Action Max
Picked this up for free from Retro Gamez HQ in Swindon as it's incomplete and untested. This is that weird console that used a VCR for the images while you shot at the screen with a light gun, think Mad Dog McCree but a million times worse. As the game is being played out via a VHS tape you are unable change the course of the game, so really it just keeps count of what you virtually shoot and the object is to get a high score, which is displayed on the unit, there's no concept of death or extra lives here.
The console itself does not overlay any graphics on the screen at all, and any sound effects come from the console itself, and you are pretty much limited to shooting games, which is fine if you like shooting games, but could be a bit of an issue if you don't
The Action Max was produced in 1987 by a company called Worlds of Wonder which was founded by a couple of ex Atari employees
I have the box it came in, it shows you what should be in the box, or in my case, what's missing
Each side has a different colour scheme
I have the poly insert, you can see the VHS cassette is missing, and the stereo headphones are also missing according to the box contents. I imagine the video from the cassette is available on Youtube somewhere, and could be copied to a blank VHS if I really wanted to
The console from the top and bottom, the battery cover is also missing (remember it was free)
This one would appear to be a NTSC version, these are much more common than PAL units
There is a double digit seven segment LED display for the score, and I have no idea what the knobs and switches do
I imagine this stereo phono to 3.5mm jack plug was used instead of the headphones?
This is the indicator light, this sticks on to the TV screen in the bottom right and flashes, not sure if it flashes when you're supposed to shoot something, or flashes when you're hit. If you look closely at the sucker, there's a light dependant resistor hidden, this would read flashes on the screen to tell the console when something was happening
This is the gun, you'll notice evrything connects via a 3.5mm jack plug, just like a Sinclair ZX81
Some of these switches and sockets are easy to work out, others are not so much
For more retro hardware check out my online museum here
