Sabertooth

@Atari 5200 Guy glad you've been able to get Debian up and running. The cool thing about PC-Mode is that it doesn't require any modification to the original system specs.  So the integrity of the VCS doesn't need to be compromised.
I've been having a lot of fun playing Steam via ChimeraOS on my VCS. I have three VCSs (because there are three colorways of course), but I'm intentionally using my stock 8GB VCS for testing & talking about it, because I think it's cool to test the unmodified base spec. Increasing the RAM to 16GB or 32GB really improves performance and is easily done, so I may compare performance side-by-side eventually.
 
 
 

I was disappointed that we didn't get Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story on the VCS, but I had to have it. I had a spare Team Group SSD lying around, so I installed it on my stock Onyx 8GB VCS and changed the boot order in the BIOS. Viola, a Steam machine that feels like Steam Deck or Big Picture Mode. The game ran beautifully.
Then I tried titles that crashed on a stock system from a Windows bootable USB.  These include Minter's Moose Life, Balls of Steel, the Lunar Lander demo, etc. They all ran fine.
ChimeraOS also has RetroArch baked in, and support for Epic and GOG. In addition to Steam.
Anyway, this may be a window into second life for VCS owners once Atari pulls the plug.
Have you tried ChimeraOS on the VCS?

Atari 50 is a must on any platform. It far exceeds a simple anthology compilation. It's beautifully curated and the new games by Digital Eclipse are excellent. The paddle functionality on the Classic makes the VCS version the one to get.
 

Be sure to join @Sabertooth in Club VCS for this month's VCS Recharged Squad Challenge, YOOMP! on the Atari VCS!
 

Pengo is a fun game!  I don't have MAME installed.  I'd need to get the latest version to play this challenge!

#The400Mini By @Atari is a NEW miniaturized #8bitcomputer console fashioned after the 1979 #Atari400! In this episode, I do an #unboxing & play ALL 25 #games, from #Airball to #Yoomp! Let's take a look! 8p MST TONIGHT on a NEW #BCB! #Atari #Gaming Click:
 

He's #gaming's very own #EasterEgg! In Pt 2 of #Llamasoft, The #JeffMinter Story b @DigitalEclipse, I continue on w/ Ch 2, "The Hairy Years," where Jeff develops a fondness 4 all manner of fur babies! They begin 2 appear in his #games! 7p MST! #BCB Click: https://youtube.com/watch?v=aPpnNtl-nO0

On a NEW #AtariNewsline Update: #CashCowDX is OUT NOW on @TheAtari_VCS! Let's take a Look! Plus: #The400Mini is Now Shipping! Got yours? I haven't! And: What's NEW on #BCB this week! Including my latest @arcade1up cab review! #Atari #VCS #gaming Click: https://youtu.be/1Wuaqn_6Z_c

Debian on the VCS is underway.  Please stand by…

I was very hesitant about doing the PC Mode because I take original integrity seriously. Probably more than I should honestly. Im doing this for a few reasons.
Reason 1: The VCS has more modern PC chipsets in it than my gaming PC has ATM. It also has a much smaller footprint.
Reason 2: I want to join in on this month’s VCS challenge. While I could use my gaming PC I thought using the VCS would simply be cool.
Reason 3: We all need to face facts…all gaming consoles will reach the end of production and support. The Atari VCS will not be immune to this. If I can extend its ability to keep gaming then I’m all for it.
Reason 4: I would like to see if it can handle my large Steam library.
Those are my reasons. I’d rather play my VCS than XBOX to be honest. Long live Atari!

Well, I don’t know if I did a good thing or a bad thing but since I don’t use my XBOX One anymore I gave my VCS the XBONE’s external hard drive.

It’s 4TB. I’m going to try to install Debian again but it keeps looking like it wants to partition the VCS internal storage and I don’t want that.

I'm trying to figure out how to get Debian on my Atari VCS. I have tons of old laptop hard drives lying around and an external hard drive case I can use for them. My PS5 is using it at the moment. I don't have a thumb drive that's more than 16 GB. The biggest one is currently attached to my VCS for all the games I purchased. I want to be able to access Steam without Windows because I have well over 300 games there. I'd like to see how it can handle my trucking simulators.
I don't really want to use the PC Mode on my VCS because it just doesn't feel right but, let's face it, Atari branded or not it's still a computer.

Yoomp!
ATARI VCS/ATARI 8-BIT/ATARI 400 MINI
Controller: MODERN CONTROLLER / CLASSIC CONTROLLER / PLAYER'S CHOICE
Difficulty Level: Normal/Level 1 Start
Play on: Real Hardware/Emulation is OK ✔
Squad Challenge ends 11:59 pm PST APRIL 30, 2024
 
 
Objective
Play for the highest possible score using the difficulty settings defined in the challenge. Post a photo or YouTube video of your score in this thread. Scores must be achieved between April 1 through April 30, 2024. Screen captures are not allowed as they are more easily manipulated for falsified scores. Multiple submissions are permitted. The player with the highest score at the end of the competition is the victor!
 
Eligibility
This is a Club VCS Exclusive Challenge. All Club VCS players are welcome!
 
Play Rules
This is a special cross-platform challenge. Games may be played on real hardware or using emulation. Choosing which controller to play on is part of formulating your strategy. Enhancements, rewinds and hacked versions of this game are not allowed.
 
Difficulty Level
We are playing YOOMP for the Atari 8-bit computers! Start the game at Level 1 and play until game over for the highest score possible!
 
Fair Play
Your integrity is everything. Players should play fairly, be honest, and have fun! Falsified scores will result in your immediate removal from the site. It goes without saying that we will not allow cheats, hacks, cartridge frying, enhancements, rewinds, deceitful photo manipulation, subterfuge, or any other unfair advantage. Everybody hates a cheater.
 
More
To review detailed rules on how to play, please visit the High Score Squad page here: 
 
 
Message
Welcome to our 26th Club VCS Recharged Squad Challenge!!! For this challenge, we're celebrating the release of the ATARI 400 MINI by playing the Atari 8-bit game YOOMP!   Play on the VCS via Atari 50, on real Atari 8-bit hardware, on the 400 MINI, or using your A8 emulator of choice!
Yoomp! is the winner of the 2007 ABBUC software competition. Like a combination of Trailblazer and an often-seen demoscene effect, you fall down a tube, landing on each square progressively in a rhythmic manner. Landing on certain tiles will have certain effects, such as making the screen quake, decreasing the brightness or forcing you to jump. Navigating the tube itself is a matter of planning ahead and compensating for your limited movement capabilities. This game is freeware and can be downloaded on the Yoomp website.
Start at LEVEL ONE and take the game as far as you can for the high score!
 
Club VCS Recharged Squad Contest
This game is the fourth title in our fifth Club VCS contest giveaway! Prize details will be announced shortly.   This time we're going a full 12 rounds with the winner announced in January 2025!
 
1)  All challenge participants will receive one (1) entry for each challenge in which they submit a valid score!
2) The top scorer of each challenge will receive two (2) additional entries - for a total of three (3) entries in a single challenge!
3) On Twitch or Youtube?  Stream or record and post your ClubVCS high score attempt for one (1) additional entry in each round.  You must post a public link to the video in the Challenge.
This contest is open to everybody, including Atari I/O Moderators, with a U.S. or Canada  mailing address. It's really easy, all you have to do is participate be a Club VCS member and participate in our Recharged Squad Challenges.
 

 

Let's get the word out about this Recharged Squad Challenge!
The more people participating the more fun the challenge!
Spread the word and invite friends to play!

(Premiering WED 4/3/24 @ 9a MST!) ATARI NEWSLINE. BREAKING NEWS. // Today, @Atari announced that is has acquired the #publishing rights to the #rollercoastertycoon #franchise from #Frontier! This game has a very storied 20+ year history, let's discuss the press release, what this could mean & more! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90JPF0A2_WQ
 

Congratulations DAMON!
 
Congratulations @damon!  He takes the win in our Berzerk: Recharged Challenge!
@damon makes his Recharged Squad Challenge debut with a stunning first place finish of 185,080.  I danced around Evil Otto enough to eek out a second place score of 130,680.  @Mockduck takes third on the podium with 104,960.  @Cryptocoffee13 and @Atari 5200 Guy round out the board with 67,880 and 26,315, respectively.
As the winner of this round @damon will receive three entries!
@Atari 5200 Guy receives one entry, plus a bonus entry for sharing his attempt on YouTube!  That's two (2) entries total!
Everyone else will receive one entry!
I'd like to encourage @damon to post this high score on the Scoreboard so we can make sure this Challenge continues on!
I hope you all enjoyed this round and Berzerk: Recharged.  This is probably the most divisive title in the series.  From the art style, to the pacing, to the twin-stick approach, there is a lot that doesn't feel like Berzerk.  That said, absent the weight of it's namesake there is a fun game here.

 
NOTE: Series Five of the Recharged Squad Challenge  continues with a special cross platform celebration!  Be There!

Also on X.

It looks like Atari have had a change of heart: LLB is coming to the VCS!
From an FB post today teasing the game!

 

Yesterday and today's mail call -- multiple consoles covered. The Vectrex overlays are gorgeous and the photo does not do them justice.
 

Very nice!  Most of my Vectrex games are homebrews.  I have multicarts with the entire library of original games, so I have only a handful of original games that are boxed.  Those looks really good! 

Nice! Most of my games are homebrews too, but here are my originals. 

Congrats @Marco1019 for winning first place!  I tried to improve my score further but I was not able to.  Beef Drop is a fun game! 

Yes.  You'll have to run it in PC-MODE. 

Let's get the word out about this Recharged Squad Challenge!
The more people participating the more fun the challenge!
Spread the word and invite friends to play!

You can also play on real hardware if there’s a Pengo machine in your area.