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Thread: Why I got into the Atari 2600 or Atari Charles doesn’t fly off the handle redux

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    Default Why I got into the Atari 2600 or Atari Charles doesn’t fly off the handle redux

    Why I got into the Atari 2600 or Atari Charles doesn’t fly of the handle redux

    As a kid I remember Christmas of 1980 as vividly as Pac-Man remembers where the power pellets are in the maze of life. My Atari was the 4 switch version and I ended up getting two games with it, Combat and Asteroids. I only had a black and white TV to hook it up to but that didn’t seem to matter at the time. I was just amazed that a person could play some decent arcade hits on their very own TV. It sounds rather simple now but at the time, this was ground breaking technology.

    Most of my Christmas vacation was taken up by my friends and I playing Combat tank verses tank, plane vs. Plane, and how cool it was to hide in the clouds while you decimated your opponent in your airforce issue jet. There were Asteroids competitions as well. Asteroids was the first video game I actually beat(rolled the points over).

    As time rolled on, as days became months and months became years, the Atari 2600 stayed hooked up and played the various newest releases including E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. I actually liked E.T. and would play it for hours collecting phone pieces and avoiding that crazy FBI Agent. Dig Dug was another game I played a lot. I didn’t actually own it but would play it at friends. To me this was the best graphics ever for the Atari 2600 as it was as close to the arcade hit as Atarily possible.

    Time moved forward at great speed. I was now in Junior High(middle school) and I remember distinctively a fellow classmate bragging that he sold his Atari 2600 with games for $40. There was nothing else really new or better than the Atari 2600 and at this time it was still a current system. Maybe he wanted to get out with some cash while the going was good or maybe he was saving up for a Coleco Vision or an Adam Computer. Who knows but my Atari still remained hooked up in my bedroom.

    High School. Our basement was finally redone so that became the rumpus room/game room. I hooked up my Atari 2600 to the Black and White TV downstairs. Occasionally it was played and we even used it is a cheesy sci fi home movie once for background effects. At this time a new console came out called Nintendo. Some of my friends had them. I ended up saving up and buying one. It came with Duck Hunt/SuperMario Bros. Nintendo was now the system to have. Atari 2600 Juniors were selling new for $50 at K-Mart and boxed games were selling for $1 each. Yes $1. But at the time the Atari 2600 was dying and to be cool you had to keep up with the times and go Nintendo. Jack Tramiel’s fears were realized and the Japanese had made it into the marketplace. Even ole Jack couldn’t keep them out forever.

    And still the Atari 2600 stood along side the Nintendo NES, but by this time I had a colour TV.

    Time moved faster than level 256 of Pac-Man and I found myself in my thirties. Writing and Music had become a big part of my life but there was something missing. By this time my Atari 2600 and games were delegated to a Rubbermaid container in the back of my closet. I came across Atari Age after my return from overseas when I decided to do a google search for Atari 2600. I was surprised to see such interest in the Atari 2600 years after Atari disappeared from the marketplace. The cooler thing was people were actually making new games whether they be hack or homebrew, the fact that it was now possible to hack or homebrew your own game and actually have it made into an Atari 2600 working cart, was simply amazing. I think this is what got me involved in the hobby again.

    So this is where some may think that this is the part where Atari Charles flies off the handle. But in truth, this is the part where I conclude my story. I wanted to share why I got into the hobby again both as a video game player, a collector and as someone who releases the occasional game.

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    Does anyone know why this person hasn't been banned?

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    Cherry (Level 1) Xander's Avatar
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    Confusion.

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    Oh he is now Bye bye mentally unstable person. Go back to your basement.

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    atari_charles, I just Q-bert'd you.

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    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    It's a shame, too, because he's been on these boards for a while. Guess the pressures of living in Canada got to him.

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    Black Van...check
    Duct tape...check
    Adult sized ET costume...check

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    Crono (Level 14) Sonicwolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by geneshifter View Post
    It's a shame, too, because he's been on these boards for a while. Guess the pressures of living in Canada got to him.
    Luckily these pressures dont get to all of us Canadians. He lives so close too, lol.
    Last edited by Sonicwolf; 01-25-2009 at 01:36 PM.
    DERP

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sonicwolf View Post
    Luckily these pressures dont get to all of us Canadians.
    Yeah luckily the government prescribes us drugs to take care of the cabin fever.

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    Banana (Level 7) Atarileaf's Avatar
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    He posted the same damn thing at CGCC.ca
    Is he not getting enough attention?
    "Look at me. Look at me. I'm Atari Charles. Pay attention to me!"

    And yes, Canada has nothing to do with it. He was retarded as a US resident first

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    Ladd Spencer (Level 17) Sniderman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Atari Charles View Post
    But in truth, this is the part where I conclude my story.
    OK, then there's no reason for this thread to continue.
    Still Around...Still Gamin'...

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