tz101

Would the 7800 two-button controller work for both the fire and thrust functions? Maybe I would not need the booster grip to play Omega Race.

Your picture didn't show up...

Take a look at this ad. I wonder how close Parker Brothers got to releasing this game on Intellivision?

Get them all. But since you are deciding between systems, I voted for Intellivision. I have all the ones you list, and they are all great systems with nice game libraries. My reasoning for prompting you to Intellivision is that it is the most economical to collect for of the systems you list. The gaming library for INTV is excellent, and the games normally run from $2 to $10 a piece. The same cannot be said for Colecovision and 5200. Just be aware that the Intellivision's controllers are nothing like any D-pads or stick-type controllers you may be used to. The disc directional pads are meant to be spun or rocked, not up-down or left-right movement like most d-pads and sticks. Once you get that down, the Intellivision is quite a fun system with many uniquely fun games. Close 2nd is the 5200 though...

Any word from Ben Heck yet regarding the feasibility of rigging PS2/Xbox/GC analog sticks to the 5200 controller?

Word of caution: The much sought after Wico sticks are not always the answer, as the potentiometers in them are prone to failure too. I got 2 of those controllers with my 5200 along with a Wico "Y" cable when I bought it at a yard sale. I was very disappointed to find that neither of the Wico sticks worked. The potentiometers in them are not standard like the stock Atari ones, so are near impossible to find for replacement. FYI.

Or Sssnake, possibly the worst game ever released for VCS.

I can think of motives like many in the Raul Julia club over there who have honked a few off. Just saying...

Is down again. See here

My guess is that a conical spring like this would keep the pot arms from moving through their intended range of motion. The bottom of the spring would set right down on the top of the pots. Maybe not a good fix to try. EDIT: Thought about this a little further, and a conical spring would actually rest against the top plastic slider plate, not the top of the pots. But it would not be self-centering either because it would need to rest against the bottom controller housing to do so.

Or would it be easily doable to switch out the dual-potentiometer stick mechanism with the analog thumbstick from a Playstation or Xbox controller? This would certainly then be a self-centering 5200 stick.

Trak ball.

My guess is that for NES to accept analog input, the mainboard would have had to been designed with proper circuityr for analog signal reception. Since the NES came with digital controllers from the beginning, the circuitry was never designed to accept an analog controller signal. Equate it to the Atari 5200 console. It was designed from the beginning as an analog machine, so it will accept those signals from analog controllers. If it would have been designed for digital controllers from the get-go (much better anyway in many people's eyes) then it would never have received analog input. But what about VCS? It accepts both digital and analog signals. My guess is that Atari designed the main board for dual controller signal types. Colecovision is dual controller type capable. Nintendo did not allow us that benefit with the NES.

Arkanoid Vaus controller was analog for NES.

Galaxian, Gyruss

Can someone provide a list of Sears-only titles for VCS? I used the search tool because I think maybe there was a thread on this at one point, but did not find it. Thanks. TZ

Make Trax. No home port other than something for Famicom in Japan. Somebody please do a CV version of Make Trax...

Was the guy a hoax?

I don't know. Is he the Games by Apollo guy? Supposedly used to work for that company and knew all sorts of facts.

My original VCS console was a Sears 4-switch console. Would anyone sell me a good working one for a decent price? Thanks. TZ

Not only is it silly, the whole discussion is really pointless. Even within the "generations" I have seen listed so far there are such a difference in performance and graphics among the various systems, that classifying them together is basically a joke. Just collect systems and games and don't worry about the "generation" argument.

He was on here about a year ago and promised to answer any and all questions about Games by Apollo, then he vanished.

I, too, have been confused by all this generation talk, and really it is pointless. Almost like all the 16-bit and 64-bit talk in the 90's. The way I see it is that there are never perfect apples-to-apples console comparisons anyways. Once a company releases its latest weapon in the gaming console wars, it won't be long until a competitor releases theirs. Well, guess what? They are not even equal on terms of processors, RAM, VRAM, or anything else hardware-wise. Sega leap-frogged Nintendo with Genesis, and then Nintendo did likewise with SNES. Back and forth it goes. None of them are from the same "generation" no matter how closely they are released.

Nice score. What game store in Elkhart? I live just south of there.

Someone should click the "make offer" button and offer $99