cimerians Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Ok this may be an easy one but I'm just curious as to what the launch titles are for Atari (when the system was released) and then later Activistion and Imagic? If you want throw in Apollo and anyone else "worthy". Are the catalogs accurate to go by? I'm just not sure if some games were never released etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+HatNJ Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Atari: BlackJack Surround Basic Math Video Olympics Combat Air-Sea Battle Star Ship Street Racer Indy 500 They were released with Gate Fold boxes Here's link to Catalog only 8 of the 9 are in it because Combat was the Pack in game http://www.atariage.com/catalog_overview.html?CatalogID=24 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtshark7 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 wasn't all 9 games packed in at one point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I dont think so... That would have made for a pretty pricey system back in the day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandmountainslim Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 What a crappy bunch of launch titles! It's a wonder the VCS lasted long enuff for Space Invaders to be released I suggested a multi-cart of all the launch titles for the 30th Anniversary back in 2007 but everyone agreed it would be the worst multi-cart ever produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schizophretard Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 What a crappy bunch of launch titles! It's a wonder the VCS lasted long enuff for Space Invaders to be released I suggested a multi-cart of all the launch titles for the 30th Anniversary back in 2007 but everyone agreed it would be the worst multi-cart ever produced. If I went from black and white Pong to super color Pong(Video Olympics) and 8 other games then I would of been amazed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 We (my family) bought the Sears launch games as they became available one at a time back in the fall of 1977. They were Target Fun (pack-in) and Tank Plus (only other title available). I was 15 years old then. Next was Starship which even I recognized as crap back then. Lunar Lander was a big disappointment to me, but we kept it because we had this expensive console and only three carts were released then. Later we got the others: Speedway IV, Blackjack and Pong Sports so we could use the pack-in paddles ..and we bought a second set of paddles for game parties. Chase and Race .. So that's eight of the Sears launch titles. We passed on the Math cart. I played them all in the fall of 77. It was magic to have these great games (except Starship) at home and for gatherings of friends. Earlier that year I had wanted to get the Fairchild, but Dad said to wait. When Consumer Reports magazine had a review article about video games in Sept '77, it rated the new Atari Video Computer System as the best. I knew of Atari because I had played a home Atari pong at a friend's house and had seen some Atari games in the arcades. But I had not seen the Atari VCS (2600) until we walked into Sears in Sept '77 and I saw the Sears TELEGAMES console surrounded by a crowd of people standing and waiting to play Target Fun. We bought one of the last consoles they had in stock and Tank Plus right then and there. Now I am 49 years old and today I am going to modify my iCade to accept 2600 controllers so I can play these games on my iPad2. Rob Mitchell 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandmountainslim Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Earlier that year I had wanted to get the Fairchild, but Dad said to wait. When Consumer Reports magazine had a review article about video games in Sept '77, it rated the new Atari Video Computer System as the best. I knew of Atari because I had played a home Atari pong at a friend's house and had seen some Atari games in the arcades. But I had not seen the Atari VCS (2600) until we walked into Sears in Sept '77 and I saw the Sears TELEGAMES console surrounded by a crowd of people standing and waiting to play Target Fun. We bought one of the last consoles they had in stock and Tank Plus right then and there. Now I am 49 years old and today I am going to modify my iCade to accept 2600 controllers so I can play these games on my iPad2. Rob Mitchell Rob, You are a TRUE Atari Loyalist My hat is off to ya! I have been into Atari since the early 80's and U make me seem like a newbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 When I was 15, the Sega Genesis (my system of choice) was declining from it's prime and 32bit systems were breaking new ground (born in '81) I can only imagine as someone said above what it would have been like to go from Pong consoles to being able to play Racing Games, Strategy Games, Space Games, etc... when the VCS first came out, I'm sure it was as mind blowing as CD-ROM was to me. I still love Atari no doubt, being my first system back in '86 when all my 'fancier' friends had NES's,.. but to actually experience the VCS when it was BRAND new, musta been sweet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Atari: BlackJack Surround Basic Math Video Olympics Combat Air-Sea Battle Star Ship Street Racer Indy 500 They were released with Gate Fold boxes Here's link to Catalog only 8 of the 9 are in it because Combat was the Pack in game http://www.atariage....ml?CatalogID=24 These are among the absolute best of games. These and just the fact that they were in color. Going from b/w to color was a big stink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accousticguitar Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 All you really needed was Combat and a friend. That's what got me hooked on Atari. The other games didn't quite match up to Combat, but hey, it's a hard act to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntavio Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I suggested a multi-cart of all the launch titles for the 30th Anniversary back in 2007 but everyone agreed it would be the worst multi-cart ever produced. It was produced by Shawn Sr. He made a multi-cart with 8 of the 9 launch titles for the 30th Anniversary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandmountainslim Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I suggested a multi-cart of all the launch titles for the 30th Anniversary back in 2007 but everyone agreed it would be the worst multi-cart ever produced. It was produced by Shawn Sr. He made a multi-cart with 8 of the 9 launch titles for the 30th Anniversary. I had forgotten that! Wonder why 8 instead of nine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntavio Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I suggested a multi-cart of all the launch titles for the 30th Anniversary back in 2007 but everyone agreed it would be the worst multi-cart ever produced. It was produced by Shawn Sr. He made a multi-cart with 8 of the 9 launch titles for the 30th Anniversary. I had forgotten that! Wonder why 8 instead of nine? I think it was a memory issue. BTW, Basic Math is the missing title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+HatNJ Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Beat me to it ntavio, I was going to saythe cart was produced by ShawnSr and if I recall it was a memory issue but the cart is cool to have change the games by using power switch (not frying) just turn it on see what pops up 1st turn it off then back on for next game I like the Pic label that was used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phredreeke Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 What a crappy bunch of launch titles! It's a wonder the VCS lasted long enuff for Space Invaders to be released The Fairchild Channel F games were fairly similar (and graphics limited to red, green and blue plus one more color, alternatively black and white), and lets not forget about the RCA Studio 2 with its black and white graphics and "controllers" on the system itself (which were nothing more than numeric keys!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almightytodd Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 What a crappy bunch of launch titles! It's a wonder the VCS lasted long enuff for Space Invaders to be released I suggested a multi-cart of all the launch titles for the 30th Anniversary back in 2007 but everyone agreed it would be the worst multi-cart ever produced. If I went from black and white Pong to super color Pong(Video Olympics) and 8 other games then I would of been amazed. That's exactly right. It was all about taking an activity that before, you had to "go somewhere" (an arcade) to do, but now you could do it in your home. It would be the equivalent of getting a tennis court, golf course, swimming pool, or bowling alley added to your house. And it was especially cool if you were a teenager and your family got one before all your friends. And the big bonus was knowing that the hardware would be capable of playing new games in the future that hadn't even been thought of yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Also realize that many people back then did not have a color set. We were fortunate to have a big 27" color Zenith console in the den. The Atari sat on top when not in use. A wicker basket nearby kept all the controllers in a nice organized coil. There was only one other kid in high school who had an Atari and it was at his father's other house. I remember thinking we had too much money in the console and I sold the Atari with 20 commons for $300 in 1983! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 Thanks much for the info! I'm trying to set aside some games I have that were launch titles seperately from the main collection I have. My situtation was like Rob Mitchell's. 1979 or possibly 1980 + Sears Video Arcade + Target Fun + Zenith TV set. I still have my original carts minus the console and boxes. I remember when Space Invaders came out for the Atari 2600. It was amazing. Played it for hours....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I can only imagine as someone said above what it would have been like to go from Pong consoles to being able to play Racing Games, Strategy Games, Space Games, etc... when the VCS first came out, I'm sure it was as mind blowing as CD-ROM was to me. It really was, and doubly so in the arcades. It seemed every new coin-op was some new advancement in gaming during the late 70's through the early 80's. I haven't seen that wow factor in a lot of years, everything seems to matter of fact and predictable nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 CD-ROM was rather mind-numbing. Low-res FMV and 1x@150KBytes/sec and no write. the Amazing thing (to me) is the portable USB drive and SDcard. Those two technologies rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Hacker Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I think that all of the launch titles are amazing! Coming from someone who grew up during the jump from 2d to 3d (Playstation) It's nice to take a good look back at what was once to be amazing. Hell, I even like basic math! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolenta Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 and then later Activistion and Imagic? If you want throw in Apollo and anyone else "worthy". Activision: Dragster Checkers Boxing Fishing Derby Imagic: Demon Attack Star Voyager Trick Shot Games By Apollo really didn't have a 'launch' but the first game it released was Skeet Shoot followed shortly by Spacechase and Space Cavern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macgoo Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 As others have told their fascinating stories about their first encounter with Atari etc I would like to share mine. I am from England and was about 9 or 10 (not sure) and I had been looking at the Atari VCS for ages in my mums home shopping catalogue. I so wanted the console but I believe it was £80 in 1979/80 at discount or £100 in the catalogues you could repay the purchase on weekly payments. I begged my parents to let me buy it on weekly payments of 50 weeks using my pocket money but they refused! So I stuck to my guns and gave up comics, chocolates crisps and sweets etc for a very long time, I saved my £3 a week in my piggy bank. Spring came and went as did summer as I saved. I had saved about £65 or so and my parents were so impressed with me that in the Autumn they topped up the last £15 and we went to a discount store called Argos. My dad drove me there and we parked up in a side road as there was no car parks. I filled out the little card with the item number and handed it to the cashier, who took the money and gave me the receipt for the collection point. The first thing I remember is the box was huge for someone of my age to carry, but carry it I did and I swear to god I never smiled so much in my life since that day carrying my VCS with Combat pack-in game home I still remember setting it up for the first time, and it was something different, the planes flying smoothly on the screen, the booming explosions the woosh of the plane's engine etc. My only previous experience was one of those colour pong consoles, the VCS was light years ahead and I knew this was not something I would ever grow out of as long as I could help it! haha So there you go, Atari taught me two things. One that if you save up you can have ANYTHING, and two that computer games are not all boring samey rubbish as on those dreadful Grandstand pong consoles with 10 versions of pong pretending to be football/tennis/hockey etc Fast forward 25 years later and I made up a DVD with everything VCS/Coleco/Intellivision/Vectrex/Odyssey 2 and I still enjoy the whole Atari culture more, the game artwork and those powerful sound effects. Coleco was also a very good system but those controllers were horrible, making the games unplayable! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macgoo Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 CD-ROM was rather mind-numbing. Low-res FMV and 1x@150KBytes/sec and no write. the Amazing thing (to me) is the portable USB drive and SDcard. Those two technologies rock? PC CD-ROM was rubbish, but it did show it's advantages early on. You could pay £120 for Viewpoint cartridge for NeoGeo or you could pay £40 for the same game for the NeoGeo CD Let's face it, even the CD32 pissed on 66mhz 486 "multimedia PC" from about 10,000 feet above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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