A short essay on #VideoGame console #BASIC extensions from the 1970s to the 1990s:
#atarivcs
#AtariVCS is a video #game console developed and mass produced by Atari for the home entertainment of Warner, Inc.
With an introduction price under US$200 the VCS became the first affordable and popular #microprocessor-based game console in the consumer market.
The Atari Video Computer System was built around the 8-bit MOS 6507 CPU @1.19 MHz and swappable ROM #cartridges to expand the memory limits of 128 bytes RAM. Initially released 1977 with Tank Combat and later #Pac-Man included, bundled with two #joysticks and a pair of paddles this legendary #Atari console opened up game development, cartridge production, and sales far beyond #ActiVision.
While VCS couldn't challenge #arcade hardware in graphics, flexibility was the advantage and the wood grain finish by Gene Landrum made it stylish on top of that. The #game-market started with only 8 titles like #Pong and grew fast over #Breakout, #Asteroids, #SpaceInvaders, #Pitfall, E.T., Frogger and many more. It was the big selection of games available that made Atari's #console a huge success.
After Sears sold it as Tele-Games Video Arcade for less, the VCS was rebranded 1982 as #Atari2600. Low production costs of $40 kept revenue coming in even when sales prices dropped on average of $125.
15 million ACS and estimated 120 million cartridges been sold before the video game crash of 1983. And the ACS was profitable for almost the next decade, but 1992 after 30 million sold units the production was finally stopped.
Maybe the best thing of our #retrogaming #hardware #illustrations isn't the level of #details, but the proof that You don't need to pay for #Adobe #Illustrator #AI or #PostScript to create #retrocomputer #art in best #vector #quality. Since we use only #FreeSoftware and with the #graphic description open like #SVG, there is no obstacle to be #creative #together. Follow #ITsHistory to see what else you could do with powerful #FOSS like #Inkscape
With an introduction price under US$200 the VCS became the first affordable and popular #microprocessor-based game console in the consumer market.
The Atari Video Computer System was built around the 8-bit MOS 6507 CPU @1.19 MHz and swappable ROM #cartridges to expand the memory limits of 128 bytes RAM. Initially released 1977 with Tank Combat and later #Pac-Man included, bundled with two #joysticks and a pair of paddles this legendary #Atari console opened up game development, cartridge production, and sales far beyond #ActiVision.
While VCS couldn't challenge #arcade hardware in graphics, flexibility was the advantage and the wood grain finish by Gene Landrum made it stylish on top of that. The #game-market started with only 8 titles like #Pong and grew fast over #Breakout, #Asteroids, #SpaceInvaders, #Pitfall, E.T., Frogger and many more. It was the big selection of games available that made Atari's #console a huge success.
After Sears sold it as Tele-Games Video Arcade for less, the VCS was rebranded 1982 as #Atari2600. Low production costs of $40 kept revenue coming in even when sales prices dropped on average of $125.
15 million ACS and estimated 120 million cartridges been sold before the video game crash of 1983. And the ACS was profitable for almost the next decade, but 1992 after 30 million sold units the production was finally stopped.
Maybe the best thing of our #retrogaming #hardware #illustrations isn't the level of #details, but the proof that You don't need to pay for #Adobe #Illustrator #AI or #PostScript to create #retrocomputer #art in best #vector #quality. Since we use only #FreeSoftware and with the #graphic description open like #SVG, there is no obstacle to be #creative #together. Follow #ITsHistory to see what else you could do with powerful #FOSS like #Inkscape
Die Reise zu den Space Invaders – Teil 1: Von PONG zum ZX81
Dies ist meine Geschichte wie ich zum Computer kam. Es muss schon sehr lange her sein, als ich mich für elektronische Spielereien interessierte, ich sag mal so gegen 1972.
https://www.videospielgeschichten.de/die-reise-zu-den-space-invaders-teil-1-von-pong-zum-zx81/
#AtariVCS #Basic #Defender #Galaxian #HewlettPackard #Homecomputer #Pong #Programmieren #SpaceInvaders #ZX81
🎶 "...'cause I'm the unknown stunt man that makes Breakout look so fine."
#Atari #retrogaming #retrogames #Atari2600 #AtariVCS #boxart
No Escape! | Atari 2600 | 1983 | Imagic | Breakout im Tempel der Aphrodite https://youtu.be/G_24L3q5xkE?si=vWyyXKM9AHniYAwq via @YouTube #Retromontag #Atari #AtariVCS #Atari2600 #Imagic #Retrogaming
Atari VCS Game Catalog from 1981. What was your favorite game?
Real life stories can be inspirations for computer games. So it did happen with Burying E.T. by Florent Deloison. So what's the deal behind this Atari VCS game?
https://www.brewotaku.com/2025/03/burying-e-t-2024-atari-vcs/
Recogido de un contenedor de basura cerca de casa hace un par de años, este #clon de #AtariVCS o #Atari2600 cobró vida gracias a la ayuda de Valentín Basel y será utilizado como material didáctico de la materia de Organización del Computador donde èl enseña. Sus 128 bytes de RAM permiten estudiar conceptos fundamentales de un solo vistazo. #Pitfall #EnseñanzaDeLaComputación.
Repórter Retro 111
https://retropolis.com.br/2025/02/28/reporter-retro-111/
#ReprterRetro #8BitRetroJournal #ActionRetro #AhAhhhhhhh #Altair8800 #AppleII #AtariVCS #Bendix #Brasil #BSD #captura #Centurion #ChandlerKlser #ClubeMSX #Commodore128 #ComputadoresMilitares #CRT #DavesGarage #DNS #dosce #Flash #Homebrew #internet #Japo #JordanMechner #Karateka #Linux #MarioCavalcanti #microsoft #MicrosoftBASIC #MSDOS #MSX #MSXGoauld #MSXRio #multitarefa #MultitaskingDOS #msica #Netscape #NORC #Old
@nitrofurano @SuperSelena64 @Htbaa Yes, the #Atari 2600 or its original name, the Video Computer System (VCS)
(Not to be confused with the modern reimagining of the #AtariVCS: https://atari.com/pages/atari-vcs)
"Pac-Line Panic" - a #PacMan variant for the #Atari2600:
https://forums.atariage.com/topic/368501-pac-line-panic-was-pac-line-x-8/
« GemTos Atari Convention » 3-4 mai 2025
A great french Atari Convention with a lot of Atari stuff, many games, homebrews and cool compos.
More information on GemTos forum : https://gemtos.forumactif.com/
Do not miss it if you are in North of France this spring.
#demoscene #atari #atari2600 #atari8bit #atarist #atarifalcon #atarilynx #atarijaguar #atarivcs #retrogaming #retrocomputing
The Atari 2600 Technical Wiki
There are quite a number of refreshing things about the Atari 2600 Technical Wiki. There's its subtitle, "Woodgrain Wizardry," which is excellent. Its dedication to a 47-year-old game console. There's it being a wiki that isn't being hosted on damnable ubiquitous Fandom. Its direct writing style, which gets right to the po
https://setsideb.com/the-atari-2600-technical-wiki/
#hardware #niche #retro #atari2600 #atarivcs #esoterica #hardware #niche #retro #wiki
You have enough time to gift a Programming Games for Atari 2600 book this Christmas 😉 #retro #retrogaming #atari #atari2600 #atarivcs #developer #Assembly https://a.co/d/4klIiOP
The #AtariVCS is such a fantastic, plucky little machine that packs a lot more of a punch than I thought, especially with a hardware upgrade and @openSUSE #Tumbleweed #Linux
https://cubiclenate.com/2024/10/08/upgrading-the-atari-vcs-with-opensuse-tumbleweed/
Una oda a la belleza y a los colores fue esta demo de #AtariVCS que se mandó Lenina en el Segundo #encuentroFederalCyberciruja en Rosario. Un parque de diversiones en lucha por la #obsolecenciaPostergada
#Atari #Atari2600
In case you missed it, new on the blog last week:
👾 Atari Video Game Catalogues
https://heliomass.com/posts/2419-video-game-catalogues/
#Atari #Activision #RetroGaming #RetroComputing #AtariVCS #Atari2600
🎮 New on the blog today: Atari Video Game Catalogues
Sometimes you find some unexpected surprises in a box.
https://heliomass.com/posts/2419-video-game-catalogues/
#Atari #Activision #RetroGaming #RetroComputing #AtariVCS #Atari2600
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