Atari 2600 facts for kids
The Atari 2600 is a classic video game console that first came out in the United States in October 1977. It was originally known as the Atari Video Computer System, or VCS. This console was special because it used game cartridges. You could easily swap these cartridges to play different games. This was a very new idea for video games back then! More than 30 million Atari 2600 consoles were sold worldwide.
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What's in a Name?
When Atari was designing their new console, they gave it a secret name: Stella. When it was released in 1977, they officially called it the Video Computer System (VCS). There was even a special version sold at Sears stores called the Sears Video Arcade. The console wasn't called the Atari 2600 until 1982. This was when Atari released their next console, the Atari 5200. The "2600" part came from the company's internal part number for that specific version.
First Release
When the Atari 2600 first launched, it usually came with a few cool things. You would get two joystick controllers and a pair of paddle controllers. It also included a game cartridge to get you started!
At first, there were nine games available to buy. Combat was always included with the console itself. Other games you could get were Air-Sea Battle, Basic Math, Blackjack, Indy 500, Star Ship, Street Racer, Surround, and Video Olympics. The Atari 2600 originally cost about $199.
Colors and Graphics
The Atari 2600 showed different colors depending on the type of television it was connected to.
- In North America, the NTSC format was used. This allowed for 128 different colors.
- In many parts of Europe, the PAL format was common. This format had 104 colors.
- A third format, called SECAM, was used in France. This one only had 8 colors: black, blue, pink, mauve, neon green, sea-foam, yellow, and white.
Popular Games
When the Atari 2600 first came out, nine games were ready to play. Combat was always packed in with the console. Other early games included Air-Sea Battle, Basic Math, Blackjack, Indy 500, Star Ship, Street Racer, Surround, and Video Olympics.
Later, many more famous games were released for the Atari 2600. These included Pac-Man, Missile Command, and Space Invaders. The game that sold the most copies for the Atari 2600 was Pac-Man, with 7 million copies sold!
Combat
Combat was chosen to be the game that came with every Atari 2600 console. It was actually like 27 games in one! Each game involved different types of vehicles, such as tanks, bi-planes, or jets.
Space Invaders
Space Invaders first became super popular as an arcade game in Japan. In 1980, a version of the game was released for the Atari 2600. The blocky, pixelated aliens from this game are still a famous symbol for video games today.
Pac-Man
Pac-Man also started as a popular arcade game. It was made by a company called Namco. In 1982, a version was released for the Atari 2600. This game sold the most copies of any Atari 2600 game, with 7 million sold! However, the Atari 2600 version was quite different from the arcade game. This meant some players found it less exciting than the original.
See List of Atari 2600 Games for a bigger list of games.
Third-Party Game Makers
In 1980, the Atari 2600 was part of a big change in video games. This was the start of "third-party developers" for console games. A third-party developer is a company that makes games for a console, but they don't make the console itself.
In 1980, four employees who were not happy at Atari decided to start their own company called Activision. They released four games: Dragster, Fishing Derby, Checkers, and Boxing. This was a very important moment in video game history. Today, almost every video game console relies on games made by third-party companies.
Playing Old Games Today
If you want to play games made for the Atari 2600 today, you don't have to find an old console. Many of these classic games can be played using video game emulators. An emulator is a special computer program that lets your modern computer act like an old game console.
One popular emulator for Atari 2600 games is called Stella. It works on most computer operating systems. After you download an emulator, you can find game files online and use the program to play them.
Atari Jr.
In 1986, a smaller and cheaper version of the Atari 2600 was released. Some people called this new model the Atari 2600 Junior. It was much smaller than the original console. This new system cost around $50, making it more affordable for many families.
Images for kids
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Atari 2600 Paddle Controller
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Atari 2600 Joystick Controller
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Pac-Man Game cartridge for Atari 8-bit computers
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The first Stella prototype on display at the Computer History Museum
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The second VCS model had lighter plastic and a more angular shape.
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From 1980, the VCS had only four front switches.
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David Crane's Pitfall! (1982) showed more advanced graphics.
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Cover art for Atari games, like Combat, helped players imagine the game.
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"The Art of Video Games" (2012) at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
See also
In Spanish: Atari 2600 para niños
