Classic Game Room - REFURBISHED ATARI 5200 CONTROLLER review

[Diskoboy1974]

If you can find a complete Wico controller, buy it. The controllers sucked THAT bad. I remember they made a metal plate that you put over the stick to make the controller work for games that used 4 way controls like Pac-man, Pitfall, etc. And those plates actually made the controllers even shittier.

And technically, the Intellivision was the first console with a pause feature on the controller. IIRC, you had to press 1 and 9 on the numeric pad, at the same time.

Atari just simplified it.

[LastActionCowboy]

I actually have an atari 5200 controller non-refurbished or anything.

[SitarKnight]

Will the Neo Geo controller work on an Atari 5200?

[RazorBeamz]

Can it be modded to be self-centering?

[OneEyedJack1970]

I thought the Atari 5200 controller was a knockoff of the Star Cruiser 7 controller. At least that what the Star Raiders manual said.

[Claziranon]

What the fk is that?

Rejected piece of shit!?

So shitty even shit was better!?

God, i rather play with my old phone that has the classic snake on it.

[virusalert996]

I've always expected the 5200 to smell like cigarettes.

[pacmanfan1214]

worst controller to ever see the light of day. period.

[Luigi84289]

Does it contain springs in place of the rubber boots mark? If not the rubber boots will wear quickly and it'll end up looking like those other 3 quickly.

[DiabloArcade]

watching all your atari videos and subscribed :)

[SnuggleBear1970]

8 bit GLORY! :P

[SteelDuke4202]

Wow my friend had a WORKING ATARI 5200 CONTROLLER MINT IN THE BOX AND F*CKING WORKS!!! too bad his system fried with another of his controller holy crap though he sold it for 1,200 bucks

[ECL28E]

James Rolfe should see this

[lovemobilenavi]

it looks cool

although i never play this kind of gamesystem

[minielk454]

@lovemobilenavi probably because your an xbox 360 junkie

[MarshalHopalop]

It can be found easibly.

[paulkdickson]

When did Ray Ramano start doing video game accessories reviews?

[paulkdickson]

When did Ray Ramano get into video games?

[CHAOSin8bits]

atari 5200 review: the controller sucks

atari 5200 controller review: THIS CONTROLLER SUCKS!

atari 5200 controller review part 2: it sucks and it breaks!

refurbished atari 5200 controller review: it works correctly, BUT IT STILL SUCKS!

[kingryan3000]

i like the dreamcast controller because your hands rest on it nicely

[CHAOSin8bits]

3 and a half videos dedicated to ripping on that one controller?

[dinamitemaster]

@CHAOSin8bits That's Classic Game Room!

[OverruledDood]

hey mark, somthing you might look into, the atari 5200 model 2 controller self-centers.

[foxonfire100]

How they came up with the idea for

Man: Hey Atari, i got this thing its called a mobile phone!

Atari: Hang on we got a better idea! Make it a video game controller!

Man: But...

Atari: SHUT UP!!

[calagan800xl]

There's a Y-cable adapter allowing you to play your Atari 5200 with a standard Atari (2600, 800,...) joystick, while still using the 5200 numeric pad.

[rokhamdagamer81]

I heard Sega Genesis Controllers work better on it.

[OverruledDood]

@rokhamdagamer81 .... right cause they tottally have the same plug.

[vinnycand]

i thot it was a phone that explanes alot

[FuyuAkiWorld]

I think they should make the frakin' joystick self center!

[0M9H4X]

@FuyuAkiWorld:

they did.

but instead of springs they used cheap elastic rubber knobs to make the joystick self-center.

of course, rubber wears off within a few hours of gameplay, but atari didnt care.

it was cheaper for them to manufacture.

[OverruledDood]

that is quite possibly the shittiest controller ive ever seen

[prodos8]

I just made a homemade masterplay so I can use SEGA pads or 2600 sticks --- I only need the start button from the original to work and I'm in business.

[MattTheSaiyan]

Is it worse than the "remote control" controller for the CD-i? Or the Intellivision controller. I usally defend those two systems but the mentioned controls are poor.....if this is worse....oh my Supreme Kai....

[housam7]

30 dollars for garbage? wtf?

[AbsentMustachio]

@housam7 its garbage that works,somewhat

[p41k0]

UP FOR RESET BUTTON! Good one!:D

[bellyboy41]

shitty controler

[blainethomas]

AVGN needs one of these.

[Davisayan]

looks like a vibrator

[briguy1971]

The people at Atari, the king of video games back then, had no idea how to design a controller??? What? The problem wasn't the design. The problem was the production version of the controller - yes, there were differences from how it was designed to how it ended up being produced. 

[GaBB0256]

did it really need NINETEEN buttons?!

[MrLangley59]

@GaBB0256 i know right that is way to advanced

[GaBB0256]

@MrLangley59 especially considering that the ps3 and 360 controllers have 17 buttons, and thats only if you count the d-pad as four separate buttons

[Daiwin82]

If I had a Atari 5200 I would ask to send me your broken controllers but I don't have a 5200 to test the controllers after getting them fixed up.

I do have a Atari 2600 though. ;)

Oh and an Intellivision.

I think that is the worst controller made as the controller would come off the console or the controller completly and the number pad buttons would get warpped so it would contantly be going in a #2 direction.

That and it was short cord too.

[therocker33dc]

worse than the sega genesis mk1470X?

[6890speed]

What i did for my controller was take it apart, took an eraser to the sensors and it worked it hasnt broke down on me yet! So if you are going to replace your controller, just give it a good clean before you toss it.

[thereviewer64]

all 3 have in coman thay are crap

[123stephenno]

i no EXACTLY WHY IT DOESNT RECENTER BECAUSE og games like kaboom where u might want it to stay there

[123stephenno]

yo dude why dont u send me ur cell ive got some questions being the gamer i am

[peanutbuttergibbons]

I saw a refurbished 5200 controller from eStarland. They also make custom controllers. Not a bad place to look. This is not spam, just putting that out there.

GamerGibbons

[tom11zz884]

it was a slick looking controller..but it was so flawed, Atari really needed to step uptheir QA department to fix it...no wonder the 5200 failed

[Ollie7475]

That looks like an old cell phone with a joystick so you can play Snake on it.

[razordog91]

can i get one of those controllers that dont work? they just look cool

[zork2001]

I don’t remember the controller being that hard to use when I was a 4- 5 year old kid playing the 5200. Of cause that is when the controller would work and not have one brake down every month.

[Rickstilwell1]

Nearly the whole Atari 5200 library was also on the Atari 8-bit computer line and the game versions were exactly the same and you could use the standard Atari 2600, Atari 7800, Sega Master System or Sega Genesis controller on the computers. The difference was that only one action button was mapped and other functions in the games were mapped to the keyboard. The one plus side to the 5200 is that since the better functions cause the 8-bit computer games to be in higher demand, 5200s are cheaper.

[TheBillbot]

You Made this Video on My birthday.

[firefly2000]

a lot of the game systems back then had Keypads of some kind or another, like the Intellivision , colecovision had keypads and systems like the Odyssey II had a full keyboard ,because back then you needed a key for just about everything in the game .

[allooo]

did anyone count how many times he said "the atari fiftytwohoundred controller"

[leauxbert]

If I could mod that into an atari jaguar case, it would be just a little more comfortable.

[leauxbert]

Atari 5200 sucks!

[SuperCommentDude]

@leauxbert shut up

[applemacftw]

First time i saw i said they all suck and I was correct.

[boisfilm]

my guess was they all suck

[Audiojackful]

It looks like an old phone with a joystick stuffed over its screen.

[ThePoopChef]

It looks as if he has some mustard on his right thumb nail O_o

[mrbadx19]

makes me wanna take out my atari 2600, but i'd have to dig out my old sony TV to play it on (i'll do that someday) or maybe it'll play on this sharp tv/monitor.... atari 2600 in HD/Widescreen....

[tumest]

God bless enthusiasts. We'll pay extra to have the best worst of something.

[SHADOSTRYKR]

who at atari designed this?

[hoques1432]

@SHADOSTRYKR I read on wikipedia that it was someone who didn't ever play video games.... its truly visible that its a colecovision controller ripoff :D

[LensKid]

Please do a review of the Atari LYNX

[smashmaster13]

it is not as bad as the STANDERD CDI

controller but it also had a gennise controler knockoff

[lemongull]

It would make a better cell phone then controler

[dustyatari]

the joystick would stab in your ear

[FleshMan7063]

@lemongull i dunno, you'd look like an asshole if you were walking around using that as a cell phone. O_o

[SakuraAvalon]

@lemongull 'Cept that Joystick to the ear would be annoying.

[wirelessguy1]

@lemongull Yeah for calling up Fucker Nauts and Astro Bastard.

[OfficialSyntax]

@wirelessguy1 gotta love those AVGN Refrences

[CHAOSin8bits]

@lemongull with that joystick stabbing your ear

[blackviper74370]

Looks like it would make a better satellite phone than a video game controller.

[deadskullfkowner123]

yeah freezed to at 7 seconds then just reloaded page and what do you now no miricale didnt work

[therealKINDLE]

frozen at 7 seconds coz you tube is shit/

[MrColuber]

For some reason this video freezes at the 7 second mark. Is anyone else having this problem?

[SefiroCrescent]

yeah it did that to me i just switched it to hd and it started working

[Shmuklidooha]

thanks!

[violetcitron]

Fifty-two-hundred !

Have you heard it ?

Fifty-two-hundred ! Fifty-two-hundred !

[joeyisjustso]

i like your reviews, so funny

[MrMMO97]

there all pieces of !@##

LOL

[DisembowelMe]

Why does the video stop playing at 0:07?

[Logicfray]

@DisembowelMe thats only happening for u

[Bandeto]

@DisembowelMe

Actually, I can load the video fine, but the movie won't start at all!

:(

[HTKB]

happens to me too

[MrPennysPop]

Huh, it worked fine for me!

[brownaleboi]

@DisembowelMe that happens to me too! I've been trying to watch this movie for the last few days with no luck.

[HTKB]

if you add &fmt=18...I think...It will convert the page to widescreen and you can view it....I've be getting it all over youtube

[1994fishcake]

The music in the background at the start sounds like FF7.

[thehatedd]

they look like calculators..

[VL0GG3RK1D]

Yeah they do XD

[Lazmeister94]

Yay! I guessed that it sucks! :)

[Atomicskull]

The Wico 5200 is light years better. The 5200 controller is not the worst controller ever designed. That honor goes to the Fairchild Channel F controller.

[BiffsGamingVideos]

@Atomicskull have you tried the CD-i thumbstick? there are much worse ones. The 5200 one is average.

[crittgamer11]

i like the xbox controller for its shape, its very comfortable, and the ps3 controller is light and can be charged without buying an addon, so they're both good.

but thats my opinion

[Atomicskull]

I like the original X-Box controller, I use a modified ove to play FFXI for the PC. The Xbox 360 controller isn't as good IMHO.

[SONGOKU02]

@crittgamer11 I wish, the ps3 controller would be heavier like the ps2 controller (( Ok with dualshok 3.. it is heavier)) but the 360.. it has a bad D pad and i doesent thougt it was confortable.. the cable 360 where better. Because the akkupack go on my nerves.. but the 360 pad is in my oponion a little bit big.. like the old xbox pad and the dreamcast pad. But dude.. the 360 slim controller.. looks very nice. ^^ But i wish.. i can put my ps3 pad on my friends 360 xD. That would be perfekt.

[42crazyguy]

@crittgamer11 what does that have to do with anything

[L337B07]

at the begining of the vid when he asked the question i was thinking.... They all suck? and i was right! =D

[leonci001]

Dualshock IMO, is the most versatile, comfortable controller ever created by man, you even get pressure sensitive features for those racing games or metal gear solid, you really can't go wrong.

[hanspeterpitsch]

@leonci001

You mean if you accelerate, you don't just always go as fast as possible?

Sorry for bad english

[leonci001]

Yeah each button on a Dualshock 2 controller or newer (except Start and Select) have 255 levels of pressure, meaning in racing games, GTA games, or other kind of games like Metal Gear Solid (that use more interesting ways of pressure sensitive than just driving a car, like controlling various kinds of cameras and scope devices) you have more control over how deep you push the button, instead of only "1" or "0" values of a normal button.

[hanspeterpitsch]

@leonci001

Oh that's pretty cool I was actually waiting for that since I played the first racing game in my life, what ever that was ;) thx

[heelkleinkruimeltje]

xbox 360 controller is kinda a rip off from the ps3 controller, the only difference it that the left stick is moved

[PipedreamerAce]

@heelkleinkruimeltje Actually 360 came out first and ps3 came out atleast one year later

[TheGrandleathal]

@PipedreamerAce Acturally ps2 came out before 360- only variation between ps2 controller and ps3 is the ps Home button in the centre. but the placement of buttons and analoge sticks haven't changed. I always though he 360's controller was ripped off from the ps2/3's, but I like the colours on the 360's more

[kekke2000]

@TheGrandleathal There are more changes between PS2 and PS3... The L2/R2 buttons are analog on ps3, also it's motion sensitive and wireless.

[leonci001]

@heelkleinkruimeltje the 360 controller is a ripoff of the DREAMCAST controller, from Sega, which had the exact same button layout, of course, the 360 controller is WAY better because the Dreamcast controller has many flaws in it's design, like having only 1 stick with no rubber, and general slippery surfaces, and lacking the "shoulder buttons" (only triggers)

[Traductus5972]

eh the dreamcast is adaptable and you can get use to it, but also at least it better then the remote control controller for the philips cd-i

[69hemihead]

I agree with your comment, but I would say they are more similar to the original XBOX controller rather than the second gen. XBOX or the 360 controller.

[FuzzyDaKirbyFan]

but the dreamcast has better games and dont go fanboy on me cos call of duty is nothing compared to doom or anything like that

[Alexz1909]

why are there numbers like on telephone???

[Broyale26]

@Alexz1909

For game specific overlays.

[vasquez123100]

why you do that!!

that pink stuff was like a condon

protecting that logo from gostst or bad things that come in contact with this

[jonnusmarcus]

Stupid youtube!

[kylel]

Good lord, you said controller 23 fking times.

[WebVMan]

They all look alike........They're all black.......They all have joysticks.......How are those answers not correct?

[Spoonman8881]

I'm gonna go with B.There complete peices of BLEEP.

[M0VYGURU]

b. thier all complete pieces of sh__!

thats my final answer. great vid man! Thats no exaggeration when you said worst controller ever made

[bazfanv2]

At least the intro musics original and not some ripped of guitar twanging,drum banging, drug addicted, sweaty haired band. By the way this video isnt working yet for me, must be a lot of traffic.

[musicmaniac1965]

i really like CGR, even the atari 5200 controller gets a review :-) to bad we did not see anny footage of actual gameplay, as i can't imagine this thing to be fomfortable with anny game.

but did i hear that corecty, as he said the controllers where analogue ? so you have precise controll over for instance a car ?

[WebVMan]

Reminds me of the awful 360 Joystick....... Which I did pay $30 for...... But I at least got some free XBLA games with it.

[evanextreme]

the 360 controller is the BEST controller made by man.

[kamoskere]

Why?

[rchevalier2012]

@evanextreme Nope!! the mouse and the keyboard is the best!!

[PipedreamerAce]

@rchevalier2012 Agreeed!

[evanextreme]

@rchevalier2012 true. :-)

[EDScool12345]

@evanextreme PS3 controller better fit for the hand.

[TheCanadianDefendant]

Apparently have not played ps3 2 or even 1 for that matter.

[evanextreme]

yes, I have, and I own a Ps2 and Ps3. there good controllers, but for shooting and racing, xbox is the best no doubt.

[DudeIJustRofled09]

very true the triggers are nice

[GameboyGum]

If you think about it, it looks like a phone with a giant ear probe to create that 'clear crisp sound' on the receiving end. xD

[maxvago1234]

I just got a 5200 and I can't play it

[RetroVGamer]

I grew with Atari. My first system was the 2600. My neighbors had Intellivision. Naturally we'd fight over which system was better. Then the Coleco Vision and 5200 came out. I of course picked the 5200 and I loved it! I played it up till 1987. In that spam of time. I went through seven 5200 controllers.

[RetroVGamer]

Ah I meant span earlier, not spam lol.

Anyway, no matter what. Refurbished or not. If you actually use that controller for a few weeks. It'll start to break, first the side buttons stop working. Then the start, pause, reset buttons. Then the rubber around the actual control stick will start to break, believe me. I went through 7 of these piece of shit controllers. I know.

[InecomCompany]

What's important is that you played through Spam! -CGR

[RetroVGamer]

It was good nom nom nom!

[BiffsGamingVideos]

@RetroVGamer Not all of them. There were several models of 5200 joysticks. Some broke a lot and some did not. I shot a videos on how to repair 5200 joytsicks but recorded over them. Will redo some day. You just have to get the good ones.

[RetroVGamer]

@BiffsGamingVideos Well all the ones I had growing up always broke. We eventually bought the Wico Joystick, but the stick was awful. It wouldn't stay centered half the time.

[wickedroy]

its a phone with a nose o.O

[demonslayer55555585]

Damn right it is!

[gokujr93]

Lulz ensues as always, CGR. Keep 'em coming.

[excaliber2010]

Any Madcatz controllers are worst than Atari 5200 controllers. I remember buying one and the analog stick stopped working in an hour.

[buzzybee435vids]

i love u reviews

[uglypinkmoose]

do refurbished controllers break as easy as they did originally?

or can i trust it to last?

[gdement]

There's probably different levels of how well people refurbish them, some better than others.

I'd check with the 5200 forum at atariage (dotcom). People there are knowledgeable about these controls and I'm sure there's a lot of threads about it.

I've read that there's a specific, late revision of these controllers which is more reliable, but rare.

There's also a company that uses gold contacts to repair the buttons, but I don't know whether that's necessary.

[uglypinkmoose]

@gdement

thx ill check it out

[Bittergamer1886]

Lol,I said they sucked. BTW,is that "Grand Valse de Brilliante" I heard at the beginning? Very good taste. Very good review. Get the gold pin connector controller. It will never,and I mean NEVER break!

[NicholasX9]

i answered correctly straight away! "they all suck"

[madmikeOWNS99]

ELECtronics lol

[residentevilfan143]

I can't believe I guessed, "They all suck." on the first try. I'm definitely a good classic gamer student.

[sikokiller12]

what where they thinking wen they designed the controller? i think its rushed lol

[sikokiller12]

0:19 they look like phones?

[1Morka1]

i anwsered they all suck lol..

[hoques1432]

@1Morka1 me too ;)

[AfroedNinja]

I'm ready for some 5200 game reviews!!!

Congrats on the refurbed controller!!

[Sbrff]

they are just as great if you ask me =)

[1NationOutlawz]

i head the 5200 can catch fires because the power thing has a flaw

[BiffsGamingVideos]

@1NationOutlawz just like my old pontiac fiero. (BTW, the joystick won't catch fire. they would have recalled them)

[1NationOutlawz]

@BiffsGamingVideos lol i was talking about the system itself, i read that some or most of all the 5200 systems have a design flaw or somthing in the wire that connects to the systems which can catch fire. lol I told a person i know who has the system to keep his eye on it

[Ketorulz]

He couldn't help but be a bit of an angry reviewer here, but it was for the right reason. That Atari 5200 controller is STILL a piece of A-grade shit!

[eventzz]

I bet it's designed for calling flying f*ckernauts and astrobastards.

[Ishykawa]

@eventzz Thanks Im going to watch AVGN after this video is over.