greenween

Very well done! I'm hooked on Space Invaders right now. Do you have Q Bert, Frogger or Vangaurd? 3 of my favorite arcade ports for the 2600.

Very interesting choices.  Great descriptions!  The only change I'd make here is Super Breakout over Breakout -- just because of the multi-ball options.  My list would have to include my all-time favorite Adventure. 

Anyways, nice job.

I've got an extra copy of Adventure if you'd like it.  PM me!

Great review! I love my 5200 and play it almost every day. Thanks to RickR I was able to get my controllers working like new! Plus the Trakball is fantastic!

I have Countermeasure and it's a LOT of fun!  Berzerk on the 5200 is pretty close to the arcade.  Kudos to Atari on that.  There is also one more game exclusive to the 5200 that no other console I know of got it...Space Dungeon.  I agree with the Trak-Ball controller...it is solid and uses quality components.  Basically a computer mouse turned right side up and a cue ball installed.  My only gripe on it is the fire buttons...those sometimes don't feel right.  I prefer the 4-port over the 2-port myself.
 
I believe Video 61 still has Rescue on Fractalus brand new in the box for $20.  I plan to pick it up and few others I don't have like Joust and Kangaroo.

Oh, and I've mentioned it before -- the talking games are spectacular on the 5200!  No attachment needed.  Realsports Baseball is the very best classic baseball game.  I love how the analog joystick is used to great effect in batting.  And Berzerk is so much fun with all that robot taunting. 

Also, not all of the same-name games on the 8-bits and 5200 are the same. Pac-Man differs a lot on the 8-bits. It lacks the intermissions and the ghost AI is not like the arcade. The 5200 has the intermissions and a better ghost AI. Jr. Pac and Super Pac should have been released for the system because both games really showcased the 5200's abilities well. At least it finally got Tempest. The 5200 was my best friend growing up. I was a single child of a single parent so the 5200 became like a sanctuary to me so to speak.

I love how much you love the 5200.  And I really love having and playing one now!
 
My main beef with the 5200 is really the fact that hardware-wise, it's the same as the 8-bit computers that came out in 1979.  Most of the games are identical. 
 
But 100% agree with you that it's a lot of fun and there are a lot of really great games.  And a good working controller is very functional and easy to get used to.  I've got two controllers that work perfectly.  One just needed the "foil dot" trick.  The other needed a new flex circuit.  But they are great now that they work. 
 
And the track-balll Atari made is really something special!  Very high quality and a blast to use.  Even a simple game like Super Breakout becomes new and a blast with the track ball. 
 
The 2 port version got rid of the fancy switchbox, and I like that a lot better.
 
I need to find a copy of Countermeasure.  That one is exclusive to the 5200, and I think it was made by Rob Fulop.  I also need a copy of Rescue on Factalus, but that one is pretty pricey.

The in god we trust lost tapes video is amazing.  I watched it on netflix years ago.  I'm mostly amazed that that recording sounds so good and it's live with broken cymbals and Jello is holding a cheap mic in his hand.  Kluas kills it!  I also love all things Jello.

Uber alles!

I like this blogging thing. I just started one too. Followed yours, good luck greenween!

I always confused the Shriners with Al Qaeda. 

http://youtu.be/rA74JYG8CRg

There's always time for Jello!

http://youtu.be/R8x5bUZdo5I

yes, there will be more!

What do you listen to when you're playing?

Ween, Talking Heads, Tom Waits, Velvet Underground, Beach Boys DK. and lots of crappy 80's metal!!