Got my first 7800

[yllawwally]

I played my 2600 until about 94. Then put it away for about 10 years. When I was a kid I remember when my 2600 broke, and my dad took me to the game store. They had both the 7800 and 2600. The 7800 was 100, and the 2600 was 50. So I got the 2600, and wireless controllers. Looking back, I should have gotten the 7800. For a while I had been thinking of picking up a 7800. Months ago, me and my wife were at walmart on black friday. We plan bf every year and camp out, at the stores. We went to walmart in the morning, after a couple other stores. I was walking to the toys section. When I overheard someone on another aisle, say they had a 7800 they wanted to sell. I ran around the corner, and asked the two employees, they said another person had said it who just walked away. So I ran around the corner and found her. She told me she had a 7800, that she got as a child. It had about 50 games, and a couple controllers. I gave her my number, and she put it in her phone memory. I didn't take hers. I found my wife in a little bit, and told her I gave a girl my number. Which of course, elicited a not very friendly look on her face. I told her about the girl selling the atari. We went home, I expected a call the next day or so, she had she needed to unpack it. After about a week, I gave up, and began kicking myself for not taking down her info. I never expected to hear from her again. I kept thinking about the atari. Even in December I was annoyed with myself, for not getting her number, I went to the walmart a few times, but never ran across her. I looked on ebay a few times, almost buying one. Then about 3 weeks ago in April, I got a text that asked if I was still interested. I said sure how much did she want. She replied back 50, but I was busy and didn't get back to her for about an hour. She texting me again, saying am I still interested, and she'd take 40. I said, when can I pick it up. The next day I drove to her place, and picked it up. There were about 40 2600 games, and a dozen 7800, with about 4 controllers. I just thought I'd share.

[+bennybingo]

I played my 2600 until about 94. Then put it away for about 10 years. When I was a kid I remember when my 2600 broke, and my dad took me to the game store. They had both the 7800 and 2600. The 7800 was 100, and the 2600 was 50. So I got the 2600, and wireless controllers. Looking back, I should have gotten the 7800. For a while I had been thinking of picking up a 7800. Months ago, me and my wife were at walmart on black friday. We plan bf every year and camp out, at the stores. We went to walmart in the morning, after a couple other stores. I was walking to the toys section. When I overheard someone on another aisle, say they had a 7800 they wanted to sell. I ran around the corner, and asked the two employees, they said another person had said it who just walked away. So I ran around the corner and found her. She told me she had a 7800, that she got as a child. It had about 50 games, and a couple controllers. I gave her my number, and she put it in her phone memory. I didn't take hers. I found my wife in a little bit, and told her I gave a girl my number. Which of course, elicited a not very friendly look on her face. I told her about the girl selling the atari. We went home, I expected a call the next day or so, she had she needed to unpack it. After about a week, I gave up, and began kicking myself for not taking down her info. I never expected to hear from her again. I kept thinking about the atari. Even in December I was annoyed with myself, for not getting her number, I went to the walmart a few times, but never ran across her. I looked on ebay a few times, almost buying one. Then about 3 weeks ago in April, I got a text that asked if I was still interested. I said sure how much did she want. She replied back 50, but I was busy and didn't get back to her for about an hour. She texting me again, saying am I still interested, and she'd take 40. I said, when can I pick it up. The next day I drove to her place, and picked it up. There were about 40 2600 games, and a dozen 7800, with about 4 controllers. I just thought I'd share.

 

Nice find! You should post a list of what games you managed to get! It's always nice to see when another member gets a good deal! What a nice way to start your 7800 experience!

[svenski]

Cool story and congrats on your deal !

[atarigal]

That's a great find. Glad the lady got back to you!

[+HammR25]

That's a great price

[+jd_1138]

You scored a great deal. That would cost well over a 100 on ekeBay.

[AtariLeaf]

Congrats, its an awesome console and a great story

[ricnight1977]

Top 5 games to play:

 

Commando

Midnight Mutants

Food Fight

Donkey Kong

Ms Pac Man

 

 

Top 5 to avoid:

 

Fight Night

Kareteka

Barnyard Blaster

Jinks

Super Huey

[+Sauron]

Definitely a great deal. I'd be interested in seeing a list of games you got as well.

[yllawwally]

Here's photos of the games, and controllers. I was going to ask what were some good games to get.

[yllawwally]

Does the 7800 have any RPG style games?

[DracIsBack]

Does the 7800 have any RPG style games?

 

 

No. It's been something that's been talked about as a homebrew project for a long time.

[+Sauron]

Dark Chambers is actually about as close as you can get to an RPG, and it's more of a Gauntlet clone (albeit a pretty decent one). Actually I take that back...Midnight Mutants is more of an RPG/adventure style game, and it's also one of the better 7800 games.

 

I'd highly suggest taking a look at the homebrews available through the Atari Age store. The 7800 is unique in that virtually all of its homebrews are high quality games, and I can't pick a single bad one out of that bunch.

[DracIsBack]

Dark Chambers is actually about as close as you can get to an RPG, and it's more of a Gauntlet clone (albeit a pretty decent one).

 

Technically, Gauntlet and Dark Chambers are derivatives of the APX game, Dandy. But to be fair, Gauntlet was the mainstream game and is most well known.

Edited May 5, 2011 by DracIsBack

[yllawwally]

I have always enjoyed gauntlet, I had it on the NES. I recall it being obnoxiously hard in the later levels. Such as the evil invisible wall levels. I haven't looked at any of the 7800 Homebrews, but certainly would give them a try.

[Atari_afternoon]

Nice story.

 

I wonder what what was happening during the intervening months, have you asked her, by any chance?

 

I would guess she got back into playing herself again.

[Dauber]

You absolutely need to take steps toward getting Food Fight...NOW!

 

And the 7800 homebrews/hacks....heck, even some 2600 homebrews!