Lately I've been going through my collection and have recently set up my 2600 permanently and getting awesome vibes playing through the classics (especially those ones missing from Flashback 3 I bought too) and started to wonder what makes Atari just so awesome. I know it is but I can't tell you why so maybe some others here can share their thoughts on it (assuming you agree). Some of the reasons that contribute to it being the coolest of all consoles for me are listed below.
1. Game art and packaging - The VCS has such awesome box art and labels/manual covers. This really was one of the greatest times for me because those Atari carts from the start had better artwork than 360/PS3 games today IMO.
2. The simplicity - Let's face it most of the best games are just instant on fun with no menus or stalling. Plug-in [press fire] and play for real. It's like there is no chaff clogging up quality gaming time being racked up with silly messages/menu screens. Games were somehow fun with just 4 directions and one action button, people designed around this joystick and the games never seemed lacking for extra buttons most of the time (Star Raiders of course being one time it works hand in hand with the video touchpad)
3. The sound - There is only one word to describe the SFX on the 2600 games....epic! Everything is just so awesomely bass heavy and thundering when required but also clean and crisp in straight tones. To me 2600 sounds are the equivalent of fuzz guitar to musical instruments.
4. It was the first and therefore it can never be bettered, only equalled. It is the console equivalent to Raiders of the Lost Ark in the Indy franchise, it was first and it was excellent at the time so can only be equalled and never bettered in the future.
5. The palette - let's face it in the late 70s how many colours did other machines have to play with? The attract mode on the 2600 games with a veritable rainbow of colours being cycled to display the onscreen graphics is just gorgeous and no other console did this or could even if it wanted to.
I think it's some mix of all of the above for me but I wonder what other people think about this?
1. Game art and packaging - The VCS has such awesome box art and labels/manual covers. This really was one of the greatest times for me because those Atari carts from the start had better artwork than 360/PS3 games today IMO.
2. The simplicity - Let's face it most of the best games are just instant on fun with no menus or stalling. Plug-in [press fire] and play for real. It's like there is no chaff clogging up quality gaming time being racked up with silly messages/menu screens. Games were somehow fun with just 4 directions and one action button, people designed around this joystick and the games never seemed lacking for extra buttons most of the time (Star Raiders of course being one time it works hand in hand with the video touchpad)
3. The sound - There is only one word to describe the SFX on the 2600 games....epic! Everything is just so awesomely bass heavy and thundering when required but also clean and crisp in straight tones. To me 2600 sounds are the equivalent of fuzz guitar to musical instruments.
4. It was the first and therefore it can never be bettered, only equalled. It is the console equivalent to Raiders of the Lost Ark in the Indy franchise, it was first and it was excellent at the time so can only be equalled and never bettered in the future.
5. The palette - let's face it in the late 70s how many colours did other machines have to play with? The attract mode on the 2600 games with a veritable rainbow of colours being cycled to display the onscreen graphics is just gorgeous and no other console did this or could even if it wanted to.
I think it's some mix of all of the above for me but I wonder what other people think about this?