I have a talent for choosing the least used platforms! (My Atari 5200 History)

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The Atari 5200 was not all that wildly popular for various reasons back in the day.  Anyway a couple of years ago the nostalgia bug hit and I reacquired an Atari 5200.  But honestly playing it was not much fun as the joystick sucked as bad as the RF picture on my screen.  I give much thanks to @Airshack because without his help in overcoming my joystick woes I probably would have abandoned the 5200.  Now that I could play a game with a decent stick, buying and storing all those games was getting troublesome, well now, imagine that, someone already had that all figured out, so now my not so little 5200 got an Atarimax.  So now I had more games than I possibly had the time to play, but the video still sucked.  Well, imagine that, again somebody already figured out a solution for that too, enter the UAV modification.  So now I can play and see, but found out yet again a choice the choice I made is the road less traveled by most...

Recently there was talk here on Atari.io about a challenge, but apparently participants a few and far between.  I checked << HERE >> for scores and noticed hardly anything on the 5200 << HERE >>.  But when checking the rules << HERE >> it say's emulation IS allowed, so come on, if you don't have a 5200 take pity on us, switch your emulators to the 5200 setting and help us few lonely 5200 people have some fun.  I guarantee you will not have the worst score, unless you fight me for the bottom spot!  😆

[intellicolecovisonary]

I remember back in December 1982 I was in Toys R US, deciding whether buy a Colecovision or an Atari 5200. The pack in game was the deciding factor for me. If the pack in game had been a game with name reconition like Pac-Man, Centipede or just about anything other than Super Breakout I might of chosen the 5200. The same goes for the Atari 7800 with Pole Position II. IMO Atari marketings cheap mindset was a major factor in causing both systems to fail.

Edited November 11, 2021 by intellicolecovisonary

[DegasElite]

Agreed about the cheap marketing. That was Atari's mistake.

[RickR]

On the high score challenge front, why not participate in a few yourself?  Even those not 5200 based. 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I started out my video game adventures with the 5200.  It wasn't by my choice but I'm very grateful for it.  Super Breakout was the only game in the system that early Christmas morning.  I played it for a few hours.  I didn't care...there was an Atari sitting in my living room. To say I was excited would be an understatement.  Being an only child living outside of civilization where the only time you seen friends was at school helped the 5200 in my situation.  It instantly became my best friend.  I absolutely loved the system and everything about it.  

If given the opportunity the 5200 is a gaming beast with a library of games that showcase their arcade roots well.  Please, guys, hop on a 5200 of some sort, real or emulated, so it can be celebrated with the rest of its siblings.  I know now Atari didn't get it right with the 5200 but when it is working as originally intended it is one helluva machine to play games on.

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7 hours ago, RickR said:

On the high score challenge front, why not participate in a few yourself?  Even those not 5200 based. 

Why?  Time mostly.  In another thread I did say I'd commit to a 5200 score challenge.  You simply have no clue what my life has been like the past few months.  My free time is spent mostly on Atari.io because I can divide my time only so many ways.

[RickR]

Maybe my tone was wrong.  I mean to say we should all try to participate when possible.  Even on systems we do not own by using emulation instead. 

Of all the good things going on here, I have found the high score challenges have been the most rewarding thing.  Mostly because it's about playing the games together with friends.  It's been a really good way to explore games you've never tried before -- expanding horizons is always a good thing.  And it can be a respite (at least for a few moments) from the demands of reality. 

The more the merrier.  But no pressure if you don't have time.  No pressure implied.