Atari 2600: Difference between revisions

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The [[Atari]] Video Computer System, later known as the Atari 2600, but best known as just the "Atari" during its heyday, was the first really successful home video game console system, and only the second to feature interchangeable ROM cartridges that allowed new games to be published and installed without modifying the basic system itself. It also featured plug-in controllers that could be swapped out, allowing new kinds of controllers to be later introduced. Originally, just ten games were planned for it. The idea was to make a better system down the line to replace it eventually but the success of the system changed everything.
The [[Atari]] Video Computer System, later known as the Atari 2600, but best known as just the "Atari" during its heyday, was the first really successful home video game console system, and only the second to feature interchangeable ROM cartridges that allowed new games to be published and installed without modifying the basic system itself. It also featured plug-in controllers that could be swapped out, allowing new kinds of controllers to be later introduced. Originally, just ten games were planned for it. The idea was to make a better system down the line to replace it eventually but the success of the system changed everything.


The Atari was wildly successful, and was one of the forces that drove [[The Golden Age of Video Games]] in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Indeed, the sudden failure of the market for Atari cartridges in the wake of the disastrous ''[[ET the Extra Terrestrial (Video Game)|E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial]]'' and ''[[Pac-Man]]'' games for the system was the trigger for [[The Great Video Game Crash of 1983]]. With only a few exceptions, most of the classic games of the era had home versions available for the Atari, some (''[[Space Invaders]]'', and Atari's own ''[[Missile Command]]'' and ''[[Asteroids (Video Game)|Asteroids]]'') more successful than others (''Pac-Man'', whose failure to match the immensely popular arcade version disappointed many consumers). It also began [[The Problem With Licensed Games|the dubious tradition of licensed games]], with titles such as ''[[Atari 2600 Superman (Video Game)|Superman]]'', ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark (Video Game)|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', and (worst of all) ''[[ET the Extra Terrestrial (Video Game)|E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial]]''.
The Atari was wildly successful, and was one of the forces that drove [[The Golden Age of Video Games]] in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Indeed, the sudden failure of the market for Atari cartridges in the wake of the disastrous ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (video game)|E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial]]'' and ''[[Pac-Man]]'' games for the system was the trigger for [[The Great Video Game Crash of 1983]]. With only a few exceptions, most of the classic games of the era had home versions available for the Atari, some (''[[Space Invaders]]'', and Atari's own ''[[Missile Command]]'' and ''[[Asteroids (video game)|Asteroids]]'') more successful than others (''Pac-Man'', whose failure to match the immensely popular arcade version disappointed many consumers). It also began [[The Problem with Licensed Games|the dubious tradition of licensed games]], with titles such as ''[[Atari 2600 Superman|Superman]]'', ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark (video game)|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', and (worst of all) ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (video game)|E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial]]''.


The simple joystick controller for the Atari 2600, with a stick capable of rendering input in any of eight directions (from four buttons) plus a single fire button, has become an iconic symbol of video gaming in general, and of classic video games in particular. Many '80s home computers, such as the [[Atari 8 Bit Computers]], the [[Commodore 64]], the [[Atari ST]], and the [[Amiga]] also accepted the Atari's joystick controllers, as did the [[Sega Master System]] and [[Sega Genesis]].
The simple joystick controller for the Atari 2600, with a stick capable of rendering input in any of eight directions (from four buttons) plus a single fire button, has become an iconic symbol of video gaming in general, and of classic video games in particular. Many '80s home computers, such as the [[Atari 8 Bit Computers]], the [[Commodore 64]], the [[Atari ST]], and the [[Amiga]] also accepted the Atari's joystick controllers, as did the [[Sega Master System]] and [[Sega Genesis]].
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== Exclusive titles and [[Multi Platform]] games that started here: ==
== Exclusive titles and [[Multi Platform]] games that started here: ==


* ''[[Adventure (Video Game)|Adventure]]''
* ''[[Adventure (1979 video game)|Adventure]]''
* ''[[Air-Sea Battle (Video Game)|Air-Sea Battle]]''
* ''[[Air-Sea Battle]]''
* ''[[Artillery Duel (Video Game)|Artillery Duel]]''
* ''[[Artillery Duel]]''
* ''Atlantis''
* ''Atlantis''
* ''[[Chuck Norris Superkicks (Video Game)|Chuck Norris Superkicks]]''
* ''[[Chuck Norris Superkicks]]''
* ''[[Combat (Video Game)|Combat]]''
* ''[[Combat]]''
* ''Custer's Revenge''
* ''Custer's Revenge''
* ''[[Dragonstomper (Video Game)|Dragonstomper]]''
* ''[[Dragonstomper]]''
* ''[[Escape From the Mindmaster (Video Game)|Escape From the Mindmaster]]''
* ''[[Escape From the Mindmaster]]''
* ''[[ET the Extra Terrestrial (Video Game)|ET the Extra Terrestrial]]'' ([[The Problem With Licensed Games|infamously]])
* ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (video game)|ET the Extra Terrestrial]]'' ([[The Problem with Licensed Games|infamously]])
* ''[[Flag Capture (Video Game)|Flag Capture]]''
* ''[[Flag Capture (Video Game)|Flag Capture]]''
* ''Freeway''
* ''Freeway''
* ''[[Frogs and Flies (Video Game)|Frogs and Flies]]''
* ''[[Frogs and Flies]]''
* ''[[A Game of Concentration (Video Game)|A Game of Concentration]]''
* ''[[A Game of Concentration]]''
* ''[[Ghost Manor (Video Game)|Ghost Manor]]''
* ''[[Ghost Manor]]''
* ''[[Haunted House (Video Game)|Haunted House]]''
* ''[[Haunted House (video game)|Haunted House]]''
* ''[[Atari 2600 Indy 500 (Video Game)|Indy 500]]''
* ''[[Atari 2600 Indy 500|Indy 500]]''
* ''[[Phaser Patrol (Video Game)|Phaser Patrol]]''
* ''[[Phaser Patrol]]''
* ''[[Pitfall (Video Game)|Pitfall]]''
* ''[[Pitfall!]]''
* ''Radar Lock''
* ''Radar Lock''
* ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark (Video Game)|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''
* ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark (video game)|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''
* ''Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes''
* ''Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes''
* ''[[River Raid (Video Game)|River Raid]]''
* ''[[River Raid]]''
* ''Solaris''
* ''Solaris''
* ''[[Atari 2600 Spider Man (Video Game)|Spider-Man]]''
* ''[[Atari 2600 Spider Man|Spider-Man]]''
* ''[[Spikes Peak (Video Game)|Spikes Peak]]''
* ''[[Spikes Peak]]''
* ''[[Star Ship (Video Game)|Star Ship]]''
* ''[[Star Ship]]''
* ''Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back''
* ''Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back''
* ''[[Street Racer (Video Game)|Street Racer]]''
* ''[[Street Racer]]''
* ''[[Atari 2600 Superman (Video Game)|Superman]]''
* ''[[Atari 2600 Superman|Superman]]''
* ''[[Surround (Video Game)|Surround]]''
* ''[[Surround]]''
* ''[[Swordquest (Video Game)|Swordquest]]'' — Started as the sequel to ''Adventure''.
* ''[[Swordquest]]'' — Started as the sequel to ''Adventure''.
* ''[[Video Olympics (Video Game)|Video Olympics]]''
* ''[[Video Olympics]]''
* ''[[Video Pinball (Video Game)|Video Pinball]]''
* ''[[Video Pinball]]''
* ''[[Yars Revenge (Video Game)|Yars Revenge]]''
* ''[[Yars Revenge]]''


== Ports ==
== Ports ==
* ''[[Amidar (Video Game)|Amidar]]''
* ''[[Amidar]]''
* ''[[Asteroids (Video Game)|Asteroids]]''
* ''[[Asteroids (video game)|Asteroids]]''
* ''[[Atari Basketball (Video Game)|Basketball]]''
* ''[[Basketball (1978 video game)|Basketball]]''
* ''[[Battlezone 1980 (Video Game)|Battlezone 1980]]''
* ''[[Battlezone (1980 video game)|Battlezone 1980]]''
* ''[[Berzerk (Video Game)|Berzerk]]''
* ''[[Berzerk]]''
* ''[[Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom (Video Game)|Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom]]''
* ''[[Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom]]''
* ''[[Breakout (Video Game)|Breakout]]''
* ''[[Breakout]]''
** ''Super Breakout''
** ''Super Breakout''
* ''[[Burger Time (Video Game)|Burger Time]]''
* ''[[Burger Time]]''
* ''[[Centipede (Video Game)|Centipede]]''
* ''[[Centipede]]''
* ''[[Crystal Castles (Video Game)|Crystal Castles]]''
* ''[[Crystal Castles (video game)|Crystal Castles]]''
* ''[[Defender (Video Game)|Defender]]''
* ''[[Defender]]''
* ''[[Dig Dug (Video Game)|Dig Dug]]''
* ''[[Dig Dug]]''
* ''[[Donkey Kong (Video Game)|Donkey Kong]]''
* ''[[Donkey Kong]]''
* ''[[Double Dragon (Video Game)|Double Dragon]]''
* ''[[Double Dragon]]''
* ''[[Frogger (Video Game)|Frogger]]''
* ''[[Frogger]]''
* ''[[Galaxian (Video Game)|Galaxian]]''
* ''[[Galaxian]]''
* ''[[Gorf (Video Game)|Gorf]]''
* ''[[Gorf]]''
* ''[[Gyruss (Video Game)|Gyruss]]''
* ''[[Gyruss]]''
* ''[[Halo (Video Game)|Halo]] [[Videogame Demake|demake]]''
* ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]] [[Videogame Demake|demake]]''
* ''[[Joust (Video Game)|Joust]]''
* ''[[Joust (video game)|Joust]]''
* ''[[Jungle Hunt (Video Game)|Jungle Hunt]]''
* ''[[Jungle Hunt]]''
* ''[[Klax (Video Game)|Klax]]''
* ''[[Klax]]''
* ''[[Miner 2049 er (Video Game)|Miner 2049 er]]'' (released in two parts)
* ''[[Miner 2049 er]]'' (released in two parts)
* ''[[Missile Command (Video Game)|Missile Command]]''
* ''[[Missile Command]]''
* ''[[Night Driver (Video Game)|Night Driver]]''
* ''[[Night Driver]]''
* ''[[Pac-Man (Video Game)|Pac-Man]]'' ([[Porting Disaster|infamously]])
* ''[[Pac-Man]]'' ([[Porting Disaster|infamously]])
* ''[[Pole Position (Video Game)|Pole Position]]''
* ''[[Pole Position (video game)|Pole Position]]''
* ''[[Q Bert (Video Game)|Q Bert]]''
* ''[[Q*bert|Q Bert]]''
* ''[[Rampage (Video Game)|Rampage]]''
* ''[[Rampage (video game)|Rampage]]''
* ''[[Space Invaders (Video Game)|Space Invaders]]'' (the [[Killer App]] that turned the console into a big hit)
* ''[[Space Invaders]]'' (the [[Killer App]] that turned the console into a big hit)
* ''[[Space War (Video Game)|Space War]]''
* ''[[Space War]]''
* ''[[Spy Hunter (Video Game)|Spy Hunter]]''
* ''[[Spy Hunter]]''
* ''[[Star Raiders (Video Game)|Star Raiders]]''
* ''[[Star Raiders (video game)|Star Raiders]]''
* ''[[Scramble (Video Game)|Super Cobra]]''
* ''[[Scramble|Super Cobra]]''
* ''[[Tapper (Video Game)|Tapper]]''
* ''[[Tapper]]''
* ''[[Time Pilot (Video Game)|Time Pilot]]''
* ''[[Time Pilot]]''
* ''[[Track and Field (Video Game)|Track and Field]]''
* ''[[Track and Field]]''
* ''[[Tutankham (Video Game)|Tutankham]]''
* ''[[Tutankham]]''
* ''[[Vanguard (Video Game)|Vanguard]]''
* ''[[Vanguard]]''
* ''[[Warlords (Video Game)|Warlords]]''
* ''[[Warlords]]''
* ''[[Wizard of Wor (Video Game)|Wizard of Wor]]''
* ''[[Wizard of Wor]]''
* ''[[Zaxxon (Video Game)|Zaxxon]]''
* ''[[Zaxxon]]''


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

Revision as of 09:15, 8 April 2014

File:300px-Atari2600a 7997.jpg
The REAL O.G.

 Did you play with a friend on a rainy day?

Did you play with your dad? Did you show him the way?

Did you play with your sis?

Did your mom always miss?

Did... you... play a game from Atari?

Have you played Atari today?

The Atari Video Computer System, later known as the Atari 2600, but best known as just the "Atari" during its heyday, was the first really successful home video game console system, and only the second to feature interchangeable ROM cartridges that allowed new games to be published and installed without modifying the basic system itself. It also featured plug-in controllers that could be swapped out, allowing new kinds of controllers to be later introduced. Originally, just ten games were planned for it. The idea was to make a better system down the line to replace it eventually but the success of the system changed everything.

The Atari was wildly successful, and was one of the forces that drove The Golden Age of Video Games in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Indeed, the sudden failure of the market for Atari cartridges in the wake of the disastrous E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Pac-Man games for the system was the trigger for The Great Video Game Crash of 1983. With only a few exceptions, most of the classic games of the era had home versions available for the Atari, some (Space Invaders, and Atari's own Missile Command and Asteroids) more successful than others (Pac-Man, whose failure to match the immensely popular arcade version disappointed many consumers). It also began the dubious tradition of licensed games, with titles such as Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and (worst of all) E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

The simple joystick controller for the Atari 2600, with a stick capable of rendering input in any of eight directions (from four buttons) plus a single fire button, has become an iconic symbol of video gaming in general, and of classic video games in particular. Many '80s home computers, such as the Atari 8 Bit Computers, the Commodore 64, the Atari ST, and the Amiga also accepted the Atari's joystick controllers, as did the Sega Master System and Sega Genesis.

The Atari 2600 was actively supported for 14 years, from October 14, 1977, to January 1, 1992, making it the second-longest supported video game system in U.S. history, the longest running being the Neo Geo (January 1990-August 2004). The Sony Play Station 2 (2000-present) is expected to be supported for as long as it's selling and might surpass both in longevity.

About 10 years ago, a homebrew scene dedicated to making new games for the system appeared.

In 2005, Atari released the Atari Flashback 2 (the original, a re-creation of an Atari 7800, was released in 2004), which is a pretty faithful re-creation of the actual thing and contains numerous games built into it, including the Activision games Pitfall and River Raid. The Atari Flashback 2+, released in 2010, contains all of the games on the Atari Flashback 2 with the exception of five (including both Activision games, which are replaced with a couple of sports games). An Atari Flashback Portable, which contains a bunch of pretty awesome features, has been in Development Hell since 2006.

AtariAge is the biggest Atari fan Web site online and features an almost complete archive of legally downloadable 2600 ROMs (as well as ones for Atari's other systems). Only a few games are unavailable, such as Activision's 2600 library (for legal reasons, but they're available elsewhere online) and a handful of woefully obscure titles.

Specifications:

Processors

  • CPU: MOS 6507, a chopped-down 6502, 1.19 MHz
  • GPU: Atari TIA (also used for sound)

Memory

  • 128 bytes, used for game variables.
  • No video memory. The 2600 built the screen scanline by scanline, by manipulating TIA's registers.
  • Cartridges up to 4K, or more with bank switching.

Display

  • 160×192 resolution.
  • NTSC and PAL: 128 colors. SECAM: Eight colors.
  • Five sprites.

Sound

  • Two tone generators.

Accessories:

Games available for the system included:

Exclusive titles and Multi Platform games that started here:

Ports

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