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Atari2008

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Posts posted by Atari2008

  2. Posted

     

    yes, thank you for the clarification, I just wanted to make the point that there was an 8bit system other than the 5200 marketed by Atari as a dedicated game system and not a "home computer"

     

    *Atari2008, I am completely confident that someone who is somewhat passionate about retro gaming and someone who has enough knowledge to run rom emulators such as yourself would have absolutely no problem keeping a 5200 running smoothly. I say go for the 5200 and a few controller options and you will be really happy! I just wanted to point out that there were other options not sway you one way or another. I have a 2600, 7800, 5200 and an 800XL (all with multi carts) and the 5200 gets most of the game play because of the amazing game library, versatility and ease of use.

    Don't worry you didn't discourage me from a 5200 at all. :) It's actually been interesting to learn of the other Atari 8-bit options, and gives me ideas for other Atari systems and computers I may want to collect down the line. Currently I own a 2600, Odyssey2, and Channel F...the 2600 gets the most play. I had a 7800 back in the day when I was a teen, and I loved it then but as I got older my interest in that particular console faded, and I sold it. The 2600 I've always kept and love playing till this very day. Hence why I'm here. :) The 5200 just seems intriguing in ways that probably aren't very rational, but I like the look of the console, even though it's big, I think it has a nice sleek look. The controllers although I understand them to be a double edged sword, look plain awesome. Also from what I've seen on YouTube vids and in emulation, I like the graphics, bright colors and awesome audio. I love the Atari logo welcome screen with the rainbow colors raining down. The library also seems like fun versions of classic 80s games that I love but never had the privilege of playing at an arcade - Popeye, Frogger, Mario Bros., Pole Position, Defender, and I could go on for a while. I also like how they updated Space Invaders. I feel the 5200 would be a nice compliment to my 2600, like kicking those titles up a notch. I know it will be a bit more work, I don't have to do anything with my 2600 it's built like a tank and just works, but I know the 5200 needs upkeep. But it might be a fun part of the hobby for me to get into.

     

    I'll see...I suspect the cost is what will keep me waiting for a bit but the 5200 does seem like a cool machine.

     

    @boxpressed: Thank you! I've seen various threads with the 5200 vs. the 8-bit computers so I appreciate your summary. From your assessment, I feel the 5200 would be worthwhile for me.

    • Like 2

  3. Posted

    "I've never considered the Atari 8-bit computers since I solely focus on consoles and am possibly looking for another game system"

     

    ​The XE GS is a dedicated 8-bit Game System based on the 5200 architecture.

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_XEGS

    Thanks for the link. The XEGS does seem interesting, although I must admit it's quite the ugly looking console. :) But I can see the benefits since it uses regular 2600 or compatible controllers. So aside from a few titles that are different between the 8-bit and 5200, I wouldn't be missing much by going the 8-bit route vs. the 5200 route? Seems it boils down to personal preference for most people. I'm not handy fixing electronics so I probably wouldn't be able to do the handiwork required to keep a 5200 running optimally.

  4. Posted

    If you click on the link in my signature, you'll get to my blog. I wrote an article last year on buying and selling a 5200 that will answer many of your questions. Scroll down a bit, and you should see it.

    Thank you boxpressed, I found your article to be a very good read! I have a better sense of what's entailed in owning a 5200. Also the link to Atarimania is awesome, I'm enjoying looking at the old ads and commercials. Also, I liked reading about the alternative controllers, since I think I will ultimately go down that road if I get a 5200.

     

    As far as getting a 7800 instead, I know that they are more practical, lower maintenance and more within my price range, but I used to own a 7800, and I didn't like it much. Not that it's a bad system, just not my cup of tea. I like the sound of 5200 games better, and while it is graphically inferior to the 7800, I do find its colors to be more vibrant and those of 7800 games to be more washed out. Also the 5200 has nice versions of Defender, Popeye and Frogger 2 which the 7800 doesn't. I also see more games overall in the 5200's library that I want to play than on the 7800.

     

    I've never considered the Atari 8-bit computers since I solely focus on consoles and am possibly looking for another game system, but I know that game systems are essentially just simplified computers. So perhaps I have no rational reason for wanting a 5200. :) I do understand that while most games are identical some are different. Pac-Man on the 5200 has intermissions while the 8-Bit doesn't, also I believe the 5200 Pac-Man is faster. Mario Bros. looks different in both systems.

     

    I noticed there aren't as many homebrews for the 5200 as say the 2600 or even 7800, but Adventure II, Beef Drop, Koffi and Tempest all look like fun titles. Also the Multi-Cart seems like a good investment.

     

    I don't have a Harmony for the 2600, but I just clicked on the link and I'm pleasantly surprised by how inexpensive they are. :)

  5. Posted

    The 5200 sounds like a fun machine. Sounds like a bit of work to get into and maintain, but from what I've seen from playing an emulator, they do seem like a lot of fun! I'm thinking a 2-port version is best since I won't have to deal with the switchbox? Also thank you for the tip on the SD Multi-Cart, will be a good way to play all the titles including the super rare ones like Bounty Bob Strikes back. The Coins Control Comp Pro joystick looks awesome! I'm interested in a Masterplay Interface as I'd like to be able to use Genesis controllers on a 5200 but they go for $125 on eBay so I'll have to wait on that. I'm not very tech savvy so I doubt I'll ever AV modify it although I may attempt a controller rebuild. Does Best Electronics sell 5200 consoles? And yes their site is quite an eyesore. :) I'll keep a trackball in mind, I've actually never owned a trackball controller for any system, so that'll be fun.

     

    The 5200 I was looking at is from Atari Sales, all the way at the bottom of the page:

    http://members.tcq.net/video61/5200new.html

    I thought the price was steep but since the controllers are guaranteed to work, I thought it might be cheaper then getting a system off eBay and then having to either replace the controllers are buy new internals from Best. Although I like the idea of only paying $50-$75 on a console vs. $150.

     

    Currently I have a 2600 that I'm a big fan of so I thought the 5200 might be a nice step up.

  7. Posted

    Hey everyone,

     

    I'm sort of thinking of maybe getting an Atari 5200. I'm not at the stage where I'm asking for offers, but I just want to get my feet wet and see how much it would cost. I know that finding working controllers is an issue so I wanted to know how much would it cost for an Atari 5200 console (either 4 port or 2 port) without the box, with 1-2 working controllers and of course the RF cable and power supply. I know of a store that sells an Atari 5200 system with 2 rebuilt controllers for $150...is this a good deal? Also, where should I look? I know eBay can be a bit of a gamble especially with the controllers most likely not working and sellers not willing to test. I'm thinking the Marketplace here at Atari Age is my best bet? Thanks!

  8. Posted

    Yes, there is a shortage of PCBs to produce this and some other games (Stay Frosty 2 and Star Castle Arcade being the others). These games either use additional RAM (in the case of The Byte Before Christmas, it's a SARA-based game), or use the DPC+ mode of the Melody. I'm waiting on A) more Melody boards and B) some software I can use in order to test a new board I can produce myself (suitable for most bankswitch games, as well as SARA-based games).

     

    Trust me, I'd like to see this and the other games out as much as you do, but my hands are currently tied. I'm going to release all three of these games together, regardless of the holiday season, as soon as I have suitable parts.

     

    ..Al

    Thank you for the update Al and for all your hard work getting these homebrews out.

     

    I've been out of the 2600 homebrew scene for a while but this thread has got me interested in the holiday themed games. Are these all of the ones that are released and available at the AA store? Am I missing others?

     

    • Toyshop Trouble
    • Reindeer Rescue
    • Stella's Stocking (currently unavailable)

  9. Posted

    I think the plan has potential. It can keep you focused and reduce console clutter. Sounds good. You'll have to update us and let us know how it works out.

     

    I tried something vaguely similar some time ago and it just didn't work out for me. While I do like focusing my attention on one console, I don't like doing so to the exclusion of everything else. Plus, I like being more impulsive and spur of the moment about what games I play.

    I like being impulsive and being spur of the moment as well. Matter of fact I've been looking at consoles to add to my collection on eBay lately. However it would be better for my budget and clutter reduction if I just focused on what I already own. I might draft some similar rotation...maybe every 2 weeks instead of monthly but we'll see, monthly might allow for deeper console exploration. I need to focus!

  10. Posted

    I've never played the 3DO but when it came out I did want one. The games looked cooler to me than the Jaguar ones and the ads seemed color (Atari's "do the math" campaign was quite obnoxious). However I ended up getting a Jag since I wanted so badly to support Atari. I liked it at first, I even thought Cybermorph was cool (fortunately I have never played Sky Fox). I had read enough reviews to know which ones were the good games so I bought them all: Zool 2, Tempest 2000, Defender 2000, Rayman, and Iron Soldier. I never got around to getting the coveted Alien vs. Predator. However the library dried up from there and the games just seemed like 2nd rate knock-offs of cooler games on the Genesis and SNES - Kasumi Ninja, Atari Karts or lame attempts at games done better on the Playstation or Saturn (Fight for Life). Plus while more graphically powerful, the Jag lacked titles in 2 of the biggest genres of the time - side scrolling platformers and fighting games. The Genesis and SNES easily had way more and better games in those categories. Zool 2 was good but easily trumped by Sonic, Super Mario Bros, etc. Seems like the 3DO suffered in these departments too, although Gex seems cool. Honestly if it wasn't an Atari product, I probably wouldn't have ever given the Jag a second or first look.

  11. Posted

    This is such a good idea! Please keep us posted on your progress. I've been struggling with something similar, while my game collection is much smaller than yours, I feel that my gaming suffers from a lack of focus which has decreased enjoyment for me and increased spending. I'm working with limited funds so I can't afford to spend as much on gaming as I would like, but I realize that I keep wanting to acquires consoles and each system I just have a handful of games for and then I move on to the next. I feel I never get too in-depth into any season and never really get the full experience. I have so many games I haven't played yet I keep wanted to get other systems. Maybe I'll try that, a system a month to get myself back in focus.

  12. Posted

    Tempest 2000 is a fun game, I bought it when I had my Jag back in the day since it was one of the few games on the system that was universally praised. But in light of the fact that today it can be enjoyed on other systems and even on a PC with some work, the Jag doesn't seem worth it. Given the high prices too.

  18. Posted

    I apologize, as you guys must get these questions a lot.

     

    Now I do know a bit about the Atari, but I want to hear from some Atari Enthusiants themselves over what my best course of action is.

     

    What Atari would you recommend to most newbies? Mark from Classic Game Room suggests the 7800, but I know there's not very many games for it. It's backwards compatible with 2600 games, but I myself just really want that wood grained model.

     

    Is the Top 100 Atari games a good place to start with must have games?

     

    How reliable are the systems? These bad boys are nearly 40 years old, and I've never heard of any broken ataris, but what about the controllers? Are they as reliable? Of course I'm speaking of the 2600 and not the 52 or 78, as I know those are god awful.

     

    Finally, what do you like best about Atari, and why? I am a 21 year old male, I have no nostalgiac memories of an Atari, however I do remember my grandparnets owned an Atari, and I played it when I was little, sadly I don't remember a thing about it, but I do know for a fact it wasn't the 2600. The 52000 and 78000 look so familiar I can't honestly remember which one it was, and I can't remember what the controllers were like either. Although I remember Centipede.

     

    Could a 21 year old male like me still find a lot of enjoyment with an Atari, even if it has no nostalgiac purposes?

    Welcome to Atari Age! You can't go wrong with an Atari 2600 it was king of the consoles in the early 80s and as such there's a large library of games. As has been mentioned, there are many lame ones due to its popularity, but there are many good ones, lots of good gems. What I like best about the Atari 2600...I can't narrow down to just one reason, I love the look of the woodgrain console, it's just classic and looks cool in your entertainment center and on a shelf. I love the game selection and I like how many popular arcade games of the day were translated to the 2600, I believe that to be an art form in and of itself. Plus the controllers as you mentioned are more comfortable than those for the 5200 and 7800, and for people like myself who like D-pads, it's also compatible with the Sega Genesis controller. I actually discovered my older sister's Atari when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. My first system was the NES which was the must have system at the time yet I really wanted to play the Atari I saw sitting in the closet collecting dust. Once Radio Shack started selling Atari games in the mid-90s, I built up my collection. Even alongside the current hardware of the day, I had loads of fun with my Atari, and I suspect you will too. Welcome aboard!

    • Like 2

  19. Posted

     

    Those B&C prices are pretty much the same as at Best Electronics:

     

    http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/jaguar.htm

     

     

     

    B&C and Best are quite literally your best sources if you're looking to get into the Jag. I plan to be soon, and have been doing some research on the ever-rising prices, which have so far deterred me. Now would seem to be the last best time to buy, while the two veteran outfits still have NOS available. Once they don't you'll likely have no choice other than Ebay prices, which will not get any cheaper.

     

    I've been looking at Best's and B&C's sites too because if I do get a Jag, I'd like to support an Atari store in the process, and not someone on eBay looking to make a quick profit. You're right this is probably the last best time to get a Jag, since Best and B&C will run out of Jags at some point. Maybe I'll save up and try to get one...I've been a bit on the fence, since I've seen what the prices are currently and since the game library isn't the greatest, although I remember liking quite a few titles when I had one. Might be fun to check out the homebrews too.

  20. Posted

    Wow. I just took a look at eBay and some of the sellers are asking crazy prices for a base console. A few years ago you could buy a base with power supply, RF adaptor, a controller and one or two common carts (unboxed) for maybe $35-$40.

    Now a lot of sellers are starting the bidding at $150+ for the same bundle!

    That's why I asked, I noticed the wild prices on eBay. Wow, unreal. I think when I sold mine around 2004/2005, I sold it for around $40.

  21. Posted

    Yeah, I mean the Studio II's at least interesting, even if it generally isn't a whole lot of fun to play for any length of time. (Although, I've said before that Squash is more fun than it has any right to be...it even has an "ending!" :-D ) Gunfighter comes the closest to a passable action arcade game, but that's a pretty rare one. And there are homebrews, of course. Still, there's no way to mistake the Studio II for anything better than a Studio II. But even if it only has one or two games that are just alright for only about five minutes, that's still better than nothing (or the Hyperscan :P ). And yeah, the history of it augments its entertainment value somewhat.

     

    It doesn't help that the Studio II is such an odd duck. If you don't have a manual or working knowledge of it, you're probably going to have a really hard time getting it to do anything. Most people don't know, for example, that you can shift into "high gear" in the built-in racing game (or that the game DOES end and that's when your score appears), or that you can throw angled balls in Bowling. The games are still pretty lame, but they're at least mildly, briefly amusing if you know how to play them.

     

    I demoed my Studio II at Midwest Gaming Classic earlier this year, and most people thought it was broken (even with an instruction sheet sitting in front of it.... :roll:) Nope, that blank black screen is normal. :P

    I had a Studio II briefly but sold it since I just wasn't playing it much. I agree the historical value is there and it is a curiosity. Some games can be fun for a few minutes but the console doesn't have any "killer apps." There was talk of a multi-cart and a few homebrews that were made in anticipation of it (Pac-Man, Berzerk among others) and those showed that the system could have fun games.

  22. Posted

    Sorry to bring up a topic that has probably been discussed to death, but realizing that it's the Jag's 20th anniversary has got me thinking that it might be nice to own one again. I've seen what the console goes for on eBay $100-$250 it seems. But I'm curious what would the cost be of a Jaguar console with the RF cable, 2 controllers and one loose cart? I'm trying to see if a Jag would be within my budget, of course I'll have to gauge my interest relative to the price, but it might be fun to jump back in the scene. Thanks!

  23. Posted

    I agree! Lance is excellent at what he does. He offers great and personal customer service. A few years back I sent him my Atari 2600 and 7800 to repair and he did a great job, we even had a few phone calls where he explained to me in great detail what was going on with the systems. Also, I love the retro-style receipts. It's just a great experience all around. And the cost of having both systems repaired around the holidays qualified me for the holiday sale which I was unaware of at the time, so it was a most welcome surprise.

     

    Also, I'm a lefty so I love their evolved Atari 2600 controller, same look and feel of the classic but with dual fire buttons for left and right handed gamers. They also have a paddle controller with dual fire buttons that I'd like to get as well.

     

    I agree, I can't recommend Video 61 highly enough! I'm very glad you posted this, it's nice to see the store get a shout-out.

  25. Posted

    Wow I can't believe it's 20 years old, I got mine as a birthday present from my dad back in 1997 for my 14th birthday. The system was dying out but I still held hope that Atari could rebound. I bought as many games as I could and even had that ill-fated article with Sam Tramiel, I think it was Next Generation? But yea I was a hardcore fan, I would even call Atari headquarters when the rumors of their demise started circulating. I should've never sold my Jag back in the early 2000s, since it gave me some fond memories. Nice to see it still has a community of fans.

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