The Barrett Retrospective

This blog represents my own footprint on the web, and everything contained herein is my own, illustrious opinion.

Me and My Atari 2600: A Brief History

In 1979, I received my first Atari 2600 six switch console (“sixer”). Actually, it was a Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade. But in my heart, it was an Atari. I think that was quite possibly my best Christmas ever. Except the one where I got a toy robot. Yes, the toy Robot and the Atari were my best Christmases ever. 😉

Sometime around 1993, my Atari and all my games were stolen by my ex and I never saw it or my games again. During the 1990s, I owned an NES, SNES, Playstation, But I always missed my Atari.

Sometime in 2004, I discovered the AtariAge community. It was then that I realized Atari 2600 consoles were being bought and sold all the time on the internet. I wasted no time! I went online and found an Atari “sixer” and this time, it was an actual Atari.

I have tried to rebuild my old cartridge collection, which wasn’t very many. The Atari was expensive at the time, so buying expensive cartridges wasn’t something I or my parents could do very often (I was only 9). From memory, the cartridges I owned were:

  • Fantastic Voyage
  • Space Jockey
  • Commando Raid
  • air-sea Battle
  • Combat (Tank)
  • Yar’s Revenge
  • Star Raiders
  • Astroblast
  • Dark Cavern
  • Pele’s Soccer
  • Trick shot
  • Spider Man (free from cereal box)
  • Space combat (Space War)

At some point during the 1980s, stores stopped selling Atari cartridges so I never got any more. My favorites were Yar’s Revenge, Star Raiders, Astroblast, Fantastic Voyage and I played them often. So far, I have managed to find most of those games on the internet plus other’s that I had always wanted.

I love my Atari and love playing Atari games. I don’t see myself ever giving it up.


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