Sell me on a 5200

[DracIsBack]

Only thing missing is Adventure II.

 

I don't think that's ever coming over to 8Bit land. Cafeman's prerogative, but I am still disappointed.

[Toraborakid]

 

Ok , to let you know the BEST PARTS ARE REALLY THE BEST HANDS DOWN!

 

out of all ways to do this i know from experience that there parts are the best especially the gold one and i hope to see them continue this in the far future.

 

Good to know! Been wondering about that. Friend from childhood still has the 5200 from Christmas 198X, which is the one I remember best. Of course, it's in a box with a bunch of broken controllers. I had never heard testimony about Best's parts, which I'd like to think fix this once and for all, before directing them there. Therefore, I didn't understand berating Best for the prices when I should think 5200 owners would be simply glad they're made.

 

As a matter of fact i like the sy7stem so much i bought 4 of them 2 2 port and 2 4 port as well as rebuilding about 13 stock sticks with parts from best..my GF is thinkimng im a horder with all of those things..

 

 

 

lets

I tend to horde retro-stuff that I'm interested in as well. I think it's a common condition on this scene.

 

So, which do you like better, 2 or 4 port? I'm going to guess 2-port, since you have more. And the 2-port has the more standard RF cable and power supply, right?

 

funny u should mention it both have there strengths and weaknesses, but i do like the 2 port version but if all u have is a 4 port available my advice is to take it.

 

as for the power supply there both the save its that funky switch box for the 4 port that screws ya up.

 

as u will read on when u explore further in the a500 forums there is even a solution to the 4 port rf box issue if u are good with a soldering iron.

 

As a side note: I was at the meadowland s flea market at giants stadium and saw a 4 port for 10 bucks w/supply but no RF box or games, i said to myself that's cool and without hesitation i bought it.

and when i got it home to try out hey it workeed!

\0/ for me

[Toraborakid]

And don't forget the 600 XL! It is the "most compact way" to enjoy Atari 5200/Home Computer games. And this machine just looks good...

 

Uh OK, but i agree it looks good but the XEGS is a bit smaller and has a detachable keyboard as well as being more common then a 600xl.

[atariksi]

No 7800 graphics aren't better than 5200-- it depends on the game, implementation, etc.

 

Are you thinking about this like an engineer and pondering the strengths and weaknesses of MARIA vs. GTIA? Or are you looking at the graphics in games that were released for the 5200 or 7800?

 

The former is a long rat hole that no one will ever come out of agreeing.

 

The latter is pretty obvious to me.

 

Unless you have a bunch of 5200 game cartridges that look like ALIEN BRIGADE or that underwater scene in TOWER TOPPLER.

 

Back to the original topic, a 5200 has adventure II exclusively and that game rocks. Plus, if you like early 1980s arcade games, it has a KILLER library of them! Closer to arcade than 2600 versions and more of them than on the 7800.

 

From both perspectives-- hardware perspective and current implementations perspective, I pick the A5200 over A7800.

 

Although A7800 has a couple of good high color graphics modes, the RAM limitations cripple it. The A5200 has a lot more variety of graphics and text modes and all their combinations and more RAM to play with in games that require large linear graphics r/w buffers like Qix. But A7800 has better controls where A5200 has to rely on third party stuff to get better control.

[GroovyBee]

Although A7800 has a couple of good high color graphics modes, the RAM limitations cripple it. The A5200 has a lot more variety of graphics and text modes and all their combinations and more RAM to play with in games that require large linear graphics r/w buffers like Qix.

 

So the 7800 version of Tempest using a video frame buffer must be a figment of my imagination then?

[DracIsBack]

 

From both perspectives-- hardware perspective and current implementations perspective, I pick the A5200 over A7800.

 

Although A7800 has a couple of good high color graphics modes, the RAM limitations cripple it. The A5200 has a lot more variety of graphics and text modes and all their combinations and more RAM to play with in games that require large linear graphics r/w buffers like Qix. But A7800 has better controls where A5200 has to rely on third party stuff to get better control.

 

nope - this sounds like you're looking at it like an engineer.

 

Show me a game on the 5200 that looks as good as ALIEN BRIGADE or TOWER TOPPLER do on the Atari 7800.

 

Please ...

 

Any of the 5200 games released will do ...

[RangerG]

Some support for the 5200:

 

1) the 5200 trackball is one of the best controller of the vintage era

2) if you are a collector, the 5200 has a great library that you will be able to finish. You will most likely never finish an 8-bit collection.

3) high good game to bad game ratio - not a lot of stinkers in the 5200 library

4) good looks - the system and the carts just look great - Atari was the king in 1982 and this system shows it

5) You have the right to join in debates about how the 5200 compares with the Colecovision :-)

[stinkoman]

Thank you for all the replies.I think Im going to try and go ahead and get a 5200,but the guy I was talking with has not been responding back.So if anybody has cheap one for sale or enterested in working something out with trade or a partial trade pm me.It seems like I can find 2600 and 7800 all day but never any luck with 5200,but I always find 5200 games and never anything else so go figure.

[Divya16]

Thank you for all the replies.I think Im going to try and go ahead and get a 5200,but the guy I was talking with has not been responding back.So if anybody has cheap one for sale or enterested in working something out with trade or a partial trade pm me.It seems like I can find 2600 and 7800 all day but never any luck with 5200,but I always find 5200 games and never anything else so go figure.

 

I have a 5200 2-port that I don't use. I am keeping my 4-port version. If you want the 2-port one w/AC adapter and a joystick and Joust Cart, it's $25 + shipping. You'll have to get other games yourself or trade with someone else. The joystick does work.

[jetset]

Some support for the 5200:

 

 

5) You have the right to join in debates about how the 5200 compares with the Colecovision :-)

 

Unless you own neither, and then you can hate on each system equally.

[shadow460]

IMO, there are several games for the 5200 that do make the system worth buying. I enjoyed several hours on Kangaroo, Mgeamania, Miner 2049er, and Bounty Bob Strikes Back on the 5200. What kills the joy is the controllers, just like they've said above. I don't think there's any other system out there (even my NES toaster) about which faulty hardware has given me such a negative opinion of the system itself.

 

The 5200 is not something you buy on the cheap. If you get it, play it some and then decide if you want to keep it and sink some cash into it. Controllers aside, the two games I feel are absolute must haves are Miner 2049er and Bounty Bob Strikes Back. BBSB costs money, and Miner isn't something you'll find in the $1 bin, either. don't think you'll get away with tinfoil or cheap fixes on the controllers forever, either. Mine were repaired with tinfoil, then the flex circuits wore out. If you don't think it's worth the cost of buying four rebuilt controllers and at least one expensive game, do yourself a favor: Sell the system and the games to someone else.

 

I've played my last several acquisitions through emulation because I have two busted controllers. Vanguard is pretty good even emulated (I've never played the cart), and BBSB/Miner emulator for Windows from Big Five doesn't disappoint.

 

If you do buy a 5200, I hope you enjoy playing it.

[Cebus Capucinis]

Unless you own neither, and then you can hate on each system equally.

 

 

[atariksi]

Although A7800 has a couple of good high color graphics modes, the RAM limitations cripple it. The A5200 has a lot more variety of graphics and text modes and all their combinations and more RAM to play with in games that require large linear graphics r/w buffers like Qix.

 

So the 7800 version of Tempest using a video frame buffer must be a figment of my imagination then?

 

If you think that buffer is in the 7800, it's a figment of your imagination.

As I said, it does depend on implementation-- A5200 has the extra RAM built-in so it's easy to incorporate into games.

[atariksi]

 

From both perspectives-- hardware perspective and current implementations perspective, I pick the A5200 over A7800.

 

Although A7800 has a couple of good high color graphics modes, the RAM limitations cripple it. The A5200 has a lot more variety of graphics and text modes and all their combinations and more RAM to play with in games that require large linear graphics r/w buffers like Qix. But A7800 has better controls where A5200 has to rely on third party stuff to get better control.

 

nope - this sounds like you're looking at it like an engineer.

 

Show me a game on the 5200 that looks as good as ALIEN BRIGADE or TOWER TOPPLER do on the Atari 7800.

 

Please ...

 

Any of the 5200 games released will do ...

 

Looks don't make a game nor everything about graphics. Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

[GroovyBee]

Looks don't make a game nor everything about graphics. Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

 

In order of importance colour depth and resolution come before either of those.

[GroovyBee]

If you think that buffer is in the 7800, it's a figment of your imagination.

 

I never said it wasn't but your statement implied that the 7800 couldn't do those sorts of games when quite clearly it can.

[Divya16]

Looks don't make a game nor everything about graphics. Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

 

In order of importance colour depth and resolution come before either of those.

 

Err, Gyruss was implemented with lower resolution on purpose to get the faster and smoother motion.

[jetset]

Unless you own neither, and then you can hate on each system equally.

 

 

 

 

LOL! That's awesome!

[DracIsBack]

Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

 

 

Do you seriously know anyone except a developer that would say,

 

" Ohhh wow!!! Look at that astonishing collision detection .... "

[4Ks]

If you think that buffer is in the 7800, it's a figment of your imagination.

 

I never said it wasn't but your statement implied that the 7800 couldn't do those sorts of games when quite clearly it can.

 

If a game only works on development software and not on the system itself, you can't say the system is capable of running it. That's like saying that because a program works on a computer it can work on a Palm Pilot.

[GroovyBee]

If a game only works on development software and not on the system itself, you can't say the system is capable of running it. That's like saying that because a program works on a computer it can work on a Palm Pilot.

 

Tempest on the 7800 works fine on the real hardware apart from the inevitable cross porting bugs. In fact it worked on the real hardware first .

[DracIsBack]

If a game only works on development software and not on the system itself, you can't say the system is capable of running it.

 

umm - I'm running GroovyBee's Tempest port on my 7800 ...

[Kjmann]

Looks don't make a game nor everything about graphics. Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

 

In order of importance colour depth and resolution come before either of those.

 

Err, Gyruss was implemented with lower resolution on purpose to get the faster and smoother motion.

 

That's not really true. The lower resolution was really Parker Brothers Cheap attitude at the time (time of the Game Crash) because of their money losses on their marketing (Ex: the heavy duty boxes that the games were sold in and Artwork they had to pay through the nose for). When you think about it, they were kinda stupid to not sink the money into the game it self and worry so much about the cover material and Artwork.

 

They had a version that was much smother than the version that was released (that version is pictured on the back of the boxes, LOL) but they scrapped it so they didn't have to pay an outside developer for the work.

[atariksi]

Looks don't make a game nor everything about graphics. Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

 

In order of importance colour depth and resolution come before either of those.

 

Err, Gyruss was implemented with lower resolution on purpose to get the faster and smoother motion.

 

That's not really true. The lower resolution was really Parker Brothers Cheap attitude at the time (time of the Game Crash) because of their money losses on their marketing (Ex: the heavy duty boxes that the games were sold in and Artwork they had to pay through the nose for). When you think about it, they were kinda stupid to not sink the money into the game it self and worry so much about the cover material and Artwork.

 

They had a version that was much smother than the version that was released (that version is pictured on the back of the boxes, LOL) but they scrapped it so they didn't have to pay an outside developer for the work.

 

The point is still valid though. There are higher resolution versions of Gyruss with more colors that flicker and the flickerless Atari version is superior. Donkey Kong is another example where higher resolution of some implementations with a few more colors doesn't override the collisions, smooth graphics of A8 version (or A5200 version). Whether politics, budget, time, or other nontechnical factors contributed to that or technical reasons is secondary.

[atariksi]

Graphics include smooth motion, collision detection, etc.

 

 

Do you seriously know anyone except a developer that would say,

 

" Ohhh wow!!! Look at that astonishing collision detection .... "

 

That's just the problem. You just want to SHOW-OFF some game to someone while I PLAY the games and then decide. I can't stand the crappy SNES if the controls are bad, collisions are bad, or if it flickers so I get rid of mine. But I can live with a few less colors. Collision detection is part of the experience of the user if you're not just showing people static screen shots.