Probably quite rare, at least in submitted data that can be scoured on the 'net. This exact serial, a format known as "experimental", was submitted it IPSND in 2012. It's the only serial number in this format submitted out of an already thin amount of 1500 or so games produced. https://www.ipsnd.net/details.aspx?id=28175

That said, a proto or experimental game doesn't immediately inflate the value to ridiculous heights in my opinion. Please do not consider modifying this rare game. In my honest opinion, I'd place the value of this game about $2200.

Do you have the original MPU?

I think fixing the original mpu if possible would be important to a collector but I do like the swemmer boards.
-Mike

pf pics?

Ah, well - She's worth whatever someone is willing to pay as you know. If you have some provenance you might be able to do a little better with the right collector. I'd be willing to pay more of a premium for an F-14 Tomcat prototype that were produced with the black cabs and different side art.

I dunno, the last few pictures sort of look like an Alien Star to me.

I believe he has the lockbar from the bally Atlantis sitting on an Alien Star machine. It is hard to tell if that Alien Star is a white wood or if the finish has been removed. In the outlane areas there appears to be graphics.

Unless I am missing something, all you really have in the proto is red colored boards and some manufacturing handwriting. You don't have the original MPU, you have dented side rails (I had these, from someone dropping the fold down head on the game, correct?) and drilled lockbar - I believe these factors lower the value, not increase it.

Do you have any photos to share of the peculiar inserts you mentioned? Anything else different from the production game on the exterior?

Worse, this proto appears to be wired differently than standard production games and he doesn't have the right rom for it. This is like having the proto TMNT with the different upper playfield or the WWE with the taf style magnets, both of which were missing their original roms.

To the op, good luck getting 3k, but not seeing it. Just because it is rare does not make it valuable. Just because its a proto does not make it worth more than a regular game. If this had something unique to it that was removed from production then maybe (depends on what software it gets stuck on due to it), but you are missing the original roms and going in and modify the prod roms to work correctly is not easy for most.

Looks more faded than anything but even if that is different it’s so minor I can’t see anyone caring.

Then see the second part of my statement

Kinda cool to have a prototype but seems like it’s worth the same or sprightly less than a normal one to me. If I’m reading right and the game plays differently because of code

Similar to the Lazer Lord prototype. Not having the original/correct ROM for the specific prototype makes the game suffer. It’s too bad. I think it’s valuable to someone but really not a HUGE increase. I hope you can see the historical importance and not just look for dollar signs.

Also even though I agree the Alien Star retheme was an ugly mistake it’s kinda too bad you decided to rip it apart. For the cost I would have just left it the way it was.

Question: Did you have the original rom when you first acquired the game, and did you ultimately dispose of it?

Sounds like before he got it someone scraped the dead board.

I personally keep all my boards even if they’re junkers, hopefully other pinsiders start doing this! Or just start burning all the ROMs just in case there are revisions people don’t know about.

For example, I own 3 VIDIOT boards, and they have different sound ROMs so it’s kinda cool to see the small updates they did along production

so it looks like none of the physical playfield aspects have been changed. It's all in the art package and some scoring changes for the VUK.

and missing the double GI lighting for the condition red?

bummer

Check around to see if you can get that working. I am guessing just something in that specific game

But no elusive prototype plastic above the pop bumper area, like seen in the flyer? Bummer.

https://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=106&picno=4038&zoom=1

It would be more impressive to have the prototype sub as seen in the flyer - the one that is non-functional because there are no holes for the balls to enter!

Pass it along, you mean you thought you were gonna get a payday and when it turned out you were dreaming you decided it wasn't worth trying to flip. Sorry, but this entire thread screamed ad from the get go.

"I think with the extras, she’s worth $3K~ based on that estimate."
"it isn’t worth what I was hoping, it’ll probably stay"

Yeah, before you found out...

Great find. It sure is a proto: it has red board on it and a S/N with X...
It’s a keeper.
For the value, it depends who is gonna buy this and offer for it. I would offer much more for a proto but there are really few people like me in the hobby.
I have one too and will never sell it, even for 20kish so I can’t put a price tag on it.

Do you have the original ROM for the extra inserts??

still an awesome find. I found a prototype Radical in someones basement once. Differences between that and the production one, were huge. It has a VUK in the back corner that would bring the ball up to the top ramps, a 6th pop bumper and a tunnel hole for the snake pit.