Classic Game Room HD - ATARI 5200 Console review

Classic Game Room HD reviews the ATARI 5200 video game system from 1982, the successor to the Atari 2600. This is the 4 controller model which is the size of a container ship and uses the most absurd power/tv switcher hookup ever created. There are many things to loathe about this unique game console and one thing to love, its an ATARI!!! It plays hundreds of Atari 5200 game cartridges, many of which are slightly upgraded versions of popular Atari 2600 games like Missile Command, Vanguard and Space Invaders. Others are awesome games which look like early NES action games like Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom and The Dreadnaught Factor. There are some Atari 5200 exclusives as well. Collecting for the 5200 is not terribly expensive, even though the Atari 5200 is considered a commercial failure there are still many out there and they are such an amazing pain to own that people want to get rid of them. Collectors benefit from this as 5200 games and consoles on eBay are easy to find, but working controllers are not. The Achilles heel of the Atari 5200 is the terrible, analog, non-self-centering controller which is difficult to replace because of the keypad. You can buy refurbished Atari 5200 controllers or the expensive Wico aftermarket Atari 5200 controller if you are really ambitious. The fact is the Atari 5200 has some great games, is a joy to collect for and is so large that it demands respect. It looks like a Laserdisc player combined with a dishwasher and is hard to miss when taking up your entire living room.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Atari
• 5200
• review
• reviews
• reviewer
• game
• console
• system
• 2600
• better
• broken
• fix
• controller
• wico
• aftermarket
• refurbished

[RadicalNIN]

On the plus side, the 5200 has a closet for a beer bottle.

[ihtiandrus777]

@romania180 i have it an year and its allways pluged in and my house is ok

[ViolentPTheSkarecrow]

Like the Angry Video Game Nerd would say..."WHAT THE F*@K WERE THEY THINKING!?"

[alonzo9772]

It's ironic how even though the 5200 is a crappy system, the cartridges are better than the 7800.

[lembesi68]

I got a 5200 when they came out. I am now 43 and bought another one off ebay a couple years ago. I have the trak-ball controller too. It is still my favorite home video game. In fact, I'm gonna go home and play it tonight. + Bongwyre2112 ...I think my weed is in there :)

[wildboyintraining]

@RazorBeamz no but the atari 7800 is compatable with 2600 games

[Bongwyre2112]

I never had a problem with the controllers. I never will understand why people hated them so much. I finished Pitfall II the lost caverns with those controllers. No save game, so it was a bitch at points. But in those days a save game was called pausing. 8)

[Bongwyre2112]

and you can put your weed in it

[Dakkiller1]

My friend from another high school gave me an Hardware hacking book from 2003 and it had instructions on how to make the 4 port 5200 use just a separate AC and AV cord

[mandy26lez]

what a clusterfuck!

[TheCarolStreamKid]

@awesomeperson2710 be careful. they may not work. i had to learn that the hard way when i got a nonfunctioning nes. sadness, i know....

[nkmetossa]

i like the 5200 it's very good but the controller sucks ass