The Complete History of Atari


Atari Corp changed how the world would see the video game market circle around the most legendary video game console that shaped the next generation gaming industries. As one of the prime video game tech companies, Atari Corporation paved the road to modern games with portable game console systems.

Now it’s time Mega Media Xchange takes a trip down memory lane of the video game legacy left by the history of Atari inc.

When Did Atari Enter the Video Game Market?

In 1972, the video game industry was a small business that consisted of just a handful of companies. The most notable company in the market was Atari Inc. (Atari). Atari Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney.

The two experienced inventors were highly motivated to develop new ways to play video games, so they decided to create their own video game system as an alternative to competitors’ systems.

The two also wanted to create an arcade game system that kids and youngsters could easily use to have fun, while also learning new things at the same time. That’s when Atari became a brand name for video game legacy.

The Atari Pong (1972)

The first video game system that Atari Inc. produced was the Pong, a simple game that was played with a tennis ball and a paddle. The first Pong game was released in 1972, and it was used to test the new video game console technology.

The Atari 2600 (1977)

It took five years before Atari Inc. released its first computerised video game system, the Atari 2600 console, or Atari VCS 2600. This gaming console was designed to be easy to use by children and the elderly alike, with straightforward controls and buttons. The console design allowed players to play video games without any problems.

It also included dozens of classic Atari games such as “Space Invaders” and “Asteroids”. The gaming system was also known for its ability to produce realistic sound effects of explosions, gunshots, and other sounds used in shooting games. Atari 2600 console came with internal ROM storage to accommodate multiple video games at once.

Atari Inc. also made a newer version of the Atari 2600, called the Atari 5200.

The Atari 800 (1979)

The Atari 800 was the next video game console with an 8-bit computing system with a custom processor. The video game console came with better audio quality and graphics than its ancestors but cost a flat $1 000 per console.

The Atari 400 (1979)

Atari 400 is a lesser version of the Atari 800 video game console and came at half the price and fewer features than the previous version. It’s a heavier build than Atari 800 console but with competing performance.

The Atari 5200 (1982)

Released in 1982, the Atari 5200 was one of the most successful video game systems produced by Atari Inc. It featured a line-up of 15 different video games and could play them easily with its joystick and button controllers with 360-degree responsiveness.

The gaming system had a cartridge slot where users could insert their own cartridges, which contained their own games. This feature enabled users to choose which games they wanted to play instead.

The Atari 65XE and 130XE (1985)

After just a year of production, the Atari console 65XE and 130XE were discontinued in 1985. The Atari 65XE was a stripped-down version of the Atari 800, and the 130XE was an upgraded version of the 65XE. Both gaming systems had 8-bit processors and could play games faster than the previous consoles. As their name suggests, Atari 65XE featured 64 KB RAM, and Atari 130XE featured 128 KB RAM.

The Atari 7800 (1986)

The Atari 7800 is perhaps one of the best-known consoles produced by Atari Inc. due to its excellent graphics and sound capabilities, and wide range of available software titles. The gaming system featured a front screen with seven colours and an LED screen displaying images in 16 colours at once. This made it one of the best-known consoles produced by Atari Inc. Atari 7800 was a successful successor of the Atari 5200 video game console.

The Atari Lynx (1989)

The Atari Lynx was released in 1989 and was the first handheld video game console produced by Atari Inc. It came with a rechargeable battery, a joystick controller and a small LCD screen. The gaming system featured 16-bit processors and could play games faster than its predecessors.

The Atari Jaguar (1993)

The Atari Jaguar is the most powerful and last Atari video game console produced by the Atari Corporation. The gaming system featured a 64-bit processor. It had advanced audio capabilities and could be plugged into a television set for a full-screen play. The gaming system became very popular in Japan and Europe but not as popular in North America, where it was discontinued after just two years of production.

Can You Buy Atari Video Game Consoles Today?

Today, Atari Inc. is a subsidiary of Warner Communications. The Atari game station is still sold and produced by this company today. However, the original Atari system has changed a lot since its first release.

Most classic Atari video game consoles stopped production because they have been discontinued or become obsolete due to newer technology. They could be lost soon, along with the Atari name.

But no worries, Mega Media Xchange still got those old Atari brand video game consoles. You can still buy them online if you want to own an item that was once popular among teens all over the world.

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