Dinosaur Sighting: The Atari 2600 Video Computer System
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An icon of console gaming
An icon of console gaming
Video games are a multi-million dollar business these days. But this booming industry owes much of its current success to a simple little console first sold in October 1977 called the Atari 2600 Video Computer System. By today’s standards, Atari games are not much to look at, but their simple game play is still addictive, especially when nostalgia for this dinosaur gaming console kicks in.
Original box
Original box
The box for our eBay purchased unit is a little worse for wear.
Lots of stuff
Lots of stuff
There a a number of parts in the box, but something is missing.
Woodgrain
Woodgrain
Wood grain trim — perfect for the modern living room.
Symmetry
Symmetry
More binary symmetry – there are left and right switches.
Digging a hole
Digging a hole
Place your favorite game cartridge into the system and start playing.
What a rip off
What a rip off
One problem with buying stuff off eBay is that you can’t always guarantee the quality of what you receive. In this case we did not get a power adapter. And I was really looking forward to Space Invaders.
Controllers
Controllers
Most of the controllers are here. Two paddles, but only one joystick is in the box.
Tennis anyone?
Tennis anyone?
The paddles indicate a preference for tennis type games.
Famous
Famous
The basic Atari joystick is the quintessential icon of the video console.
This cartridge alone has 112 games. Apparently, Space Invaders is one of them.
David Crane
David Crane
There is some nostalgia to consider. At one time, game developers were often just one guy or gal and made a point of claiming responsibility for their games.
Boxing
Boxing
Except for the fact that you use a fancy controller, I bet this boxing game looks pretty similar to Wii Boxing.
Documentation
Documentation
Hey look an owner’s manual — that this definitely a throwback to a different era.
Illustrated instructions
Illustrated instructions
Well if I had a power adapter, I would at least be able to hook it up to a television using these handy illustrated instructions.
I remember
I remember
I used to have about five of these things laying around in the junk drawer.
Only if
Only if
If we had a power adapter, I would have taken photos of the Atari in action and they would have looked something like this.
Bigger is better
Bigger is better
Only the images would be on this big LCD.
Bill Detwiler is going to borrow the proper power adapter for the Atari 2600 and we will show some real images of the Atari working soon (I hope). Of course then we are going to perform a Cracking Open on it to see what is inside.
