Console Debate #19 Atari 2600

[RH | 4,906]

You guys are also missing an important factor to the crash.  Consumers (parents anyway) were starting to get confused, and it was frustrating.  Even though I was still young, distinctly remember multiple older adults with kids being frustrated that they bought their kid a game for Christmas/Birthday and it was the game they wanted... but for the wrong system.

It's easy to throw shade at this, but even in 1984 (after the crash) games were "new" especially for younger generations and when Johnny wants Pac-Man and all Mom remembers is they have an Atari, they aren't going to be happy when they come home with a 5200 game, rather than a 2600.  There were to many console options and since every department store didn't care all of the systems that were out, it was an easy mistake for someone to buy a system at Sears and a month later walk into a K-Mart (or where ever) and browse home console games and accidentally grab a wrong one.

This created tremendous frustration and I think made many parent standoffish towards video game buying because it was an annoying mistake to make and even then,  I don't retailers liked taking back open-boxed items.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,089]

18 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I feel like going from the Atari to Super Mario Bros. is like going from Faceball 2000 straight to Doom.  So vastly different in scope that it's almost not even comparable.

This is what it was like for me.  I kid you not, the first evening after I finished playing SMB on my new NES, I packed up my Coleco Gemini (Atari 2600 clone that was very popular up here in Canada) and threw all the wires in a box and shoved it in the bottom of my closet, not to be seen again until I got into collecting "retro games" in 1999 and dug it out for the sake of curiosity...

[Sumer | 221]

12 hours ago, RH said:

You guys are also missing an important factor to the crash.  Consumers (parents anyway) were starting to get confused, and it was frustrating.  Even though I was still young, distinctly remember multiple older adults with kids being frustrated that they bought their kid a game for Christmas/Birthday and it was the game they wanted... but for the wrong system.

It's easy to throw shade at this, but even in 1984 (after the crash) games were "new" especially for younger generations and when Johnny wants Pac-Man and all Mom remembers is they have an Atari, they aren't going to be happy when they come home with a 5200 game, rather than a 2600.  There were to many console options and since every department store didn't care all of the systems that were out, it was an easy mistake for someone to buy a system at Sears and a month later walk into a K-Mart (or where ever) and browse home console games and accidentally grab a wrong one.

This created tremendous frustration and I think made many parent standoffish towards video game buying because it was an annoying mistake to make and even then,  I don't retailers liked taking back open-boxed items.

This is a thing, so I am glad you brought it up.  This happened quite a bit in the Atari/Intellivision/Coleco era.  It even happened into the NES era for a quick second when people thought the NES was another "Atari."

[Sumer | 221]

42 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

This is what it was like for me.  I kid you not, the first evening after I finished playing SMB on my new NES, I packed up my Coleco Gemini (Atari 2600 clone that was very popular up here in Canada) and threw all the wires in a box and shoved it in the bottom of my closet, not to be seen again until I got into collecting "retro games" in 1999 and dug it out for the sake of curiosity...

Wow!  Same here...right down to the Gemini being my "Atari."  

I mentioned earlier in the thread that my mom sold the Gemini at a garage sale in 1989 or 1990 after having the NES for three years...we hadn't played it in those years, she thought it was taking up space, and she went and sold it.  I have forgiven for that, but it still depresses me, seeing what Geminis go for nowadays.

[Night Driver | 6]

GOAT

10/10

Edited March 16, 2021 by Night Driver

[asmikace | 68]

I gave the 2600 an 8. For what the 2600 is today its charming for its low tech and simplicity of its games. Also I enjoyed going to flea markets and pawn shops and getting games for a buck a piece to mess with while reading the history of the games and companies on the Atari Age. It is a must have for history purposes. The 2600 also as the best explosion sound effects for a video game console imho.

[Estil | 1,265]

Where would be the best place to get an AV modded Light Sixer?  You know, for whenever I am ready to take the plunge?  I already know where to get the Harmony cartridge...

[Tulpa | 3,508]

22 minutes ago, Estil said:

Where would be the best place to get an AV modded Light Sixer?  You know, for whenever I am ready to take the plunge?  I already know where to get the Harmony cartridge...

If not Ebay, then AtariAge.

[Hammerfestus | 3,847]

I’ve actually never played the actual console.  It’s one of those things where I really would like one but the price would have to be nice and I don’t even know that I could hook it up.  RF only?

[Tulpa | 3,508]

20 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

I’ve actually never played the actual console.  It’s one of those things where I really would like one but the price would have to be nice and I don’t even know that I could hook it up.  RF only?

Stock, yes, RF only. But they can be modded for AV.

Cheapest one to get might be the Jr. models from 1986-1991, followed by the Darth Vader ones from 1982-1984. The original Sunnyvale-made heavy sixxer models from 1977 are the most sought after. Those were replaced by the light sixxer models made in Asia, and then the four switch models. There was also a Sears branded model of the light sixxer (and maybe the four switch?)

Coleco also made a clone called the Gemini, that was also branded as Columbia House. Some of those might fly under the radar in terms of price.

 

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

Solid 6 for me.  It's great for when you don't have a ton of time to sink into some games and want to play some quick fun stuffs.

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

51 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

I’ve actually never played the actual console.  It’s one of those things where I really would like one but the price would have to be nice and I don’t even know that I could hook it up.  RF only?

Snag one of the various Flashbacks; I think Flashback 8 and up are HDMI to make life easier.

[Estil | 1,265]

3 hours ago, Tulpa said:

If not Ebay, then AtariAge.

But more specifically?  Is there a dealer that sells the best ones?  I mean like Gomer Pyle says in that poker episode if I'm gonna spend good money on it, I wanna make sure I get the best!

 

PS: I'm not a poker expert (I don't think I've ever really played "for realises") but three "pat hands" in one round of five card draw should raise more red flags than China.  The only reason someone doesn't take any cards in five card draw is if they have straight or better (or they want their opponents to think they have a straight or better) and according to wiki, the odds of being dealt a straight or better are only about 2%.  So for that to happen three times in one deal/round...

[Tulpa | 3,508]

2 minutes ago, Estil said:

But more specifically?  Is there a dealer that sells the best ones? 

They're all done by hobbyists. Guys like some of the ones here with a soldering gun and knowhow.

Make an account on AtariAge and ask around. You'll find them.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

5 hours ago, Estil said:

But more specifically?  Is there a dealer that sells the best ones?  

I mean if you have a soldeing iron, you can get the mod board for something like $15-20 and pop it in. It's a very easy process, practically takes longer to open the console then it does to install the thing

[Hammerfestus | 3,847]

9 hours ago, captmorgandrinker said:

Snag one of the various Flashbacks; I think Flashback 8 and up are HDMI to make life easier.

I had considered that before.  Something about the cool artwork and $1 games really appeals to me as a collector though.  Someday.

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

On 3/12/2021 at 9:39 PM, Strange said:

It’s a crime that Yar’s Revenge didn’t get an NES version

There's a GBA one that you could play on your Gamecube with the GBA player?   That's about as close as you're gonna get.

[themisfit138 | 523]

On 3/12/2021 at 7:34 AM, Bearcat-Doug said:

The Activision games alone still hold up for the most part. As basic as the games are, I think there are several that are still fun. 8/10.

River Raid is still a good time. 

7/10 for me. I played a lot as a kid. I even had a bunch of games that I collected at yard sales. Besides the Activision games, Dig Dug and Donkey Kong. There isn’t much I would go back to play today. 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

Just now, themisfit138 said:

River Raid is still a good time. 

7/10 for me. I played a lot as a kid. I even had a bunch of games that I collected at yard sales. Besides the Activision games, Dig Dug and Donkey Kong. There isn’t much I would go back to play today. 

Kaboom, Frostbite, Enduro, HERO and Pitfall II are some of my favorite Activision games. Atari had plenty of good first party games like Space Invaders, Jungle Hunt, Berzerk, Breakout and Missile Command to name a few.

[Estil | 1,265]

4 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

I mean if you have a soldeing iron, you can get the mod board for something like $15-20 and pop it in. It's a very easy process, practically takes longer to open the console then it does to install the thing

NO!  I am not going to perform the operation myself!

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by Estil

[Tulpa | 3,508]

Atari's 2600 port of Space Invaders might be the best home version of that game, with all the options available. Asteroids is pretty good, too, despite the lack of vector graphics. Their port of Defender is garbage, though.

Warlords and Video Olympics (which is a bunch of Pong games, including Quadrapong) are good, too. Circus Atari is actually pretty good, too, for a Breakout-derived game. 

Haunted House seems kinda eh at first, but the highest difficulty where you can't see the walls is really intense. 

Mountain King by CBS Electronics is great and fast paced. Plus it has "glitch heaven." Some of the other CBS games like Solar Fox and Tunnel Runner are good.

I've already gone on about Imagic. 

[themisfit138 | 523]

12 minutes ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

Kaboom, Frostbite, Enduro, HERO and Pitfall II are some of my favorite Activision games. Atari had plenty of good first party games like Space Invaders, Jungle Hunt, Berzerk, Breakout and Missile Command to name a few.

Jogging my memory, it has been awhile since I played Atari.

I have never played HERO, but all the other you listed are pretty good. I would add Defender and Yar’s Revenge to that list also. Thinking about it I should have went 8. Atari does have quite a lot of good games. 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

1 minute ago, themisfit138 said:

Jogging my memory, it has been awhile since I played Atari.

I have never played HERO, but all the other you listed are pretty good. I would add Defender and Yar’s Revenge to that list also. Thinking about it I should have went 8. Atari does have quite a lot of good games. 

HERO is a really fun and unique game. You should give it a try. Defender and Yar's Revenge are two good games. As simple as the games are, a lot of them are still fun. 

[Tulpa | 3,508]

31 minutes ago, Estil said:

NO!  I am not going to perform the operation myself!

You're probably looking at $100 or so for the labor. Not sure how much the kits cost, maybe $25-$50*? A quick look around eBay shows the light sixxers go for about $100 shipped, so factor that in, though you might look at the Sears versions as they seem to be cheaper (it'd also be more unique.)

That's assuming they have a system onhand, which they probably don't. So you might have to acquire one yourself and foot the bill for shipping both ways.

 

*Okay, leatherrebel said that the kits are $15-20, though I would factor in a little mark-up. Call it $25-30.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Tulpa

[Strange | 1,700]

AtariAge is your place if you want to get a system. Those guys are great, they’re knowledgeable, and many of them have a lot of extras lying around that they don’t mind parting with (for a price).

You can buy locally or on eBay, but the problem is the switches may not all work on that console you buy. Or the RF could be bad. If you buy from AtariAge, you can have peace of mind knowing the person who sells you the system knows what they’re talking about and knows how to check everything is working.