First a little background. I am a 39 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. Here is my journey on becoming a veritable Atari expert. Read on!
My First Atari 2600
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 Commercial
Classic Game Room HD - PS2 vs. ATARI 2600 console review
Classic Game Room was the FIRST classic video game review show on the Internet in 1999. Returning in 2008 with new episodes, Classic Game Room breaks out a review of the PLAYSTATION 2 PS2 VS. ATARI 2600 video computer system VCS. CGRHD takes a close look at the new PS2 Slim model compared to the smaller Atari 2600 Jr. The 2600 Junior (as it was known) was released in 1986 to a public hot for the NES, sadly it never received the recognition that it deserved. So which is better? In this versus ...
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Atari 2600 Consoles and Clones
- 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
- 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 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?
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
Retro-Electro: Collecting Technology from Atari to Walkman
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 12/22/2009) 
The Atari Historical Society
CLICK HERE to enter the
Atari Museum!
Dang Those Jittery Paddles
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
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
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
Atari 2600 - Centipede
Vintage Atari 2600 Games on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byYou Mean Atari Has Music?
Game Sound Legend Series: That's Atari Music, Vol. 1
Amazon Price: $61.99 (as of 12/22/2009)
Atari vs. the Wii
Which would you rather have?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byA good old Atari 2600?
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.
Posted March 12, 2009
Lisa-Marie-Mary says:
Atari, for sure!! I'd play Games by Apollo video games, oh yeah! Maybe I need to make an Apollo lens, come to think of it!
Posted October 21, 2008
A brand new shiny Wii?
Ask-an-IT-Pro says:
I love my Atari, but my daughter would kill me if I don't choose the Wii... hehe...
Posted December 03, 2009
clouda9 says:
Our neighbors got a Wii for Christmas and they cannot stop talking about it. I would like one for the exercise ;)
Posted August 19, 2009
happynutritionist says:
My son had an Atari, in fact, I'll just bet it's stored away somewhere...he's had every game system there is, except Wii, must admit that I'd probably go for the Wii only 'cause I like trying new things:-) Fun lens!
Posted August 17, 2009
sandyspider says:
I would rather have a Wii. Though somewhere though we haven't been able to find it, we have an Atari.
Posted August 17, 2009
More Atari 2600 on eBay
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Atari 2600 on eBay
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I love my Atari 2600! ebay is one of the best places to find vintage Atari 2600 merchandise! So get nostalgic for one of the greatest games ever made! Come on, I know you want a Pit Fall game, and ebay just happens to have some!
Guestbook
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Reply
- KarateKatGraphics KarateKatGraphics Sep 10, 2009 @ 11:48 am
- As boring as this game now seems, I remember sitting for hours (not sure parents knew the concept of limiting "screen time" back then, lol!) playing "Breakout." We were all addicted to the Atari. Love the lens!
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Reply
- Treasures-By-Brenda Treasures-By-Brenda Aug 27, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
- When I was in high school I purchased a used Atari console...I loved it.
I voted for Space Invaders, by the way. (The only one so far.)
Blessed by Brenda.
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Reply
- Pukeko Pukeko Aug 25, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
- I never had a 2600 - I needed to get my Asteroids fix by plunking quarters into an arcade machine.
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Reply
- capriliz capriliz Aug 22, 2009 @ 11:37 pm
- I remember the Atari 2600. Played way too much PacMan!
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Reply
- momto4 momto4 Aug 20, 2009 @ 9:55 pm
- Great lens! We never had an Atari but it looks like fun!
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Lensmaster bdkz has been a member since February 17 2007, has rated 6,609 lenses, favorited 326, and has created 338 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Zazzle 101 ... How to make a profit on Zazzle". See all my lenses
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