4 port on the way

[svenski]

Congrats on your 5200 purchase!

 

Atari wanted the 5200 to be the ultimate in multi-player goodness hence Super Breakout as the original in-box game. Breakout is well, Breakout, at the end of the day. Pac-Man wasn't ready for the 5200 release.

[4Ks]

Good for you! You better hope thos controllers work, or you'll have to pay $40 for a rebuilt controller like I do.

[OldAtarian]

Good for you! You better hope thos controllers work, or you'll have to pay $40 for a rebuilt controller like I do.

 

I just bought a box lot of 5200 stuff that was for parts that included two semi-working controllers, so I can play a few games, at least and I won't have to stop playing when I send in a pair of my spares for rebuilding. Also included in the lot was a working 2 port 5200 that was supposed to be broken. It took a little fiddling with the power pin, but it seems to work now. I think the pin was corroded or dirty because it wasn't working when I first took it out of the box. The power LED would blink when the switch was pressed but then die and nothing would happen. Reinserting the power plug a few times seems to have done the trick so I think it was making bad contact and the action of plugging and unplugging re-established good contact. I can use my 2600 adapter now, because the four port doesn't have the mod to make it work.

Edited November 2, 2010 by OldAtarian

[Charlie_]

Good for you! You better hope thos controllers work, or you'll have to pay $40 for a rebuilt controller like I do.

 

I just bought a box lot of 5200 stuff that was for parts that included two semi-working controllers, so I can play a few games, at least and I won't have to stop playing when I send in a pair of my spares for rebuilding. Also included in the lot was a working 2 port 5200 that was supposed to be broken. It took a little fiddling with the power pin, but it seems to work now. I think the pin was corroded or dirty because it wasn't working when I first took it out of the box. The power LED would blink when the switch was pressed but then die and nothing would happen. Reinserting the power plug a few times seems to have done the trick so I think it was making bad contact and the action of plugging and unplugging re-established good contact. I can use my 2600 adapter now, because the four port doesn't have the mod to make it work.

 

I don't know the condition of your systems, but what system do you like the looks of better? The matte textured finish on the 2 port or the smooth shiny gloss of the 4 port?

[OldAtarian]

Good for you! You better hope thos controllers work, or you'll have to pay $40 for a rebuilt controller like I do.

 

I just bought a box lot of 5200 stuff that was for parts that included two semi-working controllers, so I can play a few games, at least and I won't have to stop playing when I send in a pair of my spares for rebuilding. Also included in the lot was a working 2 port 5200 that was supposed to be broken. It took a little fiddling with the power pin, but it seems to work now. I think the pin was corroded or dirty because it wasn't working when I first took it out of the box. The power LED would blink when the switch was pressed but then die and nothing would happen. Reinserting the power plug a few times seems to have done the trick so I think it was making bad contact and the action of plugging and unplugging re-established good contact. I can use my 2600 adapter now, because the four port doesn't have the mod to make it work.

 

I don't know the condition of your systems, but what system do you like the looks of better? The matte textured finish on the 2 port or the smooth shiny gloss of the 4 port?

 

I never liked the glossy finish on the PS3 because it's a dust and fingerprint magnet, the same for the glossy 5200. Rather have the matte finish because at least you don't have to wipe it every time you touch it.

[kamakazi]

First off...congrats on your find!! I don't mean to rant and rave...but the 5200 was my first gaming console ever. I never had any issues with the controllers. Then again my hands were so small at the time that the only way I could comfortably use the joystick was to surround the base of the joystick handle with a thumb and forefinger. That's still the way I play the 5200 today. And this console was the first issue 4-port. I never completely understood the reason behind the VCS adapter. During its production run, even when most of the 2600 games were fun to play, I would of rather had played them on the 2600 console or waited for the 5200 to get the same title. I mean, if the 5200's main selling point was aimed at those that owned a 2600 already, why spend the extra money on an adapter when there was a 2600 already sitting there?

 

And, My mom and I loved our 5200 so much that we did get 4 trak-ball controllers. Mom managed to hear of a store in Springfield, MO selling off all 5200 items and took me along. At $20 a pop, we came home with 4 trak-ball controllers and a few new games. We used two of the controllers with the idea to keep the other two as spares. During a move, however, two of the trak-balls got lost (so mom said) as well as most of the games. Only Space Invaders, Pac-Man, the console, one controller, and the two trakball controllers we used made it to the new location.

 

The second 5200 console I recently received will eventually get 4 trakball controllers. And I am currently creating a list of where to obtain all the games made for it...less homebrewed games. So far, I've tracked down all but 7 titles. The 5200 is a fun console to own...but it can be a pain when the controllers don't work. Most of the controllers I have found don't work due to neglect or someone trying to fix them when they obviously didn't know what they was doing. If the 5200 console works then that is a plus. I'd rather fix a controller than have to fix or hunt down another 5200 console.

 

A majority of recent reviews on the 5200 say nothing but bad things about the console. And it really isn't completely fair when most of these reviews are based against consoles that came after the 5200. Granted, the controllers obviously had issues. But, to me, the 5200 was as close as one could get to arcade quality at the time unless you owned a ColecoVision. Even then, most of these consoles were Christmas presents and the one that received the console was pretty much stuck with what they had. When it does work, the 5200 can give hours of fun and it is a blast to play!! It's also the only console to receive almost perfect ports of Berzerk and Space Dungeon.