Just had a theory why atari designed the 5200 joysticks the way they did

[Ransom]

It wasn't new at the time. We got a Apple ][ compatible Kraft stick in 1982 that could be switched in and out of self centering mode. I wish I still had it, as I could have put it to great use given a suitable adapter for any given computer or console.

 

Aha! So Atari could have made a "centering optional" joystick for the 5200. Too bad they missed that opportunity.

 

(And, yeah, I wish I'd kept my Apple joystick, too. Even as simply an artifact of the times, it would be nifty.)

[S1500]

I'm still wondering what they were thinking with the Intelly side buttons. They are almost flush with the dang controller, making rapid fire & any type of precision firing almost impossible.

[CV Gus]

Those stupid controllers were one of the reasons the 5200 never did as well as Atari had hoped.

 

The 5200 was mainly something meant to play arcade games at home with, as was the CV. Those games used regular joysticks, or trak-ball controllers, as a rule.

 

The 5200 joystick didn't work well for anything, with the possible exceptions of Pole Position and Missile Command. Plus, they are so damn hard to repair. Bleah.

 

A pity, because the 5200, had it not been abandoned by Atari in early 1984, would've had some truly nifty games.