Here’s a list of all the things I “want”.
This does not include my two systems stuck overseas. Thanks Covid.
The Immediate Future
These are the things I’m actively searching for to buy as they become available. I’m not going to go silly on them. (I’m looking at you, $1,000 Microbee!)
Amstrad CPC 6128 or 464: I’d prefer the 6128, as it already has 128k, and I can easily crossgrade the internal 3″ (yes 3 not 3.5) to a Gotek.
Harlequin 128 Kit: It’s a kitform clone of the ZX Spectrum 128 / 2+. I have a Spectrum 48k, and it’s a fun little unit. Going up to the 128, I’ll probably mount it into my DKTroniks case and move the 48k back into it’s original “dead flesh” mini case. This is my “Christmas present” so I’ll probably order this sometime soon.
Microbee Kit: These haven’t been released yet, and I’m not expecting to see it before mid next year. If I see a real Microbee come up for a sane price, I’ll probably grab it as it goes past. A sane price in this context would be under $400 tested or under $300 untested.
Apple Macintosh SE/30: (New entry) So I decided I should grab a 68000 based Mac for nostalgia sake. Thinking about classic macs, the one that appealed the most would be an “All in One” Black and White unit, and what better one to want, than the SE/30? It’s a full 608030 with FPU, up to a massive 128MB of RAM, (Apparently the memory takes a full 5 minutes to complete the memory test when fully populated), SCSI and an expansion slot. I’ve really only crystallised this want over the last week or so.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Mostly so I can play JRPGs. Oh, and Super Mario RPG, which is possibly the most bizarre RPG idea I have ever seen. Squaresoft and Nintendo doing a comedy RPG in the Mario universe. It’s delightful!
PC Engine: The little console that could! Also known as the TurboGrafx-16 in the US. It’s just the cutest little console with some great games an peripherals.
The Upgrades and Peripherals
Stuff I want to get to improve the systems I already own.
DIVMMC Future: (Spectrum 48k) It’s a disk! It’s a Joystick adapter! It’s a floor polish! (So I might be lying about the floor polish). It makes playing games on the speccy so much less painful.
Penultimate + / Final Expansion 3: (VIC 20) More memory plus a butt load of integrated games. Would make the VIC 20 more useable.
MegaCART: (Creativision) All the cartridges ever made for the Creativision on one single cartridge, including BASIC. I’m in the process of making one of these myself, with the help of someone who designed their own.
Amiga Case: (Amiga 1200) My poor Amiga 1200 hasn’t had a case, ever. I have designed a laser cut case. I just need to join a Maker Space with a laser cutter or two and get it cut. I have not achieved this yet. I’ll want to do a test cut in MDF to make sure it all fits.
Mockingboard clone: (Apple II) A sound card for the Apple II. So that Ultima V makes music.
Z80 “CPM” card: (Apple II) A card allowing Z80 CPM software to be run on the Apple II. It opens up some extra apps and games that would otherwise be unavailable.
The Unicorns
These are those rare delicate beasts, that I don’t expect to ever own. If someone wandered up and offered one to me, or if I won Lotto, these would be the machines I’d then look at finding.
Atari Falcon: The last hurrah of Atari. A 68030 processor, up to 14MB of RAM, improved video and sound and a beefy 56001 DSP coprocessor. Almost nothing written takes advantage of these features, but it’s still an impressive piece of kit.
Acorn A5000: An Archimedes with teeth. Loads of RAM, a terrifyingly fast RISC processor, SCSI and the ability to do some quite improved VGA style graphics. The Archimedes family has always had this mythical allure. Pure unobtanium.
Commodore Amiga 4000/40: A big box Amiga, with everything that entails. A full 68040 powers this monster. Near the end of the life of Commodore, it had some interesting “step backwards” decisions in it (Such as IDE rather than SCSI) and some interesting “step forwards” decisions, like AGA. If I got one, I’d start saving for a Mediator so I could stick in PC peripherals alongside Amiga peripherals.
Sharp X68000: The “Japanese Amiga”. A 68000 based computer with a truly monstrous set of co-processors, capable of amazing sound and graphics. Expensive and ahead of it’s time. Sound familiar?
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