Atari 5200 Guy

Its obvious the 7800 would have had at least a full year before Nintendo came along. Jack was against letting Asian stuff enter our markets but he allowed it to happen when he axed the 7800 right after he bought Atari. What a joke. Well, at least one thing is certain...the 7800 is a true American engineered achievement.

"Day-E-Ona! " I never understood how someone could louse that up. Then I discovered Babymetal and they completely silence the T in most English lyrics they use. Although Su tries really hard bless her heart. I've rocked out to that sound track in the past often. It was one of my favorites. Blue Sky was the one I listened to most. Love the Svengoolie stuff @MaliciousCarp.

I agree with you on this one but to be fair when these came out I was in high school. I had the original GameBoy and the Game Gear. I didn't get a Lynx until much later. I took both to school and, frankly, I loved the Game Gear better but I got more play time on the GameBoy. So my comment was based on the time those machines were battling it out. In the modern days battery life doesn't matter any more. For their time both the Lynx and the Game Gear were the more powerful and more impressive systems hands down.

Imagine my surprise when I popped Berzerk in my 5200 and heard, "INTRUDER ALERT!" Yea...I was shocked. My 5200 actually spoke. So to see that electronic speech went as far back as pre-war era is very impressive. I now know where my 5200 learned to speak.

I've never played either one. I know Joust on the Lynx ROCKS! I had A.P.B. one time as well and it was a solid gold title.

I've seen lots of newbie Atari 5200 owners complain about the spark from connecting the RF cable to the automatic Switch Box that comes with the 4-port 5200 model. Usually by that step most people have the power supply plugged in to the wall AND the RF Switch Box. So...for newcomers to the world of Atari 5200 gaming I thought I would write a post on how to properly connect the 5200 to the RF Switch Box and to the TV. If you get the spark then it's being hooked up wrong. That's why I keep these: The one on the left is for 4-port models and generally came with unmodified (for VCS adapter) 4-ports. The one on the right came with most other 5200 systems. We are going to use the one on the left. Ready? This is the first step. Simply attach the Atari 5200 4-port's RF Switch Box to the back of your TV. Simple enough, right? Wrong. Make sure you connect ONLY the Switch Box, do not have anything else connected to it and make sure the power supply is unplugged from the wall. We haven't made it that far yet and plugging everything in before you connect the Switch Box to the TV is jumping the gun. Slow and steady wins the race! See? Now we can connect the Atari 5200 to its Switch Box that should be connected to the back of the TV. Also, make sure the switch on the Switch Box is in the NORMAL position. We're almost finished...hang in there. This is why I say it was done wrong if you get the spark. See that WARNING section? It says "Verify that the Game Cable is plugged into the TV Switch Box before plugging the Power Adapter into the TV Switch Box." Yep...it's that way for a reason. Not only to avoid the spark but to also avoid a sudden jolt going to the system and/or the TV it's connected to which could lead to either one or the Switch Box failing. Remember, this system is almost 40 years old now. It was this way before and it has been this way for many years. It still works and is the best practice to keep in order to maintain a fully functioning Atari 5200 setup. So now connect the power supply to the Switch Box. After doing this step simply plug the power adapter into your wall outlet. You should hear the Switch Box make a click sound. That's normal. If it's making a constant clicking noise immediately unplug the system and check to make sure the right power adapter was used. The Atari 5200's power adapter looks just like the same power adapters used on most Atari 400/800 computers and accessories, and it's easy to get them mixed up. If the wrong adapter was used, or if for whatever reason the Switch Box made that constant clicking noise, I recommend replacing the Switch Box to be safe. And now on to something else. Most gamers know that the Atari 5200 has a controller storage area. For as long as I could remember I always thought those holes on the sides were for air, you know, to allow for things in there to "breathe." It took me until a few years ago to finally realize what those were for. To start this conversation off let's start with a page out of that same owner's manual I posted above. See that? Atari wanted you to wrap the controller cable around the joystick handles and then put them away. They couldn't think of anything else to do, right? I've flipped through this manual and the other manual and not a one of them mentions what I'm about to share with you. It's probably safe to say that most Atari 5200 owners do well to have one working controller. It's rare to have a 5200 with two working controllers and you might as well be looking for dragons in the wild if you expect to see a system with all four working controllers. So...why not leave the controllers connected? Yes, you can do that and you don't even have to wrap the cables around the handles. What you will do is place controller 1 on the right side of the Controller Storage area and controller 2 on the left side of the Controller Storage area, both face down like Atari says. Now, run the cords through those dips, or holes, I was talking about earlier. Now close the lid. Easy as pie! You can store your controllers AND keep them connected so they are ready to go, all you have to do is pick them up. I really recommend not wrapping the cables around the handles any more because these things are nearly 40 years old at least. The cables have very thin wire strands in them. Bending them over time can cause them to break which can result in controller failure and/or short circuits. And the less damage that can be done the better. It is only a recommendation to help prolong the life of the 5200 and its parts including the controllers. How you care for your 5200 is up to you. These are simply precautions to consider as an Atari 5200 owner. It's all about sharing the knowledge. ⬇️ 4-Port & 2-Port PDF Owner's Manuals Attached Below ⬇️ Atari 5200 2-Port Owner's Manual.pdf Atari 5200 4-Port Owner's Manual.pdf

If you do build one you will also need two resistors for the dual fire buttons. I forget what Ohm they are, though. I have a feeling once this pandemic is over there will be LOTs of jobs as long as businesses can hold out. We lost our local Game Stop so the door is wide open here for a new used game store to come in. I've seriously thought about starting one. I just don't know where or how to begin.

I'd have to paint that sucker black and put silver accents on the doors (close to the wood going vertical) and across the top lid close to the back or about in the same place as what is on the 5200. But that's just me. And I love your 4-port setup!! It's nice to see another 5200 have a good home. I have Sinistar and it's a really fun game to play on the 5200. I have yet to find Zaxxon and Star Trek but I'm on the lookout for Gyruss first. That's one of my personal arcade favorites. Nice setup! Side note: Have you thought about drilling small holes just big enough to use those metal tabs used on shelves with adjustable shelving to help hold your lid when it's closed. Just a question and a thought.

How'd I miss this post? This is cool. I agree with @nosweargamer, that 6-Pak is pretty much the only cartridge you would ever need. Unless you want to add Sonic 2 and Streets of Rage 2...then you would have all you need 😁

Also like those old analog stereo knobs that get static when not touched much. It is the same concept.

Believe it or not, the reason why I enjoy 5200's Vanguard the most is because of the music during the diagonally moving stages (I can't remember the names). I've learned that the stages don't advance until you destroy a set number of enemies so I will just sit there as long as possible to hear the music. It's also the ONLY space shoot 'em up on the system in the style of the NES games Gradius and Life Force which use to be my favorite game genre. I'd personally love to see 2D shooters like these make a comeback on modern systems that are good and don't feel rushed or like they were done just to make a quick buck.

My original "owned" 5200 4-port we lost one controller during a move. The sole surviving controller never gave any issues. The console itself blew a resistor and went out. The current 5200 I have now I've had to rebuild the controllers once before I could use them. Then again they probably sat for a very long time because the dust that was caked up on them was nasty. Most used 5200's I have found had controllers someone either tried to repair and broke the flex circuit or were simply neglected. Those are the controllers I have discovered need major TLC to get going again. BONUS: There's a third potentiometer inside the 5200 that I've discovered exercising it can sometimes revitalize the analog nature of the controllers. All I did was quickly rotate it both ways and I put it right back to where Atari set it. It seems like doing this removes any aged build up on it and allows the controllers to work very well again. The 5200 is a beast...but it's a shy beast or a delicate beast. Unlike most consoles you can't let it sit for very long. It seems like letting it sit without using it does it, and the controllers, more harm than good. My first 5200 got used every day for hours on end. It rarely sat for more than a day. The 5200 I have now gets used often but not as often as my first one and I've noticed letting it sit and not using it causes the controls to be a bit erratic for a few minutes. For that reason I highly recommend exercising the system and its controllers for a few minutes between a week or a month. I wouldn't go any longer than that. I've also learned not every 5200 does the same thing and one person's experience with it won't be the same as the next person's. When working well it's an awesome console.

Summer 1993? When will it make it to those Blockbuster shelves? Very nicely done.

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Vanguard is one of my personal favorites. I prefer the 5200 version but I enjoy kickin' it on the 2600 once in a while.

I haven't heard of it. I'll have to check it out. I agree with @Justin. Why are E.T. and Pac-man for that matter blamed soo much for the video game crash. If you watch Game Over that documented the uncovering of all the Atari "junk" which got buried you would see that there was a lot more than E.T. in that landfill. There's Atari consoles and computers, controllers, some Circus Atari and Defender games...there was more than just E.T. in there. It was Atari's way to empty a warehouse full of returns and unsold merch. Nothing more or less. They had to get rid of the site some how and with it holding all that stuff they couldn't sell it. So...bury the rubbish and sell the property. Simple as that. I wish people and documentaries would stop putting E.T. in the mix. There's nothing wrong with that game.

I loved the Game Gear. Slider was a fun GG game! I had Sonic 2 as well. Sadly GG and Lynx were in the same boat when it came to battery life. GG and Lynx sucked on battery power.

I don't have this one...I don't think.

It's an awesome investment. Congrats on the new family member 😁

I love this question because it means I get to have fun. Especially at Wal-Mart. Then again we know most of the workers at Wal-Mart and I've answered, "Nope. I've lost my mind and I'm not looking for it. If you find it please keep it away from me." 😁 Hey...if they can sell shirts that say if you can read this then you are standing too close then I can try to make them laugh of at least see the looks on their faces.

Crystal Castles is a nightmare to play without the trakball controller but the 2600 does do a pretty impressive job. That is one title that should have been put on the 5200. It lacks trakball games. Only two were true trakball games: Missile Command and Centipede. A $75 controller and only two games that were true trakball games. Makes no sense.

That is a nice setup you have, Lee. Very nice. It's been about a year since that happened but it looks like your collection is coming along nicely. I have a Wii and have thought about upgrading to a Wii U a time or two. I've also thought about adding a PS3 to the mix. Those are the only 2 consoles I'm after and then I'm done collecting hardware. After that it would be only about the games. Unfortunately I would have to order them of the internet for the most part because we lost our GameStop. We have no other local used game store. I've thought about starting one but I don't want to have to sacrifice my collection.

You're welcome and I don't want people to think I'm being a total butt. I have favorites just like any other gamer. I'm not afraid to speak my mind or express how I feel. I try to keep things G - PG at least. I'm not here to upset or cause drama at all. It's why I don't like Facebook. This is my online home and I try to avoid all of that garbage because there's enough going on in the real world that we don't need in here. This is a save haven from all that. I want to say 1982. I was in third grade when I got it Christmas morning. And my third grade year was the 1982-83 school year. Did you know 5200 carts fit inside an 8-track case? Well...I got Tempest on my 5200 thanks to it getting completed. Very fun game. I just wish it would have been finished when it mattered. There were others still in prototype form that should have been released on the 5200 but never did. I would have loved to see Activision, Imagic, and even Atari give the 5200 as much attention as they gave the 2600. I didn't get Yar's Revenge on my 5200. I didn't get Warlords on my 5200. I had what was suppose to be the "most advanced system" but didn't get jack compared to what the 2600 got. Supersystem...blah...awesome arcade graphics and sounds combined with very sensitive controls that actually work well when they are cared for properly...but what good are they when the game list is lack luster and begging for more titles? To its defense it did get a few games that are considered exclusive to it...namely Countermeasure and Space Dungeon. So I feel you when you say the 7800 should have got games like Missile Command. At least the 7800 got Asteroids.