Atari 7800 Thread

[DreamcastRIP]

Is it just me or does that screenshot of Pole Position 2 look suspiciously like an Atari 7800 console and vice versa? 

[TrekMD]

Is it just me or does that screenshot of Pole Position 2 look suspiciously like an Atari 7800 console and vice versa?  :24:

[DreamcastRIP]

Is it just me or does that screenshot of Pole Position 2 look suspiciously like an Atari 7800 console and vice versa?  :24:

 

[TrekMD]

Is it just me or does that screenshot of Pole Position 2 look suspiciously like an Atari 7800 console and vice versa?  :24:

 

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[Rogue Trooper]

Slight correction, they released the XE Games System (XEGS) instead of the 7800 initially as it could be upgraded to a full blown computer. This was mainly because the British market at that time was so dominated by home computers.

Atari had already released the 65XE, replacement for the 800XL, and the 130XE computers (128k version of same system)

They only released the 7800 late on in 1987 when they released how well the SMS had taken off and that there was demand for the system too. They were also encouraged by just how well the repackaged Atari 2600 Jr. had sold. C&VG magazine also wrote a really positive piece about the 7800 in their news section and pretty much begged Atari to release it, I posted this in the NES thread.

Slight correction :-)


Reason 7800 was not released over here was because Atari officials in the USA were convinced the UK 8 Bit market was tape driven, so it was storage medium not ability to upgrade that drove the decision.

they accepted the fact that in UK, cartridge manufacturing was difficult, as it meant high production volumes and long lead times.

Bob Gleadlow, Atari UK's general manager at the time, talking of the then un-named 65XE, was talking about how it was him who had brought the prototype 65XE from the USA to show to UK software houses and how it'd recived an enthusiastic welcome.

Atari UK put A8 users in UK at that time around 350,000

[Rogue Trooper]

Update to my above 'slight correction' (i so hate leaving posts vague when theres more info to share): )


It was officials at Atari UK who convinced Atari in the States that the british market would benifit from a machine that could run cassettes-not just cartridges.Atari's P.R statement at the time said:

'We feel that this offers the users over here the best of both worlds'.

Atari UK claimed within 48 hrs of the 65XE being annouced, it'd taken advance orders for 75,000 units.

So there we have it, Atari UK any new Atari 8 bit console to run tapes as well as carts, rather than carts only, hence it was choosen to replace the 2600, not the 7800.

[Rogue Trooper]

If they want to revive Atari, why do not release something like this? The Flashbacks are neat but portable would be much better.

Yeah I totally agree. I would love to see them release a 2600/7800 handheld about the size of the PSP with an SD cart slot and loads of built in games. All official with the Atari name on it and everything, even better if it played Lynx games too 

Well they had 65XE variations planned:

65XEM-Music micro, 4 channel sound to be replaced by 8 channel sound, 64 harmonics, sampling rate of over 30 Hz etc.

65XEP-Portable version of 65XE

Both scrapped as was the 130ST-A 'naked' CPU with just 128K Ram


Claims were the 65XEP was scrapped as Atari working on a 16 Bit portable....

[TL]

That would have been the STacy I guess. From what I heard the other XE models were scrapped because they couldn't get the AMY chip working right.

But anyway back to topic, I wonder if any games were ever worked on that would have used the planned Laser Disc add-on?

I am guessing Fire Fox would have been one.

[onthinice]

Fire Fox! Sounds good!

[TL]

Cool 7800 poster:

[TrekMD]

Karateka would have been a "Super Game" had they done a better job with control!  All those "Super Games" also could have done with POKEY sound.  Ballblazer is the only one there to have that honor. 

[Gorf]

The 7800 should have had the POKEY on board...period. It also should have had a means to allow the 6502
to continue running along side Maria. Though it's probably the best of the consoles of it's time as far as sprite
handling goes....it sorely lacks elsewhere.

[TrekMD]

The 7800 should have had the POKEY on board...period. It also should have had a means to allow the 6502
to continue running along side Maria. Though it's probably the best of the consoles of it's time as far as sprite
handling goes....it sorely lacks elsewhere.

Yep, but the Tramiels wanted to be cheap. 

[Gorf]

The 7800 should have had the POKEY on board...period. It also should have had a means to allow the 6502
to continue running along side Maria. Though it's probably the best of the consoles of it's time as far as sprite
handling goes....it sorely lacks elsewhere.

Yep, but the Tramiels wanted to be cheap.

And as usual paid dearly for it and so did us fans.

[TL]

The 7800 should have had the POKEY on board...period. It also should have had a means to allow the 6502
to continue running along side Maria. Though it's probably the best of the consoles of it's time as far as sprite
handling goes....it sorely lacks elsewhere.

Yep, but the Tramiels wanted to be cheap.

Can't blame them for this one, the 7800 was originally released under Warner.