Golgo 14 wrote:For anyone who wants the ultimate Atari experience I recommend a 7800. Of course, it's backwards-compatible with the 2600 games. And while most of the 7800 games suck, there are definitive 2-player versions of Asteroids and Centipede that should not be missed!
The main reason I can think of is modern a/v inputs. You'd have to mod an original 2600 to accept anything other than RF out, where as the flashback 2 is upgraded to RCA.
Both the 2600 and 7800 can be converted to better video easier then messing with that Flashbak cart mod.
You would need a Harmony cart, which is usually for playing ROMs on a real 2600. Then just solder the Harmony cart to the pins where the cartridge port would go on the FB2. This has been done, with good results.
Just my two cents, but I picked up both Atari Flashbacks before I went all out and got an original 2600 with a bunch of games, and I find myself playing the real deal far more.
The Flashback's selection of games is kinda weak considering the total 2600 library. Some of the best are in there, but it's easy to find those original carts pretty cheap. And they don't come with paddle controllers, yet the Flashback 2 has two hidden paddle games... and if your gonna go online to find a set of paddles you might as well buy a lot with those, a console, games, etc, for pretty much the price of the Flashback's.
The Flashbacks are great for casual "retro gaming night", especially if you want to take them somewhere. They are really light, and alot more convenient than dragging along a huge, heavy, original and a bunch of games, not to mention the Flashback hooks up with standard A/V cables.
So if your just looking for a simple plug 'n play system to break out once in a while with friends the Flashbacks are worth around the $20-$30 you can find them for on Ebay. But if you want to really dig deep into the 2600 library, you gotta get an original console.
