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Over 2,000 copies of 'worst video game ever' found in desert landfill

The E.T game was made for a massive budget, but was slated upon release.

A DECADES-OLD URBAN legend was put to rest yesterday when workers for a documentary film production company recovered “E.T.” Atari game cartridges from a heap of garbage buried deep in the New Mexico desert.

The “Atari grave” was, until that moment, a highly debated tale among gaming enthusiasts and other self-described geeks for 30 years.

The story claimed that in its death throes, the video game company sent about a dozen truckloads of cartridges of what many call the worst video game ever to be forever hidden in a concrete-covered landfill in southeastern New Mexico.

The search for the cartridges of a game that contributed to the demise of Atari will be featured in an upcoming documentary about the biggest video game company of the early ’80s.

As a backhoe scattered a huge scoop of 30-year-old trash and dirt over the sand, the film crew spotted boxes and booklets carrying the Atari logo. Soon after, a game cartridge turned up, then another and another.

Zak Penn Apexchange Apexchange

With the whether-or-not E.T. was buried in Alamogordo controversy solved, the other, subtler debate remains. Was it the worst game ever unleashed on gamers?

Tina Amini, deputy editor at gaming website Kotaku, says the game tanked because “it was practically broken” with that the E.T. falling into traps that were almost impossible to escape and would appear constantly and unpredictably.

Read: Super Mario jumps out of a TV and destroys house in amazing animation

Read: 9 of the coolest costumes from the MCM Dublin Comic Con

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49 Comments
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    Mute L-Plate
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:34 PM

    3G patchy, 4G almost non existent around Ireland al least. Let’s start on 5G!

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Jun 16th 2014, 12:32 PM

    So Should I upgrade my iPhone 4 yet or wait?

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    Mute DaveMac
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:21 PM

    Your iPhone 4 doesn’t support 4G, so it will only work on 2G and 3G networks. So your phone is behind already

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:23 PM

    Upgrade to an iphone 7 and to hell with everyone else.

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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:28 PM

    I know its old! What I don’t know is if its better to upgrade now or wait

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    Mute DaveMac
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:59 PM

    Your device is capable of a theoretical speed 42.3Mbps so it’s still very good as long as you are near a tower. So really you can make do with your iPhone 4!

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    Mute Viking
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    Jun 16th 2014, 2:39 PM

    Was in the US recently and discovered my iPhone 4 has 4G. Forgot to turn off data and cost me a fortune in 15 secs :-(

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    Mute DaveMac
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    Jun 16th 2014, 4:18 PM

    Viking this is probably not the case.. Some of the operators advertise their UMTS networks as ’4G’ even though they are 3G. They do this because no one owns the terms ’4G’ or ’3G’ and simply renaming their 3G network as ’4G’ gives the perception that their network is more advanced that their competitors. That’s America for you!

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Jun 16th 2014, 5:50 PM

    Somebody give that poor man a simple yes or no answer!

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    Mute Michael Bodycoach
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    Jun 16th 2014, 12:33 PM

    Im going to start working on 11G now, by the time they get there Ill probably have invented it and ill be rich!

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:24 PM

    Start at 1H, totally take everyone by surprise.

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    Mute D
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    Jun 16th 2014, 12:31 PM

    3G , 4G …. 5G …..
    Could someone please explain these terms in English.
    Is this just another way to get more money out of us consumers or are there real benefits to society?

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    Mute DaveMac
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    Jun 16th 2014, 12:35 PM

    Each is a generation. One generation is an technological evolution of the other. The higher the number, the faster the internet on your phone.

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    Mute Frank
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    Jun 16th 2014, 12:44 PM

    The higher the number the bigger the tumour..

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    Mute Patrick Moran
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    Jun 16th 2014, 12:45 PM

    Doesn’t matter a shite when you still can’t get even 2G in certain parts of rural Ireland.

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:22 PM

    The higher the number, the more you have to pay to use it!!!

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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:32 PM

    It has a lot to do with the consumer product cycle. Just about the time your phone stops holding a battery charge, they develop a new “network technology” so you will buy a new phone to go with the new network and the new contract with your provider that includes a new price.

    I still have an old Motorola phone bought in China for 5quid that still works–and it goes a week between charging! Of course, I can’t tweet or update my FB…life’s critical elements are therefore beyond my reach when driving.

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    Mute gerry campbell
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    Jun 16th 2014, 2:41 PM

    I’d settle for a signal 3 are a disaster, now they have 02, will 3 get better or 02 worse ?

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    Mute John Farrant
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:39 PM

    We haven’t got 4G yet and no idea when we will.

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    Mute DaveMac
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:59 PM

    We do have 4G, it is live.

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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:28 PM

    I think I can live without the power of the xG network.

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    Mute Paul Farrell
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    Jun 16th 2014, 11:27 PM

    5g cant even get 2g ffs

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    Mute Michael Lynch
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    Jun 16th 2014, 9:59 PM

    Is there a network that uses Henry McG….?

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