Homebrew Gave the Atari 7800 A 2nd Chance

[@Mohammed1000real]

Those homebrews are truly showing what the 7800 is capable of!

[@southtexasatlatl]

As someone who only recently got into the 2600/7800 early this year, I wish Atari Age would re-release some of their out of stock games instead of having to deal with scalpers on Ebay

[@TheAtariNetwork]

That would be cool and I would never say never!

[@fnjesusfreak]

Now that they're actually owned by "Atari" they have too big a target on their backs if they do that, esp. with Pac-Man Plus and Darryl what's-his-name's ports.

[@fensthespook]

​@@fnjesusfreakYou and me both pal.... I missed the boat as well

[@PG-gs5vb]

Re-releases of Fatal Run, Food Fight and Ninja Golf are just around the corner.

[@southtexasatlatl]

@@PG-gs5vb I'm getting those and the controller

[@adm712]

I just played 2 Robert Decrescenzo 7800 titles (Bentley, Frenzy) on VCS. While he did an amazing job reproducing the mid 1980s feel to the games, man, the difficulty levels can be tough at times.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Agreed

[@patsfan4life]

Try blocdrop and asteroids deluxe

[@SylveonTrapito]

Ricky and Vicky on Steam was the first aproach on the console and I loved it, but my favourite, that always play with my brothers, it's Ninja Golf. It's too funny and it plays really well!

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Ninja Golf is a ton of fun!

[@cryptocoffee13]

I never had one when it came out. I never knew it even existed until several years ago. I played some of the 7800 games on emulation and liked them. Then, played some on AntStream in 2019, then again on the modern VCS and on Atari50. These days, I can play original 7800 carts on the 2600+. I am looking forward to seeing what Atari Age homebrews will be once Atari has the time to figure that out. Plus, Atari is releasing new 7800 carts of some of their most popular titles, I have Fatal Run coming.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

That's right, the re-releases from Atari are really good deals. I'm not sure how much the homebrews will change but if they do I bet we'll start seeing it at the end of the year here. Maybe they'll offer them on atari.com too

[@kranibal]

Just incredible! Wow, those homebrews are insane! Thanks for posting.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

PLOK!

[@saurondp]

The 7800 is the primary example of a console that has seen a better second life than its first. There have been quite a few amazing homebrews for this system. It's worth pointing out that some of the better homebrews and original 7800 games are available on the new Atari VCS as well.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

The VCS is a great way to experience 7800 stuff and it's much cheaper in the VCS store. But the initial price is usually higher.

[@Atarifan72]

Love your channel man, it’s great!! Never stop making videos.

[@tarstarkusz]

3:45 The whole retrogaming scene came about in the 90s, not the 2000s. The first emulators were in like 1995. I remember the day I downloaded the very first one in about 1996. It played several games. Pac Man, Ms Pac Man, Frogger and a couple of others I forget. I want to say the guy's name was Ken something. There were very lively news groups like rec game video classic. Auctions in the newsgroups was a thing. Collecting Atari and other 80s games consoles was well underway. John Dondzilla was kicking out his games on the Vectrex in the 90s as well. 7800 game development was late to the homebrew party because the 7800 has a lock chip. Without having the key code, the 7800 would be forced into 2600 mode. Someone found the software on an ST they bought. That software could generate the code needed to unlock the 7800 mode. IIRC, it was found some time in the early 2000s. Had this software not been found, we still wouldn't have any new homebrew.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Prices skyrocketed in the 2000s. It became more mainstream and more people became more aware in part thanks to the internet and KZbinrs spreading the word and igniting memories. It's been around for a long time but in the 90s it was more niche and the prices were awesome.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@TheAtariNetwork Yes, it definitely got bigger and a lot more expensive.

[@indieeric6530]

I’m always looking forward to you releasing a new video. I have had a 2600/7800 since I was little and go through times where I play them regularly. I had no idea that they had been making home brews this whole time. Now my 13 year old son gets to enjoy the Atari system like I have. It’s cool to see him excited for a new game for a system older than me. See you on the next one! 😎

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Thanks for the support I appreciate it a lot. My kids never had much interest in Atari. My girls played Ms Pac man with me a bit and they all liked the light gun stuff. But outside that they aren't very interested. It is cool to see them enjoying something you did growing up I'm sure. I'll see you in the next video!

[@tomevil6]

Great video as always! Some of the best 7800 games are homebrew in my opinion!

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I would agree. Most of the top 7800 Games are homebrew which says a lot about the work and love being put into these games!

[@pacbilly]

The Double Dragon fix was great, but I'm hoping we one day get a 2-button version of Kung Fu Master that smooths out the controls.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

That would be cool. I always thought a fix for Karateka would be cool too!

[@pacbilly]

@@TheAtariNetwork Karateka needs more than just a fix. But I think it could be done. Apple II original source code is out there for all to see. We could theoretically get a Prince of Persia port, for that matter! They put it on the XL/XE last year. The right dev could make short work of a 7800 version.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

@@pacbilly there are a lot of things that would be cool to see. Planet Smashers as an Atari.com release with fixed audio. I heard that a 7800 game is getting the Berzerk Enhanced treatment and I really hope that's what it is. It would be cool to see Scrapyard Dog fixed up a little bit with different enemies and easier jumps. That is to say, no jumps that are leaps of faith off the side of the screen. Lots of cool ideas for homebrew developers but I always get excited for brand new stuff! Stay tuned next Thursday for some more on that topic...

[@socrates0603]

Good stuff, Jon! I look forward to your deeper takes on some of these games.

[@captainbeastazoid7084]

100% right on. Some of the homebrews are fantastic. Dragon's Havoc (with the music turned off...) is one of my favorite video games of all time. Fantastic gameplay and graphics.

[@Mikelp73]

I hope they are still being produced I bought a 7800+ and I’m looking to support mostly hombrew 7800 and 2600 stuff. I know it uses emulation. Still going put many hours in this winter. It’s still a cool piece of hardware

[@Cafeman_2D]

Thank you for more Atari homebrew content. Im still waiting for a bunch of the newer games, so for now my faves are still Donkey Kong PK and B*nk (Q*Bert port). Also, the games that use the AtariVox voice module are extremely satisfying to anyone who played Gorf or Wizard of Wor in the arcades.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

The Atari vox is pretty cool. I usually forget to hook it up though. B*nq is a really cool game and a really good version of Q-Bert.

[@tomflanagan3889]

I have really been digging E.X.O and Harpy's Curse lately. Especially E.X.O. That's a great point about more games being released now than at times in the original run. I got my 7800 in 87. I remember there were no games coming out for it. Nothing really started coming out until 89 if I recall. By then I had jumped ship for Sega.

[@ObsidianContraption]

Great run down on 7800 games! I must say, i'm really digging Dungeon Stalker

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Thank you. Dungeon Stalker isn't bad it's a really fun game. Glad you're enjoying it!

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

The thing that makes homebrew games so great is the fact that the programmers are not rushed by some release schedule or a publisher breathing down their necks, but can take their time to get everything the way they want it. There are so many instances where released games were really not ready to be released and either ended up buggy, incomplete or just disappointing (or all three!)

[@TheAtariNetwork]

That's such a great point. These games are labors of love and they can be worked on when the programmer feels motivated.

[@chazb8948]

Love your videos. I wish I got some of the home-brew games before they went out of print. I beat myself over that. Two games I wanted so bad.

[@Jolt7800]

I first became intrigued with the 7800 when I heard about General Computer Corp’s involvement with their arcade kits: Super Missile Attack and Crazy Otto (Ms. Pac-Man). When I found out they had something to do with the 7800 I was interested even more. Atari Ages homebrews celebrated with their Facebook’s “mail calls” definitely sealed the deal. As much as I love the original games, the fact that hobbyists care enough this underrated console to make new games definitely compels me to keep buying home brews.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

The whole story with Atari and GCC is a cool one. It's very interesting and I really wish GCC could've stayed on to support the 7800. The homebrew does keep the console fun and interesting to collect for. Without all the homebrew I would dare say the 7800 wouldn't have the appeal it does today!

[@rameybutler-hm7nx]

Great video🎉🎉🎉

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Thank you! I appreciate that!

[@ezedilu07]

This video really shows what the 7800 was capable of, Harpy's Curse caught my attention 👍Is there any RPG for the console?

[@TheAtariNetwork]

So there's 1 or 2 that was being worked on. There were threads over at AtariAge for them but I'm not sure if they're still being worked on or not...

[@MotownBatman]

This Summer my 7800 Ungergoes the Steve Austin treatment. Everything is getting Scrubbed\ReCapped\Repalced from the ground up, then comes the EverCart I'm patiently hoping for an Uber Nerd to come up with some Ultimate PICO-7800 Mod that adds everything from HDMI to Rom-storage... Patiently....

[@TheAtariNetwork]

We can rebuild it. We have the technology... But I don't want to spend a lot of money... Just kidding I've spent a fortune on my 7800 and the collection...

[@MrShuaTV]

Honestly out of the official lineup Galaga is my favorite, I feel it beats the NES version. My favorite hack is Mario Bros update looks amazing but we’ll probably never see a release of it. I wanted to get my hands on Moon Cresta but never did before it got pulled off AtariAge. Could you imagine the world we could’ve had if the 7800 was supported the way the NES was?

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Things would've been very different for sure. If the 7800 came out in 1984 like it was supposed to we could've lived in that world...

[@jeremiahthomas8140]

My favorite games are the retail releases. I have the complete 59 game retail set, and a few homebrews, with three more hopefully coming in soon. I do need to spend more time with Rikki & Vicki.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Rikki and Vikki is definitely a gem. Not all retail games are bad but they certainly weren't setting the industry on fire back in the 7800s day either. I like it all honestly...

[@kevinstrade2752]

Awesome video! Yes...I think Atari just didn't take home consoles seriously enough until the NES really tool off. 86,87? By then too late for the already 2-3 year old 7800 to be a serious competitor. It may have oitsold the master system for a bit. Not sure how true that is. I would have never imagined the 7800 still alive in 2024. Lol I mean 4k gaming...with 60fps and such amazing graphics and yet here we are....Atari consoles still very much alive despite officially dying loooong ago. Life can be strange.

[@stratfender89]

Rikki and Vikki need to be the new Atari Mascot. There's so much charm with them

[@walterchapman2094]

Ricky and Vicky needs another release now that there are new Atari systems available. Ive been interested in that games ever since hearing about it 3 or so yesrs ago.

[@Mrshoujo]

I'd like to see Qbert & Mr. Do! ported for the 7800.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I have a good news bad news scenario for you regarding one of those games. Q-Bert was ported to the 7800 and it's really good! It was ported under the name b*nq! But it was on AtariAge and was removed during last year's last chance sale for physical versions. You might still be able to download it for emulators and flash carts though!

[@Metro-vq3zl]

Excellent video.

[@DaveMoorland-zv3tn]

These 7800 indie reviews are excellent. I love the fact that the 7800 is getting the games that it deserves.

[@YorkiesTV]

Here's an interesting "what-if" scenerio for you. If Robert Decrescenzo's games were released during the 7800's original lifespan, do think things would have been different for the 7800, and to what degree?

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I'm not sure if his games would've been enough. They are great and if he could release things like Pac man collection, Bentley Bears Crystal Quest, and others unrestricted they would've helped. But the 7800 was a failure on many fronts. It was released too late, Atari didn't invest enough into marketing, and more. But Bob could've helped with the lack of software. I'd say that if all the homebrew from Darryl1970, Revontuli, playsoft, MuddyFunster and the rest of the talented crew was included then it would definitely have an impact on helping the console.

[@joezar33]

No Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat , that a bummer 😐? Wouldn't mind dumping a few of these roms on my Pac-Man hdmi console . Popeye and Rikki and Vikki dose look the koolest

[@Gecko1993HogheadIncOfficial]

I came here from the Atari 7800+ announcement, and I’m shocked as to why this wasn’t discovered sooner.

[@scranberry6536]

This was the first console that I ever owned and while I enjoyed playing it, the game library was nothing compared to the NES. If these games existed for this system during the mid-80s then it is possible that Atari holds off Nintendo as console champion.

[@dleon1990]

Can any of these games be played on the Atari Gamestation pro by adding them on a SD card?

[@dominicsmith5588]

You mention in your intro other reasons the Atari 7800 failed and while I do agree that the main reason was that it came out 2-years too late and the developers lacked the creative vision to see the protentional of a more advanced home console to deliver radically different types of games and were in effect stuck in past in only seeing a home console as something to deliver arcade ports. That said, even if everything had gone to plan, the Atari 7800 had lunched in 1984 with some decent games the took advantage of the system etc in terms of delivering more rewarding long terms experiences I think it would have still really struggled and the reason for that was the absolute train wreck of the Atari 5200. It is hard to overstate just what a monumental mistake it was for Atari to rush out this console in 1982 in a vain attempt to compete with the Colecovision who as people knowable of video game history know, used targeted adds that directly compared games on their system to ones on the Atari 2600. Atari had no reason to panic in the way they did, they still had the largest share of the home video game market and as the Atari 2600 homebrew scene has shown, the potential existed for them to bring out better looking and better playing games on their aging system. Instead they rushed out the Atari 5200 that was an extremely limited improvement on the Atari 2600 comparatively alongside games that did not look any different to ones you could find on the 2600. This in my opinion seriously undermined the brand with massive consumer disappointment. So if the Atari 7800 has hit stores in 1984 it would have struggled due to consumer distrust that it was going to be another weak, underperforming console like the Atari 5200 along with resentment from those consumers who had just brought an Atari 5200 that let us remember only hit stores 2-years ago and Atari was now saying it was already an obsolete, dead console.

[@Metro-vq3zl]

Super Circus is amazing.

[@TheBrick517]

People: "The 7800 has no games!" Bob Decrescenzo: "Nah I'd win"

[@indieeric6530]

If you wanted to play the newest homebrew games as they release, is the new VCS the best way to go? Or do you just use your PC? I try to get physical cartridges when I can, but it’s pretty pricey and I don’t have access to everything

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I personally use flash carts because I like to use original hardware but if you want to experience things as they come out a good emulator on your computer is the best way to go. I know nothing about 7800 emulation though...

[@indieeric6530]

@@TheAtariNetwork Do you have a video or link or something on how to find these flash carts? I’m not even sure what they are to be honest with you. I like playing on the original hardware as often as possible, so I was trying to find a way to play there instead of PC emulators.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

@@indieeric6530 look up 7800 Game Drive. They are sold by stoneagegamer and AtariAge. They usually sell out fast so if they are out of stock click to be notified when they return to stock. I haven't been able to get my hands on that one yet and use the concerto which is harder to obtain and doesn't have the compatibility of the game drive. Once I get one I'll do a video for set up and a brief review. That should help

[@ecdhe]

The 7800 is a great console with an awful timing - 1984 was the worst year to release a video game console in the U.S. But I think one of the things which sank the 7800 (and so many other Atari consoles) is that, under Warner Communications, Atari lost most of its talents to design games. So not only Atari was not able to come up with a killer game for the 5200/7800, but it never made the post-arcade switch contrary to Nintendo (Mario Bros was an arcade game, Super Mario Bros wasn't). Arcade games are constrained by their unique business model. GCC came up with some new games (e.g. Food fight) but those were only arcade games. Jack Tramiel revived engineering when it comes to make new systems, but not games (according to his son Leonard he was not interested in publishing games). And that sank Atari consoles under his leadership.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I would mostly agree. Thanks for watching!

[@ecdhe]

@@TheAtariNetwork "mostly" ? What small part do you disagree with? ;-)

[@erockbrox8484]

Here is the deal with any video game console. You have to have the killer games! Period. There is no way around it. If you just have a console with no games then you can't play anything. Now how do you add value to your console? You make a killer games. Like your Super Mario Bros 3 for NES, Donkey Kong Country for SNES, Halo 1,2 for the original Xbox, Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. No matter what, you have to have this killer game. It is the reason to buy the system and play the system. Because at the end of the day, you want to play the game and it doesn't matter what system its on, the only thing that matters is that you have to get the experience from that particular game. Now if you have tons of good games, but no killer game then the system can still be a success. The problem with the Atari 7800 is that it didn't have many games. But the cool thing from the perspective of a homebrew developer is that, all you have to do is make a really cool game and then everyone will acknowledge you for this. In other words, since the library is small the competition is small. All it takes is for someone to make a good Zelda clone or Final Fantasy RPG clone and Bam! The 7800 is now on the map. But again, its all about making the software for the console. Without the software the console is nothing.

[@tarstarkusz]

1:15 I think Nintendo was beatable in 1985. The 7800 was a machine which might have been able to pull it off. The early unexpanded NES was pretty weak. The NES greatly improved with mappers, but these came later and the 7800 could pull off the same trick, plus the cartridges were designed to allow audio expansion. At worst, the 7800 is only slightly behind a NES with mappers. Plus, keep in mind that this is before Nintendo locks up every 3rd party developer with illegal contracts banning them from releasing their games on other consoles. IMHO, Nintendo should have been barred from releasing any games or consoles in the US for this blatantly anti-competitive practice for at least a few years. The major problem with the 7800 is not the machine, but Atari. When Warner owned Atari, they had plenty of money for marketing and for larger cartridges and other stuff like that. But Atari under Jack just didn't have that kind of money. Another aspect is Jack didn't believe in video games. This was not without reason. The shakeup of 1983/84 was pretty bad. Everyone thought home computers were the new thing and that game consoles were last years news. Not only had video games just had a huge shakeout and billions in losses, but Jack was a major believer in home computers. He only sold the 7800 because he had them. He never would have commissioned a team to build a next generation game console.

[@walterchapman2094]

I wish Sega hadn't released their systems and they had bought Atari instead. They could have the 7800 incredible.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@walterchapman2094 The advantage Atari had along with the Atari name was the 7800 was released in the US before the NES. The 7800 came out in 84 in select markets just before Warner cut the cord on Atari (Warner bros studies owned Atari). Had Warner not dissolved Atari and kept with the 7800, it would have been on the market when Nintendo came to the US. They would have had a much, much tougher time locking 3rd parties to exclusivity. The problem with Sega is they already had a system in the SG1000 before the 7800 was ready and could have been released. It is highly unlikely they would have just abandoned 1 year old console.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@walterchapman2094 The advantage Atari had along with the Atari name was the 7800 was released in the US before the NES. The 7800 came out in 84 in select areas (I think LA just before Warner cut the cord on Atari . Had Warner not dissolved Atari and kept with the 7800, it would have been on the market when Nintendo came to america. They would have had a much, much tougher time locking 3rd parties to exclusivity . The problem with Sega is they already had a system in the SG1000 before the 7800 was ready and could have been released. It is highly unlikely they would have just abandoned 1 year old console

[@walterchapman2094]

@@tarstarkusz yeah, I've played segas first system, I think it was called SG-1000, and it's alot like a colecovision. Way to underpowered to go against the NES. I think the Sega Master System was like their 3rd system, that is actually more powerful than a NES. I just keep thinking how awesome it would have been to have Sega games on the 7800 and how having a big publisher concentrated with an established brand, could have seriously put a dent in Nintendo's dominance even when they were using unfair measures at the time to be on top. The Master System just didn't do that well in the U.S..

[@tarstarkusz]

@@walterchapman2094 Yes, Sega did release something in between the 1000 and the master system, but I'm pretty sure it is just a different sg-1000. I don't think there is any new capabilities. I think that may be the system where the game cards got their first start. Sega did release a few games under the Sega name on the 2600 and 5200. Up n Down 2600 I think is one. Zaxxon for the 5200 is another. I think there might be a Sega branded Star Trek game for one of them as well. While the Master System was more powerful than the unexpanded NES, I don't believe it is more powerful than some of the later mapper upgraded NES games. I don't believe the SMS could use mappers. But you are right, it could have been pretty cool if it had happened.

[@mixedhairless]

👏

[@LUCKO2022]

Double Dragon still looks and sounds like ass even with the hack. It needs a complete overhaul.

[@Ocea8i53]

jack tremiel ruined the atari 7800. what could of been my childhood if they handled the atari 7800 better

[@MisterSplendy]

Video of an enraged Atari content creator on KZbin helped a jury finding him guilty of "whining and crying" about the lack of a Steam port of Jinks and Fight Night. More news later on this KZbin News station.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Are you ok?

[@MisterSplendy]

@@TheAtariNetwork I'm crazy, dude.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

@@MisterSplendy lol fair enough

[@The_Badseed]

I loved my 2600, but the 7800? No thanks. I grew up when this junk came out NOBODY had one. Heck, nobody even talked about it. Not to be harsh, but it was bad then and this "second coming" is not much better when you compare it to it's original contemporaries. Looks like pixelated garbage. I understand your nostalgia, I'm still in love with the Vectrex, but be reasonable, Don't let it cloud your judgement. Really, everyone likes what you like and I was never interested in Tramell's sub-par consoles. Good video, I still find it interesting. 👍

[@TheAtariNetwork]

To each their own. I had one growing up and there were some really good games for it. The stuff today is far from pixelated garbage. I wouldn't call the stuff from the original run pixelated garbage either. I enjoy it all and I'm thankful that many people are taking interest and that hobbyists are porting a lot of cool games.

[@jeremiahthomas8140]

I had one back then and an NES, too. I have been a fan since then. Maybe you should avoid 7800 videos in the future.

[@Mcchubz]

7800 is double a 2600 and it is better

[@patsfan4life]

@@Mcchubzit’s triple….

[@Mcchubz]

@patsfan4life Atari 7800 console is generally considered to be roughly twice as powerful as an Atari 2600 console, making it a significant upgrade in terms of graphics, sound, and gameplay compared to its predecessor.