Console Debate #11: Atari 7800

[ThePhleo | 2,184]

Solid 2.

Just ... why? Atari, you had it all. You stole the market from Magnavox and made it your own.

Messing up with the 5200, fine. But you follow it up with another screwup? .... and then tried to make up for it with the Jaguar, and when that failed just made a CD add on? (At least Jaguar had a good Tempest game though)

Nope. Sorry not sorry.

I’d give it a 1 but the ActionMax, VirtualBoy, HyperScan, R-Zone, LaserActive, and Amstrad GX4000 exists.....0 is reserved for LJN Videoart and BBC Bridge Companion.

[Tulpa | 3,490]

Charlie Chuck's Food Fight. 'nuff said.

It's not a terrible system, but it was clearly made for a pre-crash market and ended up in a post-crash world. I don't think it was expected to compete with the NES, more like "Well, Nintendo brought the console market back, and we have this thing fully developed, why not release it and see what happens? If it carves out a small niche, all the better." And it did.

[AstralSoul | 502]

Don't like Atari systems, and even as low as I'd rate 2600, which is their best and most popular system, I'd rank this even lower at a 4/10 which is probably generous but it is backwards compatible with 2600 so that's... something I guess.

[G-type | 2,479]

I ranked it so high because it can also play 2600 games. If I were judging on the 7800 library alone it might be a 4... My true love is 2600, so getting to play those games plus a few awesome 7800 titles like Food Fight is a bonus.

It's a shame too... if they had released it as soon as it was developed, they could have beaten the NES to market... Build out a bigger, more robust library, get away from just making everything be arcade ports. Include a better sound chip and console history might have turned out different.

Edited January 16, 2021 by G-type

[Tulpa | 3,490]

24 minutes ago, G-type said:

It's a shame too... if they had released it as soon as it was developed, they could have beaten the NES to market... Build out a bigger, more robust library, get away from just making everything be arcade ports. Include a better sound chip and console history might have turned out different.

Maybe, but I think the crash made the 1983-1984 market too toxic to do a console release. Warner Communications had also by that time sold Atari's home electronics division off to Tramiel, who was more interested in Atari's computers than the consoles. It was really bad timing for the 7800 more than anything else.

[Strange | 1,700]

I much prefer the 2600 both for the games and collectibility (although the set is a relatively easy one to pursue).

There’s just not a whole lot in the library I’m into playing, except for Food Fight which is genuinely fun and Galaga, but even then there’s a better version of Galaga on the NES and there’s a new homebrew at AtariAge called Galagon for the 2600 which is even better than the 7800 port of Galaga. 

The controller isn’t good but thankfully you can substitute a 2600 joystick for most games. It also seems to me like 7800 games look awful on my TV, but 2600 games played on my 7800 look fine? And some 7800s have issues with Activision’s 2600 games, which is a shame considering they’re the best games in the 2600 library.

It’s okay. That’s really all I’ve got to say. It’s nice to pick up if you’re curious about Atari and want to play the majority of 2600 games and could see yourself interested in dabbling in the 7800 stuff too. 

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

6 hours ago, G-type said:

It's a shame too... if they had released it as soon as it was developed, they could have beaten the NES to market... Build out a bigger, more robust library, get away from just making everything be arcade ports. Include a better sound chip and console history might have turned out different.

I don't think releasing the 7800 in 1984 would have changed a single thing.  Maybe the system would have had more games, but you have to remember something, the NES won people's hearts not because of its technology, but because of the move to more adventurous non-arcadey type games.

The NES/Famicom was designed for one reason: to allow people to play Donkey Kong in their own homes; every NES game released that's not a simple 40k NROM game is already working at a level beyond the original intention of the machine.  Miyamoto et al made the NES succeed, not the technical specs or the timing of the system's release...

[Sumer | 221]

Gave it a 5.  It was a solid system...in 1984.  If the crash wouldn't have happened, who knows?  This could have been Atari's Switch since the 5200 was their Wii U.    

But, since the crash did happen, and Tramiel was in charge...it didn't stand a chance in 1987 when it was reintroduced full scale to the market.

HOWEVER, there are some definitive console version of games on the system.  Some of you have mentioned Asteroids because of the two-player simultaneous action.  That could be the definitive version of classic Asteroids ever released.  Though, I much prefer the third sequel to Asteroids, Space Duel, when it comes to simultaneous action.  That is only an arcade cab, though, as far as I am aware, with no console release.  As an aside, my favorite game in the whole series is the fourth and final game: Blasteroids!  Was that ever ported to a home console?  (Maybe to a home computer back then)

And lastly, like many of you have mentioned: FOOD FIGHT!  My wife loves the arcade cabinet and we got the 7800 version of this game right after she fell in love with the cab at a local retro-cade.

If you decide to collect and play 7800, I highly recommend the Euro controller.  They are a bit pricy, and I was lucky enough to snag one before their prices started going up many years ago, but it makes a world of difference controlling 7800 games.  It is basically Atari's version of the NES control pad...d-pad and all.  It only ever released in Europe for some reason though.

Edited January 17, 2021 by Sumer

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

8 hours ago, Sumer said:

Gave it a 5.  It was a solid system...in 1984.  If the crash wouldn't have happened, who knows?  This could have been Atari's Switch since the 5200 was their Wii U.    

But, since the crash did happen, and Tramiel was in charge...it didn't stand a chance in 1987 when it was reintroduced full scale to the market.

HOWEVER, there are some definitive console version of games on the system.  Some of you have mentioned Asteroids because of the two-player simultaneous action.  That could be the definitive version of classic Asteroids ever released.  Though, I much prefer the third sequel to Asteroids, Space Duel, when it comes to simultaneous action.  That is only an arcade cab, though, as far as I am aware, with no console release.  As an aside, my favorite game in the whole series is the fourth and final game: Blasteroids!  Was that ever ported to a home console?  (Maybe to a home computer back then)

And lastly, like many of you have mentioned: FOOD FIGHT!  My wife loves the arcade cabinet and we got the 7800 version of this game right after she fell in love with the cab at a local retro-cade.

If you decide to collect and play 7800, I highly recommend the Euro controller.  They are a bit pricy, and I was lucky enough to snag one before their prices started going up many years ago, but it makes a world of difference controlling 7800 games.  It is basically Atari's version of the NES control pad...d-pad and all.  It only ever released in Europe for some reason though.

Another opition is to just mod a NES controller. From what I looked up its a pretty easy switch to make. I plan in doing it when I get the atari style extension cable to harvest

[bronzeshield | 293]

4/10. Terrible controllers, inexcusable sound, stupid power cord. And those double-wide pixels really make the system's graphics look trashy, low-class, and outdated -- that hurts its plausibility far more than is usually acknowledged, I think.

But it can do a few things the NES can't, and wise developers took (and are continuing to take) advantage of those things, so it deserves to exist. Midnight Mutants is a fun time. Plus the backwards compatibility is a huge plus.

[asmikace | 68]

7800 was doomed due to the crash and Tramiel.. I think of it like the Sega 32X since it can play an existing library of games and compliments the library. Food Fight makes the 7800 worthwhile in my opinion and Ninja Golf is an experience to play. The basic controller is garbage but works unlike the 5200 but the NES copy controller is alright. I give it a solid 5 but worth picking up to experience 2600 and some of the 7800 ports.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,012]

I gave it a 4. I had a CIB console and enough CIB games to have a collection at one point but I just couldn't justify keeping it around. I had no nostalgia for the console and the games I liked were mostly novelty as they were better elsewhere. Ultimately I switched my Atari fix to the 2600 and never looked back. 

I respect people who appreciate the system. I can imagine people growing up with it and have strong nostalgia tied to gaming on the 780/, however that just not me. 

[JeremiahJT | 75]

Perfect 10 for me. The reason being that I consider the 2600 the GOAT and this plays the entire 2600 library (some incompatibilities depending on 7800 revision and 2600 game revision). Obviously I am a fan of the 7800 games since I am only a Tank Command short of a full set. Going only on the 7800 games I would say a 7. I still really enjoy the 7800 library.

 

It was also the first game system I ever owned.

Edited January 23, 2021 by JeremiahJT