I once posted the question in the feedback forum about why there is no sub-forum for atari consoles and the response was that there is a perceived lack of interest in atari and to look at atariage.com for an atari community. I'm not campaigning to create a subforum here with this thread, but was just curious if, among the people who travel to this forum - many of which have extensive game console collections - if your gaming habits/collecting go back far enough to be interested in the various atari gaming products. Personally - I have owned at least one model of every distinct atari game system (2600, 5200, 7800, lynx, jaguar) outside of the XEGS consolized computer thing and the jaguar CD. This is not because I was of the age at the time, but rather, I was introduced to atari rather than the NES or SNES (systems more easily available when I was a kid) as my first game system because you could find the systems very affordably at tag sales in the early and mid 1990s and with money tight in my family at certain points, the 2600 and 7800 along with games from various tag sales were among the first video game systems I ever owned period. Over time I wound up accumulating many of the various other atari systems mostly at other tag sales and church sales, while I was still a kid. In terms of consoles I have at the moment, I only have a working Jaguar and Lynx, but I definitely enjoy having atari represented as a distinct part of my collection, partly for personal nostalgia value, but also to represent its own somewhat distinct flavor of gaming compared to sega's and nintendo's consoles and first party games of the 80s and 90s.
I own an Atari 2600 myself but don't play it very often at all. For me its just a little too old. I can play the hell out of any NES game you throw at me, but the 2600 can only hold my attention for a small amount of time. To be expected, though. Limitations of the time. I would love to grab an Atari Jaguar, though. Need to seek out an inexpensive one.
I certainly agree that most of the atari 2600 and 7800 library does not have a ton of 1P gameplay depth due to the technology limitations of the time. As for playing any of those system's games for more than 10 minutes at a time, that mostly made sense when playing with friends, joking around and having the added stimulation of outside-the-game competition/trash talking, etc. Boxing, combat, artillery duel, warlords, those were some good choices for instant action competitive multiplayer experiences. As you might imagine, the depth of 1P games does get better with the later more technologically capable and "modern" atari consoles, lynx and jaguar.
For sure. I would get a Jaguar for Alien vs. Predator alone. I'm sure there are other solid titles, but that game would be on the top of the list. Far away from Air Cars, though haha. Or the one abysmal fighting game I can't remember the name of. Its not the port of Rise of the Robots, but a Mortal Kombat clone. Gotta refresh the memory. A friend of mine had it a while back.
I'm not really interested in Atari stuff, personally. In fact, about the oldest system I play regularly is the Genesis. As I think I've said before, I grew up with the Genesis, so that's really the earliest (home console) system that I like to play. The PC Engine is cool too, but that's only a year older. I have a 2600 somewhere, but the last time I tried it, it didn't work. Interesting fact: did you know that Steve Jobs worked for Atari before he started Apple?
Honestly I played AVP on the Jag at the VGS this year and it wasn't really as good as I had heard. Now, I would like to play some Tempest 2000. I have a 2600, but the only game I play that often is River Raid. It's nice that the system and games are cheap as all get out. And you can use a Genesis controller (aka BEST CONTROLLER)
I owned a 2600 for a short while, it certainly was primitive. I barely used it and I just sold it off to someone else who'd enjoy it more. It does seem the Atari fanbase is dying off, I guess many are just getting older now - it's a shame since it's such piece of gaming history.
Atari is great. I had a 7800 and a box of various games (also including 2600 games) for years. All my joysticks barely worked, so I generally resorted to using Sega Genesis controllers. Jaguar has it's moments. I've never had the opportunity to try 5200 or any of Atari's home computers.
I have the 7800 and the Jaguar/CD. Neither one are played much but I hope to change that when the homebrew community starts putting out more stuff.
I love myself some 2600 and I didn't grow up with it (for reference I was born 10 years after the game crash), most 2600 are purely about play without the obfuscation of fancy visuals (in this day and age) or interesting plot. Especially the multiplayer games I love.
I have a 2600 but I played it maybe 2 or 3 times. My mother played maybe a bit more (I bought it for her). I think it's a nice looking console and I would like to play it more but I have to get more games for it. There are some games that I'm definitely interested in but I never get around to buying them. I hope to change this in the future. I don't want to have a massive Atari collection, just a few more games (I have around 30 if I'm not mistaken).
I Had a 2600 vader clone boxed, I enjoyed it, but sold it for a very good price. I would buy an Atari 5200 with an Atari 2600 game adapter, but I would have to go to the USA, because in Europe, that's just not possible.
I think I qualify as an Atari fan . I lived through most of the history. I DON'T have anything Jaguar or Lynx but lot's of 2600 compatibles as well as 8bit and 16bit computers. From memory - 800xl 130xe 1040stf 1040ste. Now for 2600 compatibles here we go lol - 4 switch Woody / Light Sixer / Vader model (ie BLACK) / 2 VCS adaptor for 5200 (1 stock & 1 modded for S-video output can be used as adapter or as standalone self contained unit ! ) / Coleco Gemini / 2 2600 Jr.s / ColecoVision Exp. Module # 1 / Sears Video Arcade II / Atari 5200 / Atari 7800 / PLUG n PLAY unit - Atari Flashback 2. I think that's about it
The last one (of VCS - 7800 era) was Adventure 2 a few months ago, i barely play old Atari systems. Had a clonic VCS back in the days but i played more on Spectrum and MSX.
Ahh that's disappointing. I've been wanting to play that game for a while, tried not to give in to the emulation experience. Seconded on the inexpensive 2600 games. The Exchange had a 10 pack for $5. They were decent games, too. I think I need to find "my" 2600 games.
The thing that freaked me out about the 2600 was that it has no AV port. And of course mine was broken so it didn't have the cable (it was sheared off inside the console), luckily it's an easy fix, but the Gemini is closer to modern consoles in layout (the controllers in the front, power and AV in the back).
I used to have a 2600 and also used to play it with a Genesis controller. The last large amount of time I had put into it was in the late 90s when I rolled the counter on Asteroids. I do not have that 2600 anymore and I had recently gotten another one but haven't tested if it works or even if I have enough to hook it up. I think that I have no real want to play the actual system anymore, although I may some day. A big factor is that most of the good games have been released on newer consoles in compilation packs.
True, you can get all of the good Atari games on compilation discs, that started to come out in the 5th gen. If you have a PS2, you can experience the best of Atari on one of the many compilation games.
