My 8-Bits: Atari 2600

[theflea]

This will be a forum series where I'll talk about the history and my experience with the gaming consoles I own and this time I'm reviewing a system that most of you should have played at least once in your life time, The Atari 2600 (VCS).   

Atari 2600


Sears 6-Switch Heavy (with box) and Sears 6-Switch Light


Atari 6-Switch Light and Atari 4-Switch (with box)


Sears 4-Switch (my first game console) and Atari 2600 "Darth Vader" with box.


Coleco Gemini, Sears Video Arcade II and Atari 2600 "Junior"

History:
Released on September 1977,  The system was originally named the Atari VCS (Video Computer System) Selling for $199 and only had eight games at launch. Later the system was blamed for the video game crash of 1983 when the system was flooding the market with crappy games.

How did it do?
Extremely well, At launch the system did okay, but when Atari released Space Invaders the system was a huge success. The system wasn't officially discontinued til 1992. Over 30 million systems where sold in that time.

Graphics:
Very simple graphics, but unlike every other consoles out at this time it blew away the competition with it's 128 color palette. Sound that came from the TV not just bleeps and bloops from the console. 

Is this system still fun to play?
Yes, while the system is outdated by most, it still has a charm and great games that are worth playing even today. There even people still making new games for the 2600 and pushes what anyone thought the system was capable of.
 
What games are worth playing?
Where to start, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Defender, Defender II (also known as Stargate) Missile Command, Berzerk, Pitfall II, HERO, Dig Dug, Solaris, Frogger, Jr. Pac-Man, Ka-Boom, Keystone Kapers, Megamania, River Raid 1&2, Seaquest, Tapper, and these are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. Also I highly recommend checking out some of the homebrews. Like Halo 2600, Juno First or Pac-Man 4K. (makes the Pac-man that was released look like barf)

How many versions are there?
About twelve main models, 6-switch Heavy, Sears 6-switch Heavy, 6-switch light, Sears 6-switch light, 4-switch light, Sears 4-switch light, the all black model known as the Darth Vader, short rainbow Junior, long rainbow Junior, Sears Video Arcade II, Coleco Gemini and the ultra rare Columbia Home Arcade. There's also a Japanese model known as the 2800. (I refuse to count the Atari Flashbacks) lol

What do I need to know if I start collecting this system?
This system is easy to come by, only versions that are rare are the Heavy models and the Columbia Home Arcade. The Gemini and Sears Video Arcade II are pretty uncommon too. You can pick up a system for about $20-$40 on average. And games can be under a dollar to the most expensive in video game history. The system released close to 400 games and there's many variations of the game carts themselves. So know what your looking for, I'd tell any collector buy the common / good games cheap then slowly expand to find the harder to find games. The systems them selves are pretty durable but the switch consoles can have issues with their switches becoming loose and not working properly so if you find one in the wild test all the front switches if any of them don't feel right it might have issues.     

My Experience with the Console
This was the first Game Console I ever owned. My grandfather Bought me a Sears 4-Switch when I was about 7 years old. And I still have it to this day. I've had several Atari's over the years and I'm still missing the 6-Switch Heavy and of course the ultra rare Columbia model. I always had a soft spot for the Atari 2600, when I got old enough I used to ride my bike hitting garage sales hunting for games for it, and I picked up many rare games that at the time I had no idea that they where anything special. I love the Atari 2600 and still play it to this day. It's a console I recommend everyone play at least once in their life time. My only complaint of the console is the joysticks can feel a little stiff.

Final Thoughts
This is a console that every video game collector should have in their collection. You don't need the rarest model or spend a ton of money hunting the rarest games, most of the best games are pretty common and will cost you a buck.

Let me know what you think, I'm planning on continuing the reviews in a somewhat order of when they came out, kinda makes you see the evolution. I'll try and have one up every weekend.   

Leave reply's on your experience with the Atari 2600, I would love to hear them.     
I know this is one console that some of you have to have played at least once.

By the Numbers: over 400 Atari 2600's of various models are listed in peoples collections on Vgcollect.

Past Reviews:
Coleco Telstar Arcade
RCA Studio II
Fairchild Channel F
PC-50X
Pong Consoles
Magnavox Odyssey

[turf]

The Heavy 6-er was my first console.  It's since been lost to time, but we had one.  The games were great since I didn't know any better.  I played a lot of Baseball, Football, Pac-Man, Missle Command, Defender, Asteroids.  I've lost some of the love for the console, but I still have 2 just in case I want to play it.

[burningdoom]

My sister had one when I was very little, before we got our NES. I wasn't that interested in it, but fell in love with the NES when we got it.

Fast-forward to my older-self and my first one I owned was an Atari Jr. Got it, with a game case and 35 games on eBay for $40. Great deal. I now I have a 4-switch wood-grain model, just because I liked how the wood-grain models looked more.

It's really cool to have one just to experience that history. To see where consoles all came from (or at least were popularized from).

Great write up, as always! Thanks.

[pacpix]

I have a couple four switch models and really enjoy playing the system.  I play most of my 2600 games through my 7800 currently though.  I find the simplistic gameplay does not hold my attention well as I was born in the N64/GC era, but when I play I usually have a stack of carts by me so it is like playing a minigame compilation ha.  My personal favorites for the system are Keystone Kapers, Wizard of Wor, Space Cavern, and Ms. Pac-Man.

[jobocan]

Your lack of Yars' Revenge in the games worth playing part makes me very sad. And Jungle Hunt also

I wouldn't say the 2600 is amazing, but it's still a very fun console to this day, with a handful of solid more arcadey games, and some of the multiplayer stuff with the paddles is interesting.

[kamikazekeeg]

I was born way after those days, so I never had one or knew anyone that had one growing up, so it has no appeal to me other than it's aspect of being an old game system which is cool.  Tried to play it a few times and that is just a big no lol

It's sorta like, I appreciate the Beatles for what they were to rock music, but I have very little interest in them musically XD

Thanks for another review though

[theflea]

Your lack of Yars' Revenge in the games worth playing part makes me very sad. And Jungle Hunt also

I wouldn't say the 2600 is amazing, but it's still a very fun console to this day, with a handful of solid more arcadey games, and some of the multiplayer stuff with the paddles is interesting.

Like I said those where off the top off my head That I play, Yars Revenge and Jungle Hunt are one of Atari's finest

[burningdoom]

I was born way after those days, so I never had one or knew anyone that had one growing up, so it has no appeal to me other than it's aspect of being an old game system which is cool.  Tried to play it a few times and that is just a big no lol

It's sorta like, I appreciate the Beatles for what they were to rock music, but I have very little interest in them musically XD

Thanks for another review though

Glad I'm not the only one that feels that way with the Beatles.

[dashv]

Your lack of Yars' Revenge in the games worth playing part makes me very sad. And Jungle Hunt also

I wouldn't say the 2600 is amazing, but it's still a very fun console to this day, with a handful of solid more arcadey games, and some of the multiplayer stuff with the paddles is interesting.

Like I said those where off the top off my head That I play, Yars Revenge and Jungle Hunt are one of Atari's finest

I agree, and let's not forget Haunted House!

[pacpix]

Your lack of Yars' Revenge in the games worth playing part makes me very sad. And Jungle Hunt also

I wouldn't say the 2600 is amazing, but it's still a very fun console to this day, with a handful of solid more arcadey games, and some of the multiplayer stuff with the paddles is interesting.

Like I said those where off the top off my head That I play, Yars Revenge and Jungle Hunt are one of Atari's finest

I agree, and let's not forget Haunted House!

Love Haunted House!   I can never beat the high difficulty settings, but it is a really cool game with the use of multiple floors and keys.

[dreama1]

You know they released atari 2600 in japan under atari 2800. Americans selling the japanese a console before the japanese selling the americans a console is quite funny I find. The realism of atari vs the anime like of japans video game industry.

[dashv]

I also like Journey Escape. I would play that game for hours.