Is it safe to like and purchase the VCS yet?

[Rev]

After years of bad press and controversy….?

 

The newly announced recharged games look great and fun. 
 

Ill likely pick up a VCS one of these days.  
 

What is the general consensus….Its a good system?   I know next to nothing about it. 

[justclaws]

Yes, no doubt, IMHO.

 

Atari are showing they are committed to it as a platform, and it's hardly started in terms of the evolution for Atari fans.

If you buy it for what it is, what it's advertised as, and not thinking it's trying to replace any of the big 3, you'll like it.
I never expected it would outsell any of the big 3 systems. If I'd wanted one, I'd buy one. Instead, I wanted versatility.
 

Not for everybody, of course; what is?

YMMV

Edited October 17, 2021 by justclaws
added to answer.

[Atari_JaguarVCS]

I’d highly recommend watching some YouTube videos and reading some recent articles and making your mind up from there!. I’ve had the console since January of this year and have watched it grow,

it’s a really great looking and very well built device designed mainly for modern day retro games/indies but it’s got enough horse power under its hood to run a few AAA pc games at lower settings/resolutions when in PC mode and it handles the indie games on steam with ease from my testing and experience, it’s showing itself to be a jack of all trades with something to offer everyone and out of all my consoles even the ps5 and Xbox series s I find I use my VCS the most due to the functionality of it. The Atari OS side of things is shaping up very nicely to with the ability to add friends and with the new emulators and recharged games id seriously consider picking up the console but be aware some users have had issues with Bluetooth or WiFi but I’ve not had issues myself the only issues I had was with a loud fan that got resolved with firmware updates. 

[+swlovinist]

As an original backer and one that has had one for about 9 months, I think the console has some potential.   I do like that they are trying to populate the store with some games now as the first 6 months it was slow going.  Also the streaming apps are a nice way to use this as a media device for some.   If you like to tinker with things, you can also modify this to add to the hardware/software and run it in PC mode.   Since it was just recently launched into stores, the real work begins for Atari to support the hardware with steady software.    The big issue with the device right now is the price, which is what I hear a lot from the public who have viewed my videos covering it, in which I am in agreement.  I also think that the console can benefit from having some more exclusive software.   Most of the games can be played elsewhere, which makes the justification of the $399 bundle hard for some.    If the price can come down to that $250 range, you are going to see more interest.   Nice to see Atari rolling out the recharged series(offered elsewhere too) as well as some upcoming 7800 games.   I would like to see more options to add my own 7800 games with the VCS as I know that they do not own the rights to some of my favorite games.   Software and support is the key moving forward to see how serious Atari is with this console.  Honestly speaking, it is WAY better than I anticipated.   

Edited October 17, 2021 by swlovinist

[digdugnate]

sorry, nobody at all likes it.    they will forever be.... BRANDED

[stirrell]

It depends on the type of gamer you are, in my opinion. If you want a lot of variety and to just play current games, it would be hard to recommend a VCS over a Switch, Xbox or PS, IMO. If you are someone who wants to tinker with a system (upgrade the hardware, run other OSes) then the VCS would be much more appealing. And, obviously, if you have nostalgia for Atari that would also make it much more attractive.

 

In my case, I am not a huge gamer. I don't have the time to sink into some of the bigger games that come out as cool as they look. So I tend to like games that are quick and can offer some mindless distraction to decompress. I think the VCS has some great games for that. I also am a Mac user and don't have easy access to a lot of the games on Steam and GOG. So an inexpensive PC in a cool case gave me a good way to play some Steam games. And the fact that it was Atari-branded and had a classic joystick were positives to me. For games that take advantage of classic joystick (notably Thrustlander) it is a pretty unique gaming experience. As a web developer, I like having a Windows machine handy for testing as well.

 

I am impressed with the build quality of the console and controllers and the packaging. I think they did a really good job. The AtariOS is fine. Finally, I think one of the big reasons to consider the VCS is because of the community here. Being an Atari user after the collapse of Warner Atari has always felt like being part of small club outside of the mainstream. That could definitely be a negative for others, of course, but I often gravitate to more niche hobbies.

[rayik]

Yes as a collectable

Yes as an alternative to RPI4 as a stylish Linux / Retropie box

No as an hardware platform to compete with Xbox, PS or Switch

 

I purchased retail when it first showed up at MicroCenter.  Have bought 8 games through the Atari OS store.  But just use it now for Retropie. 

[PaulXMann]

Yes, if you consider it for what it is: a stylish PC that happens to also have a pack-in, retro OS/storefront. If you compared it to anything else (i.e., a traditional game console, mid/high-end PC, etc.), you may come away confused or thinking it's not worth the money. 

 

For me, it's been awesome. I made fun of it for a good year or more... but unlike some brands (Amico, Polymega, Analogue, etc.), Atari came through with a solid design that you can buy at retail right now. And you know what? It's FUN! And that's what matters.

[justclaws]

Although it's not the topic of his video, his conclusion is OEB Pete's answer I think.
He bought the system not expecting a lot, but Atari is continuing to evolve the VCS.
 

 

 

 

[zzip]

On 10/17/2021 at 1:20 AM, Rev said:

After years of bad press and controversy….?

 

The newly announced recharged games look great and fun. 
 

Ill likely pick up a VCS one of these days.  
 

What is the general consensus….Its a good system?   I know next to nothing about it. 

I bought mine for PC Mode, wanted a console to play old retro and PC games that could be used in a living room setting.   It does the job nicely, much better than a Pi can. 

 

I never expected much of the Atari OS store, but that has surprised me.  It seems like they've been releasing generally good quality titles in there, even if they aren't exclusive.

[Mockduck]

I've tended to find that keyboard warriors who don't own one tend to be the most negative voices about the console, while most (but not all) folks who actually own one like it a lot. As long as you understand the capabilities and limitations of the console, particularly as it relates to PC mode and the ability to play games that require bigger specs than the VCS has, you'll enjoy it a lot. Think of it like the coolest looking $300 mini-PC with a great side benefit of AtariOS and you'll probably dig it.

[+swlovinist]

On 10/18/2021 at 3:48 AM, justclaws said:

Although it's not the topic of his video, his conclusion is OEB Pete's answer I think.
He bought the system not expecting a lot, but Atari is continuing to evolve the VCS.
 

 

 

 

I like that he is a real positive guy and like his style.   Honestly it has been nice to come to this forum and find some new news about the console as of late.  

[Rev]

On 10/17/2021 at 3:42 PM, rayik said:

Yes as a collectable

Yes as an alternative to RPI4 as a stylish Linux / Retropie box

No as an hardware platform to compete with Xbox, PS or Switch

 

I purchased retail when it first showed up at MicroCenter.  Have bought 8 games through the Atari OS store.  But just use it now for Retropie. 

retropie?   What systems does it emulate.  

[zzip]

49 minutes ago, Rev said:

retropie?   What systems does it emulate.  

It's a front-end to many emulators,  so it supports many systems.  Most popular ones.    If you are interested in going that route, there are a few similar projects.   Batocera seems like a popular choice for VCS users.

[82-T/A]

On 10/17/2021 at 1:20 AM, Rev said:

After years of bad press and controversy….?

 

The newly announced recharged games look great and fun. 
 

Ill likely pick up a VCS one of these days.  
 

What is the general consensus….Its a good system?   I know next to nothing about it. 

 

It's been a fantastic system. I don't really play games all that much, but when I do... it's pretty much only the Atari VCS. It's the only system that I have actually hooked up to my TV in the family room.