I finally found my old atari stuff

[theoakwoody]

I went digging through my parents basement the other night and pulled out some gems. I found my old Sears 2600 and a 7800. Cool thing about the 7800 is that it is one of the original 5000 with the expansion port on the side. Not that you can actually use the port but I think that Laserdisc player from Warner would have been pretty kick ass. Actually it probably would have had like two games released for it including Mad Dog McCree and it would have cost about $ 8000.

Okay, back to my find. My grandma, God rest her soul, bought me all this atari crap, excuse the expression, back in the day when video games were still thought to be dead around 85 or 86. I've got about 30 games in all including the classics like Pitfall, Frogger, Qbert, Defender, Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, Pacman, and even some obscure titles like Jr. Pacman and Lock 'N Chase which is a Pacman clone I think.

I was a little disapointed that I didn't find Pitfall II as most of my atari memories are about this game. Before I got my Nes back in '87 me and my dad used to spend hours on that game and I hated the fact that you could see the end of the game right from the beginning. That damn coyote playing his fucking harmonica taunting my 7 year old ass. Well my dad beat it but I could never get passed the final ascent with the bats or birds that come at you as your climbing.

Anyways I just bought a modified nes controller so that I can use it with my 7800 so I'm looking forward to precise control and it will be fun playing some 7800 games as I never actually bought any. I had no clue as a kid the difference between 7800 and 2600 games, in fact, I bought 2600 versions of realsports football and mario bros. when I could of had the new and improved versions. Okay, maybe not realsports but there was touchdown fever. So that's my story and so I'm finally going to realize what I've always wondered about the real retrogamers on this site. WHo the hell wants to play anything pre-nes?

[kainemaxwell]

Sure pre-NES games weren't as flashy, but many of them had style that cannot be emulated this day and the game shad stright goals.

[tuxedojoe]

CAUSE T3H RETROS GAMEZ ARE TEH R0X0RZZZ!!!!

Seriously though, playing really retro games is somewhat like preserving history. If everyone just decided to abandon everything that predates the NES, then, my friend, you lose out on a whole bunch of great games that helped to shape the modern-day gaming world.

Also, many people, including myself, find it very interesting to see the entire history of videogames unfold right before our eyes, again and again and again.

EDIT: I wanted to say the following:

I personally do not own anything older than the SNES, but I sure as hell once did. Currently, I keep my "really-old" gaming desires alive using emulation, but I am slowly working on changing that. Sooner or later, I plan to re-find the classics I have been yearning for for years. For example, this weekend, I will be getting a Coleco Telstar from a friend. Yep. I am starting from (almost) square one.

[kainemaxwell]

To see where we're going, it helps to see where it all started. From Atari's little beginnings to the powerhouse of the PS2, GC, and X-Box now.

[squirrelnut]

most of the 2600 games are about scoring the most points. most of the nes games are about finishing a game. most people today want to actually beat a game, not say how many points they scored in galatica. its a shame how much gets lost from generation to generation

[RJ]

theoakwoody wrote:

That damn coyote playing his fucking harmonica

???

[thehistorian]

theoakwoody wrote:

That damn coyote playing his fucking harmonica

???

It was Quickclaw (a feline), who was scared and was shaking like a leaf...

[puxley]

Yeah, and I think he was actually biting his nails in fear.
But he could have been playing a harmonica,
or hell, he could have been landing a B-52 while dressed in drag and eating a ninja, this IS the 2600 we're talking about.

But I'm only kidding - I still think Pitfall II was the GREATEST Atari game. I played it to death, staking out every secret. That final section, with all the bats and buzzards, is quite difficult. But at least you get the equivalent of infinite continues.

Try the Colecovision version sometimes - it actually isn't as good, but the collison detection on the bats & buzzards is more forgiving because they move in a jerkier fashion than the 2600.

[Arcade Antics]

WHo the hell wants to play anything pre-nes?

I do.

x_x