Atari 5200 Guy

I got a 5200 in 2007.  In fact, I got two, as I got both a 4 port and a 2 port system.  I have always liked the games for the console as it has some unique titles and some exclusive ports as well.  I was aware of the issues with the controllers, so I immediately got the gold upgrade for mine.  I also got a WICO controller.  The main issue is the controller does not self-center, something that Atari was working on but never released due to the crash.  Overall, though, I'm happy with the system.

The 5200 is my second favorite Atari console only bested by the 7800 for me. I've always like the original controllers since I first played the system using one of them. Over the past 20+ years now, I've done the foil dots bit on them to keep them going but after having to do it after every 2 or 3 years (due to the dots eventually falling off), I got sick of it and over the summer I purchased two gold set replacement rebuild kits from the new Atarireapairparts.com website. Installed them in a matter of minutes and I don't think I will have to touch them ever again at this point.
That said, I also have a set of the Wico controllers (I don't like this, they don't feel right and they actually break stupid easy internally.). But the command control keypad that they also use is quite nice and well built. So I also have one of the older AtariAge redemption adapters that lets me use that Wico keypad and a Sega Genesis 3 button controller with the 5200. For games that require the more digital precision, that is the setup I will use. But even still I mostly use the original controllers when I play on the 5200.
 

And lets not forget the awesome Trakball they made for 5200.  It feels like a real arcade controller. 

Oh yeah! Missile command is pretty much arcade like with it on the 5200.

Yes... yes you do!
 

When it comes to the joysticks, I like the RetroGameBoyz all-in-one joystick.  It's a self centering digital unit that has knobs for centering the joystick and also has the keypad built-in so there is no need foy Y-adapter cables.  The UAV modification with an HDMI adapter brings it into the 21st century for modern TV sets and it's picture quality is only something we could dream about back in the day.  Now of course if you are going to go to that expense, you NEED the Atarimax cartridge to finish the setup.  

I don’t have Rescue on Fractalus yet.  I need to remedy that.

I don’t have Rescue on Fractalus yet.  I need to remedy that.

You guys have made me rethink the 5200 when I was starting to lose all hope.  I never thought I would hear others, besides myself, say they like the CX52s.  My confidence in the system has been perked up.  Thank you.

You guys have made me rethink the 5200 when I was starting to lose all hope.  I never thought I would hear others, besides myself, say they like the CX52s.  My confidence in the system has been perked up.  Thank you.

There are several controller options available today, so the non-centering CX52s are no longer an issue. Btw, the 5200 port of Defender is excellent and plays extremely well with the CX52s. (I have four of the Best Electronics upgraded CX52s and they continue to work as new after several years of use).
As others have stated, you can go the Wico controller and pad route or connect a Masterplay or MP Clone type adapter for use with any number of DB9 connector controllers. 
 
My top five original games:
Defender
Gremlins
Missile Command (Trak-Ball)
Rescue on Fractalus!
Space Dungeon (Console exclusive twin-stick shooter)
Note: Qix also works really well with the CX52 controller and I prefer to play Space Invaders with the trak-ball.
At this point in the life of this console, I feel that the only people making a big deal about the controllers are YouTubers looking for clicks or people that have not put an ounce of time into researching the console. 
I have a 2 port and a 4 port as well. Neither one is modded, but both have new/old stock motherboards and the RF output is really good on each console. 
 
Game on!

I have to say I am genuinely surprised and impressed at the responses I’m getting from other 5200 owners.  It has been unexpected.  For many, many years now I’ve heard others who have or had a 5200 complain about the controllers.  Even its sales showed issues with the controllers. But I never expected to hear people say they actually prefer the original controllers over anything else.  I was not expecting to hear that.
I dearly love my 5200.  Like some others I have at least 40 years experience with it.  Without internet to guide me I spent lots of time with used systems trying to repair faulty controllers not really knowing half the time what I was getting myself into or how to fix them.  I do have to thank my Mother for all those Atari finds in those garage sales and Salvation Army store visits.  She always grabbed them up.  I use to have a stock pile of replacements. When she passed the house got broke into.
And I wasn’t talking bad about the system.  On the contrary I was thinking a “what if” scenario. Like what if the games were given the ability to check what type of controller you was using? You connect an adapter and can use any Atari 2600 compatible joystick combined with the 5200 controller.  You’re given the option to use analog or digital controls. You then play the game using whatever controller you’re comfortable with.
 
 I'm not going against the standard controllers as I feel they are what make the 5200 unique. I was, instead, wonder If Atari knew they had an issue with the controllers they didn’t just make a quick fix like a controller adapter?  It would have made more business sense.
Yes!!  The Trakball controller is pretty awesome and works with a lot of 5200 games.  You should try using it with Pole Position sometime. That’s a real challenge! And unlike the Colecovision trackball it doesn’t need a separate power supply. 
 
So maybe I have been looking at the 5200 all wrong.  I was under the impression most people really disliked the system due to its controllers. 🤔 Maybe I need to do my own gold upgrade and see what happens.

I have to say I am genuinely surprised and impressed at the responses I’m getting from other 5200 owners.  It has been unexpected.  For many, many years now I’ve heard others who have or had a 5200 complain about the controllers.  Even its sales showed issues with the controllers. But I never expected to hear people say they actually prefer the original controllers over anything else.  I was not expecting to hear that.
I dearly love my 5200.  Like some others I have at least 40 years experience with it.  Without internet to guide me I spent lots of time with used systems trying to repair faulty controllers not really knowing half the time what I was getting myself into or how to fix them.  I do have to thank my Mother for all those Atari finds in those garage sales and Salvation Army store visits.  She always grabbed them up.  I use to have a stock pile of replacements. When she passed the house got broke into.
And I wasn’t talking bad about the system.  On the contrary I was thinking a “what if” scenario. Like what if the games were given the ability to check what type of controller you was using? You connect an adapter and can use any Atari 2600 compatible joystick combined with the 5200 controller.  You’re given the option to use analog or digital controls. You then play the game using whatever controller you’re comfortable with.
 
 I'm not going against the standard controllers as I feel they are what make the 5200 unique. I was, instead, wonder If Atari knew they had an issue with the controllers they didn’t just make a quick fix like a controller adapter?  It would have made more business sense.
Yes!!  The Trakball controller is pretty awesome and works with a lot of 5200 games.  You should try using it with Pole Position sometime. That’s a real challenge! And unlike the Colecovision trackball it doesn’t need a separate power supply. 
 
So maybe I have been looking at the 5200 all wrong.  I was under the impression most people really disliked the system due to its controllers. 🤔 Maybe I need to do my own gold upgrade and see what happens.

Curious to see where this goes.  The SuperSystem was my first console and remains my all-time favorite.  
Back when the 2600 was king, and being a kid, wishing for an Atari and getting a 5200 instead was nothing to sneeze about.  It was an Atari at heart and I'm very grateful to have developed a passion for it.
I'm curious to know someone else's thoughts and feelings about it and what games they like, don't like, and think are possible hidden gems.
It is a very misunderstood system that, in my opinion, showcased everything Atari was about. Even if it was using old technology it was technology that was tried and true.  It and the 2600 were side by side the whole time, too.  There are positive things the 5200 has if one looks hard enough.

Curious to see where this goes.  The SuperSystem was my first console and remains my all-time favorite.  
Back when the 2600 was king, and being a kid, wishing for an Atari and getting a 5200 instead was nothing to sneeze about.  It was an Atari at heart and I'm very grateful to have developed a passion for it.
I'm curious to know someone else's thoughts and feelings about it and what games they like, don't like, and think are possible hidden gems.
It is a very misunderstood system that, in my opinion, showcased everything Atari was about. Even if it was using old technology it was technology that was tried and true.  It and the 2600 were side by side the whole time, too.  There are positive things the 5200 has if one looks hard enough.

I would probably add like 15 more games.  The ones mentioned, Life Force, I can’t believe Contra was not in the original 30, possibly Galaxian,
I’m even more surprised is there is not a single SNK game on the thing and I remember Ikari Warriors being hard to find in my area.  I could only rent it and there was a waiting list for that.  I ended up renting and eventually buying Guerrilla War because it was there when Ikari wasn’t.
I’m only after a few games.  I don’t want to put tons on there…just a few without losing too much of the benefits its OS offers.  I like the save states on some games.  Those come in handy getting past those trouble spots I always managed to get stuck at in games.  Other games it’s not necessary.
With that said my added games would be:
Zanac, Guardian Legend, Life Force, Contra, Galaxian, Lunar Pool to start.

hi atari 5200 guy,
 
  sierra online released A-8 carts without labels, i have some somewhere. also in cart shells that were backwards when installed. i have halloweens on the 2600 that had a hand written label that was photo copied and applied to the cart shells.
activision released space shuttle for the 5200 in 2600 boxes, then just put a silver sticker on the box that said 5200. later on they did not even put on the sticker.
once a market shrinks, its hard to keep up the same business plan that you had when the market was booming.
some can, many can't. i watched companies that thought they could, eventually alter their packaging from hard cardboard glossy type of boxes like parker bros. down to flimsy card board, the thinnest they could find, not even that helped, so under they went, or they abandon the market.
 
lance
www.atarisales.com

That's what I use.  Very nice pouch.  And if you turn the games just right you can fit a lot of games in those two pockets.  Now that I think about it you can take more games than you can battery oower.  That makes sense.

That's what I use.  Very nice pouch.  And if you turn the games just right you can fit a lot of games in those two pockets.  Now that I think about it you can take more games than you can battery oower.  That makes sense.

I have a few disk games in those plastic sleeves from Datasoft, Epyx, Main Street, and Keystone.  One of the Main Street titles didn't even include a dust sleeve for the disk.  Just wrapped a box label, which is a low quality print on standard paper cut to fit, around the disk and jammed it inside a clamshell.  I can't remember if it is Moon Shuttle or Magneto Bugs but could you imagine if the cartridges for the 2600, 5200, or 7800 were done that way?

The juiciest details. 😛
There is nothing wrong with that, they look great. 🙂 Social media and the companies like Limited Run Games, and New Atari, are feeding into the FOMO culture we have right now. If you don't get it NOW! You'll lose out! Ebay, FB, marketplace, etc. they fall into that too, everything old is rare, even if it's not. Just to get an artificial value to something. "ATARI 2600 COMBAT CART! RARE!! VITNAGE!!! L@@K!!" -Buy It Now  $1000! 
So people willingly pay for something that they will think is premium.
 
Some of these limited editions though are they really limited? Some seem to be like "It's limited to how much money we can milk you for, then we'll stop making them." Others it's like limited to what, 50,000 copies? 100,000?

Is it really that rare then? 😛

Im guilty of this but I'm trying to remedy that.  I may have a channel but I haven't posted anything in a long time.  My need for games to be in fancy boxes is nothing more than a want for a complete in box game.  It is easier to obtain the game by itself and get the PDF version of the instructions but I all about the physical contact and trying to experience areas I missed as a kid. I am referring to old stock new in box and complete in box games.  I am not referring to homebrew games.

Im guilty of this but I'm trying to remedy that.  I may have a channel but I haven't posted anything in a long time.  My need for games to be in fancy boxes is nothing more than a want for a complete in box game.  It is easier to obtain the game by itself and get the PDF version of the instructions but I all about the physical contact and trying to experience areas I missed as a kid. I am referring to old stock new in box and complete in box games.  I am not referring to homebrew games.

Atari is the sole reason why I wanted to get into programming. To hear all of this from an insider perspective is priceless. Thank you for sharing.

Atari is the sole reason why I wanted to get into programming. To hear all of this from an insider perspective is priceless. Thank you for sharing.