Shaggy the Atarian Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Yesterday I finally was able to play the 5200 for the first time after fixing my controller myself. I've actually had both a 2-port and a 4-port 5200 for about three or four years now, but the 2-port is broken and I just recently got the special RF adapter and the joystick...had to fix the joystick though. In the long time I've had the 5200, I'd pick up any games i could find for it and so I was able to play for a while through my collection yesterday which was nice. I'm impressed with the 5200. It doesn't seem so much like the Atari 400/800 as I thought it would be. River Raid is cool although the control is a little sensitive...unfortunately I couldn't figure out Space Dungeon, it just fires constantly in one single diaganol direction and it wouldn't move to the right very well although on other games moving to the right was no problem. Anyways, Moon Patrol is also a fun little game and I enjoyed the version of 5200 Joust. Total I have: Mario Bros. Space Invaders joust River Raid Space Dungeon Super Cobra Frogger 2 Countermeasure (x2) Pole Position Jungle Hunt Ms. Pac-Man Qix Blue Print Star Raiders I can't remember if I'm missing something...but anyways, any suggestions for some other games to get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Space Dungeon requires 2 joysticks. Do you have them both, and the Joystick coupler? You'll find that is one of the greatest titles in the 5200 library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Space Dungeon requires 2 joysticks. Are you trying to play with only one? My SD cart recently died , someday when I have some money again (stupid house ) I'll get another. I would also suggest: Miner 2049er Montazeuma's Revenge Beamrider H.E.RO. EDIT: I guess Inky beat me to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 As others have said, just like in Robotron, you need 2 joysticks to play the awesome Space Dungeon. However that's usually difficult unless you have the plastic joystick coupler or some other method to hold your controllers. To me, 5200 Joust is the best version of the game to the point where I even prefer it over the arcade version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Your Space Dungeon ... DIED? ....(SOB! GASP!) .. poor thing. Such a good game. I've never had a cart die. Congrats to Shaggy .. the 5200 is a great system with a great, fun library. I used to play 5200 Joust so much, it is definitely my most-played 5200 game. I love when all those birds start banging into each other with their screams echoing. Ugly pterrie, oh well. 5200 River Raid is awesome but it's one case where I prefer a tight digital stick. I use a Genesis pad w/my masterplay to be honest -- the stock 5200 stick's analog nature, well I never really got good at using it on River Raid. It's a fantastic game though! H.E.R.O. is good, I see you don't have that one. I also used to play lots of Qix and Star Raiders. Miner 2049'er is also AWESOME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Your Space Dungeon ... DIED? ....(SOB! GASP!) .. poor thing. Such a good game. I've never had a cart die. Yeah, it's wierd. It was fine and then everything was packed away for a couple of months while I moved. I unpacked, set up my gameroom went to play it and no go. The title screen comes up but then it's just scrambled. I have repeatedly cleaned it to no avail. All of my other 5200 carts work fine after the move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophero Sly Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Yeah, it's wierd. It was fine and then everything was packed away for a couple of months while I moved. I unpacked, set up my gameroom went to play it and no go. The title screen comes up but then it's just scrambled. I have repeatedly cleaned it to no avail. All of my other 5200 carts work fine after the move. My copy of 5200 'Defender' recently did the same thing. The title screen and game selection screens work fine, but the the playfield just distorts and hangs. Anyway, I recommend 'Galaxian'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy the Atarian Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 SD requires 2 joysticks then? Hmm, I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip however. Unfortunately I only have one joystick at the moment and I'm not sure where's a good source to get one. I'm afraid to go down to a thrift store and get one, as that most likely means it doesn't work. However they wouldn't even have one most likely. I'd really like to get another controller for my 5200 though. I also forgot to add Galaxian to my list of games. I think I also have Defender lying around somewhere. I'd love to get Montezuma's Revenge, I used to play that a lot as a kid for the 800 and I loved it. Joust is awesome, I have it now for every Atari system (except the Jag since Dactyl Joust was never released). :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcurrie Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 I can't wait to get my 5200. I bought 2 "non-working" ones and had them sent to a fellow AA member (every time I type AA, I want to pull that bottle of tequila from under my desk) in a "repair for equipment" deal. I received word the other day that my working unit should be on its way here shortly. There were some carts with the system and apparently, it had a fried Defender cart as well. I wonder if this is a common Defender 5200 cart problem or a 5200 cart problem in general.....it just seems weird because in the hundreds of 2600 carts I have acquired in all states of grunginess, there have been a very few that I couldn't get to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy the Atarian Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 I had thought that my River Raid was fried as well yesterday, it wouldn't even show the title screen...I just used some hydrogen peroxide and some q-tips, cleaned the metal edge connector, now it works flawlessly. Of course I do have a few fried 2600 carts, and my pwr supply for my 2600jr. is now dead I also have a fried 2-port 5200...not sure when I'll ever get that fixed however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 I have 2 fried 5200's... My River Raid cart is very tempermental -- it has to be sitting in the cart slot JUST RIGHT or it won't boot up. It's always been this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 I have 2 fried 5200's... My River Raid cart is very tempermental -- it has to be sitting in the cart slot JUST RIGHT or it won't boot up. It's always been this way. All of my Activison carts on the 5200 are like that. It's also really difficult to insert and remove Sega carts but they always work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Sad but true, the Atari manufactured cart shells really are the best in the 5200's case. They were kind of vanilla and uninspiring on 2600 (and some label variations are a tight fit due to changes in manufacturing) but on 5200 their uniformity and the short amount of time they were made pretty much guarantees a tight perfect fit every time. CBS and Sega are hell to put in or get out, and Activision is definitely "flaky" to put it mildly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Sad but true, the Atari manufactured cart shells really are the best in the 5200's case. They were kind of vanilla and uninspiring on 2600 (and some label variations are a tight fit due to changes in manufacturing) but on 5200 their uniformity and the short amount of time they were made pretty much guarantees a tight perfect fit every time. CBS and Sega are hell to put in or get out, and Activision is definitely "flaky" to put it mildly.But Atari's carts have no end label. A minor failing in an otherwise stellar product, but still... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vectrex-Atari Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Unfortunately I only have one joystick at the moment and I'm not sure where's a good source to get one. PM or email MrRetroGamer if you want rebuilt sticks at a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Yes the lack of end labels on the 5200 and Jag is a failing. Otherwise I feel that the 5200 cartridges are the best ever made. Very sturdy and reliable in comparison to all my other systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Oh, as a side note... A "bad" 5200 controller is quite adequate for fire control on Space Dungeon. The problem's usually the buttons, not the pots. At least if my 5 or 6 sampling is any indication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Oh, as a side note... A "bad" 5200 controller is quite adequate for fire control on Space Dungeon. The problem's usually the buttons, not the pots. At least if my 5 or 6 sampling is any indication. Good call, it is usually the buttons and not the stick itself that have problems so SD only needs a fully functioning stick in port 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy the Atarian Posted September 19, 2003 Author Share Posted September 19, 2003 A "bad" 5200 controller is quite adequate for fire control on Space Dungeon. The problem's usually the buttons, not the pots. At least if my 5 or 6 sampling is any indication. Thanks for the info. As soon as I can get a controller, I'll be sure to play SD first Another question though. How many games utilized the 4 game ports on the 5200? I know that if there were any, they were few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRetroGamer Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Another question though. How many games utilized the 4 game ports on the 5200? I know that if there were any, they were few and far between. I believe that Super Breakout, RS Tennis and the Asteroids proto have 4 player ability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 20, 2003 Share Posted September 20, 2003 Another question though. How many games utilized the 4 game ports on the 5200? I know that if there were any, they were few and far between. I believe that Super Breakout, RS Tennis and the Asteroids proto have 4 player ability. Hence why they thought making the 2-port model was a viable option. No one was doing 4-player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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