The Atari XEGS

[TL]

The Atari XE Video Game System (Atari XEGS) is an industrial redesign of the Atari 65XE home computer and the final model in the Atari 8-bit family. It was released by Atari Corporation in 1987 and marketed as a home video game console alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega's Master System, and Atari's own Atari 7800. The XEGS is compatible with existing Atari 8-bit family hardware and software. Without keyboard, the system operates as a stand-alone game console. With the keyboard, it boots identically to the Atari XE computers. Atari packaged the XEGS as a basic set consisting of only the console and joystick, and as a deluxe set consisting of the console, keyboard, joystick and light gun.

The XEGS release was backed by new games, including Barnyard Blaster and Bug Hunt, plus cartridge ports of older games, such as Fight Night (Accolade, 1985), Lode Runner (Broderbund, 1983), Necromancer (Synapse Software, 1982), and Ballblazer (Lucasfilm Games, 1985). Support for the system was dropped in 1992 along with rest of Atari's 8-bit computers as well as the Atari 2600 and Atari 7800.

[TrekMD]

Very cool!  I've always been curious about this system.  I like the look of it. 

[onthinice]

Thanks Laird! I always liked the look of the XE.

[Arethius_RGC]

Me too I need one

[DreamcastRIP]

Nice article. Your comment regarding the dominance of home computers in Europe and of the NES left gathering dust in branches of Boots on the first page was historically accurate as well as being amusing! Great to see some retro gaming publications know their history. A great choice by including the relatively recent stunning quality homebrew release of Space Harrier too. 

[Cryptic33]

I liked the look and feel of the XEGS but never understood why it was a 64-bit system. I know few games ever used the 128 Kb of the 130 XE but it seemed a step backward to me.

[TL]

I liked the look and feel of the XEGS but never understood why it was a 64-bit system. I know few games ever used the 128 Kb of the 130 XE but it seemed a step backward to me.

I assume you mean 64k

Cartridge games don't need as much RAM as tape or disk games as they can load information on the fly so there really was no point giving the system 128k, it would have just added to the cost.

[Cryptic33]

I liked the look and feel of the XEGS but never understood why it was a 64-bit system. I know few games ever used the 128 Kb of the 130 XE but it seemed a step backward to me.

I assume you mean 64k

Nice topic/article 

[TL]

A couple of reviews of the XEGS

https://youtu.be/2kHPwg4Rw4E

https://youtu.be/N2gF5wWns0E

[Cryptic33]

Not bad reviews, I thought the second one was spot on albeit a little too proud of his shoe box lol. Nice find Laird.

[TL]

List of official XEGS games:

Ace Of Aces
Airball
Archon
Ballblazer
Barnyard Blaster
Battlezone
Blue Max
Bug Hunt
Choplifter
Crime Buster
Crossbow
Crystal Castles
Dark Chambers
David's Midnight Magic
Desert Falcon
Donkey Kong
Eastern Front 1941
Fight Night
Flight Simulator II
Food Fight
GATO
Hardball
Into The Eagle's Nest
Karateka
Mario Bros.
Lode Runner
Necromancer
One-On-One Basketball
Rescue On Fractalus
Star Raiders II
Summer Games
Thunderfox

Released prototypes:

Tower Toppler
MIDI Maze
Xenophobe
Commando
Deflektor
Mean 18
Jinks
Xevious

[TrekMD]

Not a large libary of games, though they are known titles for the most part and good games to boot!

[TL]

Not a large libary of games, though they are known titles for the most part and good games to boot!

The XEGS can play all standard Atari 8-bit cartridge games though too, or even disk and tape games if you connect a drive to it.

This is list is just for the specific XEGS branded games.

[TrekMD]

Not a large libary of games, though they are known titles for the most part and good games to boot!

The XEGS can play all standard Atari 8-bit cartridge games though too, or even disk and tape games if you connect a drive to it.

This is list is just for the specific XEGS branded games.

Ah, so that gives it a very large library.  Cool.

[TL]

These are all the specific XEGS game boxes: (click to enlarge)