ATARI 2600 FAQ
This FAQ is an evolving document. If you have any additions, suggestions or corrections, please email us. Last updated March 15, 2007.
General
What Usenet groups actively discuss the 2600?
What website forums actively discuss the 2600?
Are there any mailing lists that discuss the 2600?
Where can I find cart lists?
What magazines cover the 2600?
What magazines covered the 2600 in the 80s?
What books cover the 2600?
Any there any videos that cover the 2600?
Where can I view Atari TV commercials?
Where can I view Atari print advertisements?
What is irc, #rgvc and how do I get on them?
What happened to Atari?
But I still see games with the Atari logo. What's the story?
What scores were needed to earn an Activision patch?
What does the Atari symbol represent?
What does the word "atari" mean?
Where can I find Atari-like fonts?
What shows, events or gatherings cover the 2600?
Software
Where can I find games for my 2600 or the consoles themselves?
Where can I download game instructions?
What are the best games for the 2600?
What are the most common and most rare games for the 2600?
What was Gameline and what games were available for it?
Which games use a lightgun?
Which 2600 games use the kid's controllers/keypads?
Which 2600 games use paddles?
Which 2600 games use the driving controllers?
Which 2600 games have voice?
Which 2600 carts do not work on the 7800?
What is the Starpath CD and can I still get one?
Have any new games been released lately?
What are some cheats and Easter Eggs?
What programming resources are available?
Where can I get solutions to the Swordquest series?
Is there a list of 2600 game programmers?
Hardware (general)
What are the different 2600 models?
What types of clones exist?
What companies made 2600 adapters for their own systems?
Are there any emulators for the 2600?
What 2600 hardware was announced but never released?
How do I hook up my Atari to a TV? / I've hooked up my system, but the picture is fuzzy.
How do I fix my paddles?
Where do I get my 2600 fixed?
How do I use an Atari joystick on a PC/Mac?
Which light guns work with the 2600?
What hardware peripherals exist for the 2600?
What are NTSC/PAL/SECAM and why should I care?
What is a TVboy and where can I get one?
Hardware (tech)
What are the specs for the 2600?
How large do 2600 games get?
Are there any published 2600 technical articles available?
Pinout information?
Power supply information?
Projects
How do I build a composite/audio/chroma/luma output interface for the Atari 2600Jr/2600A?
How do I build a video driver for the 2600?
I hate the two mods above. Does anyone have anything better?
How do I convert Sega controllers to Atari pinout?
How do I convert a Sega Master System lightgun to Atari pinout?
How do I convert an NES controller to Atari pinout?
Is there a general site that contains all this conversion stuff?
What is an Atari Game Recorder and how do I build one?
Q: What Usenet groups actively discuss the 2600?
A: There are several groups:
Q: What website forums actively discuss the 2600?
A: Both Atariage and Atarimania have a 2600 forum, and Digital Press also has a classic gaming forum that covers the 2600.
Q: Are there any mailing lists that discuss the 2600?
A: The Stella mailing list (also know as the the Atari 2600 Programming list) was for Atari 2600 programmers and those wishing to learn, but since April 2006 it's no longer supported. Here are the Stella list archives as well as the Stella archive excavation, which culls many of the interesting bits.
Q: Where can I find cartridge lists?
A: Atariage, AtariGuide, Atarimania, and Digital Press all have searchable lists that are updated frequently.
Digital Press produces the Classic Video Games Collector's Guide which covers the Atari 2600 and many other classic and neo-classic systems. They also maintain a searchable “Virtual” Online Guide database of over 40,000 titles from the original Odyssey right up through the Nintendo DS.
Dean Dierschow (dean@xocolatl.com) maintains game lists for several systems including the 2600/7800. The relevant files are at2600.lst, at5200.lst, and at7800.lst. These lists are a good starting point for the new or general game collector; alas, these files have not been updated since Oct 94.
For those with UK interests, Steve Rich and Chris Hind are the authors of the Atari VCS/2600 UK Release List.
GameReset also maintains lists and images of European, Brazilian, and other cartridges.
Q: What newsletters cover the 2600?
A: The 2600 Connection is a bi-monthly Atari 2600 resource. This fanzine, published by Al Backiel, includes news, game reviews, interviews, and entertaining anecdotes. Rare and collectible games are frequently discussed. Classified ads in the Connection are relevant to all Atari game machines. Visit the 2600 Connection Home Page for more information.
Q: What magazines covered the 2600 in the 80s?
A:
Q: What books cover the 2600?
A: Leonard Herman (rolenta@aol.com) publishes Phoenix: the Fall & Rise of Home Videogames. It covers the home video game industry in detail from the pre-classic days, through the early 80s and up to 1993. See the Rolenta Press home page for more information.
Another book is Zap!: The Rise and Fall of Atari by Scott Cohen. John Hardie sells licensed reprints, which can be ordered through his site.
Steven L. Kent wrote a book entitled First Quarter: The 25-Year History of Video Games, that has subsequently been released as The Ultimate History of Video Games. It covers quite a bit of history and includes some photos.
Halcyon Days: Interviews with Classic Computer and Video Game Programmers is an electronic book (html format) available from Dadgum Games. A review of the book and several snippets from it can be found in Issue #42 of the 2600 Connection. According to the review, only six of the twenty-eight programmers interviewed worked on the 2600, so much information contained in the book is not directly relevant to the 2600 world.
Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984 by Van Burnham covers the history of videogames in a full-color hardback book. See the Supercade web page for more information.
For comprehensive list of related material, see the Classic Video Game Literature List, maintained by Lee K. Seitz.
Q: Are there any videos that cover the 2600?
A: Once Upon Atari is a four part series exploring the early days of Atari. Produced by Howard Scott Warshaw, the series is a first hand look at Atari from the people who worked there.
Stella at 20: An Atari 2600 Retrospective is a series of documentaries from Glenn Saunders (cybpunks@earthlink.net). Both Volume 1, Tales of Stella and Atari and Volume 2, The Game Designers or One Person, One Game are around 90 minutes in length and are available for $25 each or $40 for both + shipping. If you buy both videos, you can add the Stella Gets a New Brain CD for just $10 more. See the ordering page for more information. Volume 1 can also be purchased from Hozer Video Games.
Two videos, one documenting the 1998 World of Atari show and one documenting the 1999 Classic Gaming Expo are available from Mark Santora (santora@earthlink.net) for $25 + $4 shipping each or $50 (shipping included) for both tapes. Contact him directly to order or to inquire about international orders or PAL format tapes.
Q: Where can I view Atari TV commercials?
A: Both Digital Press and Atarimania have large collections. TV Spil is another site. The X-Entertainment site also has a few in its collection.
Q: Where can I view Atari print advertisements?
A: Digital Press maintains a huge advertisement gallery online.
Tom Zjaba (tomheroes@aol.com) maintains a video game ad site that contains scans from various magazines and comic books.
Q: What is irc, #rgvc and how do I get on them?
A: irc is Internet Relay Chat, a global realtime chat network. #rgvc is the rec.games.video.classic channel. You can download an IRC client from www.mirc.com, and you will also find some general information and instructions there.
The Atari Gaming Headquarters site is the home of the #rgvc home page, which contains tips on irc etiquette, the #rgvc FAQ and a list of web pages and mail addresses of the regulars.
Digital Press also has a java-based IRC chatroom and is the home of the #vbender channel.
Q: What happened to Atari?
A: The Atari that everyone knew, loved and hated is gone. On July 30, 1996, Atari merged with disk drive maker JTS with more of whimper than a bang. Don Thomas (curator@icwhen.com) has written a short, insightful bit about the merger and the history leading up to it that asks more questions than it answers.
The story doesn't end there, however. On Feb 23, 1998, JTS sold substantially all of the assets of the Company's Atari Division, consisting primarily of Atari home computer games and the intellectual property rights and license agreements associated with such games (the "Atari Assets"), to HIACXI, Corp. ("HIAC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hasbro Interactive, Inc., for $5,000,000 in cash. Read the entire 8-K form that was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding this transaction.
And the story continues. On Dec 6, 2000, Hasbro entered into a "long-term licensing agreement" with Infogrames, wherein the French company will acquire 100% of Hasbro Interactive (which includes the Atari bits). You can read all about it in the Press Release.
Q: But I still see games with the Atari logo. What's the story?
A: In 1984, Warner Communications sold off the home (console) and consumer electronics (computer) divisions to the Tramiel family. These divisions became Atari Corp., which later merged with JTS and whose assets were part of Hasbro Interactive and are now part of Infogrames. The update of Centipede came (in small part) from the ashes of Atari Corp. Interestingly, Hasbro has resurrected the Atari name and logo; many of their recent classic releases (Atari Arcade Hits 2, for example) appear under the Atari name.
You may have also seen the Atari logo for years in the arcades under the Time-Warner Interactive label (Atari Games). In 1996, TW sold Atari Games to WMS Industries (the Williams people), who turned around and spun off its Midway division (announced in 1997, completed (?) in 1998). Atari Games is now a subsidiary of Midway Games and was responsible for games such as Gauntlet Legends and Rush the Rock. You might also see the Atari logo for home conversions of these (and other) games under the Midway Home Entertainment label. In spite of this corporate shuffling, a few of the Atari veterans are still there including (as of Summer 99) Ed Logg, whose credits include the arcade versions of Centipede and Millipede as well as 2600 Othello.
The March 2000 Electronic Gaming Monthly reports that Midway has abandoned the Atari name, renaming Atari Games as Midway Games West. This is probably the end of the line for the Atari Games name.
Q: What scores were needed to earn an Activision patch?
A: Both Atariage and Digital Press maintain pages that show pictures of the patches as well as the scores needed to earn them.
Q: What does the Atari symbol represent?
A: The Atari symbol was designed by George Opperman in 1972. Pong was very big then, and the big letter A represented two opposing video game players with the center of the Pong court in the middle.
Q: What does the word "atari" mean?
A: The word atari comes from the game of Go, perhaps the world oldest board game. Several early 80's magazine references define atari as "you are about to be engulfed," but the rec.games.go FAQ denotes that word in this way:
atari : A group of stones is in atari if it has only one liberty left.
Q: Where can I find Atari-like fonts?
A: Digital Press has a zip file of most every classic gaming font. iconsplus has made available an Atari-like font (the Atarian System v. 1.0) for both Windows and the Mac.
Q: What shows, events or gatherings cover the 2600?
A:
Q: Where can I find games for my 2600 or the console itself?
A: Besides Ebay, there are still several sources for new game cartridges, such as:
Atari2600
Telegames USA
Jack Berg Sales
Best Electronics
B &
C Computervisions
Digital Press
Video 61
4Jays
AtariClassics
Other sources for both new games, used games and consoles include:
Q: Where can I download game instructions?
A: Several sites offer manuals online, in text, html, and PDF formats:
Q: What are the best games for the 2600?
A: This can be a subjective matter, of course, but here are some of the most popular:
Combat
Advanture
River Raid
Pitfall!
Solaris
Yars Revenge
Kaboom
Frogger
Haunted House
Demon Attack
H.E.R.O.
Q: What are the most common and most rare games for the 2600?
A: Commonality and rarity of a game depends upon many things, including geographical location, cart and label condition, label variation and personal experience.
Q: What was Gameline?
A: Gameline was a service offered by Control Video Corporation that admitted the downloading of games to the the 2600 over regular phone lines. The Gameline used a variable 800-2000 baud modem, according to Kevin Horton's no-longer-there Gameline Page. The Gameline Master Module originally sold for $49.95 and there was a one-time membership fee of $15. Charges were about $.10 a game or $1 for up to an hour of play. Contest games were $1 and there was a $.50 charge to enter a score. On your birthday, not only were you given free play for a day, but you also received a Happy Birthday screen, complete with cake, candles and music.
While the service did not last very long, the charred ashes of the service begat what is now AOL.
Q: Which games use a lightgun?
A:
Q: Which 2600 games use the kid's controllers/keypads
A:
Q: Which 2600 games use paddles?
A:
Q: Which 2600 games use the driving controllers?
A:
Q: Which 2600 games have voice?
A:
Q: What 2600 carts do not work on the 7800?
A: There are known incompatibilities with some NTSC versions of the 7800 (PAL 7800s seem to be unaffected). Games that may not work include Robot Tank, Decathlon, Space Shuttle, Time Pilot, Kool-Aid Man and the Supercharger. 7800s manufactured in 1984 seem to be fully compatible, whereas those manufactured later have inconsistent incompatibilities.
Here is a compatibility chart:
Test decks:
Serial # Board part#
Deck# 72R4BR- Country Expansion port CO25233- Board Date
----- ------------- ------- -------------- ----------- ----------
1 AT 8 5037836 Taiwan Full port 001 REV A 84-25
2 A1 76 5904610 Taiwan Full port 002 REV A 87-17
3 A1 77 5951337 Taiwan Hole/no pins 002 REV A 87-17
4 A3 87 5139813 Taiwan No port 002 REV B 88-28
5 A3 07 5298641 China No port 002 REV B 88-30
Board part number/revision is taken from the underside of the board, just above the cart slot. The full number always begins with "CO25233." The boards' top side has a different part number, "CO25234," but no revision level is given. Board dates are also taken from the underside of the board, near the Atari logo. I changed the notation a bit to make sorting by date easier. They're really written like "2584" instead of "84-25," which would indicate the twenty-fifth week of 1984.
The carts tested were:
Results: "Yes" = cart works fine.
"No" = cart doesn't do a thing.
"Roll" = cart works, but picture rolls.
"Lock" = cart plays for a while, then locks up the system.
Deck #
Cart 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Decathlon 1 Yes No No Yes Yes
2 Yes No No Yes Yes
Robot Tank 1 Yes Roll Roll Roll Roll
2 Yes Yes Roll Roll Yes
3 Yes Yes Roll Roll Yes
Space Shuttle 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
3 Yes Roll Roll Roll Yes
4 Yes Roll Roll Roll Yes
5 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Supercharger 1 Yes No No No No
2 Yes No No No No
Food Fight Yes Yes Lock Lock Yes
IMHO, the manufacturing standards of deck #1 are better than the others. All the major chips inside are all socketed instead of being soldered directly to the board. Some of the other decks also have had some minor factory patchwork performed. They occasionally have resistors bridging points where they were clearly not originally intended to be, i.e. soldered directly to a chip pin or placed on the underside of the board.
Wondering if that 7800 deck sitting in the thrift store could be one of the fully-compatible ones? There are some very minor externally visible differences between my deck #1 and the others. I can't conclusively say these are 100% reliable indicators, but they are conspicuously different.
Some reports are that Superchargers may be permanently damaged when used on the 7800. Try Robot Tank first and then proceed only if that cart works.
Q: What is the Starpath CD and can I still get one?
A: The Starpath Supercharger Game Collection on CD, or Stella Gets a New Brain was a non-profit, long-awaited labor of love from the CyberPuNKs (Russ Perry Jr., Glenn Saunders, Jim Nitchals and Dan Skelton). This CD not only contains NTSC and PAL versions of most of the Supercharger games (PAL Survival Island is missing), but also development tools, a collection of Supercharger and Vectrex material, and several surprises (including SoundX and the UR Polo from Carol Shaw).
The Starpath CD can be purchased from Hozer Video Games.
Two notes on the new Stella cd: first, the makeup of the disk is different. Some things on the first disk were not included (e.g. the vectrex stuff, Polo) while other things were added. Second, you can purchase the "Stella Super Pack" which includes the Stella cd and volumes 1 and 2 of the Stella at 20 videos for only $50 (+ shipping and tax, if applicable).
For general information about the supercharger, see the supercharger FAQ / Cyberpunks FAQ which contains some interesting information about the Starpath company, the supercharger, and the Cyberpunks.
Q: Have any new games been released lately?
A: Over the past couple of years, many new games have been developed for the Atari 2600. Many of these can either be downloaded at Atariage, Atarimania, or Digital Press. Here is a partial list:
Q: Where can I find a list of cheats and Easter Eggs?
A: Digital Press maintains a list of Easter Eggs along with some screenshots on their Easter Egg page.
Q: What programming resources are available?
A: See Dan Boris' VCS page.
A fairly comprehensive page is Nick Bensema's 2600 Programming Page, complete with gobs of source examples and programming tools.
Bob Colbert (rcolbert@novia.net) provides many development tools for the Supercharger on his home page. These tools are different than those found on the Supercharger CD.
Mac PowerPC users might wish to mosey on over to the Mactari site, which houses 2600 development tools for the Mac.
Atariage has a forum dedicated to programmers.
Q: Where can I get solutions to the Swordquest series?
A: Walton C. Gibson (kalla@aspark.ece.uiuc.edu) maintains the SwordQuest Comic Book Archive which contains both the comics and the solutions. Unfortunately, the site appears to be down.
Q: Is there a list of 2600 game programmers?
James Hague (jhague@dadgum.com) maintains The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers. The list is both extensive and not limited to 2600 programmers, so it may take a while to find 2600-specific information. Both Atariage and Digital Press have programmer information included in their software databases.
Q: What are the different 2600 models?
A:
This list is incomplete:
Atari VCS CX2600 - Original model. Woodgrain and black plastic enclosure. Light and heavy weighted plastic. Six silver switches across the upper front panel. Bundled accessories included two CX40 joysticks, one CX30 paddle controller, AC adapter, TV switch and a CX2601 Combat game cart. Sample wording on label on bottom of unit:
Mfd. by Atari, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA. Serial # 048181.
Mfd. by Atari-Wong Ltd. in Hong Kong. Serial # 568213514.
Manufactured for Atari Inc. by TRU Electronic Components Company in Taiwan.
Model NO: CX-2600 Serial # 81281713"
Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade I - Same as above except external cosmetic differences (the "difficulty" switches are labeled "skill level", the switch panel is silver instead of black, and the woodgrain pattern is different.) Sample wording:
Mfd. for Atari Inc. by Dimerco Electronics in Taiwan for sale to
Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Serial # 82077230.
Atari VCS 2600A - Revised model. Externally it is nearly identical to the original, except there are four silver switches across the upper front panel instead of six. The difficulty switches were moved to the rear of the unit. Internally, the motherboard is a simplified one-piece design. Sample wording:
Mfd. for Atari, Inc. by TRW Electronic Components Co. in Taiwan.
Serial # 811510200.
Mfd. for Atari, Inc. by Atari Taiwan Mfing. Corp. in Taiwan.
Serial # 827030354.
Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade I(A) - Same as above except for external cosmetic differences. Sample wording:
Mfd. for Atari Inc. by Dimerco Electronics in Taiwan for sale to
Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Serial # 82299647.
Atari VCS 2600A (black) - Second revised model. Externally it is nearly identical to the 2600A, except the enclosure has a more modern looking "black out" treatment. The areas of woodgrain on the original models are now simply black plastic. Internally, the motherboard is a slight revision of the 2600A. Sample wording:
Mfd. for Atari, Inc. by Atari Taiwan Mfing. Corp. in Taiwan.
Serial # AT831150153.
Manufactured for Atari Inc. by Atari Ireland, Ltd in Ireland. Model No CX-2600 AP.
Serial 508 AI 0020153
Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade II - Entirely new model of the 2600 designed exclusively for Sears. Black wedge-shaped enclosure, with push button switches and LEDs on top panel. Essentially an Atari 7800 shell. Four joystick connectors on lower front panel with rocker switch. Internally very different from other 2600 models, but still uses the same basic chipset. Bundled accessories include two combination joystick/paddle controllers, AC adapter, TV switch and a Space Invaders game cart. Sample wording:
Sears, Inc. (Atari, Inc.) Serial # SV 392 005539.
Atari 2800 -- same as Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade II but with Atari label. Released only in Japan. Very rare.
Atari 2600 "Jr." - Third revised model. It is slightly larger than a VHS video tape case. Some versions have "Jr" stamped onto the bottom sticker. Large black buttons. Power and b/w switches slide, while Reset and Game Select are push buttons. Jet black with large metallic silver strip running lengthwise across the front with "Atari 2600" on it. Marketed as the "Under 50 bux, the fun is back!" machine. Bundled accessories include one joystick, AC adapter, TV switch box, and RCA connecting cable. Box is designed as a carrying case with handle and a white section which reads: "This Atari 2600 belongs to:". No bundled cart. The unit came in either a maroon or silver box. Sample wording:
Atari Logo Atari 2600
--------------------------------------------------
FCC ID: EBA72R2600
ATARI CORPORATION
MADE IN TAIWAN
[FCC wording deleted]
S.N. A1 81 1494278
---------------------------------------------------
[Atari logo embossed in plastic] [made in taiwan in plastic]
or
MANUFACTURED FOR ATARI CORPORATION,
BY ATARI TAIWAN MANUFACTURING
CORPORATION IN TAIWAN
MODEL NO. CX-2600 JR.
COVERED BY US PATENT NUMBER
4, 122, 422 OTHER PATENTS, AND
PATENTS PENDING
----------------
S.N.|A1 873 412187 |
----------------
[ATARI & FUJI LOGO] MADE IN TAIWAN
Atari 2600 "Jr." - same as above except silver plate has a larger rainbow strip without an embossed border.
Kevin Dempsey (shthree@supanet.com) displays an all-black 2600 Jr. on his web site. This one doesn't seem to be listed in JerryG's clones and changers link below.
A few miscellaneous
notes:
All 6 switch Ataris had a large shield casing. There were at least two 6-switch
versions:
(6-1) The original. The entire bottom half of the console was made of quarter inch thick plastic (~6mm)! Combined with the thick aluminum RF casing, this is the heaviest 2600 ever made. Also, this 2600 has no 2/3 channel select switch. There is a channel select hole in the case and it's marked Channel A/B, but there's no switch inside on the PCB. These consoles came with "01 combat". (1977 models only)
(6-2) The lighter 2600. No armor plating. Bottom half of console is made of thin plastic, like the 4 switch models. Channel switch now present. Thick RF shield still present. Plain ol' "combat" included.
The were also minor variations on 4 front switch, woodgrain panel models. On some, the difficulty switches are marked "Expert/Novice" (or was it "Advanced/Beginner"?) and others are marked only as "A/B".
Finally, a hodge-podge of facts that don't fit anywhere else:
Q: What types of clones exist?
A: Probably the most famous is the Gemini, an inexpensive clone 2600 made by Coleco. It sports an all black, box-shaped enclosure with six small slide switches (say that fast) on top of front panel. On the back panel, there is an RF modulator port and a power adapter port. Two joystick ports and difficult switches live on the front panel. Bundled bits include two dual-joystick/paddle controllers, a 9volt/500ma DC adapter, an RF cable, a TV switch and Donkey Kong and Mouse Trap carts. Sample wording:
Coleco Gemini VGS - Coleco Ind., Inc., Serial # AG0145189.
There is also the Columbia Home Arcade, which is essentially a rebadged Coleco Gemini.
Q: What companies made 2600 adapters for their own systems?
A: ColecoVision Expansion Module #1 - Black, 5" x 10", 1 3/4" high in front, sloping to 2 3/4" in back.
_____ a = expansion connector to ColecoVision
______|__a__|__ b = 2600 cart slot
| _____ | c = color/b+w slide switch
| |__b__| | l = left difficulty slide switch
|......... | r = right difficulty slide switch
| clr gr : | g = game select push button
|________:_____| r = reset button
^ ^ <---- joystick ports
Chips inside are: "COLECO 73192 E4002" (TIA clone?), SY6507, SY6532. Curiously, there is an empty space for a 14 pin chip and assorted resistors and capacitors on the right side of the circuit board. The space for a "Y1" indicates that this was probably intended to be a clock generator. (Could this board also be intended for standalone use, such as in the VGS?) There is also an adjustment hole on the bottom that turns a potentiometer [probably color control]. The reset button on the main ColecoVision console acts as a hard reset for the expansion module. The connection to the ColecoVision unit isn't very physically stable, at least not on carpet, resulting in flaky performance. Sample wording:
"ColecoVision [tm]
Model No. 2405
Coleco Industries, Inc., Amsterdam, NY 12010
Serial # A0065820 For service help call:
F.C.C. ID# BNV8432405 1+800+842-1225
Coleco Industries, Inc. (Nationwide)
Made in U.S.A. Printed in U.S.A. 74859A"
Intellivision System Changer - Made by Mattel, copyright 1983. White, roughly about 5-6" square and 2" high, with a piece sticking out of the left side that fits into the Intellivision cartridge slot.
___________ <-Top face.
| _____ |
__| [__a__] | a == Atari cartridge slot b == insert into Inty II
| b | c == Game Reset (square button)
|__ cdefg | d, f == left and right difficulty (toggle switches)
|_________| e == Color/B+W toggle switch
Front face had two standard joystick ports. Known to work with virtually all 2600 carts except those that don't work with other adapters (i.e. those like Space Shuttle and Starmaster that use standard 2600 hardware functions). Does not work with the "original" (2609) Intellivision Master Component without factory modification. Sample wording:
(one white label and one orange label) "Model No. 4610 FCC ID: BSU9RD4610
Serial No. 003255
Commodore VIC-20/2600 game adapter - Rumored to exist. Was advertised by Protecto in mail order ads in during the 1983 time frame. Plugged into VIC expansion connector and provided 2600 software emulation. Original price, emulation quality, and reliability all unknown.
The September 1983 issue of Electronic Games (page 41) shows an advertisement for Cardapter, a 2600 cart adapter for the Vic-20. The distributor was Cardco, Inc. in the US, LSI Distributors Ltd in W est Canada, Hobby Craft Canada in East Canada, and Audiogenic in Europe. Additional information on this bit would be interesting.
JerryG (jerryg@hevanet.com) maintains a list of both 2600 clones and changers.
Q: Are there any emulators for the 2600?
A: Several:
MESS
PC Atari
(PCAE)
Stella
Z26
Q: What 2600 hardware was announced, but never released?
A: The short answer is quite a bit . Here are some examples: