Author: Steve Goss (clockworkstudios.demon.co.uk)
Date: 07-21-1999 04:37
Atari 2600: Customised 6502, 20bits of playfield graphics (40 pixels across the screen, 192 down), two hardware sprites of 8 bits width, 2 missile sprites of 2 pixels width and a "ball" - one pixel. Two sound channels, 128 colour pallete, 128 bytes of RAM, 4K ROM address Space.
The 2600 only plays 2600 games - but the system limitations fail to convey how awesome some games can be - Solaris by Atari looks like a good 8bit computer game.
Atari 5200: Atari 400 Computer in drag (6502 with custom chips) - 16K RAM, four 8bit Sprites, four missile sprites, 256 colours, 4 sound channels (9 octave range), 4 controller ports, resolutions from 20 X 12 charcaters to 320 X 192 pixels.
With a VCS Adaptor this system can play most 2600 games plus the small library of 5200 games by default. Excellent sound and graphics in some titles - Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus. All the 5200 titles can be obtained on Atari 8bit Computers (400/800/XL/XE) - by hook or by crook, plus the vast range of computer only titles. A 7800 adapter was taken to prototype stage but never released.
Atari 7800: Contiains a 2600, and its only audio (built in) comes from the 2600 hardware. 256 colours, 320X192 resolution, unlimited sprites, can run BIG carts and external hardware (ballblazer has a 5200 sound chip in the cart to give good music). Atari's most advanced 8bit video game system.
Real 7800 games are excellent, Xevious, Galaga, Ms PacMan etc. The system was shelved for nearly two years by the idiotic Tramiels, so its game library was out of date at launch. Runs 2600 games (most) very well, this system should have been a market leader, but wasn't.
sTeVE
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