I recently bought an Atari 2600+. The various emulator games out there for computer, PS1, PS2, the joystick you plug into your TV, etc. just aren't the same as sticking an Atari cartridge in and sliding the power button on. My brother had our childhood Atari 2600 and I have our NES. I borrowed it to try the games out and every one worked but Harbor Escape by Panda. It was their knockoff of River Raid. You were in a submarine instead of an airplane and you blew through submarine nets at each level instead of bridges. That was one of my favorite games so I was determined to get the original 2600 hooked up to something.

He still had the RCA to Antenna switch we used on our console TV as a kid, so I dug up an antenna to coax adapter and had no luck running that through a VCR to get my composite out to a flatscreen TV. No luck there so I picked up on Amazon a RCA to coax adapter and tried it with zero success also. Next step I dug up a 13" CRT prison TV I had for the NES Zapper and had the same black screen. I thought for sure the Atari was just toast but I persisted in all the 1980s art of cartridge blowing, switch sliding and shaking and I started getting game images (like in Crimson Tide when they are trying to get the radio signal). Once it got a good game signal it seemed to work on every single cartridge except for Frogger, Donkey Kong, Skiing, and Harbor Escape. I worked on Harbor Patrol something fierce and finally it came back!

I went back to trying to run it through the VCR to get composite on a flatscreen TV or straight into the coax of a flatscreen with no luck, everything I have seen on Youtube says you need an upconverter for the flatscreen to pick it up because the resolution is too low. I have no problem running a NES or a N64 through a composite adapter straight into the TV, but both have higher resolutions.

What is everyone's favorite/rarest Atari 2600 game?

The two I played the most was Indy 500 and Star Raiders. I think they both had to have an extra controller just to get them to work.

They also had a version of Moon Patrol that melted several hours at a time.

Zelda I and II wasn't enough, so I solved them both and played them again and again...

I still have my 2600 and most every cartridge made.

E.T.

Lol, no, but we had it.
Probably Yars Revenge.

I love the old 2600! My favorite games are Demon attack and Pitfall. I wrote a game for the 2600 a few months ago - as soon as I come up with a name for it, I'm going to release it to the community.

I always liked Megamania and Chopper Command.

I didn't have an Atari but my best friend did. I liked downhill skiing.
I bought the cartridge from a classmate for $2.00

I think he might have stolen it out of the toy department display game at SEARS. lol

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
I love the old 2600! My favorite games are Demon attack and Pitfall. I wrote a game for the 2600 a few months ago - as soon as I come up with a name for it, I'm going to release it to the community.

I vote "Paramania"

quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Steve Sig:

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
I love the old 2600! My favorite games are Demon attack and Pitfall. I wrote a game for the 2600 a few months ago - as soon as I come up with a name for it, I'm going to release it to the community.

I vote "Paramania"

Not bad!

River raid and Chopper Command were my favorites

quote:

Originally posted by Veeper:
River raid and Chopper Command were my favorites

Same here! I remember sending in a picture of the final screen on River Raid and getting a prize. 40 years ago, so I don't remember what it was, LOL!

It was a patch. I had one sewn on my backpack!

Thanks Rawny! Thought it was a sticker or patch, but wasn't sure. Never sewed mine on anything. I think it sat on top of the console until I boxed it all up and gave it to a neighbor's kids when we moved.

Adventure

I have two Atari consoles from the 1980s somewhere in a box in my house. Need to dig them up sometime and play some games.

My favorite game will always and forever be DEFENDER!

Another vote for Adventure- I still remember running from that damn bat trying to steal keys…

I want to get one of those Atari 2600+ things. I have a G.I. Joe footlocker full of carts a few feet away from me right now. I have a few of the Flashback consoles, and a Tiny Atari.

Favorite game : Missile Command

My video on the Tiny Atari:

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:
Adventure

Did you find the secret dot that unlocked the easter egg?

Asteroids, definitely.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:
Adventure

Did you find the secret dot that unlocked the easter egg?

Nope. I had no idea what that was at the time.

Hooked up my old PS2, the original controller didn't survive the 18 year hibernation though. Got the Atari Anthology disc. Yeah, Gravitar, Lunar Lander and Battlezone. Includes the original 2600 games as well. At least it doesn't cost me my paycheck in quarters now.