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Download digitally archived Bally Arcade tape programs that will load with "AstroBASIC" (the BASIC with the built-in tape-interface).

Aldo Trilogy Aldo Trilogy
David and Benjamin Ibach.
PC Shareware Titles.
1987-1991.

These three games were written by Dave and Benjamin Ibach for the IBM PC platform running DOS:
  1. Aldo's Adventure
  2. Aldo Again
  3. Aldo's Assault
These games do not run on the Astrocade. These games will run under Windows when using a program called DOSBox (an emulator, of sorts).

While these games won't run on the Astrocade, they do give a continued history of what Dave Ibach did (with his son) after he moved on from the Astrocade. The main character in this series of one-screen platform games looks suspiciously like someone named...Mario. Give these games a try-- you'll like 'em.

Buggin' B.C. Buggin' B.C.
By Dave Ibach and George Moses.
198x.

The game is based on the characters from B.C., the daily American comic strip created by cartoonist Johnny Hart. In this game you must catch the fly that is buzzing around the screen using the Anteater's sticky tongue.

This game was programmed in BASIC and machine language.

Buggin' Me Buggin' Me.
by Dave Ibach.
198x.

This program is previously unpublished. This was found in the tape collection of Dave Ibach.

This seems to be an early version of Buggin' BC. I'm not sure it's actually possible to catch the bug.

Contest Entry "Contest Entry."
By Ben and Dave Ibach.
198x.

This program is previously unpublished. This was found in the tape collection of Dave Ibach.

This is probably a solution to a puzzle in the AstroBUG's newsletter, but the puzzle itself has not been archived. Another version of this program is called Bug Puzzle #2 Solution.

Converter
Converter.
Possibly by Dave Ibach.
198x.

It should be loaded with the command :RUN. The tape then says, "When Flashing, start old tape + press GO". I'm not sure what this actually does, but it is possibly the 300 Baud to 2000 Baud Tape Conversion Program by Jay Fenton from pages 104-107 of the "AstroBASIC" Manual.

Archive Notes: This program may be previously unpublished. This was found in the tape collection of Dave Ibach.

Frog Leap Frog Leap.
By Ben and Dave Ibach.
Arcadian 5, no. 9 (Jul. 22, 1983): 138, 146.
Niagara BUG Bulletin 1, no. 6 (Nov. 15, 1983): 17, 19.
AstroBUG's Club Tape #1 (March 1983).

You must jump your frog across the stream, using lily pads. This game was the July 1983 $100 contest winner. The controls are:
Knob:    Select number of players
Trigger: Jump/Enter
Up:      Increase length of jump
Down:    Decrease length of jump
Here are Frog Leap's play instructions from the July 1983 Arcadian:

Use hand control 1, or, for 2 players, use hand controls 1 and 2. When the frog appears on the right bank, pull your trigger to begin his leap. Your object is to make him land on the first rock. He must land right in the middle of the rock or the poor guy will slip off.

If you think he needs to go higher to get there, push the joystick forward. To bring him down, pull it back. Motions to the right or left have no effect. Repeat the procedure to get to the next rock, and then to the left bank.

At this point player 2 should trigger to set up his turn, or, if playing alone, player 1 should trigger. The game ends when a score of 15 is achieved.

Comments on Gameplay:

Lance Squire first uploaded Frog Leap to the Bally Alley Yahoo Group in message #986 on August 3, 2002. He noted, "Frog Leap! One of my favorite type-ins from the Arcadian newsletters. You jump your frog across the 'Old Mill Stream' using lily pads to land on and varying the length of your jump. This program is unique as it manages to play its opening tune while drawing the playfield. Enjoy!"

Adam Trionfo commented on Frog Leap on April 1, 2003 in the Bally Alley Yahoo Message Group message #1228:

I played Frog Leap today for the first time (it's a tape game that Lance uploaded to the file area way back in August). I expected this game to be a Frogger clone, but it's not. It's a neat little game, if you can overlook that it redraws the screen every time the frog is squished. The author really should have found a way to avoid this. The game reminds me of Artillery Duel, but you're a frog leaping, instead of a bomb being thrown. Picture that! If you get a chance check this out."

The game plays various tunes after each successful landing on a lily pad. When the frog reaches the opposite side of the stream, the 1971 song "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night is played. Appropriately, the song begins, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog. Was a good friend of mine. I never understood a single word he said. But I helped him a-drink his wine."

The original Arcadian program submission letter for Frog leap is available. It includes the cover letter, the BASIC listing, instructions a short breakdown of how the program works. The letter also mentions a program called Mazin which was on the opposite side of the tape as Leap Frog.
  1. Frog Leap Submission Letter
Machine Coder Machine Coder.
Possibly by Dave Ibach.
198x.

We're not sure what this program does, however, the first four lines of the program are comments, they say:
2 .END INPUT WITH PERIOD
3 .TO WRITE CODE TO TAPE, GOTO 3000 WITH Y=STARTING LOC & M=LAST ADDR POKED
4 .TO LOAD TAPE, :INPUT 257
5 .TO LOOK @ MEMORY GOTO 10000 & ADVANCE WITH TR
Archive Notes: This program is previously unpublished. This was found in the tape collection of Dave Ibach.

Tree Tree.
Possibly Dave Ibach.
198x.

This program draws a tree.

Archive Notes: This program is previously unpublished. This program was found on a tape full of programs by Dave Ibach from his personal tape collection, and is presumed to also be by Dave Ibach.

BUG Puzzle #2 Solution BUG Puzzle #2 Solution.
By Dave and Ben Ibach.
198x.

This is probably a solution to a puzzle in the Astrobugs newsletter, but the puzzle itself has not been archived. Another version of this program is called Contest Entry.

Archive notes: This program is from the tape collection of Dave Ibach.

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