atari 2600 worth buying?

[ExedExes]

For me, its still too bad the 7800 wasn't released in 1984 as it was originally scheduled to be. It would have been perfect. By the time '87 rolled around, all the NES gamers were like "Atari who?"

I didn't get an NES till '89, I was so deeply rooted in Atari and its culture, heck I even had a subscription to that Atarian magazine that only lasted 3 issues. I got a 7800 game (Xevious) just for subscribing, and they gave me another game after waiting for an answer as to what happened to the magazine (Xenophobe for 7800) and in the summer of 1990 I was waiting on new replacement 7800 sticks so I could play those games correctly

Still have my unit, but the Reset button does not work anymore. Not a problem for many games, but not cool on those that required the reset button to start (argh!)

[RyaNtheSlayA]

You know, Atari still managed to sell 3 million 7800s, and made money on each one. It didn't sell a lot, but it certainly wasn't a failure for them.

Too bad Tramiel ruined the company.

[Hatta]

You can probably fix that by reflowing the solder on the switch, and then spraying a bunch of contact cleaner in there and working it back and forth for a while. If that doesn't work, replacement switches are pretty cheap. My heavy sixer has a red push button toggle switch where the reset switch should be. Not my mod, but it works fine. You can still get original replacement switches from Best Electronics IIRC.

[Majors]

$80 is too high IMO. Flea markets, goodwill, garage sales might still have some. Edwin McKay used bookstore in my area has been a boon for finding carts. Even a locally owned game store might have them, just not out on the floor.

I picked up the Sears Telegames unit just becasue it had the woodgrain. I use it mainly for game rooms at cons. It does not get much action at the home other than an ocasional Keystone Kapers or Yars Revenge. I did get the A/V mod from Longhorn and it is beautiful! I'm wanting to get the Harmony flash cart also and unload my 90+ carts so I do not have to lug them around to different cons.

Getting a boxfull of carts for $10 and playing them all for the first time makes the system still enjoyable today...there where a LOT of games made for the 2600, most have faded into obscurity.

[mas]

Yeah majors, the system the have for 80 is a sears tele games system. It doesnt even have the plug. 2 paddle controllers and 2 joystics. I can wait for a little while it's going to start warming up here in ma. So by spring I should get something. I just want to play the original hardware and not some cheap ass emulation like I own on my xbox. The flashback 2 is pretty cool for now. How are the other atari flashbacks? Should I get the other 2 to hold my fix or save my money and get the real deals.

[Hatta]

The flashback 2 is pretty cool for now. How are the other atari flashbacks? Should I get the other 2 to hold my fix or save my money and get the real deals.

The flashback 2 is the real deal. It's an actual atari 2600 implemented on a chip. It's not emulation, it's reimplementation. You can even mod in a cart slot if you want.

The flashback 1 was a rushed job, more proof of a market than anything else. It's actually based on an NES on a chip system, and the games are NES ports.

The flashback 3 is made by a different team, and is emulation running on an ARM core.

If I were you, I'd mod that FB2 to accept cartridges, and get a harmony cart. You'd have a completely modern reimplementation of the classic Atari system. IMO, that's cooler than yet another dusty artifact.

BTW, the guy who made the FB1 and FB2 is the same guy who is building the upcoming XM (eXpansion Module) for the 7800.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I don't really have anything more to add, but, I got a new camera, and I thought I'd mention how aesthetically pleasing the 7800 still is these days. I'm actually surprised how well the design has held up.

[SwooshBear]

I don't really have anything more to add, but, I got a new camera, and I thought I'd mention how aesthetically pleasing the 7800 still is these days. I'm actually surprised how well the design has held up.

Dang that does look nice. I'd totally get one of those just to make my set up look nicer.

[CRTGAMER]

The 5200, 7800 and 2600 Jr all have a beautiful face plate. A closer pic that shows the raised embossed logo. Here is the 5200.

[mas]

I don't really have anything more to add, but, I got a new camera, and I thought I'd mention how aesthetically pleasing the 7800 still is these days. I'm actually surprised how well the design has held up.

OMFG THAT THING IS SOO BEAUTIFUL. Now I want one more than ever. I can't wait for it now. This made my day. Thank you soo much for posting this