Atari 7800 facts for kids
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| Manufacturer | Atari, Inc., Atari Corporation |
|---|---|
| Type | Video game console |
| Generation | Third generation |
| Release date | May 21, 1984 (announcement) US June 1984 (original release) US January 1986 (re-release) EU 1987 |
| Introductory price | US$140 |
| Discontinued | January 1, 1992 |
| Units sold | 3.77 million (North America) |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | Atari SALLY 6502 ("6502C") clocked at 1.19-1.79MHz, |
| Memory | 4KB RAM, 4KB BIOS ROM, 48KB Cartridge ROM Space |
| Display | 160×240, 320×240 (160×288/320×288 if PAL), 25 on-screen colours out of possible 256 |
| Backward compatibility |
Atari 2600 |
| Predecessor | Atari 5200 |
| Successor | Atari XEGS |
The Atari 7800 was a video game console from the 1980s. It was made by a company called Atari. This system was designed to be a newer, better version of their very popular Atari 2600 console.
The Atari 7800 was part of the "third generation" of video game consoles. It was competing with other popular systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Master System.
Playing Games on the Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 used special game cartridges. You would plug these cartridges into the console to play different games.
One cool thing about the Atari 7800 was its "backwards compatibility." This means you could play almost all of your old Atari 2600 games on the Atari 7800. You could even use your old Atari 2600 joysticks and paddle controllers. However, it could not play games made for the Atari 5200.
History of the Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 was first announced in 1984. It was released in the United States in June 1984. However, Atari faced some big changes in the company. This caused the console's wider release to be delayed.
The system was officially re-released in January 1986. It then came out in Europe in 1987. The Atari 7800 sold about 3.77 million units in North America. Production of the console stopped on January 1, 1992.
Images for kids
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Motherboard of an American 7800 with the RF shielding removed
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European motherboard modified by Atari to output RGB through a SCART connector
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The gamepad of later European Atari 7800s with the thumbstick screwed in
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Atari 7800 with Donkey Kong Junior cartridge
See also
In Spanish: Atari 7800 para niños
