Atari2008

Wow, Best Electronics has the rubber feet! They're simply amazing. I would certainly check with them to see if they have the replacement reset switch you're looking for. Awesome site!

Good call! I'm sure I could find something to add to my order to meet the minimum. lol, it's far to easy to get to the minimum at both places Just remember that if Best don't have something listed, drop an e-mail to Brad 'cus I think there must be more stuff not listed than is actually on the website I know...it's like being a kid in a candy store! It's really nice to see stores that are still totally dedicated to Atari.

Good call! I'm sure I could find something to add to my order to meet the minimum.

Hey everyone, I know this is a random question but I thought someone on this forum might know, I'm missing one of the rubber "feet" on the bottom of my 7800 and I was wondering if there was any place I could get a replacement. What I do now is insert a post-it pad in the bottom of the area where the rubber "foot" is missing to keep the system from wobbling when I power it up, but I'd like something permanent that doesn't detract from the beauty of the 7800. Thanks for your insights...

Or can people consider any console made previous to the NES in these conversations? NES fanboys and their revisionist history really irk me. The disrespect of previous systems amazes me. This garbage does not happen in other hobbies. Marvel is a better company but people still are found of D.C. and other comics of the golden era. 1952 Topps was an Amazing set but people still care for Goudy and the T206 cards. Yet with this hobby most NES collectors are posers who barely know what an Atari 2600 is. And they have no clue what a Colecovision, Intellivision, or Odyssey 1 + 2 is. Hey now...I know this is an Atari forum, but it's possible to love both, which I do. Sometimes I feel like playing Atari, sometimes I feel like playing Nintendo (and Nintendo consoles after the NES don't qualify as "playing Nintendo", thank you very much). I grew up with both. My parents shelled out $139.95 in 1981 for my woodgrain 4-switch. They shelled out much more than that the next year for my Atari 5200. I spent my hard-earned pizza delivery money on my NES in 1988 (can't remember the amount offhand...what were those going for when they were new?). Great memories. I like the Sega Genesis too, but didn't have one of my own back in the day...played it at friends' houses sometimes. I most certainly agree! The NES was my first system as such it introduced me to video games. I have many, many fond memories of playing NES for hours. The 2600 on the otherhand I got into many years later because it was that system sitting in the storage closet that I was curious about. Once I was finally able to hook it up, I was hooked on it as well, and always respected (and still do) it's rightful place in video game history (and present ). I see the NES and 2600 as being side by side to each other. Their both, in my opinion, two of the great pillars on the foundation of video games. They both dramatically had an impact on their respective generations of gamers. Of course this isn't to denigrate the Intellivision, Colecovision, Odysseys, or even the Atari 5200, but none of those had the impact of the 2600 or the NES. So no I don't think there needs to be warring camps among NES and Atari gamers, you can appreciate both, sicne some days we're in the mood for one flavor, and on other days for another. It's the best of both worlds. PS. And yes "playing Nintendo" only refers to the NES.

I'm really impressed with all of the enthusiasm over the 8-bits. I've been looking for a while to get another pre-NES classic system but have shied away from many of the other systems due to the fact that they had various drawbacks (I won't name names) some with unreliable controllers others have hardware made with cheap parts. It's nice to see that the 8-bits have a lot of enthusiastic users and a very supportive community. I did begin sampling some of the games on Atarimania -- wow what a large library to choose from! I see that I will have many games to choose from for a long while since I like variety. I will probably get a unit from either Atarimax or B&C since I do like supporting merchants that still focus on Atari products, and I don't mind paying a slightly higher price for better service and a good product. Are the 8-bits user-friendly? I don't really know anything about early computers so is gaming on them just as easy as firing up a 2600 or 7800? Also, is there any sort of pause feature on the games? I'm pretty sure that I'll stick to cartridges at least in the beginning, so it sounds like an XEGS (although I've read console isn't designed the best way and that the controller ports are hard to reach) or an 800xl would be my best bet?

I can use A/V hookups instead of RF? Sweet...

Tough to find in departments these days What...you mean I can't just go to Best Buy and pick one up? Wow, I hadn't realized there were so many options when it comes to places you can purhase an Atari computer from. Originally I was only going by what I saw on eBay and because I didn't see as much I was avoiding getting an Atari computer since I just assumed they were tough to find. Glad to see that I was wrong. Thank you everyone for all the links, I look forward to acquainting myself with this piece of Atari gaming/computing history. I feel like I've discovered a hidden Atari treasure since the 8-bits have such a HUGE library. I look forward to joining the club, I can tell the enthusiasm. Just be prepared after I do some research I'll probably have lots more questions...I'm not as well versed in early 80s computers as some folks on this forum.

Wow...I didn't know I still had so many options left. Thank you for all of your responses. I've been a 2600 and 7800 user for quite some time now, and have been looking into a 5200 when I heard people say that an Atari 8-bit might be a better option so that got me curious. So is an Atari 8-bit computer a good way to round out a 2600/7800 collection? I'm looking for a platform that will have more than just different versions of the same games. I like the look of the Atari 800xl very sleek. Which of the Atari 8-bits tend to be most popular? Is a 600 just as good?

Hey everyone, I'm fairly new to the Atari computer scene but I've been reading about how great Atari computer games are, and I'm looking to get one. I'm looking for an Atari 800xl since it seems to be the most popular, and I wanted to know where do most people go to purchase their Atari computer? I've seen a few on eBay but a lot of the are just the computer itself without the power supply or any hookups. I'm not sure if it makes sense to get a bare computer and purchase the power supply and TV hookups separately. Thanks!

There was a whole episode of "Everybody Hates Chris" which focused around the Atari 2600 and they play Missle Command in one scene.

while somewhat advanced if the 7800 was released around 84, the lack of 3rd party support, bad advertising, and the lacking list of stellar games would have still killed the system. add to the fact the sound on the 7800 was pretty much 2600 quality, it wasnt that all great. i didnt get the 7800 immediately because i thought the 5200 was still better. even today, my opinion still hasnt changed. That's funny because I've recently hooked up my 7800, and I enjoy the 2600 games better.

It took me many failed and aborted attempts at setting up various Atari 5200 emulators, and finally with a stroke of luck and persistance I got the Atari800Win Plus emulator working. I will admit it's not as easy to use as Stella or the ProSystem emulator but it's a good way of being introduced to the 5200 for a newbie like me. I do think that the tutorial on AtariAge was very very helpful, but it isn't easy. However for some reason I can't get any 5200 Popeye rom to work on the Atari800Win Plus, too bad since it's one of my favorite games and I hear that the 5200 has one of the best home versions.

Storage seems to have been a trend since the Colecovision and the Intellivision also had controller storage built into the system...although they didn't have a lid to go over them.

Was the use of 2600 form factor on 7800 carts simply a cost-saving measure? I think the "image" of such carts might have been improved if they'd been bigger (a suitable cartridge port design could handle either larger or smaller carts without difficulty). Yeah,which makes me wonder why the 5200 carts are so huge all the more! I'm curious why is everything about the 5200 large? Why is the console so big? Is it because they had to turn an Atari computer into a system and all of that took up space? Add in the, storage for the controllers and that also accounts for space. I've read that part of the logic was the "bigger is better" mentality, but I wanted to know if there were more practical reasons for the size. Also, why is the power supply so large? Is it because they were planning on turning it into a computer?

I'll weigh in but more from a "pseudo-historian" perspective since I was not around at the time and my first introduction to video games was the NES. I think there are many reasons why the 5200 failed to catch on, some of it is related to Atari's mismanagement of the system, their being caught off-guard by the Colecovision, and also their game library which seemed to be rehashes (although superior graphically) of games previously available. The controllers which must've struck gamers as unusual in their non-self centering design, in addition to being prone to malfunction, probably didn't help things. Atari's pack-in game clearly didn't have a shot against Colecovision's Donkey Kong (although they later switched to Pac-Man, maybe too late). I think that had Atari released alternate controllers -- so gamers could've had options since some people do like the stock controllers -- and jazzed up their library, it may have done a bit better. But also at least from the famous Ray Kassar quote it seems that Atari knew the 5200 had flaws and they seemed also eager to switch gears. Although the 7800 was outdated and a bit of an oddity when it was released in '86, it must've seemed revolutionary in '84 when it would've been released. From a cursory glance it seems to solve many of the problems -- 2600 compatible and self centering joysticks. However I don't think things turned out all that badly. The 5200 has a dedicated fan base till this day and homebrews are still on the horizon. The Colecovision although also short-lived due to the crash has a place in people's collective conscience and is fondly remembered, with a vast library that still amazes me as a younger gamer. I think a few things could've been changed here and there but things unfolded as they should. There are different eras in everything and that includes gaming. And I'm glad that the NES revitalize and revolutionized gaming, and best of all we can now enjoy the best of all worlds with all these classic systems to choose from.

You may remember the Angry Video Game Nerd's infamous review of the 5200...now he takes on the Intellivision (Part 1) and Colecovision (Part 2). Even though he only dogs the systems I think it's really funny, despite having enjoyed Colecovision games. Of course a warning, contains very fowl language. Enjoy! Intellivision: Double Vision Part 1 Colecovision: Double Vision Part 2

Yes, I've seen that quote as, and it's interesting that the head of Atari felt that way about the 5200, I also read that many of the programmers referred to the controllers as "jokesticks" since they didn't self-center and pleaded for Atari not to release the system until the controllers were redesigned. My question was sparked really by a curiosity since I grew up in the NES era, but was still aware of the 2600 and even the 7800, I just found it interesting that the 5200 seemed to be the Atari system that people know the least about. Also, looking at the system in restrospect (since it was before my time), many of the games are fun and well done (this is based on emulators, I will admit my opinion is handicapped by the fact that I've never played an actual 5200) so from that lens it seems that the system should've been more successful or at least more fondly remembered. I was also curious about why Atari would release another system (7800) in such a short period of time rather than tweaking what they thought was wrong with the 5200. It just seemed too quick for Atari to release yet another system. Still regardless of what happened and why, that's the past, but the good thing is that the 5200 still seems to have a fan base, including new people like myself who are discovering it for the first time. Looking forward, I see that many homebrews and conversions have been released (and will continue) that have expanded the 5200 library. I'm sure that in the coming years we'll see games that showcase the system's strengths and push the limits, like we've seen with the Colecovision. And on a closing notes....Gremlins rocks. :-)

That Adam Game Console looks cool...and Frogger is the perfect game to showcase. Unbiased opinion of course.

That looks awesome! Love D-pads...

So I just got my 7800 fixed and started playing with the joystick for the first time since I was little, and one word sums up my experience: OUCH! I never knew how painful those sticks were to use. I'm curious since the 5200 seems to share a similar shape to the 7800 joystick, without taking into consideration the malfunction issues (I know about those already ), how comfortable are the 5200 sticks to use? Do they also cram the palm of your hands like the 7800 ones? How do they feel after extended gameplay?

I played my 7800 yesterday after having not touched it in over 10 years (just got it fixed), and now I see what everyone is talking about. It didn't bother me when I was little, but now those joysticks are PAINFUL! I could barely last 5 minutes. It really killed my palms. Wow the 7800 joystick was definitely ill-designed, going to invest in a pair of joypads.

Thanks for the link, I found the Atari Museum to be very informative. Reading the documents, it makes sense why Atari chose the type of joystick they did, I think with a few revisions it would've been more widely accepted. Also, like how the engineers referred to them as "jokesticks." :-) Are there any other Atari historical sites?

Hey are there any links to Atari 5200 ads? I'm looking mostly for print ads since I've seen the commercials on YouTube (the one vs. the Colecovision is funny). Thanks!

That's why I started this topic. I just found it real curious that Atari would abandon the system after such a short period of time, even the 7800 which had much less of a shot against its competition (NES & SMS) received many more years of support from Atari. Not having owned the system,I can't speak from a personal experience but the games look like they hold their own against the Colecovision and certainly surpass them in terms of audio (even surpassing the 7800!). I think Atari dropped the 5200 too quickly, granted I guess the crash didn't buy them much time but it looks like Atari planned to drop the 5200 anyways, otherwise why else go forward with the 7800? I think Atari should've slimmed down the size of the system (if not for aesthetic reasons, to keep costs down) and released alternate controllers that self-centered and were more durable for people who preferred them. Still I look forward to owning a 5200 soon, and am glad to see that it has some homebrew support, namely in the form of 8-bit conversions. It would be interesting to see how the system could be pushed with some new original titles...