Atari 7800 Console Video Review + Gameplay

[Metal Jesus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYpjNobJLyA

Atari's 7800 gaming console is often misunderstood, slightly flawed, and yet a lot of fun to collect for. This week, I review the history of the 7800, show some gameplay footage and celebrate 8-bit gaming goodness!

You may have heard that we had a bit of snow in Seattle this week. I've been shut in for the past two days with a bottle of whiskey and stack of cartridges!

[CRTGAMER]

Nice review! I normally prefer text and pics for a better study, but your Video Reviews are informative. I especially like the back story history you present. I have a soft spot for both the Atari 5200 and 7800, I own both having purchased brand new. Agree on the sound chip, it is horrible compared to the 5200 chip.

The 5200 Analog controls would have worked if only they were made self centering. Games like Choplifter benefited from Analog in adjusting the varied movement of the helicopter. I realize now why the 5200 sticks were free floating. When you mentioned about the 7800 controllers as being uncomfortable, it was because of the spring loaded sticks in addition to having to pull a little harder to make a button contact vs a potentiometer. Ergonomics worse then the 2600 stick. Atari blew it on the 7800 copying the same 5200 design for the 7800 stick. One of these days I'll find some 7800 Euro pads.

I think you missed the strongest aspect of the 7800 in your review. Simultaneous two player capability in some of the Arcade translations such as Centipede, Robotron and Asteroids, exclusive to the 7800! Then there is the Twinstick mode for Robotron, a carry over from the 5200. A pair of 2600 Wico bat handles work great. Another nice feature of the 7800 in supporting Genesis and 2600 controllers for some of the games.

[Metal Jesus]

Nice review! I normally prefer text and pics for a better study, but your Video Reviews are informative. I especially like the back story history you present.

Thanks for the kind words about my reviews! I appreciate that..

As for the 5200, I finally found a guy willing to sell me the Wico stick for the 5200 off of Craigslist for $5, and that changes everything!

Thanks for the info about two player. I did not know that!

[flojocabron]

liked your vid and subscribed!

[Metal Jesus]

liked your vid and subscribed!

Thanks! You rock!

I post a new video every week... And here's a preview: Next weekend we are heading back down to Longview, Wa to meet up with Mr. 6,000 Video Games himself: John Hancock. We'll be digging through his amazing game collection for rare and weird stuff. Should be fun!

[saturnfan]

Nice review! I inherited a 7800 from my brother many years ago, but have barely touched it. I'm thinking soon I might pull it out and give it a try now.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I mentioned it over on AtariAge but good video man. The 7800 has become one of the most fun things to collect for that I've ever owned. As you said too, it's really cheap and just completely unique. While it runs in a lower resolution than the NES most of the time (IIRC), it has much higher sprite capabilities (look at Robotron for instance). I don't think I've ever seen a 7800 game with flicker, and the only one I can think of that has slowdown is Tower Toppler which isn't that good anyways.

It's too bad Atari was cheap and took out the POKEY chip and didn't really support the system. Although, as I've been reading, it wasn't really a failure. It was cheap to produce, so Atari made money on every unit sold, and they sold somewhere around 3 million.

[ExedExes]

As a proud 7800 owner with a console with a failed reset button, thank goodness for 2600 backward compatability.

Tower Toppler, Xevious, Choplifter, Xenophobe are but a few of my favorites. The graphics weren't all THAT bad when the games were programmed expertly.

I could do without what one reviewer called the "Pain-Line" joysticks, however. I just put my 2600 sticks in when the situation calls for it. Would love some of those special pads they have.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

As a proud 7800 owner with a console with a failed reset button, thank goodness for 2600 backward compatability.

Tower Toppler, Xevious, Choplifter, Xenophobe are but a few of my favorites. The graphics weren't all THAT bad when the games were programmed expertly.

I could do without what one reviewer called the "Pain-Line" joysticks, however. I just put my 2600 sticks in when the situation calls for it. Would love some of those special pads they have.

By special pads you mean the CX-78?



I have one in the mail. I hope it arrives soon.

[Golgo 14]

I think you missed the strongest aspect of the 7800 in your review. Simultaneous two player capability in some of the Arcade translations such as Centipede, Robotron and Asteroids, exclusive to the 7800!

Exactly. The other big reason to own a 7800 is the vibrant homebrew community which is still adding great new titles to the system's originally anemic library. Check it out at www.atariage.com!