why the bad rep?

[ApolloBoy]

The "why not get an Atari 800" argument is a fine one I suppose, although I don't remember there being a huge market for them back in the 80's, and honestly I didn't know they were the same price (they were right? otherwise if the 400/800 were much more $$ that argument goes down the crapper) either. Still since so many games for the current generation (360, PS3, Wii) are available in a PC version, would it stand to reason I should buy a pc instead in today's age?

Actually, both the 400 and 800 (especially the 800) were more expensive than the 5200. Well, the 400 eventually went down in price significantly, but the 800 was always more expensive than the 5200. The 1200XL, which appeared at around the same time as the 5200, was even more expensive than the 5200 ($899!).

[AtariLeaf]

Said it before, I'll say it again. It's just a matter of practice. If you aren't all that good a gamer, you'll need more practice, and/or just give up on them. To me it's like the guy who can't break 100 bowling who blames the shoes... It always amazes me the bad rep the 5200 sticks get when there's so many MUCH worse controllers out there...The 7800, Colecovision, and Intellivision come to mind. Granted, the 5200 has reliability issues with the fire buttons, but really take that away and it's a far better controller than many of the controllers from the same era that get a pass.

The "why not get an Atari 800" argument is a fine one I suppose, although I don't remember there being a huge market for them back in the 80's, and honestly I didn't know they were the same price (they were right? otherwise if the 400/800 were much more $$ that argument goes down the crapper) either. Still since so many games for the current generation (360, PS3, Wii) are available in a PC version, would it stand to reason I should buy a pc instead in today's age?

 

I was talking about buying a 5200 vs. 800XL TODAY, not when they first came out. And if you want to bring in current gen, then yes, I'd prefer a modern computer to an Xbox 360 for the same reason I'd prefer an 800xl to a 5200 console - reliability issues.

 

Look I realize there a LOT of 5200 lovers out there. Thats great. I'm not one of them. Never owned one and since the mid 90's when I've picked up the odd one here and there, NONE of the controllers worked. Yea yea, Best Electronics. I know. But why spend so much money on these controllers when I could take that money, buy a pretty reliable Atari computer and play the same games with a standard joystick. And its not just reliability of the joysticks, its also the comfort issue. They are awkward to hold and use unlike a CX40 or a Wico stick. Same reason I switched from a standard 7800 joystick to the euro pad.

 

If you're still paying $899 for an 800XL today then you better stay away from those craigslist ads.

[Ransom]

But why spend so much money on these controllers when I could take that money, buy a pretty reliable Atari computer and play the same games with a standard joystick.

 

Because in many cases they're not the same games any more once you use a standard (digital, one-button) joystick.

[AtariLeaf]

I dunno. I've got about 30 games and I haven't had any trouble playing any of them with a standard joystick. Granted most of my collection is old arcade conversions so I don't know what games you're referring to but I'd much rather play 5200/8-bit pacman or frogger with a wico bat then a 5200 "controller"

[jetset]

Said it before, I'll say it again. It's just a matter of practice. If you aren't all that good a gamer, you'll need more practice, and/or just give up on them. To me it's like the guy who can't break 100 bowling who blames the shoes... It always amazes me the bad rep the 5200 sticks get when there's so many MUCH worse controllers out there...The 7800, Colecovision, and Intellivision come to mind. Granted, the 5200 has reliability issues with the fire buttons, but really take that away and it's a far better controller than many of the controllers from the same era that get a pass.

The "why not get an Atari 800" argument is a fine one I suppose, although I don't remember there being a huge market for them back in the 80's, and honestly I didn't know they were the same price (they were right? otherwise if the 400/800 were much more $$ that argument goes down the crapper) either. Still since so many games for the current generation (360, PS3, Wii) are available in a PC version, would it stand to reason I should buy a pc instead in today's age?

 

I was talking about buying a 5200 vs. 800XL TODAY, not when they first came out. And if you want to bring in current gen, then yes, I'd prefer a modern computer to an Xbox 360 for the same reason I'd prefer an 800xl to a 5200 console - reliability issues.

 

Look I realize there a LOT of 5200 lovers out there. Thats great. I'm not one of them. Never owned one and since the mid 90's when I've picked up the odd one here and there, NONE of the controllers worked. Yea yea, Best Electronics. I know. But why spend so much money on these controllers when I could take that money, buy a pretty reliable Atari computer and play the same games with a standard joystick. And its not just reliability of the joysticks, its also the comfort issue. They are awkward to hold and use unlike a CX40 or a Wico stick. Same reason I switched from a standard 7800 joystick to the euro pad.

 

If you're still paying $899 for an 800XL today then you better stay away from those craigslist ads.

 

 

Ok fair enough! Although Best is overpriced, and with a little reading here at AA you can fix the controller problem forever with some tin foil. But I can understand the 800 argument coming in today's terms. I have both myself.

[jetset]

I dunno. I've got about 30 games and I haven't had any trouble playing any of them with a standard joystick. Granted most of my collection is old arcade conversions so I don't know what games you're referring to but I'd much rather play 5200/8-bit pacman or frogger with a wico bat then a 5200 "controller"

 

There's something to be said for both. 800 is the winner with Frogger hands down. Then again there's Centipede. The 5200 trak-ball is not only hands down the best one out there, it makes a whole different game when comparing it to using a 1977 designed Atari joystick!

[Phantom]

The 5200 system has arcade like ports better than any other system.

It is one of the best IMO and one of my favorites even if I wasn't an Atari nut.

 

My guess as to the biggest problems selling it was, Colecovision was the "in" thing at the time and to make matters worse, Atari rebos had Super Breakout as the pack-in game. Not only was it the worst game ever made IMO since you need a paddle to play it properly and I think it still sucks on the 5200, but Coleco's pack-in game was the way more popular Donkey Kong. DK was about the most well known game at the time. If Atari included Pac-man atleast, it would have done much better IMO at competing with Coleco at the time and Atari also announced games and things that also never made it to market, disappointing many potential buyers.

Remember you could try these systems out at Kiosks in the stores as well.

Who after trying DK on a Colecovision would buy a 5200, especially after you got to try the repulsive Super Breakout?

 

Timing of the System was also terrible as the market for video games plummeted not long after it was released and only recovered years later when NES came out.

Edited May 4, 2009 by Phantom

[AtariLeaf]

I dunno. I've got about 30 games and I haven't had any trouble playing any of them with a standard joystick. Granted most of my collection is old arcade conversions so I don't know what games you're referring to but I'd much rather play 5200/8-bit pacman or frogger with a wico bat then a 5200 "controller"

 

There's something to be said for both. 800 is the winner with Frogger hands down. Then again there's Centipede. The 5200 trak-ball is not only hands down the best one out there, it makes a whole different game when comparing it to using a 1977 designed Atari joystick!

 

I was wondering about this but never tried: I have 8-bit centipede and the atari trackball. Does this trackball work with centipede? I love it with missile command but never tried it with centipede. I agree that the trackball is so much better than a joystick for certain games like centipede.

[Mazerati]

i bought my 5200 in 83 and i really liked the controllers back then..they really never caused me a problem

it's the colecovision controllers that really used to kill my hand

[mellis]

My guess as to the biggest problems selling it was, Colecovision was the "in" thing at the time and to make matters worse, Atari rebos had Super Breakout as the pack-in game. Not only was it the worst game ever made IMO since you need a paddle to play it properly and I think it still sucks on the 5200, but Coleco's pack-in game was the way more popular Donkey Kong. DK was about the most well known game at the time. If Atari included Pac-man atleast, it would have done much better IMO at competing with Coleco at the time and Atari also announced games and things that also never made it to market, disappointing many potential buyers.

 

 

Pac Man became the pack-in when they started shipping the 2-port version of the 5200.

[Tickled_Pink]

I remember seeing the 5200 in one of my mum's mail order catalogues and knew I wanted one ... but then Atari decided not to sell them over here.

 

Self-centering joysticks are a total must-have in any console generation. When my parents got me my 2600 in '82, a friend got a lesser console (one of the really obscure ones) because they couldn't afford the Atari. The joysticks on his sucked as well because they weren't auto-centering, which made games more difficult to play tha they should have been.

[ApolloBoy]

I dunno. I've got about 30 games and I haven't had any trouble playing any of them with a standard joystick. Granted most of my collection is old arcade conversions so I don't know what games you're referring to but I'd much rather play 5200/8-bit pacman or frogger with a wico bat then a 5200 "controller"

 

There's something to be said for both. 800 is the winner with Frogger hands down. Then again there's Centipede. The 5200 trak-ball is not only hands down the best one out there, it makes a whole different game when comparing it to using a 1977 designed Atari joystick!

 

I was wondering about this but never tried: I have 8-bit centipede and the atari trackball. Does this trackball work with centipede? I love it with missile command but never tried it with centipede. I agree that the trackball is so much better than a joystick for certain games like centipede.

No, A8 Centipede doesn't have a Trak-Ball mode like the 5200 version.

[cybercylon]

Well, my 2 cents:

 

I never had a 5200 when I was a kid, but certainty wanted one. I didn't consider the arcade ports to be stale. In fact, I was impressed with the big leap over the same games for the 2600. But with only a paper route, I had to stick with the 2600.

 

Fast forward, I started bidding on ebay after getting a 7800. The classic game itch got me. So it was next on my list. Unfortunately, I would often lose out on those auctions. Then I got lucky and found one on craigs list. They wanted a modern game which I didn't want, and I got a 5200 with about 10 common games. One controller sort of worked, and that has been rebuilt with parts from Best. I'm holding on fixing the second one. The modern game (sorry, don't remember which one) was only $30, so I think it is safe to say that I got a good deal.

 

So as for the controllers go, not the best. Not as bad once you rebuild one and get used to it. Even after that, they are not my favorite. But there are far worse out there. The intellivision controllers, simply awful. At first, I was psyched that my cousin got one, but I have painful memories of that disc. However, my worst controller awards go to the original Saturn controllers and the 7800 controllers. At least the 5200 controller don't make my hands bleed after 2 minutes. Okay, I am exaggerating, but I've lost more games due to 7800 controllers than the 5200.

[GameGirl420]

I love Atari 5200 Although I do have issues with the controllers. I like the design but seems like they used really cheap materials to put it together. Most sensitive controllers out of any system I played with. I love those controllers but only when they work.

 

 

I always think why could'nt they have made the controllers just like the 2600???? Or at least compatible with 2600 controllers.

 

 

 

Everything else about the Atari 5200 rules tho. I like the colors and sounds better than the NES.

[doctorclu]

5200 is something you have to experience. Usually after you have one dropped on you like I did.

 

Logic would say "Get a 800xl and SIO2PC, 400 times better than the 5200"

 

That would be true.

 

But in my case, I found the 5200 high score thread here to be much more fun. The 8 bit computer thread has titles that are hit or miss, mainly because there are SO many titles on the 8-bit computer thread.

 

The controller IS a weakness on the 5200. No doubt. But there are other solutions around that. (The redemption boxes and Wico sticks) The 5200 controllers are actually good for some games (Star Raiders, Space Dungeon).

 

Heaven help you if you try to play Dig Dug or especially Joust with those 5200 controllers.

 

Really, the 5200/7800 stick design with the large narrow base and buttons on the side were just painful. The 7800 D-Pad... now that was a good idea!

[DracIsBack]

Not only was it the worst game ever made

 

Played ever game ever made, have you?

[mcjakeqcool]

I thought (and for that matter) think the Atari 5200 was not a particularly bad system, the controlers were not that diffrent to the ColecoVision or Intelvision, and it's faults such as it's size and incompatibtly with 2600 games were put to sleep with the 5200 jr and compatibilty pack, I think the 5200 failed for 2 big reasons, the liabary, and the game crash of '83. It is just ironic that it was the sucsessor to the 40 million selling 2600, even though there are no exzact figures, I can safely say it would not be a scratch on that.

[Herbarius]

I always think why could'nt they have made the controllers just like the 2600???? Or at least compatible with 2600 controllers.

They wanted to one-up the competition (some of them boasting about having more axes than the Atari 2600) using full analog sticks (i.e. having infinite axes). That they are not self-centering was propably just a bad design decision.

[Cobra Kai]

ive heard alot of negative things about the 5200 over the years and i could never understand why. was it all based solely on the controllers? (which imo only take a minimum amount of effort to use correctly and prolong their lives-its sensitive, dont yank on it like an arcade stick).

Atari 800 fanboys.

[Artlover]

For the record, I don't think the 5200 sticks are bad. Never really had many problems with them, no more so then any other controller. Sure, every once in a blue moon I'd have to open it and clean the contacts with an eraser. Once I had to repair a mylar trace that corroded away. Big deal. No worse then having to fix the fire button on the old CX-40's all the time because it would fail. Either the spring would stop sprining, or the metal disk would crack and there I go taking apart a ballpoint clicky pen for the spring, or a cheap throw away w/chin activated hang-up button telephone to scrounge up metal contact disks from the dial pad.

 

The major relaibility issues I had with the 5200 sticks was on the console side it self with the damn 4000 series mux chips failing and needing to be replaced every few years.

 

Other then being non self centering, they were fine. And quite honestly, not being self centering helped on some games.

[Phantom]

My guess as to the biggest problems selling it was, Colecovision was the "in" thing at the time and to make matters worse, Atari rebos had Super Breakout as the pack-in game. Not only was it the worst game ever made IMO since you need a paddle to play it properly and I think it still sucks on the 5200, but Coleco's pack-in game was the way more popular Donkey Kong. DK was about the most well known game at the time. If Atari included Pac-man atleast, it would have done much better IMO at competing with Coleco at the time and Atari also announced games and things that also never made it to market, disappointing many potential buyers.

 

 

Pac Man became the pack-in when they started shipping the 2-port version of the 5200.

True but by then, the crash was in full crash mode, there was no more wondering if there was a lack of interest in video games in general by that time.

I remember my teacher, whom had invested in Arcade games in 82', now its 84' and he is asking us why no one is going to arcades and such and the home market was much worse off IMO, than the arcades since that was still a night out for most kids but te crash wasnt just Home Consoles and by the time they went to the 2 port and pac-man, most people already had a colecovision. It is also quite a behemoth of a unit but I do love it personally.

[+Random Terrain]

Other then being non self centering, they were fine. And quite honestly, not being self centering helped on some games.

Still doesn't change the fact that it's like trying to play a game by holding your wiener. I had high hopes for the Atari 5200 and Atari 7800. I wanted to believe the hype both times. Unfortunately, they both came with wiener controllers that were uncomfortable to hold.

[Mirage]

Other then being non self centering, they were fine. And quite honestly, not being self centering helped on some games.

Still doesn't change the fact that it's like trying to play a game by holding your wiener. I had high hopes for the Atari 5200 and Atari 7800. I wanted to believe the hype both times. Unfortunately, they both came with wiener controllers that were uncomfortable to hold.

 

More info than I really cared to know about you thanks. And, I'm sorry.

[+Random Terrain]

More info than I really cared to know about you thanks. And, I'm sorry.

Good news is that most real wieners don't have buttons on the sides and an extra little wiener on top. If yours does, I don't know if I should say I'm sorry or congratulations.

[bohoki]

More info than I really cared to know about you thanks. And, I'm sorry.

Good news is that most real wieners don't have buttons on the sides and an extra little wiener on top. If yours does, I don't know if I should say I'm sorry or congratulations.

 

 

the controllers get a bad rap and most of it is deserved due to the implementaiton of the carbon dot button failure problem

 

but blaming the analog stick is a bit unfair i think it is analogous to say trying to play guitar hero with a gamepad

 

or trying to play commander keen with a nascar steering wheel

 

the analog stick works great for some games not so good for others

 

is that a controller problem maybe but i think it is a game implementation problem

 

if only someone could make a frogger and frogger 2 hack that just used trigger values to move frog instead of direction then press button it is beyond annoying

 

at the time the majority of games people wanted to play were based on 8 way sticks