Atari...Why I'll Never Give Up My 2600
Ranked #3,775 in Games, #158,321 overall
First a little background. I am a 42 year old Girl Geek who loves Star Wars and Napoleon Dynamite so it's no wonder that my early years were spent playing way to much Atari.
I had a passion for figuring out new games, obtaining high scores and having people sign my own personal Atari guestbook. I was a geek before it was cool to be a geek!
Here is my journey on becoming a veritable Atari expert. Read on!
My First Atari 2600
Otherwise know as...Ian (I liked to name things).
I clearly remember the Christmas of 1981. I was almost 12 years old and eagerly awaitng my passage into the cool teenage world of video games. I was beyond excited and stayed up as late (Ok 10pm) playing Asteroids. By then I was addicted to Atari. I had the Atari VCS - CX2600A with wood grain. Mine only had the 4 switches on the console as 2 had been moved to the back of the unit. Darn I wish I still had that one. I do have 3 vintage 2600 units that I have picked up over the years and about 50 games. 
Atari 2600 Consoles and Clones
Sears had a very popular model in the 1980's.
- AtariAge - 2600 Consoles and Clones
- AtariAge gives a really detailed descriptions and photos of the Atari Consoles starting with the Atari VCS - CX2600 Sunnyvale Edition. A very nice collection here.
The Atari Times
You're not an Atari fan if you don't read the "times".
- The Atari Times
- The popularity of the Atari 2600 VCS is what really began the video game movement. Developed by Atari and led by Nolan Bushnell, the Atari 2600 was released in 1977 after Atari merged with Warner Communications.
Atari-less Homes
My husband had a tough life!
My poor husband grew up in a world devoid of this amazing game. Turns out his father was so afraid that the 2600 would ruin his beloved Zenith Televsion that he banned Atari from their home. Apparently this was a ploy that was used by parents to keep kids from getting an Atari. The myth goes that the game would "burn" the screen and create splotches. Well I played constantly and our TV held up just fine.Instead his Grandmother bought a freakishly weird electronic learning game called the Omni (see photo). I couldn't even find it online, let alone sell this thing on ebay. I would have moved out, but that's just me. Luckily the neighbors had Atari so he didn't completely miss out.
What Do You Mean That's My High Score?
You WILL sign my book!
OK kids, here's a neat lesson for you PS2 & Nintendo players. Back in the day of the 2600 there was NO, I repeat NO way of keeping track of high scores. Once the game cartridge was removed or you hit reset you lost everything.Well being a savvy 12 year old I had a solution. I created a "High Score Book". I made a page for each game. Not only that but I also created a page for each VERSION of each game. Now in Asteroids that's like 100 games. I had a really big note book. Well I was determined to win so I created a baseline for each game. I played every single game and recorded my score. Then I would visit my cousins and my friends and challenge them to beat me. If they succeeded I would let them record their score and sign my book. Yes I was a nerd!
Well here's where the story get really crazy. Atari scores only went to 99,999 then they started over. Well I was having an amazing Astroids day and managed to get to 99,999. Of course the score flipped to 00,001 and no one believed me. WHAT? That was so unfair, I signed my own book that day with my real score. Can anyone say OBSESSED? I'm better now, I only made my husband sign my book once!
Collecting Atari
The Atari Historical Society
CLICK HERE to enter the
Atari Museum!
Dang Those Jittery Paddles
An Atari players worst nightmare.
As anyone who has every played a game of Breakout or Circus Atrai with "jittery paddles" knows my pain. There is NOTHING worse then getting a great game going only to be thwarted by your paddle. Having a good set of paddles, especially today is as good as gold. You can try ebay but they are still few and far between. Atari 2600 Paddles on ebay
AtariAge - Atari 2600 Rarity Guide Search
- AtariAge - Atari 2600 Rarity Guide Search
- This is another great feature from the people at AtariAge.
For example, did you know that Air Raid (not Air Raiders) by MenAvision is one of the rarest Atari Games?
Atari 2600 Games
ASTEROIDS - Pro - Breaking Asteroids, Con - HyperspacePITFALL - Pro - Groovy Music. Da-Ner-Ner-Ner, Con - Those stupid alligators
MISSLE COMMAND - Pro - Free Cities, Con - Aliens AKA little white dots
COMBAT - Pro - Nada, Nothing, Zip, I hated this game, Con - Everything!
CIRCUS ATARI - Pro - I loved jumping, Con - Jittery paddles
DONKEY KONG - Pro - Jumping barrels, Con - Never getting to the top!
STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - Pro - Flashing "Bomb Hatch", Con - A damaged speeder
ADVENTURE - Pro - Looking for Keys, Con - Once it's over it's over.
PAC-MAN - Pro - The Vitamin Pellet, Con - Never getting very far.
Q*BERT - Pro - He's Cute, Con - I sucked
Atari 2600 Games Poll
Vintage Atari 2600 Games on eBay
You Mean Atari Has Music?
Atari vs. the Wii
Which would you rather have?
A good old Atari 2600?
Yogizilla says:
Atari all the way. The Wii loses it's novelty quickly.. Besides, classic Atari games still hold up to this day. They are timeless! =oD
Not-Pop says:
I loved my Atari! We would spend hours playing Night Driver and Bomberman. We still have a console and a pile of games, including Joust. The Wii was fun for about three weeks, then it just sat gathering dust.
squidwalker says:
Ah memories! No question about it, Atari! Man I love those sounds that Atari made. Classic.
24websurf says:
I still have two of these.. WORKING! Asteroids here I come!
Robin_Forlonge_Patterson says:
Probably the Atari.
I and my children had Commodore 16: 12.7 kB to play with if you were using Basic, but commercial games used most of the full 64k and were quite spectacular and were by no means so slow that you could always win.
My son learned to type his name on it. Now he's a commercial pilot, which says something about the flight simulator that worked passably on the C16 and the swept-up Flight Simulator games for PC that we bought him later.
But I discovered strategy games, starting with the original Civilization. I hope your Atari has them.
A brand new shiny Wii?
KonaGirl says:
A brand new Wii. There are too many things that I can do with a Wii that I can't do with an Atari. As fun as Atari was, it is a "was fun"! LOL.
miaponzo says:
Right now I would say a brand new Wii!!!!
Ask-an-IT-Pro says:
I love my Atari, but my daughter would kill me if I don't choose the Wii... hehe...
momto4 says:
I'd have to say a Wii. We got one for Christmas and I love it!
clouda9 says:
Our neighbors got a Wii for Christmas and they cannot stop talking about it. I would like one for the exercise ;)
Guestbook
Were you an Atari addict?
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KonaGirl
Mar 11, 2012 @ 1:31 pm | delete
- I had a great time reading this lens about the Atari2600. You have a great sense of humor! You are not alone with your obsession. I can remember my son going on and on about the unfairness of 999,999 and the challenges he and his friends would create for each other. *Squid Angel Blessed* and added to My Squid Angel Blessings 2012 in the "Video Games » Classic & Retro Gaming" neighborhood. In fact, you are the 1st in this category. Whoot!
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miaponzo
Jun 3, 2011 @ 4:02 pm | delete
- I used to play with the Atari a lot.. but I quit after the day I played non stop from 7 am till like 6 pm and didn't go to my classes at all!!!!
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sharpturn
May 1, 2011 @ 1:51 am | delete
- I had an Atari 2600 and used to invite friends over after school to play on it. I didn't have that many games but I remember Defender, Bezerk, Asteroids and Cuthbert In The Jungle.
Those carefree days...lol.
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shincyriades Jan 28, 2011 @ 10:56 pm | delete
- Man, I remember going nuts every time I got a new game for this system. I'm old enough to remember when the market crashed and you could get carts for $1 or less at some stores. Good times! I have my own lens on a classic gaming system, the Neo Geo :)
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alexkazam Mar 21, 2010 @ 3:19 pm | delete
- I picked up an Atari game plus controllers and several games from a car boot sale for a pounds a few years back- old games are better because you don't have to play for months to get through the whole thing- they are less addictive!
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About Me
by beliza
beliza is a 40 something girl geek who loves everything pop culture. The Big Bang Theory, Dr. Who, Star Wars, retro 80's video games, TV Land and creating... more »
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