Difference between revisions of "Atari 2600"

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[[Image:Atari 2600.jpg|thumb|256x256px|A wood panel 4-switch model.]]
 
[[Image:Atari 2600.jpg|thumb|256x256px|A wood panel 4-switch model.]]
  
The '''''Atari 2600''''', originally called the '''''Video Computer System''''', is a video game console created by [[Atari]] and first released on 1977-09-11. It is powered by a [[MOS 6502]] microprocessor.
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The '''Atari 2600''', originally called the '''Video Computer System''', is a video game console created by [[Atari]] and first released on 1977-09-11. It is powered by a [[MOS 6502]] microprocessor.
  
 
This was the very first home video game console I ever played, somewhere around 1985. My parents bought a used system with a bunch of games, and I played it a lot. Our set included two wireless joysticks, two regular joysticks, two paddle controllers, and one of the 4-switch models (I think the all-black one). A friend of mine in 1988 had a later Atari Jr. model.
 
This was the very first home video game console I ever played, somewhere around 1985. My parents bought a used system with a bunch of games, and I played it a lot. Our set included two wireless joysticks, two regular joysticks, two paddle controllers, and one of the 4-switch models (I think the all-black one). A friend of mine in 1988 had a later Atari Jr. model.

Revision as of 22:47, 15 February 2019

A wood panel 4-switch model.

The Atari 2600, originally called the Video Computer System, is a video game console created by Atari and first released on 1977-09-11. It is powered by a MOS 6502 microprocessor.

This was the very first home video game console I ever played, somewhere around 1985. My parents bought a used system with a bunch of games, and I played it a lot. Our set included two wireless joysticks, two regular joysticks, two paddle controllers, and one of the 4-switch models (I think the all-black one). A friend of mine in 1988 had a later Atari Jr. model.

Games

See all Atari 2600 Games.

These are the Atari 2600 games that are important to me:

Review

Good

  • The joysticks were very solid and could take a lot of abuse.
  • Compared to its competitors, this platform had the best game library of the day.
  • For a system designed to be able to play Pong, and not much else, it did amazingly well.

Bad

  • Having only one button on the joystick made it pretty much impossible to make a complex game. Several developers tried with only limited success.
  • The vast majority of the games released on the platform are terrible.
  • The system's audio capabilities are very primitive.
  • The controller ports are stupidly placed on the back on the console.
  • The joystick's cover could easily be pulled off, and required unscrewing the base to put it back on again.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Media

Videos

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-MobyGames.png