The system that could have made it...The Atari 7800

Joined Jan 2005
18K Posts | 0+
Waco, TX
Finished by 1984, but put into storage until 1986. Atari could have had a good head start in the USA Market during the 8-bit Revolution.

I had the pleasure of owning one of these fine pieces of history.

The biggest issue I came across was comparing Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. Vs. the NES counterparts

So close was Atari to getting the Arcade feel....colors are off based a little, but the gameplay and speed of the game was exact to that of the NES. Yet recycling the same old sound chip from 5200 was a bad idea, plus the controllers were downright sad in my honest opinion.

and just for fun, the 7800 processor was code named "CX-1701-A" Which was named after the USS Enterprise from Star Trek's USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A

7800 was truly too late for it's time...but I like the shed some respect for one of the first true 8-bit systems in America that was made in America honestly. Yet never got a breathing chance due to such a late release after the NES reigns supreme by a mere year.

Who knows what could have happened if 7800 was launched in 84...would Atari still be alive in that 80's race for a longer year or two? Probably not..but there is always that one question of "What If"
 
You're right man, it had enough power to compete if had come out when it should.

Atari were just too mental with too many formats etc.
 
I am not very familiar with the Atari 2600- 7800 ..etc....

was the 7800 actually 8 bit?

†B†V† :hat
 
I own an Atari 7800. Got that with about 36 games for $60 from a local shop. It still works and everything.
 
Awesome find for $60 :), and for the record, these games are very rare for the 7800

Double Dragon
Xenophobe
Rampage


Good luck trying to nab the 7800 verisons
 
My mom purchased a 7800 for my brother and I. But the only game we had was this basketball game. I think it was with Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. It's been a while...
 
Yeah I got it right about the time a buddy of mine down the street got a Sega Master System. I wish i still had that console...
 
MegaDrive20XX said:
One On One Basketball for 7800. Yup that's the one...M. Jordon and L. Bird

no the one for the 7800 was DR. J vs Larry Bird

7800oneonone.jpg