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Magazine coverage of 5200


playermissile

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I'm doing a one-off, special episode on the 5200 for my podcast (normally about the magazines & games for the 8-bit computer line) because I've hit November 1982, about the time the 5200 was released. I'm looking for some help finding magazines that may have covered the 5200 as I'm going to summarize everything I can find.

 

I don't normally cover Atari Age magazine and Electronic Games magazine, but have found references in these that I will include.

 

For magazines that I normally cover, I've found references in:  ANALOG, Antic & Creative Computing.

 

I've found nothing significant in: Byte, Compute! & Hi-Res. There are the occasional mentions in these, but mostly in relation to a CES or some other show, or in reference to how much infighting there was among rival Atari divisions etc. It's possible I missed something because it's a big task going through all these, so if anyone does know of a reference, I'd be glad to be corrected.

 

I've found nothing at all in: Atari Connection, Computer Gaming World, Micro, ROM, Softline & Softside. And, because the 5200 didn't get a PAL release, nothing in the UK magazines I normally cover: Computers & Video Games, Page 6 & Atari User.

 

In summary: any other magazines I should be looking into for the 5200 coverage?

 

Thanks!

 

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I missed Video Games magazine the first time around and find it to be better than Electronic Games and Electronic Fun mags.  VG just seemed to be more honest (and skeptical) in their reporting.

 

This issue previews the mighty 5200........thank goodness for Digital Press!

 

http://www.digitpress.com/library/magazines/video_games/video_games_feb83.pdf

 

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Are you looking for articles on the console only? Or do game reviews also count. 

 

For example there's a 5200 article on page 48 (page 46 of mag) in here: http://www.digitpress.com/library/magazines/ccvag/ccvag_spring83.pdf

But there are spatterings of reviews on 5200 games in various places like page 57 of this pdf (page 54 of mag)  http://www.digitpress.com/library/magazines/joystik/joystik_sep83.pdf

 

Also I remember I scanned this years ago.. but I don't remember what magazine I took it from. I'll take a look ?

5200-2.thumb.jpg.96c9c3fc871a682638e4d43e49454191.jpg5200-1.thumb.jpg.715376544d35d53c9c1594d8743ed864.jpg

 

 

 

Edited by NE146
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Archive.org has lots of old game magazines. I think Electronic Games had several decent features, and it sounds like you have that covered. I’ve noticed that the cover dates don’t have much bearing on reality, they were often a month or two “ahead” of the calendar month they actually shipped, while the print lead time was many weeks before. 
 

I get the very similar magazine names confused, but have you looked thru “Video Games and Computer Entertainment?”

 

Also, Retronauts did a good podcast episode about Atari 8Bit recently. The main hosts don’t seem to have any personal experience with 5200, but Benj Edwards seems to know a thing or two. https://www.benjedwards.com

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10 hours ago, NE146 said:

Found it. Page 57 of this issue of Video Games Player: http://www.digitpress.com/library/magazines/vgp/vgp_augsep83.pdf

Thanks, I'll look through those.

1 hour ago, Flojomojo said:

I get the very similar magazine names confused, but have you looked thru “Video Games and Computer Entertainment?”

 

Also, Retronauts did a good podcast episode about Atari 8Bit recently. The main hosts don’t seem to have any personal experience with 5200, but Benj Edwards seems to know a thing or two. https://www.benjedwards.com

Benj is a history expert, for sure. Thanks for the pointer to that episode, I'm listening as I type. Archive.org is my go-place but I hadn't looked into Video Games & Computer Entertainment, so I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/27/2021 at 8:10 AM, NE146 said:

Found it. Page 57 of this issue of Video Games Player: http://www.digitpress.com/library/magazines/vgp/vgp_augsep83.pdf

If you read the article about the comparison between the 5200 and coleco controller, it gives praise that the 5200 controls work "superb" on centipede.  I don't deny the reliability of the controls, but this hate on the internet over the years against the 5200 sticks is a lack of understanding.

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On 8/27/2021 at 5:58 AM, high voltage said:

The German magazine TeleMatch, Issue 4/5, April/May 1983

 

 

1239136298_03_1(35).thumb.jpg.5fa59c86ff95428560fa5ada1d06d452.jpg

That's an interesting photo, and one that TeleMatch must have got their hands on relatively early in the 5200's publicity life.  The console and cartridge are still calling it the 'Video System X'.

Quote

But, the 5200 never made it to Europe, as we all know.

Which in a way was a shame, but it likely wouldn't have helped Atari much in Europe.  Not releasing it there was probably the correct decision in hindsight.

 

Always liked the look of the 5200, though.  It had just the right blend of cool and tech to it.

 

Late edit: just realised that the TeleMatch article was a translation of the one that had appeared in Electronic Games magazine's January, 1983 issue.  That would explain the Electronic Games logo appearing on the cover of TeleMatch :grin:

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6 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

Always liked the look of the 5200, though.

Agree there. It's a nice looking futuristic console. Today, too, in this world of metro interfaces and rounded but harsh corners. In fact I probably want to buy a junker, strip and spiff it, for a MiSTer housing. Lots of room to mess around in.

 

But back in the day I rather disliked the 5200 since it was essentially a cut-down 8-bit computer with no real technical advantage over it. And the software was either identical or didn't have enough differentiation for a kid to tell the difference.

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2 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said:

That's an interesting photo, and one that TeleMatch must have got their hands on relatively early in the 5200's publicity life.  The console and cartridge are still calling it the 'Video System X'.

Which in a way was a shame, but it likely wouldn't have helped Atari much in Europe.  Not releasing it there was probably the correct decision in hindsight.

 

Always liked the look of the 5200, though.  It had just the right blend of cool and tech to it.

 

Late edit: just realised that the TeleMatch article was a translation of the one that had appeared in Electronic Games magazine's January, 1983 issue.  That would explain the Electronic Games logo appearing on the cover of TeleMatch :grin:

TeleMatch used quite a few articles from E.G.

Edited by high voltage
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On 8/26/2021 at 8:17 PM, playermissile said:

I'm doing a one-off, special episode on the 5200 for my podcast (normally about the magazines & games for the 8-bit computer line) because I've hit November 1982, about the time the 5200 was released. I'm looking for some help finding magazines that may have covered the 5200 as I'm going to summarize everything I can find.

 

I don't normally cover Atari Age magazine and Electronic Games magazine, but have found references in these that I will include.

 

For magazines that I normally cover, I've found references in:  ANALOG, Antic & Creative Computing.

 

I've found nothing significant in: Byte, Compute! & Hi-Res. There are the occasional mentions in these, but mostly in relation to a CES or some other show, or in reference to how much infighting there was among rival Atari divisions etc. It's possible I missed something because it's a big task going through all these, so if anyone does know of a reference, I'd be glad to be corrected.

 

I've found nothing at all in: Atari Connection, Computer Gaming World, Micro, ROM, Softline & Softside. And, because the 5200 didn't get a PAL release, nothing in the UK magazines I normally cover: Computers & Video Games, Page 6 & Atari User.

 

In summary: any other magazines I should be looking into for the 5200 coverage?

 

Thanks!

 

Think the only thing you'd find in UK Press is the machines CES appearance, plans for it to replace the 2600 here, then the official statement from Atari it won't be coming after all. 

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On 9/5/2021 at 12:10 PM, phuzaxeman said:

If you read the article about the comparison between the 5200 and coleco controller, it gives praise that the 5200 controls work "superb" on centipede.  I don't deny the reliability of the controls, but this hate on the internet over the years against the 5200 sticks is a lack of understanding.

It's been so long since I've seen, let alone played, a 5200 that I don't have a good memory of the controllers. The initial review of the 5200 from Creative Computing in early 1983 was positive, even saying "the soft touch buttons were a joy to use". But by May 1983 the downer views were coming out, saying stuff like the joystick "made Pac-Man appear sluggish."

On 9/9/2021 at 2:04 PM, James Vontor said:

I have Spanish magazines if interested , but they are not in English.

Unfortunately I don't speak Spanish, but I can always run them through Google Translate if electronic copies are available. Were they original articles or translations of stuff from the US?

7 hours ago, Lostdragon said:

Think the only thing you'd find in UK Press is the machines CES appearance, plans for it to replace the 2600 here, then the official statement from Atari it won't be coming after all. 

If you have a pointer to the official statement from Atari, that would be great. There is a section on archive.org with Atari press releases but I can't seem to find any that related to the UK. https://archive.org/details/atarihistorical

 

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On 9/14/2021 at 6:25 PM, playermissile said:

It's been so long since I've seen, let alone played, a 5200 that I don't have a good memory of the controllers. The initial review of the 5200 from Creative Computing in early 1983 was positive, even saying "the soft touch buttons were a joy to use". But by May 1983 the downer views were coming out, saying stuff like the joystick "made Pac-Man appear sluggish."

Unfortunately I don't speak Spanish, but I can always run them through Google Translate if electronic copies are available. Were they original articles or translations of stuff from the US?

If you have a pointer to the official statement from Atari, that would be great. There is a section on archive.org with Atari press releases but I can't seem to find any that related to the UK. https://archive.org/details/atarihistorical

 

If you can give me a few days, I'm back at work now, I will see what I can do. 

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On 9/14/2021 at 6:25 PM, playermissile said:

It's been so long since I've seen, let alone played, a 5200 that I don't have a good memory of the controllers. The initial review of the 5200 from Creative Computing in early 1983 was positive, even saying "the soft touch buttons were a joy to use". But by May 1983 the downer views were coming out, saying stuff like the joystick "made Pac-Man appear sluggish."

Unfortunately I don't speak Spanish, but I can always run them through Google Translate if electronic copies are available. Were they original articles or translations of stuff from the US?

If you have a pointer to the official statement from Atari, that would be great. There is a section on archive.org with Atari press releases but I can't seem to find any that related to the UK. https://archive.org/details/atarihistorical

 

Whilst NOT the need piece I was thinking of, it does mention the 5200 and gives you an idea who'd of been handling it at Atari UK, had things been different. 

1631732236898_IMG_2753.JPG

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  • 1 month later...

I found so much material that this is going to be a series of 3 episodes, the first of which I just released:

 

http://playermissile.com/podcast/ep030.html

 

This episode covers the 5200 references I found in 1982 magazines. The next 2 episodes will cover 1983 and 1984, respectively. After that I'll be back to my usual 400/800/XL/XE content, so I'm going to be competing with the 5200 podcasts. This is just a little supplemental info comparing the 8-bits and the 5200.

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On 9/14/2021 at 2:37 AM, x=usr(1536) said:

That's an interesting photo, and one that TeleMatch must have got their hands on relatively early in the 5200's publicity life.  The console and cartridge are still calling it the 'Video System X'.

Which in a way was a shame, but it likely wouldn't have helped Atari much in Europe.  Not releasing it there was probably the correct decision in hindsight.

 

 

Also notice that the cartridge is angled to the back the the console. My guess is the 5200 case was empty and they didn't know exactly how it was going to sit in the console or that the photographer angled it on purpose so you could see more of the cartridge label.

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