Category: Games

062426 • Thrift Store Finds

The other books I picked up yesterday aside from the previously mentioned Shogun! The most consequential is the Brad Thor book, which is the new 2026 release, meaning that I am caught up! I have six or seven books left to finish my re-read of his books, although I’m at the point where I’m reading new ones as they weren’t released the first time I read all of his books.

What is great is that the one I finished last night was kind of by-the-numbers, but the last paragraph changed all that, and I had to start the next one immediately, and it is just great! It made up for the previous book which is only mediocre to me because I know all of the characters so well, and some of the repetitive aspects that Thor has to go through explaining things I already know after what, twenty-five, thirty books in? But he clearly fixed that here.

I was close to meeting Brad Thor a few months ago when he was a mile away from the Ice Ranch, signing books, but the time was too close to my game for me to go see him and have him sign a book. Maybe next time. Or, should I say, he would have had the honor of meeting me?

The “Affirmation of Faith” has been sitting at the 44th & Wadsworth ARC for more than a month, it is a nice, quality binding with excellent paper, so for two bucks I had to give it a home. Lots of things written by consequential people from the history of our nation in here that all critics clearly have never read before.

The book on Russia was one of two different books (So of course it must have come from the same personal library) but the other book had too much writing and underlining in it, and some light mold on the edges of the pages, so I put it back. I have enough books to have standards. Very interesting topic, it is a shame most people would never open this up.

The book on the Boer War by Churchill, I had to get because it is in new shape, and I bought the Folio Society versions of his Work War I and World War II sets last year. I also don’t know anything about the Boer war, although I have a few books on it.

Also: A re-release of the original version of RISK, still in the wrapper, and an M.C. Escher puzzle!

Thrifts Don’t Check, They Just Tape Shut

There was a Buy-One-Get-One-Free in the games at the thrift store. I wanted this U.S. Army version of Monopoly, of which I’ve never seen before and likely would never see again, but of course, they always tape the boxes shut, so I couldn’t check it. And, of course, I get home, and it has some clothes and card games in it… no cool Monopoly game. A wise man told me to always cut that tape and inspect before purchasing, but I failed to do so and look at this. I was blinded, perhaps, by the really neat Axis & Allies game I picked up last week.

However, the puzzle I picked up with this for the BOGO turned out to be the actual find… 4000 pieces, and all in the bag, unopened! That made up for the Monopoly disappointment.

Axis & Allies

Being half-off Saturday, this shouldn’t have still been on the shelf for only six bucks. I have no idea how to play it, but couldn’t pass it up, the topic is great for a game. I also have RISK, which I also haven’t played before.

I also saw a new version of Stratego, which, in order to enhance the realism, added hot babes, who of course would have helped Napoleon win at Waterloo. Just a little tiny bit of historical revisionism added to enhance gameplay.

Dogfight!

Screenshot

My favorite period of history to read about is World War I, so when I spotted this “Dogfight” game for three bucks at the thrift store today, I had to buy it, even though they tape their games shut. It is missing some minor pieces, but is totally playable. I now have a real reason to look at the games section on a regular basis, now… especially since this is one of four in a series of games, as I found out on a specialized “Dogfight” web site, and eBay.

Along with “Risk”, “Battleship”, “Stratego”, “Axis & Allies” and “All The King’s Men”, I’ve got a decent selection of games to play.

And before today, I thought I had all the cool board games, but there are a few more out there!

There’s always “Monopoly”, “Jenga”, and “Uno”, too. So much fun for next to no money!

Stratego 1961

I picked up a 1961 copy of Stratego at a garage sale yesterday for two dollars, and it is in great condition! Unfortunately, I think this now certifies me as a collector of Stratego games.

The copy on top with the battle scene is the same version that I learned on at my grandma’s house. The one below it with the General making a move, that is the same version (I don’t know where my original copy ended up) I received for my birthday in the 1980s. The white version with the father and son playing is the copy I just bought.

In addition to these three, I have a really nice bookshelf version in a wood case, it goes on a bookshelf like a book (I have a version of RISK like this, too).

The last Stratego is from a thrift store and is the more modern version, but thankfully not with the reverse piece-numbering. The original games had the most powerful piece as “1”, and the weaker pieces going down to the more pawn-like “9”. For some reason, the modern versions are backward, from 9-1 instead of 1-9. Why did they do that?

Unfortunately, there is a Pirates of the Caribbean version of the game, as well as a 50th Anniversary version. I must have these, but only if I come across them. The good thing about having more than one copy though, is that if one is missing a piece (the General version is missing a “9”), I can substitute one from a different game.

The modern version also didn’t come with a board (a common risk at the ARC Thrift Store, where they seal the used games so you can’t inspect them. But if they didn’t do this, there would be total chaos because kids already leave a mess everywhere with the bigger toys in that area as it is). So, I can just use one of the four other boards I have.

This is a lot like Classical music cd’s, or books and DVD/Blu-ray… so much value for next to nothing in cost. And no commercials.

Odyssey 2

On Saturday, I aquired something I’ve wanted for many years: an Odyssey 2 video game system, circa 1982 or so. My cousin and I used to play this, along with his Colecovision (which had an Atari 2600 add-on) all day long, day after day, in-between riding bikes, playing guns, (pow pow!), jumping on the trampoline, and watching R movies like Predator, Robocop, and Aliens. This program upgraded in 1986 when the original Nintendo came along. Good times.

These Odyssey 2 game consoles are all over eBay, but I could never justify the purchase and was uneasy with purchasing this kind of thing from there, as to whether it would work or not, etc.

After several dud garage sales this Saturday, Dad and I hit another bad one… except I saw this, in a good-condition box, too! The price was a bit lower than eBay, and the people selling it were, to my judgement, very reputable and honest. The machine itself is very clean, but I need to decide how I’m going to hook it up to my modern television, and I have ordered a newer power adapter instead of the aftermarket, multiple-voltage one that came with it. Just to be safe.

I’m going to go through a VCR, which has what is needed built-in into its antennae input. I’m not sure of the specific terms, but after several YouTube videos, this is the cost-effective way to go instead of specific adapters I’d have to buy. Once I get this sorted out, I can go ahead and shop around for the classic titles we played back in the day. This unit came with seven, but only two were familiar to me, and none of them were our really big favorites.

In any case, if I hadn’t picked this up, I’d be kicking myself forever because it is such a nostalgic blast from the past, and the games we played are going to be fun to go through again, after all these years. It isn’t enough of a priority to spend big money on, but it is something I can’t pass up if the opportunity presents itself like this.

Last year, I compiled lists of the games we played on all three systems (Odyssey 2, Colecovision, and Atari 2600) so that if I ever ran across them (They are usually dirt-cheap when found in person), I’d be ready to select the right games.

I’m pretty happy about this find. We almost didn’t go to that sale!

Classic Collection: List of Games Needed

This is a list of games that I played back in the day, and want to own/play again.
A low-priority project, I prepared this list in case I come across the right garage sale.
Luckily, all of these games are dirt-cheap, as are most of the systems.

ODYSSEY 2
K.C. Munchkin
K.C.’s Krazy Chase!
Quest for the Rings
Gunfighter/Showdown
Alien Invaders Plus!
UFO!
Amok
Attack of the Timelord
Demon Attack




COLECOVISION + ATARI ADD-ON
Centipede 
Defender
Donkey Kong
Galaxian
Gorf
River Raid
Pitfall
Pitfall 2
Q-Bert
Q-Bert 2
Smurfs: Rescue from Gargamel’s Castle












ATARI
Asteroids
Space Invaders
Defender
Defender II
Galaxian
Missle Command
River Raid
River Raid II
Robot Tank
Jr. Pac Man
Ms Pac Man
Pac Man
Frogger
Q-Bert
Donkey Kong
Pitfall
Pitfall II
Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel’s Castle
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Atlantis
Fathom
Riddle of the Sphinx
No Escape!
Chopper Command
Starmaster 
Demon Attack
Spider-Man
Journey Escape
Spider Fighter
Sea Quest
Laser Blast
Cosmic Arc
Demon Attack
Star Voyager
Megamania
Solar Storm

Sim City 2000

I pulled out my old G4 PowerMac Tower, so that I could play one of my favorite games of all time: Sim City 2000.

The picture of a Sim City that is burning, that’s what I did today. First try. The other city screenshot is from 1994, when I was in my Sim City 2000 prime.

Goes to show, if you don’t keep up on your skills, they’ll fade away until all you have is a pitiful little excuse of a city, in crippling debt and on fire.