Atari2008

I've always wanted to burn those YouTube commercials on a CD....I didn't know you could do that. I liked the 5200 commercials bashing the Colecovision, they were funny, especially with all the surprised people..."you mean it can't?" Not to mention Atari bashing the 2600 version of Pac-Man playing on a CV expansion module. LOL Yep,just download firefox mozilla browser,and its fast video download add-on,and you're all set.You'll also need a player like Applian flv player that will play youtubes flv files,you can download that too. Thanks! I'll try that when I get home.

I'll wipe the floor with you punk. I shall fire up my under-utilized 7800 this evening...good choice too, I like that game.

I've always wanted to burn those YouTube commercials on a CD....I didn't know you could do that. I liked the 5200 commercials bashing the Colecovision, they were funny, especially with all the surprised people..."you mean it can't?" Not to mention Atari bashing the 2600 version of Pac-Man playing on a CV expansion module. LOL

I have the exact same problem.I think for me,its that im getting older and like collecting and reading about classic gaming more that i do playing them. I think that nails it for me too. As for SNES, oh yeah, go for it, SNES is one of my all time favorite systems, you can't go wrong with a SNES, if you never really tried one, then I suggest you buy one before the end of the day tomorrow. I find that as well, that I enjoy going online and researching classic games more so than I do playing them. One good example is the 5200. I spent weeks researching it, watching old commercials, even reading the scanned copies of Atari Age magazine that are on this site. I was psyched, and I got the system, although still impressed by it I don't nearly spend as much time playing it than I do reading about it. That's a strong endorsement there for the SNES.

One 2600 game that held my attention for a bit, was that recently discovered Cabbage Patch Kids prototype. I liked the graphics, background music, and variety of screens.

Yea, I'll play Atari 2600 games for maybe 10 minutes and then get bored and move on to another one. One game that held my attention for a while when I was younger was Pitfall II until I beat it. But that game seemed large for a 2600 game and had enough variety and challenge to keep me occupied. On the 7800 side, the only game that held my attention for a bit was Scrapyard Dog till I realized it was basically the same 3 levels over and over just with increased difficulty. When I had a CV, Spy Hunter and Escape from Mindmaster were two games I played for extended periods. I've never considered the Intellivision at all, so I'm going to have to do some research on that one, but revisiting the 16-bit era sounds like a good idea, I wonder if maybe a Super NES (since I never really explored it at the time since I jumped on the Genesis bandwagon in that console war) would do the trick. Come to think of it an NES might be good too, since when I was younger I only had a handful of games too, so there's plenty left to explore. And from what I remember those games tended to have large worlds... The high score club might be good too since it would give me more of a sense of purpose instead of just playing for 5 minutes and then picking up another game...wouldn't want to completely give up on the classic systems.

Recently, I've grown bored with my Atari systems. I'll hook one up play a game for a few minutes, get bored try another one and another one...basically the pattern repeats until 30 minutes later I give up and move on to something else. I'm wondering if I'm losing my appreciation for classic games. I'll give a little background to put it in some sort of perspective. I've had a 2600 since I was little (it was my sister's and I inherited it), and although I grew up on NES/SNES/Genesis, I had it hooked up and was excited when I was able to get games for it. Then I got a 7800 cuz I learned it could play both and remember being blown away by it (an appreciation I've never been able to regain for the 7800). Then when I was in high school, I lost my interest in video games altogether. Fast forward to college, and I got interested in the 2600 again, particularly the homebrews. That got me interested in getting another classic system -- the Colecovision. Which I played fairly regularly for a year and a half then sold when I stopped using it. The lead to my second break from games. A few months ago I decided to dust off the 2600 and enjoyed it a bit. Then I got my 7800 fixed (for quite a pretty penny) only to find out that I really dont like it, no matter how good the games are. I even got a bunch of 7800 games for my birthday and only play them for a few minutes each before getting bored. I recently got a 5200, after having my curiosity piqued by it and played the one game I got for it fairly regularly for a few weeks. But now I'm bored too... I'm wondering is it time for a break? I feel like I could keep getting games, playing for a few minutes, then moving on to the next one...I never quite get immersed in one game. Am I just approaching it the wrong way?

Have to agree there, I'm not much of a 7800 fan but I'm pretty confident there's no way any of those above mentioned games could be done on a CV or 5200 for that matter.

I agree that Atari should have stuck with the 5200 a bit longer and have waited till it was time for the 7800 (and a much more powerful one at that). Having recently acquired a 5200, I can see how it was a bigger leap from the 2600, than the 7800 was from the 5200. But I guess that Atari saw the 5200 as a failure and wanted a fresh start with the 7800, and I can see that perspective as well. I mean it seems like Atari wasn't in a very good place in 83/84, so they were probably looking for the next hit like the 2600, and it seems that the 5200 wasn't delivering. I still think that the solution should've been to stick with the 5200 rather than switch gears but oh well. Also, I'm wondering, since Atari was still supporting the 2600 and the 2600 still had some awesome titles at the time, how many Atari gamers just stuck with the 2600 as opposed to upgrade? Also, I'm thinking it didn't help that the 2600/5200 shared many games in common. I think more unique titles that displayed the 5200's capabilities would've helped.

Hey, if you start selling put me on a list. I'm looking for an affordable alternative, don't really feel like spending a ton on controllers.

Are the rebuilt controllers from 4Jays good too?

I've found Atari products to be quite durable, particularly the 2600. I've had the same 4-switch that my dad bought for my sister back in 78 (I think) and it works perfectly, not to mention that through the years it hasn't been stored in the best places....it spent quite a few years in a shed in the yard where it was exposed to extreme temperatures and when I dug it out...worked perfectly. Joysticks, I haven't had for as long mainly because those would always get lost in storage, but I've had the stock 2600 joysticks and never had one fail or break on me. The 7800 didn't fare as well under the same circumstances but it still feels solid, I feel that if I had stored it properly and given it normal use that it wouldn't have died on me. The 7800 stock joysticks however have survived since the late 90s and work great (I just hate using them so I use the joypads). I'm very new to the 5200 so I won't comment as much. The console itself seems pretty sturdy and well-built although it came with a non-working joysticks but we know how that goes already. Overall I say Atari products are very durable and reliable.

This is a great topic! I'm definitely going to echo the following games: Spy Hunter Donkey Kong Arcade (yes all screens, animations, BETTER sound) Defender Frogger (I've seen a rom when it was in the development phase, but not sure if it's been completed) My arcade addition is: Popeye Among non-arcade game, I'd like to see a port of: BC's Quest for Tires One of my disappointments with the 7800 is that since it wasn't released until '86, it missed out on a lot of cool early 80s games like Popeye, Pac-Man (until now), Frogger, etc. Given it's graphics capabilities I'd like to see what it could do on these games, although in terms of audio I'm not so sure...

I'm definitely going to just send it in to Best for a gold upgrade, they sound like a good long-term solution. Not to mention that I've never opened up a controller, and having me break something in the process of repairing it will only make matters worse, LOL. Besides I still have 1 working controller...so I'll be good until I can save up for a Best upgrade.

That makes sense given that mine don't exactly self center but if I let go of the joystick it makes this slow crawl back to the Center enough that when I let go, the character on the screen stops moving. So it centers enough to spare me the issues that people have when they let go of the stick and it flops to one side and the character just keeps moving. I got lucky in the sense that both joysticks somewhat self center. Now being that they're not designed to do this, have you had the experience in which the rubber boot wears out enough that it then stops "self-centering" completely?

I checked out that FAQ here on Atari Age and the process does seem a bit daunting. Given the fact that I don't have much patience or any experience, I think I'll opt for having Best Electronics do it. Plus, maybe I'll have them put in those new gold circuits so that my controller will be better than new and I won't have to worry about it for a long time. The joystick itself not working was really weird, I was playing Berzerk with it and I could only move up or to the left. At some times depending on how far or to what degree I moved the stick I could get it to go right or down but it was with GREAT difficulty. But I'm assuming the joysticks were taken apart at some point since they self-center, and I know that 5200 sticks were known for not self-centering. Still overall, I really like the feel of the joystick (the working one anyway ) it feels quite comfy and isn't cramp inducing, plus I like the presence of buttons for left-handed people.

Hey everyone, So I just got my first 5200 about a month ago, and I'm really enjoying it so far. I got real lucky since the joysticks to seem to self-center, not sure why but I'm not questioning it. However, I plugged in the second joystick and found that the start button doesn't work. I tested it further using a 2 player game, and I noticed that not only does the start button not work but the joystick won't move to the right or down (it physically moves but the character on the screen doesn't). I've heard people joke that you're lucky to find two working 5200 joysticks, I see where it comes from now. I'm not tech savvy at all and have never had to tinker around with any of my systems or their controllers, but I'm curious is there any sort of maintenance or very basic repairs I could try to do on the controller? Trying to save money, but if not, I'll send it in to a professional for repair (thinking of maybe Best Electronics, especially since they rebuild them). Thanks in advance for the input!

Just played the demo...congratulations on an awesome job porting this game to the Colecovision. I've never played the MSX version, but I like the graphics and background music. I don't own a Colecovision, but trust that Colecovision owners will be happy with this new addition to the CV library. Keep up the good work...it's always nice to see the classic consoles getting some new support.

I've never heard of "Once Upon Atari"...thanks for letting us know about this documentary! It's just what I have been looking for. I'll pick up the series and let you know what I think. I'm a huge Atari fan, and have been wanting to read/watch a documentary about the company.

I just got a 5200 a week ago, and I say it is more than worth getting, you just have to keep an open mind about it. The controller is different but as has been said by a few people on here you can adapt to it (or find alternatives) and some people like myself actually like it. I think it's very comfortable and convenient being that the start/pause/reset functions are all at your fingertips. Not to meantion the controllers look cool as hell. The system is HUGE and sturdy so make sure you have a nice dedicated space in your entertainment center for it. I've only played Berzerk so far but just based off that one game, I think the graphics and audio on the 5200 are still very impressive. Also I've own a 2600 & 7800, and I think the 5200 is a nice way to round out those collections. Many of the 5200 games are not available on the 7800 and although many are in the 2600 library, the graphic/audio boost on the 5200 makes them into a complete new gaming experience.

Since I'm a new 5200 owner, I'm interested in keeping it in optimal condition. I've bought a dust cover for it and follow standard procedues like unplugging the power supply. I want to know if there is any routine maintenance that I should do on the system (and/or the controllers) to ensure that it continues operating smoothly. Also, the catridge port seems to have a ton of dust...what's the best way to clean it? I would try a dust blower but I want to make sure it's safe to use one. Thanks for your input, I'm enjoying my entry into the 5200 club.

I really like the system and am glad that I got it. It was the Atari system that I knew the least about...everyone knows the 2600 and the 7800 was recent enough that I was aware of it, but the 5200 was a complete mystery. I almost feel like I discovered a hidden gem from Atari. It's funny that you mentioned that baseball game, as part of my 5200 research I watched the commercials and YouTube and I was really impressed when they showed the baseball game and you hear "you're out!" I'm not into sports games, but I'm seriously considering picking it up, I find the voice synthesis very cool. Also, I like the controller, I find it very comfy, and responsive, although it may be spoiled because the joystick does self-center, whoever owned it must have modified them. They feel great, and I like the look of them.

I would check out Chase the Chuck Wagon, that's where I got mine. It's like eBay but made by gamers for gamers, and prices are much more reasonable. And you'll find working, quality systems on there unlike the "sold as is" consoles on eBay.

I finally got a 5200....and my first impression is WOW! From the moment I opened the box I was stunned by the system's immense size. Then the second thing I noticed was how attractively construced the system is, it's huge and cool looking. I will also say that I actually like the controllers very much. The joystick is more comfortable than the 7800 stick (I don't get cramps) and not as stiff as the Colecovision stick. Also, being a lefty it's nice that Atari included buttons on both sides, I used to struggle a bit with the 2600 sticks. Also, its really nice having all of the important functions - pause, reset, select - on the controllers themselves. I don't have to keep going back and forth from where I'm sitting to the system. It came with one game - Berzerk - and it's amazing. The voice synthesis is really cool and impressive, and I found the controllers very responsive. I also like the graphics, very smooth animation and bright colors. And it's true, the emulators really dont do the 5200 justice as I had played this game on my comp and wasn't that impressed by it. Overall, the 5200 is the first system that I've gotten this excited about and been pleased with in the past few years. Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The 5200 rocks!

The only one of those consoles that I have is the Atari 7800, and like all systems it has it's plusses and minuses. I think it's a well-designed machine, it's small and still looks cool today. It uses the same controller port as the 2600 so you have many controller options. I hate the 7800 ProLine Joysticks, but really like the European Joypads. The D-pad is a little inaccurate, but they're sturdy and very comfortable, which I know can't be said for a lot of other classic controllers. The game library is okay. There are some good arcade conversions on there (but many of the same games that are seen on the 2600/5200/8-bits), and the homebrews are a much welcome addition --- I have Pac-Man Collection and it rocks! But the majority of the games don't seem all that exciting. I've only played the 5200 and 8-bit Atari computers online but their catalogs seem to be larger and have more exciting games that given its time of release and lack of third party support never made it to the 7800.