Is it worth getting into the 5200 if you already have a good A8 collection?

[T.A.P.]

I've been thinking of playing around with the 5200. At this point it is the only Atari console that I've never really bothered with, since the whole thing about the controllers always kept me away.

 

But, I grew up playing with A8 stuff (which I hear is basically the same, hardwarewise) and I still have a nice assortment of that. 

 

Is it worth getting into 5200? Or is it just redundant for someone like me?

 

 

[+x=usr(1536)]

19 minutes ago, T.A.P. said:

Is it worth getting into 5200? Or is it just redundant for someone like me?

That depends.

 

There is crossover between the 5200 and A8 in terms of software, but a good chunk of those titles were ported to the A8 from the 5200.  There were also titles that went the other way, so, yes, there is definitely overlap.

 

That said, the homebrew scene is what's really kept it going the past few years.  Check the store for an idea of the available titles, and search this forum for 'homebrew'.  There are some excellent titles out there.

 

FWIW, I didn't grow up with the 5200 either, and had a fairly similar view of it until about three or four years ago when a member here sent me a non-working 2-port for the cost of postage.  That became an on-again, off-again year-long project, and I'm glad that it did.  Had I not kept at it, there's a lot of good stuff I would have missed out on.

[zzip]

32 minutes ago, T.A.P. said:

I've been thinking of playing around with the 5200. At this point it is the only Atari console that I've never really bothered with, since the whole thing about the controllers always kept me away.

 

But, I grew up playing with A8 stuff (which I hear is basically the same, hardwarewise) and I still have a nice assortment of that. 

 

Is it worth getting into 5200? Or is it just redundant for someone like me?

 

 

Probably not.   Most 5200 games have been back ported to the 8-bit, you can find them online.

 

Maybe if you want to play with the controllers?

[jetset]

Absolutely. If for no other reason;

Defender - The 5200 controller has fire/smart bomb/hyperspace on one controller. Having to look away from the screen to hit the smart bomb or hyperspace is an outright chore.

Centipede - Better version both graphics and gamewise, and there's nothing like the 5200 Trak-Ball.

Robotron, - Nearly impossible to play with a 2600 joystick. the 5200 has the coupler so you can move your man with one, first with the other (much like the coin-op)

Space Dungeon - Same as Robotron

Realsports Baseball - Possibly the best BB game of its time, and all the buttons, including 18 different pitch types right on the controller

Any 2+ button game like Pole Position, Star Raiders, etc..no having to look away to reach the keyboard

Controller-wise, many ppl have problems with the 5200 controller, but a little practice goes a LONG way, and there are lots of alternatives out there.

There are a TON more games on the 8-bit but just about all the best ones have been converted so they can be played on the 5200

 

There is much to be said of the 8-bit also, it has many perks over the 5200. That's why I have both. 

 

[Flyindrew]

This post is so relevant to my situation lol. Ive owned an 8 bit (130 XE) for 37 years and it works like a dream to this day.

 

In January 2022 I bought a 4 port 5200 I saw for sale in a local retro store. When it works, its been fantastic. Its 1982 design also gives it lots of charm. But...there has been so much drama with this system during the past year to the point Ive given up. My point, if you feel inclined to get a 5200, go for it. There is possibility it will work fine. But..there is risk that either the system or controllers will crap out on you at some point. Id rather play the 5200 games on multicart on XE. Gaming is supposed ot be about fun and not drama.

[bah]

I had a 2600 growing up.  Much later I got an XEGS and a little later a 5200.  My 5200 came with 1 poor controller so i quickly soldered an adapter so I have been using a Gravis pc game-pad.  The 5200 commons I could find for a buck or two and they were very good.  Because I never had an analog stick, I never learned to hate them, and building a good collection quickly kind of cemented me to liking the system.  My XEGS has a lot going for it but I just don't play it.

Back to the original question, Get the 5200 but be sure you get/build a reliable controller and you won't be disappointed.

[BIGHMW]

Lots of different options available nowadays when it comes to controllers for the 5200, both vintage and new,

 

In the vintage department there also is, in addition to the stock CX52 controller and the legendary CX53 Trak-Ball:

 

Wico Command Control joystick (two variations, one with a Y-adapter to hook up the 5200 controller for its keypad and function buttons, and another one that also includes a touch-tone telephone-quality keypad with all the function buttons).

 

CoinControls Competition Pro 5000, in which is an all-digital stick that also works with the atock CX52 controller

 

Electra Concepts Masterplay 5200 interface

 

AtariAge/Pixels Past Redemption 5200 interface, there are three variations available, one for 2600/Sega controllers, one for 7800 controllers (I have that one), and also one for PC controllers 

 

In the new controllers section there also is:

 

RetroGameBoyz 5200 base controller, in which utilizes a digital joystick and touch-tone telephone-quality keypad, and also with X/Y analog trim controls, in which also double up as paddle controls for games like Super Breakout and Kaboom!

 

RetroGameBoyz also makes a NES-style joypad 5200 controller a well

 

0711Spiele.de ProPaddle 2 Atari 5200 paddle controller

 

Like I said lots of different options out there

 

plus you can also get the CX55 VCS (2600) adapter to play 2600 games on her as well..... TRY DOING THAT ON AN XEGS!!!

 

NOTE - IMPORTANT: 

 

the CX55 2600 adapter will only work with 2-port units that are not a-v/s-video-modded, works well with 5200 units that have either the 2-port or 4-port BIOS onboard it.

[Turbo-Torch]

I've had both a 130XE and 5200 for about 30 years now.  No nostalgia attachment to either as I didn't have them in the 80s.

 

If the 5200 collection disappeared and I still had the A8, I would not replace the 5200.

If the A8 system disappeared and I still had the 5200, I would not replace the A8 either.

 

If they both disappeared and I wanted to replace one, that would be a tough call.  As much as I like the 5200's analog sticks and the true arcade trak-ball for a handful of games, I'd still probably go back to the A8.  My SDrive Max gives me endless free games without taking up space.  The 5200 is also like a 400 while the 130XE is light years ahead of them in capability, so I guess it would depend on what A8 you own.

[BIGHMW]

Well I get the comparison between the 5200's onboard 16K RAM and the 130XE's 128K RAM, it also depends on whether you want a true gaming machine in which optimizes the full-function capability of her handheld controllers like the 5200 does or if you want something more that has powerful computer-like capabilities like the 130XE has.

 

But when it came time to (at first) sell all but one of my Atari systems when I needed the money as I was in debt back in February, I chose to keep my 5200 over the XEGS, after all Big Sexy brought me to the Atari fold back in 1983, so that was indeed an easy choice. I DO miss playing some of those games on the XEGS, but give guys like Paul Lay @playsoft, Steven Tucker @classics, @glurk and @Wrathchild the chanve some of those ROMs could possibly be converted over from the A8 to the 5200 and they'll do the rest, if, you don't bother them too much and be cool about it. I have a bit of a short list of some A8 <32K ROM titles I would love to see ported to Big Sexy sometime in the short future.

 

Also there are about a dozen games (including Tempest) out that can only be played on a 5200 as well, and there are many more homebrews that are being developed for the 5200 first, and then ported by Homesoft to the A8, keep that in mind too.

[Cebus Capucinis]

Saying this as someone who doesn't like a lot about the 5200.....

 

....YES! It's just such a unique experience to play it. It's absolutely worth it!

[Keatah]

11 hours ago, T.A.P. said:

Is it worth getting into 5200? Or is it just redundant for someone like me?

Only you can answer those 2 questions. Depends on how much you value what the 5200 has to offer. I suppose you'll have to go through the library and see if there's anything specific you want to experience and then ask yourself if it's worth the time & money expenditures to acquire it and conduct any necessary mods & fixins'.

 

As a kid I was miffed to discover the 5200 was a rehash of the 400/800 I already had. I could have taken that money and upgraded my Apple II more or spent it on another completely different system or games for systems I already owned.

[T.A.P.]

Thanks for all the responses. What is the best controller option these days for the 5200? Does best electronics still sell those fixed / improved controllers that wont break, or are those gone?

[T.A.P.]

4 hours ago, Turbo-Torch said:

I've had both a 130XE and 5200 for about 30 years now.  No nostalgia attachment to either as I didn't have them in the 80s.

 

If the 5200 collection disappeared and I still had the A8, I would not replace the 5200.

If the A8 system disappeared and I still had the 5200, I would not replace the A8 either.

 

If they both disappeared and I wanted to replace one, that would be a tough call.  As much as I like the 5200's analog sticks and the true arcade trak-ball for a handful of games, I'd still probably go back to the A8.  My SDrive Max gives me endless free games without taking up space.  The 5200 is also like a 400 while the 130XE is light years ahead of them in capability, so I guess it would depend on what A8 you own.

My dad gave me his A8 collection years ago, so I have a lot of the different machines, although I've been meaning to whittle it down to just an 800, 800 XL, and an XEGS, since those are the ones I have the most nostalgia / fondness for.

[BIGHMW]

8 hours ago, T.A.P. said:

Thanks for all the responses. What is the best controller option these days for the 5200? Does best electronics still sell those fixed / improved controllers that wont break, or are those gone?

Yes Best is still in business and still going strong at that too.

 

 

....and yes they still do sell those improved 5200 controllers at that.

Edited December 17, 2022 by BIGHMW

[+x=usr(1536)]

10 hours ago, T.A.P. said:

Thanks for all the responses. What is the best controller option these days for the 5200?

Haven't used one myself, but the retrogameboyz arcade stick seems to have garnered some positive reviews.  If you're feeling a bit more DIY, there's always smbaker's controller.

10 hours ago, T.A.P. said:

Does best electronics still sell those fixed / improved controllers that wont break, or are those gone?

Yep, and they also sell the parts to renovate your own controllers.  See this page for details.  FWIW, I've used their parts to rebuild four 5200 controllers and have zero complaints.

[MrMaddog]

If you can get a hold of the TrakBall controller, then definitely!

[+GoldenWheels]

Had an XE as a kid. Did not have a 5200. I have both now. I don't THINK I am too nostalgic for the A8s but I throw that our for perspective.

 

I'd take the XE over the 5200 all day, every day. Controller issue alone is enough IMO to swing the argument. Yes, there's more options now, which is great! But they also significantly raise the price of entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ecernosoft]

On 12/16/2022 at 11:42 AM, x=usr(1536) said:

That depends.

 

There is crossover between the 5200 and A8 in terms of software, but a good chunk of those titles were ported to the A8 from the 5200.  There were also titles that went the other way, so, yes, there is definitely overlap.

 

That said, the homebrew scene is what's really kept it going the past few years.  Check the store for an idea of the available titles, and search this forum for 'homebrew'.  There are some excellent titles out there.

 

FWIW, I didn't grow up with the 5200 either, and had a fairly similar view of it until about three or four years ago when a member here sent me a non-working 2-port for the cost of postage.  That became an on-again, off-again year-long project, and I'm glad that it did.  Had I not kept at it, there's a lot of good stuff I would have missed out on.

He said everything I would've said, minus two things.

1. Remember that the 4 port has that stupid converter box thingy.

2. Remember that the 2 port can't play all of the library.

3. Keep in mind that the 5200 is RF, whereas the atari 8bit is composite (minus the 400).

[BIGHMW]

45 minutes ago, Ecernosoft said:

He said everything I would've said, minus two things.

1. Remember that the 4 port has that stupid converter box thingy.

2. Remember that the 2 port can't play all of the library.

3. Keep in mind that the 5200 is RF, whereas the atari 8bit is composite (minus the 400).

I hate to bring this up but I DO feel obligated to say it but there are SOME 2 port 5200 units that DO play all the library, those are those units that have a 4 port BIOS in them which means that they behave like a 4 port unit despite having only 2 controller jacks therefore allowing full compatibility with the entire lineup of titles. 

 

....and yes I have to say it but what @Ecernosoft failed to mention is only a 2 port unit regardless of the BIOS onboard can handle the CX55 VCS adapter allowing you to enjoy the entire library of 2600 games as well, provided you put up with the RF signal and not mod it for composite av, in a way it's like getting 2 units in one, and yes since the CX55 behaves like a regular standalone 2600 unit when plugged into the 5200's cartridge slot, she takes all Atari 2600 games and A8/XL/XE controllers on it, so the 5200 gives you more bang for your buck, that combined with all the third party support she now has both game-wise and controller-wise makes it, if your main interest is simply gaming, a best buy, and even if she comes with a 2 port BIOS in her you can always get that switched out with a 4 port BIOS rather easily. I believe Console5 just might have that solution for you on their site. As for an RF solution I suggest you watch my video I put together on that now famous RF to HDMI converter in which I use and almost swear by and depending on the quality of the RF cable the picture on her can look great.

Edited December 31, 2022 by BIGHMW

[WicoKid]

Having Atari 8 bits and a several 5200's I'd say the 5200 only if you really like to tinker and, realizing this is relative, if you can get the console at a good price. The 4 port's I have came as is and cheap because they were not testable without the power/video supply contraption so I started by doing the power mod and 2/3 were working. Next is the controllers, I did get the Best upgrade for a couple of controllers and they do work much better, great proportional control on Missile Command and Centipede but just don't work  (for me) with the digital joystick games. I've built  the adapter that allows use of old PC game port controls and tried with multiple PC controllers (http://www.atariage.com/5200/faq.html?SystemID=5200) and have built both of Scott Baker's controllers(https://www.smbaker.com/homemade-atari-5200-analog-controller; https://www.smbaker.com/atari-5200-playstation-2-dual-shock-controller-adapter) and the PS2 to Atari 5200 adapter is my goto better that the original controllers, but is poor on Missile Command especially; dual sticks Robotron and Space dungeon are great. The trackball for the 5200 is just out of range and still hoping someone will come up with a modern replacement for it. However, by keeping an eye out did find an as is reasonble CX22 trackball that just needed the fire button fixed and it works great with the 8 bits in trackball mode if hankering for Missile Command or Centipede. Also did an s-video mod (https://retrogame.cyberphreak.com/atari-5200/) for the 5200 and after replacing some of the set capacitors with adjustable capacitors, the video out is as good as I could want. It is a pretty satisfying machine right now, but part of that is just the tinkering and getting it to work better.

[Ecernosoft]

14 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

I hate to bring this up but I DO feel obligated to say it but there are SOME 2 port 5200 units that DO play all the library, those are those units that have a 4 port BIOS in them which means that they behave like a 4 port unit despite having only 2 controller jacks therefore allowing full compatibility with the entire lineup of titles. 

 

....and yes I have to say it but what @Ecernosoft failed to mention is only a 2 port unit regardless of the BIOS onboard can handle the CX55 VCS adapter allowing you to enjoy the entire library of 2600 games as well, provided you put up with the RF signal and not mod it for composite av, in a way it's like getting 2 units in one, and yes since the CX55 behaves like a regular standalone 2600 unit when plugged into the 5200's cartridge slot, she takes all Atari 2600 games and A8/XL/XE controllers on it, so the 5200 gives you more bang for your buck, that combined with all the third party support she now has both game-wise and controller-wise makes it, if your main interest is simply gaming, a best buy, and even if she comes with a 2 port BIOS in her you can always get that switched out with a 4 port BIOS rather easily. I believe Console5 just might have that solution for you on their site. As for an RF solution I suggest you watch my video I put together on that now famous RF to HDMI converter in which I use and almost swear by and depending on the quality of the RF cable the picture on her can look great.

Oh, I play my 7800 at stock RF on my TV! I'm lucky to have one which does decent RF. I still kinda-want to get my 7800 modded (despite being 14) for S-video or composite though since while it's not that bad, my TV doesn't have a 4:3 option for RF. (It's not super stretched, but it would help. However I can see 224 lines on MY tv as oppose to the usual 192 as well, so....)\

 

What he said!

 

 

[phuzaxeman]

I used the 5200 like crazy from 82-84.  84 into the 90s was all Atari 8bit.

 

With that said, the experience is different on 5200.  Playing Space Dungeon on the dual sticks with a coupler or Centipede with the trackball is what makes the 5200 shine.  Using the whole analog sticks with the keypad playing Real Sports baseball or Star Raiders is going to be an experience no 8bit will be able replicate. 

 

The 5200 is worth owning. 

[phuzaxeman]

On 12/30/2022 at 1:04 PM, GoldenWheels said:

Had an XE as a kid. Did not have a 5200. I have both now. I don't THINK I am too nostalgic for the A8s but I throw that our for perspective.

 

I'd take the XE over the 5200 all day, every day. Controller issue alone is enough IMO to swing the argument. Yes, there's more options now, which is great! But they also significantly raise the price of entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My rebuilt 5200 sticks with gold dots, flex circuits, and new buttons has made my controllers working great for over a decade. I've broken more 2600 and 2600  stick replicas in that time. 

[+GoldenWheels]

8 hours ago, phuzaxeman said:

My rebuilt 5200 sticks with gold dots, flex circuits, and new buttons has made my controllers working great for over a decade. I've broken more 2600 and 2600  stick replicas in that time. 

But...you had to rebuild it in the first place, with upgraded parts, because it was basically designed to be broken. It's also not a comfortable controller to use (IMO of course, but then I don't like any of the vertical format controllers like 5200, 7800, Coleco, Inty).

 

Whereas I would bet we all have a lifetime's worth of controllers that would work on an 8 bit. And in my experience....they are tank like in durability, and simple as pie to do ANYTHING with. And if you don't have one, a working one is like 8 bucks.

 

I can't argue with feeling that the very small amount of analog games make it worth it, that's personal in how you feel about those games.

[+x=usr(1536)]

5 minutes ago, GoldenWheels said:

But...you had to rebuild it in the first place, with upgraded parts, because it was basically designed to be broken.

To be fair, I've rebuilt my share of CX-40 controllers with damaged fire buttons, broken rings, broken shafts, dead cables, non-working dome switches, etc.  Any controller is capable of breaking at some point, but I disagree with the assertion that the 5200's controller design was inherently going to lead to it being broken.  On a long enough timeline, they all fail.

5 minutes ago, GoldenWheels said:

it's also not a comfortable controller to use

Which is a reasonable opinion to hold, but it doesn't really matter - I've always found the CX-40 to be less than comfortable, and not as positive in communicating what it's doing back to me as I'd like.  Doesn't prove anything other than that neither one of us cares for a particular controller.