Atari 2600

Atari 2600
source
Title	Atari 2600
Developer	Atari, Inc.
Manufacturer	Atari, Inc.
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Second generation of video game consoles
Release date	September 11, 1977
Discontinuation date	January 1, 1992

Atari 2600. The Atari 2600 is a pioneering home video game console developed by Atari, Inc. and released on September 11, 1977, in North America. It was designed by a team led by Jay Miner, who later worked on the Amiga computer, and was originally known as the Atari VCS, with VCS standing for Video Computer System. The console was popularized by games such as Pong, Asteroids, and Missile Command, which were developed by Atari, Inc. and other companies like Activision and Imagic.

● History

The Atari 2600 was first released in 1977, with an initial price of $199, which is equivalent to approximately $800 today, adjusted for inflation in the United States. The console was launched with a series of games, including Combat, Air-Sea Battle, and Basic Math, which were developed by Atari, Inc. and other companies like Sears, Roebuck and Co.. The Atari 2600 gained popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the release of games such as Space Invaders, Defender, and Berzerk, which were developed by Taito, Williams Electronics, and Stern Electronics. The console was also supported by third-party developers like Activision, which was founded by former Atari, Inc. employees David Crane, Alan Miller, Bob Whitehead, and Jim Levy.

● Hardware

The Atari 2600 is based on the MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor, which was also used in other home computers like the Apple II and Commodore 64. The console has 128 bytes of RAM and uses cartridges to store games, which were developed by Atari, Inc. and other companies like Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley Company. The Atari 2600 also features a joystick controller, which was designed by George Faraco and became an iconic symbol of the console. The console's hardware was also used in other devices, such as the Atari 5200 and Atari 7800, which were released in the 1980s by Atari Corporation.

● Games

The Atari 2600 has a vast library of games, including Pitfall!, Frogger, and Q*bert, which were developed by Activision, Konami, and Gottlieb. Other popular games for the console include Centipede, Millipede, and Crystal Castles, which were developed by Atari, Inc. and other companies like Llamasoft and Imagic. The console also features a range of sports games, including RealSports Baseball, RealSports Football, and RealSports Tennis, which were developed by Atari, Inc. and other companies like Avalon Hill and Mindscape. Many of these games were developed by famous video game designers like Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright, and Sid Meier, who worked on games like Donkey Kong, SimCity, and Civilization.

● Impact

The Atari 2600 had a significant impact on the video game industry, popularizing the concept of home video game consoles and paving the way for later consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. The console also spawned a range of accessories and peripherals, including the Atari 2600 paddle controller and the Atari 2600 keyboard, which were developed by Atari, Inc. and other companies like Wico and Suncom. The Atari 2600 also influenced the development of arcade games, with many arcade game developers like Namco and Capcom releasing games for the console. The console's impact can also be seen in the work of video game developers like John Carmack, Id Software, and Epic Games, who developed games like Doom, Quake, and Unreal Tournament.

● Technical Specifications

The Atari 2600 features a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor running at 1.19 MHz, 128 bytes of RAM, and a range of graphics and sound capabilities. The console uses cartridges to store games, which can range in size from 2 KB to 32 KB. The Atari 2600 also features a range of input/output options, including joystick and paddle controllers, and supports composite video and RF output. The console's technical specifications were also used in other devices, such as the Atari 5200 and Atari 7800, which were released in the 1980s by Atari Corporation. The console's technical specifications have also been emulated by emulation software like Stella and Z26, which allow users to play Atari 2600 games on personal computers and other devices. Category:Home video game consoles