phuzaxeman

This is amazing. I'd pay for one.

Sucks for you. If the sticks were bad for everyone then I wouldn't be holding Atari age records on Super Breakout, Galaxian, and Centipede. Defender was always a spilt second late ony XL which the 5200 sticks soleves.

Other than 2049, the 5200 controls and versions were better than the 8bit. Analog controls /keypad/extra buttons were such an advantage on games like Defender, Centipede, and Galaxian.

Hardball was awesome. It was ground breaking because it used real players and the view was in 3d. However, it came out a few years later on the 8bit. I also liked 8bit Gamestar Baseball which was from the sideview. What was cool with that game was the speed was realistic. I never got into Micro League because it was more gameplay and coaching than arcade.

So by not giving the 5200 community more conversions from the 8bit, programmers are not "cooperating" with your idea that they should be offering the 5200 more titles? Lol. Ok. I have an 8bit. I don't need to request any conversions from the 8bit titles. And I'll continue to purchase the 5200 homebrews and support the programmers that create titles for the 5200. Your 'constant lobbying' and asking programmers to do your free work is doing more disrespect than helping the community.

If you're going to include Realsports games, 5200 Realsports Baseball is one of the greatest if not the best baseball game in that era. You had analog controls that gave you the option to bunt. The keypad to throw various pitches. A top button and bottom buttons to throw and select fielders. Plus the ump had a voice. The graphics were also stellar. One of the best games on the 5200. Better than the 7800 too.

If you're going to include Realsports games, 5200 Realsports Baseball is one of the greatest if not the best baseball game in that era. You had analog controls that gave you the option to bunt. The keypad to throw various pitches. A top button and bottom buttons to throw and select fielders. Plus the ump had a voice. The graphics were also stellar. One of the best games on the 5200. Better than the 7800 too.

I'm not interested in porting the 8bit version to the 5200. Remember you said you would stop asking developers to make 5200 ports? Did you forget? I'm talking about playing the arcade version. I suppose I could buy an adapter for my modern VCS/PC and play it on mame.

In 82, using analog sticks for breakout was pretty amazing in its time. What made 5200 Super Breakout really fun was how the bricks decimate after being hit and the sound effects with the quick intro melody were really cool. The colors were deep and the after the game comment ratings that tell you "ace" or "novice" was gratifying. I would love to play arkanoid using the 5200 sticks. To each their own. I know people that grew up on the system share my sentiments. It's a shame Atari didn't support the 5200 properly. Imagine a 5200 that already was already 2600 compatible, sticks were more reliable, and the pack in game started with Pac Man? Great times.

I don't disagree with you that super breakout was not the right choice for a pack in game to sell the system. However, super breakout is still an awesome game. It's the best breakout version in that era imo.

I'm over 10 yrs with my gold dot and flex upgrade. I've broken a few 2600 sticks in that time. I also don't own carts except for homebrews or special games like Tempest. Literally have not had to do anything for over a decade in terms of fixing something.

Not for me. The 5200 isn't a thumb stick for me either. 5200 super breakout blows the 8bit and 2600 paddle versions. Same thing for the analog sticks on 5200 galaxian and centipede. I'll take anyone using trackballs or digital sticks those games. I have the scores to prove it. Some people know how to use the 5200 sticks. And I am an avid 8bit user since the 800xl released.

Said the people that grew up on the system. I've got the scores to back it up too.

The Super Breakout selling point was having the whole family play with four players. Other consoles couldn't do four players. Obviously Atari didn't follow through and the concept flopped. A lot of innovation ideas on the 5200 (analog sticks, four players, pause and reset on controllers, dual coupler, advanced track ball). Unfortunately, things didn't work out. It's still my favorite console of all time.

5200 Super Breakout was meant to play on the 5200 analog sticks. It was amazing in 1982. It IMHO is the best version of breakout of all time. Was it the right game to sell the console? No, PacMan should have been since day 1. But Super Breakout is an amazing game. Definitely my top 5 5200 title for me.

Yeah, the other thing about playing Space Dungeon on the 5200 dual sticks with the coupler is the experience itself. In 83, it was such an amazing thing to experience. Nobody used the dual sticks in that era on a home console.

I play all the atari consoles minus the 5200 on the newer VCS. I also emulated Sega master and Colecovision. It's neat to have in all in one Atari console.

There's also a conversion of 8bit Pengo. The conversion left the music to be only 1 voice. The 5200 music had multiple voices. Space Dungeon I read somewhere was a little glitchy on the 8bit.

Games like centipede, baseball, and countermeasure do not play the same because of the analog controls. For example, to bunt on the 5200 baseball, you move the stick half way. You couldn't do that on 8bit. On Countermeasure, you control a tank. To rotate the cannon, you need the top button. The bottom button shoots. On Intellidiscs Tron, you use the joystick and keypad which pays homage to the Intellivision controls. You can't do that configuration on an 8bit. The gameplay changes with analog controls which makes owning the 5200 worth it.

According to Best Electric, most of the PS2, Nintendo, Sega and Most PC Joysticks use the same type of internal designs pioneered by Atari Engineering on the CX52 Joysticks. Flexible Circuits, Silicone pads with Carbon Dot contacts and Analog Potentiometers (Pots) for X Y Movement (PC Joysticks) are now industry standard type of construction today. The 5200 had also a dedicated start, pause, and reset button. That was a big deal in 82.

The 5200 controllers were the most comfortable controls in that era for me. I'm not denying the reliability of the controls but they were good controls and advanced for it's time. The set the foundation for the PS controls. I'm an avid 8bit fan but the experience on the 5200 is different. For example, playing analog controls on Star Wars in 83 was pretty amazing.

My rebuilt 5200 sticks with gold dots, flex circuits, and new buttons has made my controllers working great for over a decade. I've broken more 2600 and 2600 stick replicas in that time.

I used the 5200 like crazy from 82-84. 84 into the 90s was all Atari 8bit. With that said, the experience is different on 5200. Playing Space Dungeon on the dual sticks with a coupler or Centipede with the trackball is what makes the 5200 shine. Using the whole analog sticks with the keypad playing Real Sports baseball or Star Raiders is going to be an experience no 8bit will be able replicate. The 5200 is worth owning.

Thanks for the update. It's good to know someone is on the lookout for the VCS. I hope Atari can learn from this situation. Hopefully, I don't play Atari 50 for the first time in 2023.

Why is the VCS not a priority and other systems are receiving new games? Atari announced a new game yet VCS owners don't even have Atari 50.