Atari VCS

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The Atari VCS is a video game console released in October 1977. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware with separate cartridges containing the game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in.
 

The VCS soon gained massive popularity as people realised it could play much more varied games than just variants of Pong, the game ‘Adventure’ changed gaming forever, as it unlocked a game with a virtual world larger than a single screen.
 
A conversion of the arcade hit Space Invaders raised the console and Atari to ever greater heights in the early 1980s, and despite a huge crash for the videogame market in the US, and Atari being sold on to several new owners, the console would have a very long manufactured life of around 14 ½ years. Some very prominent software companies such as Activision grew out of the VCS.

Our example is in excellent condition, with the finest box we have seen, PSU, and documentation.

Manufacturer: Atari
Date: October 1977

Atari VCS Manuals:

Item Manufacturer Date
GEOS Graphic Environment Operating System Version 2.0 Berkeley Softworks 1986

Atari VCS Articles:

Item Manufacturer Date
40 Years of Space Invaders Unknown

Other Systems Related To Atari VCS:

Item Manufacturer Date
Atari 800 with Programmer Kit Atari Inc 1st January 1979
Atari 400 with Aftermarket Keyboard Atari November 1979
Atari 800 Atari November 1979
Atari 400 Atari November 1979
Centipede Arcade Cabinet Atari 1980
Atari 1200XL Atari 1982
Atari 800XL Atari 1983
Atari 600XL Atari June 1983
Atari 520 STFM Atari 1985
Atari 65XE Atari 1985
Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software Atari 1985
Atari 520 STM Atari 1st January 1985
Atari 1040 STE Atari 1986
Atari 520 STM Atari 12th September 1986
Atari Mega ST 2 Atari 1987
Atari ST Mega 1040 Tower Power Atari 1988
Atari 1040STFM Atari 1989
Atari 1040STFM (David Arnold) Atari 1989
Atari 520 STE Atari 1989
Atari 1040STF Atari 1989
Atari Portfolio Atari 1989
Atari Stacy 2 Atari 9th December 1989
Atari Mega 4 Atari 1990
Atari TT030 Atari 1990
Atari Falcon Atari 1990
Atari Mega/STE Atari 1991

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH9400. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 
Atari VCS

  Games Archive   [151]

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