So how many people here do not drink the Atari koolade?

[macgoo]

I better explain myself before I get shot!!

 

What I mean is how many people here have a very balanced view of ALL past machines from 8-64bit regardless of whether they sport an Atari badge or not?

 

For example I love the VCS but I can see the Colecovision and Commodore VIC-20 took more of my time in the later years because the machine had hit its modest limits.

 

Ditto I didn't buy an Atari 800XL over a Commodore 64 just because it was from Atari and as soon as people started selling their Amiga 1000s cheap to get the 'new' Amiga 500 I got one of those just a year after I got my Atari 520STM in 1986.

 

This week alone I have used more than 10 different consoles/computers to play games on, hell I even found one game on the Sinclair doorstop...I mean ZX80 to play, and then became fascinated with playing he same game on many different machines from all over the world both in 8 and 16bits. It is wonderful that there are so many different machines with such different technology of various levels of sophistication, it proves to me that nothing really matters about who made the hardware or what badge is on the case....ONLY THE GAMES MATTER! And what really matters is that if you take every game archive for every machine format from VCS/Atari 800/TI99 era to Megadrive/Amiga 1200/Archimedes 3010 era there are more games than you would even be able to play each for a minute for before you die of old age.

 

Sobering thought that the true scope of retro for real fans of it is that there are already more games made in the past. Bit like the film industry this year, loads of crap released but luckily plenty of films to choose from in the last 50 years to compensate for all the high effects laden bullshit films released in 2012

 

(Yeah OK I just want to know who the irrational fan boys are so I can ignore them hehe)

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

While I do love Atari I am a collector of all classic computers and consoles. As far of the computers go I grew up a Commodore kid from the 64 to Amiga but a few years ago I picked up several Atari computers trying very hard to give them a fair shake and see what all the fuss was about. I freely admit that growing up with Commodore machines may play a large role but even after checking out the Atari offerings I still prefer the Commodore machines and do not regret owning and using them over the Atari offerings, I would not have changed a thing. I have a admiration for all the classic consoles and computers but certainly I do not drink the kool aid.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

I don't drink the kool aid either. Any time I hear fan boys raging I level with them that no company console is worth blind devotion. I wear my Fuji symbol proudly but I still remember the day I plugged Pacman into my 2600 and turned it on. I doubt I'll ever get over that.

[Rex Dart]

I also do not partake of the Flavor Aid.

I agree that all that matters are the games. I don't care what console they're on; the console is just a device to get that game on your TV.

I don't understand people who say they don't care for / hate a particular system... I've got a bunch of systems & I've found something to enjoy on all of them.

[+davidcalgary29]

What I mean is how many people here have a very balanced view of ALL past machines from 8-64bit regardless of whether they sport an Atari badge or not?

 

None of us: if we did, we'd junk our old equipment and just play with the modern toys. Who needs 'balanced'?

[+Cafeman]

I had an elequent rebuttal, but I'm too busy finishing up my hate letter to George Plimpton.

[Reaperman]

I wouldn't say that I'm balanced in that Atari (800XL) was my first video gaming experience so I give the whole brand more of a shot than I should.

I would say that I am still balanced in that pretty much ever single time, I find myself enjoying another brand's system a whole helluva lot more, even giving Atari that unfair advantage.

 

Actually, outside of that 800XL, I feel that my other Atari systems are pretty crap.

I do have a nice c64 setup as well, but would generally rather play the A8 versions of games on both systems because I find them much easier to use. ...And because I give Atari the unfair nostalgia advantage.

[SlowCoder]

All of my consoles, Atari, Colecovision, Intellivision, Sega, Nintendo, etc., get love at my house. I couldn't say any one of them gets more love than the others. It just depends on what I'm in the mood for when I sit to play.

[AtariLeaf]

Although I'm primarily an Atari fan (duh) I've always been more of a fan of arcade games from the late 70's to early 80's, hence the reason I have so many copies of certain games across several machines such as say, Rampage (2600, 7800, Tandy Coco, NES, SMS) so I enjoy any machine that lets me play those games from that particular era. I love the CV BECAUSE it has so many great arcade translations plus some games you can't get on any other platform (Frenzy comes to mind).

 

However, Atari will always have that special place at the top of the collection, despite its technical limitations.

Edited July 6, 2012 by AtariLeaf

[desiv]

Hard to say..

I grew up with a lot of Commodore, and followed the path.

I really like most of the Commodore computers...

 

That said, I really do also like many other computers...

I think I have a fairly open-minded view on the systems, of course, that's tough to tell from my perspective..

 

Somehow I missed the Atari path (non-Atari pong, Odyssey 2, Vic-20 etc..), but I always admired the Atari machines.

 

In fact, several (6 or so??) years ago I got an Atari 7800 and finally got to play a lot of the older Atari games and love them too..

 

So, no I don't drink the Atari Kool-ade. I have drunk CBM kool-ade in the past, but I think it's effects have mostly faded by now..

 

desiv

[Brian O]

I had an elequent rebuttal, but I'm too busy finishing up my hate letter to George Plimpton.

 

Unless you have a Delorian with a Flux Capacitor, you're about 9 years too late.

 

-B

[accousticguitar]

I don't presently own a 5200 or any ST computer, though I did in the past, and I own several other consoles including Intellivision, Odyssey II, Genesis, and Playstation so I guess I'm not drinking the Koolade either. To me a console needs to be fun to play or I don't want it around. I did not enjoy playing the 5200, ST, or Coleco so I traded them off for something else. I don't own anything Nintendo either. I just don't care for their style of gameplay with cutsie slow moving characters and powerups.

[Rex Dart]

I was waiting for somebody to show up who confuses hardware & software. Here he is.

[goldenegg]

Honestly, people who only care about Atari brand systems wouldn't be spending time in this section of the forum.

[fiddlepaddle]

Atari Koolade is good with Space Food Sticks.

[NE146]

I like video games. Atari just happened to a huge part of that indoctrination.

[atarilovesyou]

Atari was my first home video game experience, but the first system I owned was a Coleco. It wasn't until the early 90s that I realized I liked the VCS a lot more, and that's been the case ever since. I always found NES koolaid drinkers far more fanboyish than Atari koolaid drinkers, though. And some Sega koolaid drinkers.

 

The only system I don't like is the Intellivision. Can't tell ya why, I just don't like it. And the other consoles of the early era, I've never seen let alone played (Bally, Oddyseahoweveryaspellit). I'd love to get a Vectrex, though.

 

Oh yeah, Atari is awesome. Only played the 400 computer, though. Sure made the VCS look bad, especially the ports. None of us had the money to be choosy back then; what we owned, we drank that koolaid. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM koolaid.

 

Good night.

[high voltage]

People owned Amiga 1000? Maybe like, what, 5?

 

Apple ][ ruled in USA for a long time anyway, it's got the biggest software range of all 8-bitters (article here from 1985):

 

So yes, only games mattered, that's why the awful Spectrum got bombarded with cheap terrible games in the UK.

Edited July 7, 2012 by high voltage

[awace]

I love 2600 asteroids turning on Difficulty A maynerds ships I love 2600 Adventure 2600 donkey kong I wish someone would add levels ..

I love Adventure II on flashback w b/w switch!!! see inside the unlit maze caves I love the 1st Tron Movie I love the Yes no BIT !!! I also have a 200 in one Radio SHack wireing electronics kit I replaced the transistors 5 times now..

My 1st game I played was ELIZA on the altair 8800 I helped wire wrap in 1974 with my dad HE CAN STILL READ THE ADDRESS from the fridge magnet in hex binary wow!!..

then came the Atari2600 then returned to Target bought ON SALE FORCED TO GET THE NON SALE PRICE returned for 400 then returend 400 for diskdrive and me and brother worked paper route for the 800 $666.69¢ the .69¢ made it seem cheaper ! anyway we could not find it anywhere else cheaper in 1980 a year after we returned the 400 Dad got the disk drive a year later but got us the educator for hannuka when we got the 400 and the entertainer when we got the 800 we got the disk drive too and it all came together I remember 2600 one christmas then next year Atari sent the LAME aztech bad Rf mod instead of that they sent a whole NEW atari2600 in the box back Just like my dad told us Remember Just state the problem and WAIT WAIT WAIT call a few times and then just wait IT WORKED we got a BOXED new atari ME AND MY BROTHER knew better to chomp the COMBAT JOYSTICKS AND PADDLES my dad said no we said FU!Q

it worked we didnt think they would send a whole atari in a cardboard shipper IT got wet then we threw box away I told my dad goto target and buy a new one BOY I have made that mistake more than once not to buy TWO of things I do have a unopened keychain! anyway once we got the Atari800 then moved the 810 blew up and we got entronix autosound to repair it now entronix is a cell phone repair place witch moved from new hope to Rogers MN and up to Way tipy top of minnesota in 1402 Progress Park Parkway # A, Eveleth used to be autosound in NEW HOPE MN they repaired the atari 810 disk drive now they Repair program cellphones they did at least MAbie thats only in rogers now!... then I got a 386 in 1993 or so I still love 2600 though Played APPLE II in 80's pet computer in Jr high D&D you can chomp hit points by listing program but you can only earn expeince points by playing..OH to let you know member Ralf Bear Licenced Pong to Atari!. but game play is exactly the same as Atari chomped only the pong portian of the AY-3-8500 chip witch includes the rifile game .oh entronix does not repair Atari anymore.. Best electronics has lots of parts though..

I always loved tampico juices in mini jugs and POP SHOPPE member elf pop. I also love microwaving icepops.

[awace]

Oh i Left out Pitfall II 400/800 version I got at goodwill as when i was A kid Atari games were Exepnsive ..

It was my Favoruite game.

I played for MONTHS at a time My freind once playing the other 2600 version we got at goodwill said WAIT FOR THE balloons.

I didnt know about the ballons cause I was lifting the right side of the cart and pushing it forward to short or open a pin on cart to walk threw the left wall BUt you made the music scramble untill you died it would reset although i knew this like on mario 2 .

 

I also love playing 2 player asteroids under neeth the score on 800/400 asterodis with fast asteroids and bounce now if there is 4 players it must be COOP Mele only combat asteroids so there are teams .

I always drink coolaid when doing this or making HACKOMATIC II games homebrews or TAMPICO juice drinks.

 

I like Adventure.exe colosal cave running using dosbox.exe

mount c c:\

c:\

c:

adv.exe

yes you want instructions yes you want to be reincarnated

Xyzzy Plugh

score

save

.

 

 

Edited July 7, 2012 by awace

[almightytodd]

I think the important thing to remember is that this site is called, "Atari AGE". I don't think that naming choice is accidental. Atari the company, helped define an important turning point in history when digital computing devices left the confines of corporate operations and university laboratories and came into the homes and lives of ordinary people. "Atari!" works very well on several levels to represent this concept. In the game of "GO", the announcement of "Atari!" means things are about to change; a move is about to be made that will shift the balance of power and strengthen the position that one of the players is "winning". The "Age of Atari" - the "Atari Age", suggests that point in time, at first in the U.S., and then the world.

 

While Nolan Bushnell may have claimed undue credit for many of the things that made up Atari's early successes, (...much like Walt Disney took credit for Mickey Mouse, which was the creation of Ub Iwerks) he did have the vision and the belief that the entertainment and fun that he'd experienced in the computer labs at the University of Utah could be brought to the masses in specialized electrical circuits connected to television monitors.

 

There is a whole list of companies and personalities that helped create the future we're experiencing now; MOS Technologies, Zilog, Tandy, Apple, Commodore, Coleco, Mattel, even Magnavox... ...just to name a few. But whether it's right or wrong that it does, "Atari" defines the start of the digital consumer age better than any other.

 

So let's not get bogged down with the idea of needing to be faithfully devoted to any one company or personality that has provided electronic entertainment products that bring smiles to our faces to the exclusion of all others. Let's be happy that we have a great website here to gather and share the common joy we find in the magical entertainment technologies that were born during the time of the Atari Age.

[Tenorman]

I drink the Atari Kool-Aid, but I drink plenty of Sega Kool-Aid as well. They mix pretty well together.

[Greg2600]

Atari is popular due mainly to the pervasiveness of the 2600, but also because of the number of systems and arcade machines they released. The 2600 may not be sophisticated, but it was the first system most people owned. It was very playable, unlike Intellivision, Colecovision, or the 5200. That all said, I think the NES is now looked at with more reverence, since people who had that system are now the ones doing the talking.

[Hydro Thunder]

I find the Kool-Aid to be a fairly tasty treat, myself.

I don't go hating on other company's systems, I just have a strong preference for Atari, partially due to it being my first love.

I had an Odyssey2 back in the day, but the Atari was far preferred.

And yeah, I have several Sega systems, and thus like their Kool-Aid too. And an Xbox, and a 360, and a PS2, and a Wii, and a SNES. And someday may go for a Colecovision.

But I love my 2600, my 5200, my 7800, my Flashback 2 to pieces, probably more than the other systems combined. Maybe. Okay maybe not. But I like them a disproportionate amount. (Genesis CDX / 32X, Saturn and Dreamcast make this a tough call).

 

And I always have hated the NES, go figure. Always hated how it looked, hated the controllers passionately, didn't think the games were my thing. So maybe I'm drunk on the heavily spiked Kool-Aid.

[high voltage]

Atari VCS is so COOL, you can even play the Kool Aid