VGCollect Forum

General and Gaming => Classic Video Games => Topic started by: gngtiger on January 02, 2022, 03:03:55 am

Title: Why are the Atari categories the way that they are?
Post by: gngtiger on January 02, 2022, 03:03:55 am
The Atari home computer categories really confuse me. The Atari XE home computer games are filed under "Atari 8-Bit Computers (Cartridges)"
instead of their own category. I know that the Atari XE was essentially a repackaged Atari 400/800, but I'd really appreciate some answers for this.

Edit: should have posted this elsewhere, but it's too late now!
Title: Re: Why are the Atari categories the way that they are?
Post by: dhaabi on January 03, 2022, 12:01:32 pm
Not being well versed with Atari systems personally, it seems that the three Atari 8-Bit Computer games categories (Cartridges (https://vgcollect.com/browse/atari8bitcart), Cassette Tapes (https://vgcollect.com/browse/atari8bittapes), Floppy Disks (https://vgcollect.com/browse/atari8bitdisk)) are separated by media type as opposed to specific systems. This may have been due to numerous Atari computers releasing, meaning that the games are placed in an umbrella category as they're compatible with numerous systems. As you're concerned with the Atari XE system specifically, are there any games exclusive to or only compatible with this console?
Title: Re: Why are the Atari categories the way that they are?
Post by: tpugmire on January 03, 2022, 04:02:53 pm
I think I created them like that way back in the day to make some sense of the original category which was just everything thrown in together. It’s been a long time though.
Title: Re: Why are the Atari categories the way that they are?
Post by: gngtiger on January 03, 2022, 05:10:03 pm
After some digging, I have found out that Atari XE games are their own proprietary games (different from the Atari 400/800) and require either an Atari XL or XE model to play them.

Edit: The XE systems have 32 games compatible with them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Atari_XEGS_games
Title: Re: Why are the Atari categories the way that they are?
Post by: tripredacus on January 04, 2022, 10:05:33 am
Quote from: gngtiger on January 03, 2022, 05:10:03 pm
After some digging, I have found out that Atari XE games are their own proprietary games (different from the Atari 400/800) and require either an Atari XL or XE model to play them.

Edit: The XE systems have 32 games compatible with them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Atari_XEGS_games

What you type does not match to what you have posted. The wikipedia page says the XEGS carts work on the other Atari 8-bit computer line. Also mirrors from here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_XEGS#Games

Anyways for the reason why they are split has been mentioned, something not done for other micros like Amstrad but is done for things like Spectrum or C64.
Title: Re: Why are the Atari categories the way that they are?
Post by: gngtiger on January 04, 2022, 05:39:22 pm
Ah, now I get it. Thanks for letting me know.