Please help - Atari 5200 newbie needs advice re: Multicart differences

[VermithraxDagon]

Hi there, hoping someone out there knowledgeable on the subject can help me with this so I can make an informed decision when I make a puchase I've been considering. I'm trying to figure out the true difference between the AtariMax Atari 5200 Multicart and the AtariMax Atari 5200 128 in 1 USB Multicart. I just got a used Atari 5200 but am not really computer-literate when it comes to downloading ROMs, emulators, etc. If I'm reading the descriptions correctly, the 5200 Multicart comes pre-loaded with all existing 5200 games (except Bounty Bob and M.U.L.E. ?) and it's more of a "plug and play" device, whereas the 128 in 1 USB Multicart is not pre-loaded and it requires you find and download the ROMs from other websites yourself? Is the following summation more or less correct?:

 

Atari 5200 Multicart

Pros: Comes pre-loaded with games, no downloading ROMs (i.e. actual games) neccessary, easy "Plug & Play"-format fer dummies (preferred by me)

Cons: Cannot upgrade or add any potential new homebrew games that may happen to be released in the future

 

Atari 5200 128 in 1 USB Multicart

Pros: Any future ROM releases can be downloaded to the cart

Cons: Does not come preloaded with ROMs/games, abit more difficult for someone not too "downloadable" literate (like myself..hehe..), user must locate and download actual ROMS (games) themselves

 

Any explanations in "layman's terms" would help me very much and be much appreciated

 

Very best regards,

 

Kurt

 

aka

 

VermithraxDagon

"Raining Down Fiery Death & Destruction Upon the Hapless Since 1967"

 

Edited May 19, 2010 by VermithraxDagon

[brojamfootball]

Pretty much accurate as far as I know, although I don't own either one.

[VermithraxDagon]

Pretty much accurate as far as I know, although I don't own either one.

 

Thanks for the quick response I'm hoping someone who owns either version can chime in as well

[jaybird3rd]

I'm afraid I don't own these cartridges, either, but from a quick look at the AtariMax website, it seems that the USB multi-cart is the only one that is currently being offered for sale. I suspect that the pre-programmed multi-cart was an earlier version, and that the USB multi-cart was designed to replace it. The newer cartridge apparently comes with a utility (the "Multi-Cart Studio" software) to automate the process of loading games onto the cartridge, so I think you'll find it easier than you might be expecting. If you run into trouble, you can always ask other multi-cart owners on AtariMax's forums, or here on AtariAge.

 

Good luck, and welcome!

[phaxda]

I have the USB version and it is wondrous. Go ahead and buy it--I have no doubt you will be able to use it just fine. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. The proprietor of the Atarimax site is also very helpful!

 

I also have the Coleco version, which is great as well.

[jetset]

If you're not savvy with downloading roms and using emulators, then definitely get the pre-loaded multicart. Locating and downloading roms online is very easy, but if you don't know where to look, or what to do with them you'll be lost.

[+Allan]

As far as the Atari 5200 roms go, you can get them all except the Activision ones right here on this site.

 

Allan

[Greg2600]

The original Multi-cart is sold here still I think. There haven't been that many 5200 roms come out since then, several here by Wrathchild. Bounty Bob is not available in any form.

 

The following Atari 8-bit Computer to 5200 conversions or homebrews are not currently available as ROMS (or can't be found)....

 

Abracadabra

Atlantis

Attack of the Mutant Camels

Batty Builders

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash II

Bristles

Clowns & Balloons

Crossfire

Demon Attack

Desmond's Dungeon

Diamond Mine

Fast Eddie

Flip and Flop

Haunted House II

Ixion

Jawbreaker

Klax

K-Star Patrol

Mr. Cool

O'Riley's Mine

Pacific Coast Highway

Pastfinder

Rent Wars

Shamus

Turmoil

Worm War I

Edited May 19, 2010 by Greg2600

[VermithraxDagon]

How about Gateway to Apshai? I didn't see it listed in the group of games you mentioned - is that ROM available or only in cartridge form (via AtariMax.com or GoodDealGames.com)? After doing a Google search I went to doperoms.com which looked promising and saw it listed under "Atari 8-bit" but not spefically for the Atari 5200. Does that mean it's only available as an Atari computer (800, XL, etc) and wouldn't be something I could use in conjunction w/ the Atari 5200 USB Multicart? Thanks again to everyone who's helping out with this and please forgive my ignorance, I'm slooowly getting a better picture..

 

The original Multi-cart is sold here still I think. There haven't been that many 5200 roms come out since then, several here by Wrathchild. Bounty Bob is not available in any form.

 

The following Atari 8-bit Computer to 5200 conversions or homebrews are not currently available as ROMS (or can't be found)....

 

Abracadabra

Atlantis

Attack of the Mutant Camels

Batty Builders

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash II

Bristles

Clowns & Balloons

Crossfire

Demon Attack

Desmond's Dungeon

Diamond Mine

Fast Eddie

Flip and Flop

Haunted House II

Ixion

Jawbreaker

Klax

K-Star Patrol

Mr. Cool

O'Riley's Mine

Pacific Coast Highway

Pastfinder

Rent Wars

Shamus

Turmoil

Worm War I

[Divya16]

How about Gateway to Apshai? I didn't see it listed in the group of games you mentioned - is that ROM available or only in cartridge form (via AtariMax.com or GoodDealGames.com)? After doing a Google search I went to doperoms.com which looked promising and saw it listed under "Atari 8-bit" but not spefically for the Atari 5200. Does that mean it's only available as an Atari computer (800, XL, etc) and wouldn't be something I could use in conjunction w/ the Atari 5200 USB Multicart? Thanks again to everyone who's helping out with this and please forgive my ignorance, I'm slooowly getting a better picture..

 

The original Multi-cart is sold here still I think. There haven't been that many 5200 roms come out since then, several here by Wrathchild. Bounty Bob is not available in any form.

 

The following Atari 8-bit Computer to 5200 conversions or homebrews are not currently available as ROMS (or can't be found)....

 

Abracadabra

Atlantis

Attack of the Mutant Camels

Batty Builders

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash II

Bristles

Clowns & Balloons

Crossfire

Demon Attack

Desmond's Dungeon

Diamond Mine

Fast Eddie

Flip and Flop

Haunted House II

Ixion

Jawbreaker

Klax

K-Star Patrol

Mr. Cool

O'Riley's Mine

Pacific Coast Highway

Pastfinder

Rent Wars

Shamus

Turmoil

Worm War I

 

I think there are many available for 8-bit computer and not Atari 5200 like Mr. Do, the one they are playing currently at HSC there.

[Greg2600]

Gateway to Apshai rom is linked on this page along with many others that have been freely released.

[Akidagain]

Here are the differences as I see them from a laymen perspective:

 

USB multicart--

cost $130

You have to do some work hunting down some ROMs. The familiar titles are mostly on AA. The Activision titles can be found easily with a google search. The above link posted by Greg2600 has most everything else that is available. My only previous post on AA has a few more.

You get flexibility as you can download ROMs of newly released conversions, homebrews, and even newly finished prototypes--I understand a programmer has been working on finishing Tempest. That's the main advantage of USB.

The downside is that you can't get all the XL conversions as ROMs, and there are about 15 or 20 of them. I'll let someone else list them if they want, as I'm not an expert on this.

 

Preprogrammed multicart--

cost $150

No flexibility, but you do get the XL conversions and this is the main advantage of the preprogrammed multicart. You can buy some of the XL conversions as individual cartridges, but it's $30 a game.

The other (much, much smaller) advantage is that it's ready to go out of the box.

 

Personally I have a USB cart, but will probably eventually get a preprogrammed cart also.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best,

 

Eric

[atariksi]

Here are the differences as I see them from a laymen perspective:

 

USB multicart--

cost $130

You have to do some work hunting down some ROMs. The familiar titles are mostly on AA. The Activision titles can be found easily with a google search. The above link posted by Greg2600 has most everything else that is available. My only previous post on AA has a few more.

You get flexibility as you can download ROMs of newly released conversions, homebrews, and even newly finished prototypes--I understand a programmer has been working on finishing Tempest. That's the main advantage of USB.

The downside is that you can't get all the XL conversions as ROMs, and there are about 15 or 20 of them. I'll let someone else list them if they want, as I'm not an expert on this.

 

Preprogrammed multicart--

cost $150

No flexibility, but you do get the XL conversions and this is the main advantage of the preprogrammed multicart. You can buy some of the XL conversions as individual cartridges, but it's $30 a game.

The other (much, much smaller) advantage is that it's ready to go out of the box.

 

Personally I have a USB cart, but will probably eventually get a preprogrammed cart also.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best,

 

Eric

 

Does it have some sort of socketed flash chip in the preprogrammed cart? It may be programmable if that's the case using some sort of EPROM burner.

 

I think Atari 5200 could use some RAM cart if someone can manipulate the An lines.

[Akidagain]

Here are the differences as I see them from a laymen perspective:

 

USB multicart--

cost $130

You have to do some work hunting down some ROMs. The familiar titles are mostly on AA. The Activision titles can be found easily with a google search. The above link posted by Greg2600 has most everything else that is available. My only previous post on AA has a few more.

You get flexibility as you can download ROMs of newly released conversions, homebrews, and even newly finished prototypes--I understand a programmer has been working on finishing Tempest. That's the main advantage of USB.

The downside is that you can't get all the XL conversions as ROMs, and there are about 15 or 20 of them. I'll let someone else list them if they want, as I'm not an expert on this.

 

Preprogrammed multicart--

cost $150

No flexibility, but you do get the XL conversions and this is the main advantage of the preprogrammed multicart. You can buy some of the XL conversions as individual cartridges, but it's $30 a game.

The other (much, much smaller) advantage is that it's ready to go out of the box.

 

Personally I have a USB cart, but will probably eventually get a preprogrammed cart also.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best,

 

Eric

 

Does it have some sort of socketed flash chip in the preprogrammed cart? It may be programmable if that's the case using some sort of EPROM burner.

 

I think Atari 5200 could use some RAM cart if someone can manipulate the An lines.

My technical knowledge of this stuff is extremely limited, but I do know there is no socket on the preprogrammed multicart, it looks like a regular cartridge. The rest I don't know.

[Greg2600]

Considering the XL conversions I think are all commonplace, you'd have an easier and maybe cheaper time buying an old Atari 400 or 800 computer and those cartridges than buying both multi-carts. I miss my old beat up Atari 800 I was given in the late 80's and later threw away, but I simply don't have the room for those now.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Greg2600

[VermithraxDagon]

Just wanted to express my thanks again to all of you who've contributed What I eventually decided was to get the non-USB Multicart and for the games that weren't included that I really wanted (Adventure II, Castle Crisis, Fort Apocalypse, Gateway To Apshai & Meebzork), I'm just going to purchase them as individual carts. I've already bought both Fort Apocalypse & Gateway To Apshai off 8BitClassics.com. Unless I'm mistaken, from my research by going through the different links provided in some of the replies, I believe that the following games (that aren't included in the Multicart or that I haven't purchased as individual carts) do not have complete-game (e.g. not just a demo) ROMs available for download:

 

Adventure II

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash II

Bristles

Haunted House II

Rent Wars

 

Considering the XL conversions I think are all commonplace, you'd have an easier and maybe cheaper time buying an old Atari 400 or 800 computer and those cartridges than buying both multi-carts. I miss my old beat up Atari 800 I was given in the late 80's and later threw away, but I simply don't have the room for those now.