Insane Metal
Gold Member
Ohhhh man... the memories. I'm a 90s kid but I had one.
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The Atari 2600 is 40 years old
- Thread starter Baron_Calamity
- Start date
I actually came across a working one in the early 90's when people used to throw out their electronics outside their homes yearly. With a bunch of games.
So yeah was getting some O'l G Atari early in life. #milfchaser
synchronicity
Gold Member
I still remember the exclusively child-like excitement and enthusiasm I felt when getting this for Christmas as a child. So many great memories.
And the games themselves, while not very compelling for the most part today, are still interesting in terms of what was able to be accomplished with such a limited canvas.
I still enjoy some of them though, like River Raid for example.
Edit: I really enjoyed the Atari Anthology on PS2 with its 80's bedroom and music. The presentation for the package was really great.
And the games themselves, while not very compelling for the most part today, are still interesting in terms of what was able to be accomplished with such a limited canvas.
I still enjoy some of them though, like River Raid for example.
Edit: I really enjoyed the Atari Anthology on PS2 with its 80's bedroom and music. The presentation for the package was really great.
One Eyed Willy
Member
My first console. I have a 100% functional 2600 at my house right now too, with about 50 games 
HerpDerpstreit
Member
Was just getting ready to post about how awesome River Raid was. We had a 2600 Jr. and RR was by far the game I played the most followed by Moon Patrol. There was a switch on the back of the console itself that actually changed which music played during Moon Patrol, blew my mind.
Blackpuppy
Member
They definitely do have a smooth quality like you say.
The thing with the 2600 is that it doesn't have a framebuffer so the graphics are not drawn frame by frame... but scanline by scanline. Whenever the CRT is drawing the graphics, the 2600 can't do anything else but draw. When it stops drawing a scanline and gets ready to draw another, that's when the CPU can make calculations.
This is what is meant by 'racing the beam'... As a programmer, you're basically counting clock cycles between scanlines asking yourself, 'Can I get all of these calculations done in time before the game needs to display graphics?'
While this made life hard for programmers, this actually led to its flexibility! It only has 5 sprites (Two players, two missiles and a ball) plus a low resolution background. On paper it's a pong/tank machine. But because you can change things up between scanlines, you can make much more complicated graphics. This allowed the 2600 to thrive well after Pong became passé.
Transistor
Banned
Still have mine hooked up. Modded it to have an RCA output instead of RF, so the picture looks sublime.
I still play Berserker or River Raid almost weekly
I still play Berserker or River Raid almost weekly
NullPointer
Member
Berserker was my personal favorite as a kid. Just couldn't keep up with my brothers and dad in Defender, but I tried ;p
dragonyeuw
Member
AlteredForms
Banned
That wood gives me wood.
This was essentially my first console as well (I turned 41 recently). It was actually my grandpa's, but I loved going over there and playing it. He had a shitload of games, I was obsessed with Adventure, Kaboom, Pitfall, River Raid... too many to remember, it definitely started a lifelong love for games.
Lightning_Roller
Banned
Funny enough I had one of these when I was growing up in the early 90s. Had Donkey Kong on it and I had a blast. Thank you, 2600 for getting me into video games.
pettersson
Member
"Racing the Beam". Great book on that topic, programming the Atari 2600.
eyeball_kid
Member
Still the classiest-looking console. And the best game box art.
I remember getting it and Asteroids for Christmas and my grandparents being afraid it would mess up their TV somehow. Later on, I flipped the score to Asteroids 13 times in a row before I got bored.
Berzerk was my favorite 2600 game. Though it didn't have the digitized voices of the arcade game, it had the spirit of it. And Evil Otto. Those kinds of twitch arcade games were what the 2600 was best at, though devs certainly tried to push the medium farther on it.
Raiders of the Lost Ark was the most impressive 2600 game, basically Zelda before Zelda. It was open world, had NPCs, an inventory system, and puzzles. Beating it wasn't easy, especially with no ability to save.
I remember I started getting disenchanted with the 2600 when Pac-Man 2600 came out and looked only vaguely like the arcade version, and then seeing how much better ports on the ColecoVision and IntelliVision looked. IMO it was not the number or quality of games that caused the games crash, but the fact that Atari management thought they could ride the 2600 for years on name alone, without putting out a more powerful system to keep up with the pace of change in the industry.
I remember getting it and Asteroids for Christmas and my grandparents being afraid it would mess up their TV somehow. Later on, I flipped the score to Asteroids 13 times in a row before I got bored.
Berzerk was my favorite 2600 game. Though it didn't have the digitized voices of the arcade game, it had the spirit of it. And Evil Otto. Those kinds of twitch arcade games were what the 2600 was best at, though devs certainly tried to push the medium farther on it.
Raiders of the Lost Ark was the most impressive 2600 game, basically Zelda before Zelda. It was open world, had NPCs, an inventory system, and puzzles. Beating it wasn't easy, especially with no ability to save.
I remember I started getting disenchanted with the 2600 when Pac-Man 2600 came out and looked only vaguely like the arcade version, and then seeing how much better ports on the ColecoVision and IntelliVision looked. IMO it was not the number or quality of games that caused the games crash, but the fact that Atari management thought they could ride the 2600 for years on name alone, without putting out a more powerful system to keep up with the pace of change in the industry.
Brerlappin
Member
Got one in the mid 80s for Christmas. It was what started a lifelong love of games. I had Centipede, Joust, and some more obscure games called Exocet and one absolute turd called Riddle of the Sphinx
Pilgrimzero
Member
Just played some actual Atari the other day. Has to get a new hookup for the tv and a new controller/joystick but it works like a charm!
And wow do I suck at Space Invaders. I remember being somewhat good at it back in the day.
And wow do I suck at Space Invaders. I remember being somewhat good at it back in the day.
mattwhite924
Member
I got my first one around 94. My family used to go to flea markets, and we found one in box with like 50 games. At one point I had 3 of them, two woodgrain, and a Jr version. I think I got into it about as late as you could and still enjoy a lot of the games, since most of them have not aged well at all.
I think my favorite part was the instruction books and catalogs. I still have most of them, and they're a blast to look through. A few of them have consoles that never made it out, and for years I had no idea that they didn't really exist.
I think my favorite part was the instruction books and catalogs. I still have most of them, and they're a blast to look through. A few of them have consoles that never made it out, and for years I had no idea that they didn't really exist.
eyeball_kid
Member
No, the Magnavox Odyssey predated the 2600 by a few years.
Mihos
Gold Member
Magnavox shakes it's rake at Atari..... and then sues them
This was the first console I bought with my own money. I remember going to Sears to get it.
Version 3.0
Member
We got one for Christmas when I was in 3rd grade. I still have mine, hooked up and working. It was great fun, but more of a novelty than a real, capable game system. It's so limited. Most of its popular games were poor versions of arcade hits. And I vividly remember, as many do, I'm sure, the release of Pac-Man driving home that point hard.
Soapbox Killer
Grand Nagus
My mom brought one home from a flea market in 1984 with ten games, 4 controllers and a black and white TV for $10
40 years for the 2600 feels about right, but it is still sort of mindblowing to think that the 2600 and PS1 were separated by fewer years than the PS1 and Switch.
We saw so many massive shifts in those early years.
Fluffernutter Pancake
Member
The wood paneling will always be a source of amusement. Who else has lived in a house with wood-paneled TVs? Good times.....
Version 3.0
Member
It's pretty generous to call that thing a video game console. It's a glorified oscilloscope.
Incitemaybe
Member
Also my first console. Anyone remember Spider Fighter? I used to love that game. Also I recall being very frustrated with a game called Seaquest haha.
I also recall having tons of cartridges from after the crash.... Buying tons of games out of a crate 😂
I also recall having tons of cartridges from after the crash.... Buying tons of games out of a crate 😂
katsubento
Member
I remember my parents buying one for us at Christmas. So much fun playing Combat, Asteroids, Pac-Man, Missile Command.
Catphish
Member
So many memories...
The one that really stands out is when I brought Decathlon home for the first time and played it until I had to go to bed.
I woke up the next day so fecking sore, I can't even tell you. All day, I ached.
Bad ass game, tho.
As great as the 2600 was, though, it didn't take long for me to forget it amongst the 5200, Intellivision, and Colecovision.
By the time I got my C-64, my poor 2600 was a complete afterthought.
The one that really stands out is when I brought Decathlon home for the first time and played it until I had to go to bed.
I woke up the next day so fecking sore, I can't even tell you. All day, I ached.
Bad ass game, tho.
As great as the 2600 was, though, it didn't take long for me to forget it amongst the 5200, Intellivision, and Colecovision.
By the time I got my C-64, my poor 2600 was a complete afterthought.
I recommend everyone check out the 2600 homebrew community. People are still doing amazing things with the 2600 console. Some of my favorite homebrews:
Princess Rescue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5igUFICNB0
Pac Man 8K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA3mIWzwrZk
Donkey Kong VCS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6vhLDN3dI
Princess Rescue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5igUFICNB0
Pac Man 8K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA3mIWzwrZk
Donkey Kong VCS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6vhLDN3dI
Dr. Zoidberg
Member
They put out the 5200 the same year (1982) but it was expensive, huge, and the controllers sucked ass. Worst controller ever, if for no other reason than they are very prone to stop working. I have 3 5200 controllers and only one that I could coax into working after disassembly and cleaning. It was a nice upgrade, though. Basically Atari computer guts in a console case.
Shadowhaxor
Member
Way to make me feel old ;( I got one of these when I was a kid.
Absolutely, in the '80s and '90s the cost to design and retail a console was low enough that a bunch of company tried their hand at the booming console business, those were very exciting times especially because I was younger
.After the '90s with the rise in the investments needed to just try to compete in the console business only the very biggest companies could keep churning out new consoles.
For the last 16 years all we got is Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox (and a glut of micro consoles that rode on the mobile expansion both for hardware and software).
Between Atari 2600 release in 1977 and PS1 release in 1994 in Japan there is a timespan of 17 years.
Now think how it has past about 16 years since Sega exited the console business.
BritBloke916
Member
Happy birthday old friend. I can still enjoy playing The Empire Strikes Back to this day.
blu
Wants the largest console games publisher to avoid Nintendo's platforms.
I'm with you, only that I remained with the fake pong*, and only salivated at 2600 pictures in magazines.
* First console I owned came much later when I was an adult.
Catphish
Member
And how 👍
Setzer
Member
Me too. I'm dreading turning 45 next week.
I remember this guy. Although it was technically the first console I played (we are both 40 this year) at the age of 4 or 5 back in 81/82, I don't consider it "my console". That distinction belongs to the NES.
However, this console still holds a very special place in my gaming history. Pong, Pac-Man, Pitfall, Frogger, even the travesty that was E.T. (yes, my grandparents gave me a copy of that pos) are all inextricably linked with some very powerful memories.
My father (passed away 3 years ago) and I used to love playing that console together. I can't think of the 2600 without thinking of all the great times we had on that thing. Can't believe it's been so long...
However, this console still holds a very special place in my gaming history. Pong, Pac-Man, Pitfall, Frogger, even the travesty that was E.T. (yes, my grandparents gave me a copy of that pos) are all inextricably linked with some very powerful memories.
My father (passed away 3 years ago) and I used to love playing that console together. I can't think of the 2600 without thinking of all the great times we had on that thing. Can't believe it's been so long...
Berzerker is among my favorites too.
The others are Pitfall, Battlezone, Kaboom, Missile Command, Keystone Kapers and River Raid.