information to help you enjoy your Astrocade to the maximum!"
Candy Man Thumbnail Candy Man - This two-page L&M Software ad also has an ad for "River City Gambler" on the back as well as a high score contest for Candy Man (sorry, the contest ended on February 28, 1983!).
Edge Software Thumbnail Edge Software Ad - Two pages. Letter, plus graphics and descriptions of Bowl, Match, Dots, Mastermind, Maze Race, Scramble, Secret Decoder, and Lost in Space.
George Collins Prog List Thumbnail George Collins Program List - One page. Three programs listed: Invasion, Bug!, and Deepspace 2050.
George Moses Software (Programs A-E) Thumbnail George Moses Software - Programs A-E - One page.
Lists five programs:
A) Analog Non-Digital Clock
B) Astro-Zap
C) Timecard Calculator
D) Home Budget Keeper
E) Screen RAM Word Processor
In addition one more program, Life, by Jay Fenton is listed.
George Moses Software (Tapes 1-5) Thumbnail George Moses Software - Tapes 1-5 - One page.
Lists five tapes:
1) Bach's 15 Two-Part Inventions
2) 27 Arcade Christmas Songs
3) Bally Arcade Ragtime
4) 3 Voice Screen RAM Music Assembler
5) Sinfonia to Cantata 29 by J.S. Bach
George Moses Music Tapes George Moses Music Tapes - One page.
Lists Four tapes:
1) Bach's 15 Two-Part Inventions
2) 27 Arcade Christmas Songs
3) Bally Arcade Ragtime
4) Sinfonia to Cantata 29 by J.S. Bach
Home Arcade Catalog 1 Home Arcade Catalog 1 - Two pages. Astrocade cartridges, cassettes, and accessories.
Home Arcade Catalog 2 Thumbnail Home Arcade Catalog 2 - Two pages, grayscale ad. Full-page Treasure Cove advertisement plus Astrocade cartridges, cassettes, and accessories. Items are on sale. You can download the B&W version (faster to download version) here.
Incredible Wizard Postcard SFP Incredible Wizard Postcard - Small postcard about the release of the new The Incredible Wizard cartridge.
JS&A National Sales Group JS&A National Sales Group - "This is the first ad for the Bally Arcade. It was printed in the September 1977 issue of American Scientific. Although not printed by Bally, JS&A was the only authorized vendor at the time." - Lance Squire
Life - Jay Fenton Life - Jay Fenton - One page. This is an ad for Jay Fenton's version of the game life. According to this ad, the game came with a 10-page manual.
Michael White Catalog Michael White's 'Catalog' - Five pages. Condensed listing of EPROM cartridges available. Michael STILL can do this.
Montgomery Ward Catalog Montgomery Ward Catalog - 2 pages. Two pages of cartridge listings for the classic early 1980's game systems (including, of course, the Astrocade).
New Image Ad New Image Ad - Two pages. Ten cassettes listed with descriptions.
Sea Devil Thumbnail Sea Devil - This is a one-page (grayscale) ad for the Bit Fiddlers cartridge game (distributed by L&M Software).
Secret of Pellucitar Thumbnail Secret of Pellucitar - This is a two-page color ad for the tape game by L&M Software. The back side of the sheet has several smaller ads for other software (also by L&M Software).

You can read the transcribed ad here here. What makes this ad interesting is that it adds information that is not included in the instructions for the game.
Sebree's Computing Sebree's Computing - Three pages.
SFP Catalog 1 SFP Catalog 1 - Sixteen pages. Full of pictures and descriptions. The best Astrocade catalog I've seen besides The Source.
SFP Catalog 2 SFP Catalog 2 - Ten pages. Full of pictures and descriptions. Slimmer than the first one, but still good.
SFP Catalog 3 SFP Catalog 3 - Four pages. Full of pictures and descriptions. There is a description of the "Z Grass 100 Computer Keyboard" on page 3.
TV Arcade Sales TV Arcade Sales - One page excerpt from TV Arcade Sales catalog (the rest of the catalog is non-Astrocade).
Three Astrocade Ads Three Astrocade Ads - Three pages. Personal Computer Breakthrough, Montogomery Wards Fall/Spring Catalog '79 Listing, and PanaCenters Ad.
W&W Software Sales Ad W&W Software Sales Ad - One page. Descriptions of five games: Othello, Van Gam, Flight Simulator, Sub Search, and Hangman.