Streck

I was so focused on the systems themselves that I barely even looked at the game libraries. Well, now I have, and they've pretty much told me that I need to get both systems. I've found out the following (correct me if I'm wrong, but I took the info straight from the FAQs here): Ballblazer, Centipede, Choplifter, Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, Joust, Mario Bros., Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Robotron 2084 are all available on the 7800 and 5200. Fight Night, Karateka, only on the 7800. Defender, Congo Bongo, Galaxian, Frogger, H.E.R.O., Gremlins, Jungle Hunt, Miner 2049er, Montezuma's Revenge, Moon Patrol, Mr. Do's Castle, Qix, Rescue on Fractalus, Zaxxon, only on the 5200. Those plus a few others are pretty much the games I'm interested in. Almost all of that is available on the 5200, and a little less than half of it is also available on the 7800 in a graphically superior form (and I guess the sound for most of them on the 7800 is really quite acceptable). Which means I'll have to get both systems. Heh. There was a super-nice 5200 on eBay that was just auctioned off--I would have bid on it except it only came with one game, and from what I understand 5200 games are a little harder to find.

For real? If that's the case, perhaps I should get the one with the better sound... I don't know... GRRRRR.

Well, I'm not quite sure whether I'm interested in the 5200 or the 7800 versions because it's hard for me to find info on how exactly they look and sound compared to one another--the issue of graphics and that POKEY chip (hence the whole point of my post).

Well, I'm thinking about getting both eventually, but it's going to be just one of them for a long while. Sadly, I don't care too much about being able to play the 2600's library--I'm interested in either the 7800 or 5200 games, whichever are better. For example, I've heard the 7800 ports of the arcade games sport excellent graphics, but I'm hard-pressed to find anything on how they sound compared to the 5200. I know only two of the 7800 games had the POKEY sound chip in the cartridge so I'm very, very curious as to what the others sound like. If the sound is that bad, especially compared to the arcade versions, I don't know if I want to sacrifice it for better graphics. By the same token, if the 5200's graphics are that terrible, I'm not sure if the superior sound (if it is really that superior) would be worth it.

(I posted this over in the General Classic Gaming forum too, but went here because this seemed a little more active. If they delete it, fine.) I'm looking into buying either an Atari 5200 or 7800, because I want my retro, and I don't want it on a freaking emulator. What I've read about the 5200 is that its sound is better than that of the 7800, which used the same sound chip as in the 2600. Basically, if I get one or the other, it'll be a trade-off -- superior graphics on the 7800, but inferior sound, and superior sound on the 5200, but inferior graphics. My question is: How superior or inferior? Is the sound really that bad on the 7800? Are the graphics that horrible on the 5200? Screenshots don't tell me everything I would like, I guess. Probably these questions can only be answered by someone who has played or observed both systems. A lot of the games I'm looking for will be arcade ports, so I'm wondering how close to the original those come on each console, too. I read a review that said the 7800 ports of certain games have "dead-on sound" with the arcade versions, but given all that's said about the limitation of the sound chip, I find that a little hard to believe...

Ah, just checked the FAQ. Only two...

Which ones were released with a POKEY sound chip?

I'm looking into buying either an Atari 5200 or 7800, because I want my retro, and I don't want it on a freaking emulator. What I've read about the 5200 is that its sound is better than that of the 7800, which used the same sound chip as in the 2600. Basically, if I get one or the other, it'll be a trade-off -- superior graphics on the 7800, but inferior sound, and superior sound on the 5200, but inferior graphics. My question is: How superior or inferior? Is the sound really that bad on the 7800? Are the graphics that horrible on the 5200? Screenshots don't tell me everything I would like, I guess. Probably these questions can only be answered by someone who has played or observed both systems. A lot of the games I'm looking for will be arcade ports, so I'm wondering how close to the original those come on each console, too. I read a review that said the 7800 ports of certain games have "dead-on sound" with the arcade versions, but given all that's said about the limitation of the sound chip, I find that a little hard to believe...