Is The Atari 2600 Still Worth Playing In 2016? - Top Hat Gaming Man- Atari 2600 Review

[@bprgm775]

I'm glad my parents showed me their childhood games. I have a strong connection to this system. It has some of the first games I've ever played on it.

[@Adamchevy]

Great Video! I still play my 2600 in 2019. It is still my most favorite console. The load times are unbeatable, and all of the games play at 60fps!

[@madmax2069]

same here, as well as in 2020. my 2600 get more love than what my PS4 does.

[@RetroCynical]

Atari 2600, the first console I ever played. Great video my friend.

[@ghostunix731]

Yes I had a 2600 growing up and its still the best game ever!

[@jeffypencil2657]

I got a Atari 2600 yesterday and I’m 12 I’m a 12 year old retro game collector also I took apart the Atari 2600 joysticks and fixed them myself they are no longer stiff and all the controls work fine now.

[@jeffypencil2657]

My real account is retro collector but I’m using this one for now top hat gaming man will you subscribe to my channel Retro collector I do retro reviews on retro games and 80s 90s and new games and early 2000s technology.

[@Lone432345]

It probably helps that the games are cheap.

[@KnowYourGamesOfficial]

8:00 was the funniest thing I've seen in years! Great job on another great video!

[@bazdaniels7420]

One thing about that atari controller... I hear a lot about "stiffness" of the joystick. however, this comes from not being very familiar with it. After using it for a while, one develops the ability to use it with ease! And it doesn't seem "stiff". That's actually a great joystick controller!

[@brandonb1681]

We got ours for Christmas in 1978. Good times they were.

[@FrenchFryCheese04]

Did you have a Eureka ESP Vacuum?

[@outtheredude]

I was a poor adolescent in the mid to late 1990s, mainly thanks to the economic miracle that was Thatcherism. So a plain brown cardboard boxed Atari 2600, with a small selection of games, such as Space Invaders, Pac-Man and Breakout, was successfully obtained by myself from a seedy back street second hand shop, for much less than the price of a premium SNES title that the rich kids could buy with la-de-da ease. It was a console that had to be used in secret, as I was forbidden to plug any consumer electronics into my humble little colour TV in my bedroom, as such a sin would have practically left us as paupers on the street, according to my Mum. She was quite wrong on that score. The electric bill only went up by the price of a proper king size Mars bar. She could never catch me out though, as the VCS, controllers, games and cables were easy to hide under my bed at a moments notice, where other electronic contraband also lurked. So, back in the day, I still had fun north of the border, despite the ever watchful authorities, during that grim time in our nation's history.

[@user-yk1cw8im4h]

Man you were lucky to even had a tv in your bedroom.

[@A3rgan]

"Robots in disguise!" - that really cracked me up, well done!

[@pferreira1983]

Transformers?

[@CJBuzzy]

I nearly pissed with laughter at the part about hipster parties. Well done

[@WorldofMrGrey]

I am slowly binge watching all your videos, you are now in my top 5 youtubers lol, awesome vids mate, really enjoying them ;)

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

Fanbloodytastic, glad you like them

[@Jordan-hs5kf]

As always, I love your videos. Pong with a tank makes me envision a bunch of soldiers deflecting cannon-fire with a large white block.

[@Anu_Sol]

Not played the video yet, just looked at the thumbnail. Why the fuck is Hitler playing the Atari 2600.

[@Retrorevelations]

2600 was my first console ever, in the mid 80s as a toddler. I only remember us having 3 games: Combat, Space Invaders, and my personal fav. of that era, Astroblast. I liked gaming as a little kid, from arcade, our early Tandy PC, and the Atari. But I didn't fall in LOVE with gaming until NES and Super Mario Bros. came along.

[@kingvoxel6516]

That commercial at the end is my all time favourite video game commercial!

[@mongooseonaunicycle2056]

The 2600 can be fiddly to get set up, but once your enveloped in that classic Atari sound and bright pulsating graphics it's totally worth it, loving the wood panel games room buddy screams 80s gaming....top notch from tophat once again :D

[@papapingas1797]

I looked deep into your archive just to watch this.....thank you

[@FamilyFunTableGames]

I'm 44 and my neighbours had one in 1977, I loved it so much

[@quaderobertson2904]

Dude I'm making my spare room into a golden age game room. Great idea

[@omegasupreme1970]

i was 8 years ould when the 2600 came out. still playing it was an awsome system also have my colecovision.

[@losalfajoresok]

You made laugh a lot! Love your character and the accent! Cheers from Argentina!

[@mUbase]

Hello THGM!! I've just discovered your channel & I'm glad I have! I loved your video on Is the spectrum....da da da as I'm a 42 year old Spectrum user. Got my first Sinclair computer in 1984 which was a ZX81 with a 16K RAM pack. Then was given another ZX81 in a DK'tronics keyboard with 16K and a box full of games. I LOVED that computer. Then eventually got a Speccy. I remember the Atari fondly though. Me and a mate used to bike up to Mablethorpe indoor market and hire (yes, hire!!) Atari games £1 for the weekend. :) Loving your videos.

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

Stephen Scutt Thank you! Expect more micro computer content soon. I am in the process of creating a micro room in my house.

[@mUbase]

Very cool! I notice in your wooden study (lol) you have an orange Binatone. God I remember those as well. My Uncle gave me his old one. Tennis football hockey? and squash. The sheer quality! I also see you've got an intellivision. I recently got hold of 2 Intellivoice modules from a house clearance down the road from me ( sheer luck, I'm putting up a video of my finds soon). Would you be interested in an Intellivoice? postscript: Oh, and don't worry, I'm not a twatty fucking hipster. I live in Peckham!! post postscript: and Oh yeah!! I found an Atari2600 in the house clearance, in fact, that was was started the avalanche!! I saw it on the back of the clearers lorry and asked if I could take it and they invited me to come look inside!!!

[@TheRavenquick]

So many memories of the Atari 2600 it was a wonderful system for it's time. One thing I do like is you can now get the Atari Vault on Steam and can enjoy some classic Atari 2600 games as well as some of the arcades they had back in the day.

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

+TheRavenquick It is indeed, I have a big box of intellivision games being shipped to myself at present, so will be able to look at that system in detail soon.

[@chargermaster4054]

is it still worth playing yes and no look at it like a car from the 70,s i wouldnt recommend it as a everyday use car and the 2600 as an every day system today since the mother bords are worns dirty the gamea could use cleaning and since its gunna be 40 years old next year that is when things start to fall apart but its fun system i still have my six switch heavy sixer wood grain atari and still runs perfectly but back n the early 90,s i put it on my self to display since it was considered a old system by the 1990,s but still played it a little then last month i started playing it more again on titles i missed from back n the day

[@chargermaster4054]

+Top Hat Gaming Man if u can do an is the nes still worth playing today since its 30 years old n september well technically 33 years old as the famicom n japan would u do that serries please

[@Rguy8675]

Strange! Almost 10 years ago I first played it when I was like 8 or 9 and I loved it! sure it was super outdated but it was fun!

[@zetmoon]

Atari 2-600, never heard it pronounced like that!

[@SomeOrangeCat]

Oh, I remember my first Atari experience. Playing it at my across-the-street neighbor's house, every day before school.

[@Bob_Beaky]

I love the 2600. It was pioneering in its heyday and nowadays offers a genuine alternative (emulation aside) in terms of game play and content to today's consoles. There's something magical about a system that has an incredibly strong identity, whether it be graphical style, it's bleeps and bloops or it's one button joystick. One thing's for sure, when one switches on a VCS game there's no mistaking which system your playing on! I'd say there's no doubt that the Atari is worth a play today. :)

[@banaweekidane2630]

Buddy your fantastic..... The accent is spot on, the review is very intelligent and some of the jokes are simply superb. Atari 2600 is superior to ps4 and Xbox one in every way. Keep up.the good work old.chap !

[@Diamhea]

So many dislikes from 12 year old AVGN drones.... life is unfair to the average YT game reviewer sometimes.

[@arkdov]

While everybody else is constantly talking about Xbox, Playstation and Switch, I still play Atari 2600 everyday.

[@eltonbormes]

Great video! It's interesting to see the original Yar's Revenge. That remake was quite weird. Anyway, a really good video, congratulations!

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

+Elton Borges Thank you, I herd they made a new Yars Revenge, Ill have to give it ago at somepoint.

[@eltonbormes]

Let me tell you this... It's a bad game. But, you can get it both on Xbox Live or Steam.

[@kefka989]

I still remember my old Atari. It used to belong to my folks and they let me and my sister mess around with it. It had a few games that did not work (Like Berzerk unfortunately) but some that did that I played the hell out of. I remember one was a strange odd-ball where you played as a duck in a pond with a shotgun barrel sticking out of his beak shooting up at descending crabs that tried to drop bricks on you from their claws... guess you could make a game about anything back in those days.

[@kingstonlj]

I bought an Atari 2600 last year and discovered a few good games that I enjoy playing. Of course, even the best games for the system are very basic and get repetitive, but there's still a certain charm to them and some fun to be had. It's a great console for people who appreciate extremely retro gaming experiences.

[@richardmack330]

If you haven't yet already, get yourself a copy of H.E.R.O. for the Atari. Great game.

[@kingstonlj]

Yeah, that's a great game. One of the best for the system.

[@Skaera75b]

Dude, this is the full-blown HEEL version of Richard Parliament... and I love it! The 'babyface' Top Hat Gaming Man is fun and all, but i beg you... bring back this guy!

[@DaveImagamegeek]

Excellent video just subscribed ... I was 16 when I got my Atari 2600

[@AM562]

Re-launch constantly talked about wasn't in 1989 was 1985 for the poor man's Nes

[@tancoplays3502]

I love your style of humor

[@JcaliforniaJ]

Amazing video as usual. Good job old chap.

[@wildbilltexas]

Yay for "rich mahogany" and wood grain! Atari made a LOT of bad decisions, but I'm glad they brought back the 2600 Jr in the mid 80's. I bought one for around $40 on sale in 1988 because my old "Light Sixer" 2600 had died.

[@Victoria3232-j7o]

That's rare to see a 2600 VCS not work perhaps if you still have it you can get it running again since its simple hardware someone can get it back running.

[@MrSEA-ok2ll]

Top Hat, the Woody model you own is a 4 switcher...the original Woody line was a 6 switcher, but you still have a Woody. Pertaining to great games, you are correct that several games are still fantastic to play today and running at 60fps...most of which were created by Activision and Imagic.

[@vram1974]

Played the crap out of it when I was a kid, but it's just too simplistic to hold my interest now. NES, SMS is about as far back as I can stand. On the upside, Atari's piss poor gfx scale to 8k, no problem.

[@supanintendokidyoutube9809]

I would recommend looking for an Atari 2600 joystick that doesn’t have TOP written across it. These are known as the CX-10 which is much less stiff than the CX-40 which do say TOP across them.

[@CaptainCaveman1170]

This is such an epic THGM video.

[@blingladen]

me n my bros first console.thinkargos and index sold the plastic rerelease with 10 games in the mid 80s..used to love asteroids ,centipede and adventure the most.there were asome graphically impressive games like solaris which i lent off my friend once.

[@philv2529]

what was cool about atari space invaders is that it was better than the arcade since you could select different levels like invisible ships and guided missiles.

[@Richard31337]

Great video! Both funny and informative. Good show old boy!

[@joshmarcus78]

Good times and nice Larry Bundy colab

[@16LifeGames]

Amazing video!

[@Elkhose]

your Humor made me subscribe... keep it up

[@MakoTenseii]

The "You're nearly dead" destroyed me. Lol. This is just my humor

[@latebloomer2]

I got my first light sixer 1 year ago, then 2 Jr , and another light sixer. Start with 4 cartridges, now about 30 something (many are the same game/ multi banks🤣). When the VCS was launched in 1977, I wasn't born yet😂.

[@PhoenixNL72-DEGA-]

Still have that new design atari 2600 which I bought as a replacement for my original Darth Vader version when it died on me back in the day. (Damn thing took a bunch of cartridges like space invaders, trick shot, Pinball wizard and Dig Dug with it. :( ) I prefered that versions joysticks though. It was more ergonomical, longer and smaller, with a better stick and 2 buttons on the the side so it could be used by both right and left handed people. Used to have bout 60 cardridges for it back when I was a kid. However somewhere in the early 90's I lend the system and the cardridges to a friend and only got the console back, but not the cartridges. I picked it up from him when visiting a mutual friend and I think I might have forgot to pack the cardridges in my own backpack or something. Still sad about losing them.

[@davy_K]

Super Breakout, Warlords and Kaboom! say that it is. Combat and Yars Revenge are good shouts too. Best with multiplayer.

[@Cortinaman63]

I bought one brand new back in December 1978 cost £199,99p, the (3 switch woody) which I still own, and it was called the Atari (two thousand six hundred) by everyone back then, in London, every shop even Harrods knew it as that, I built a large cartridge collection, was a member of the Atari owners club, (still got the monthly members magazines), Activision club, (likewise) it was GREAT when Ingersole Electronics ran the marketing in the UK, as you could buy games cheaper direct from the factory, get free posters, advertising merchandise, etc, it went down hill once Warner communications took over, they brought out the cheap small console, when shops still had the higher priced all Black version still in stock, so distributors got angry and sales hit the floor, and dealers dropped the product, in there droves. a fabulous product let down by the bad management of the new Warner owners,( I never forgave them for that)..I used to play 12 hours straight, every day, and found a way to beat Pacman and never get caught by the ghosts, Interestingly I found a cartridge for the Atari 2700 in a shop in Llandudno, North Wales, many years ago, (unboxed) but never saw the console sold in the UK, I bought the game, but have never played it as I found the cartridge is slightly different on the prongs so though it is the same size will not lock in to the 2600 slot.

[@luigi55125]

The Atari 2600 is over 40 years old, and they're still being used, talked highly about, and people are STILL making brand new games for it. The 2600 is a gaming legend, it will only die if gaming dies. Of course they may be forced into retirement at some point due to aging materials, going brittle and fragile. But I honestly believe someone will begin to reproduce them at some point.

[@SinceSpacies]

Sadly when I first got handed the controller when I was a kid it was upside down. So when I was playing Pele Soccer (the very first Atari 2600 game I ever played) I was getting annoyed that my players were running the wrong way. Derp!

[@TheNecropolis20]

at 2:05 - your wondering why they were trying to re-release the Atari 2600 in the UK in 1989 ? This is because just 2 years earlier in 1987 the did this in America when the New Master Series (Atari red label) was released it ran from 1987 to 1990. my favorite game for this series is Gravitar. supposedly acording to legend the series was then extended from 1990 to 1992 with more games getting Released Such as Secret Quest in 1990. i remember in the shopping mall in 1991 seeing Gravitar for sale but instead i bought the Adams Family movie for the NES for 13 dollars and it was reduced down from 40 dollars.

[@KageMaxwell]

I'm trying to remember why the 2600 port of Pac-man was so goofy looking. Didn't they say that was the prototype of the game and they released that instead of waiting for the completed version? I think that's happened. Damn, it is like some of today's games!

[@thepickles8833]

Awesome Golden Age Wood Room

[@kr4t0sg.28]

I liked how you said todays gaming is taking huge steps backwards with the system updates and installations. I HATE THIS SHIT.

[@rsmaciel73]

I'm almost dead ... I was five years old in 1978.

[@hatednyc]

Never had an Atari 2600 OR Sega but switching to a MegaDrive controller must be *Fantastic* after years of Joystick! 1989 - I recall the SAD 2600 relaunch: they actually had Ads suggesting that then 2600, at $19.99, was a better buy than the NES! Those poor kids whose moms fell for that! (Can’t lie, I fell for the *Atari XE* until dad couldn’t stand seeing me depressed and got my NES)

[@TechSpec814]

Planning to get one for the first time. Suggestions?

[@henkehaandersson]

do it

[@TechSpec814]

HenrikHAAndersson Lol I'm still thinking about it. Reasons?

[@henkehaandersson]

no loading or download. no upgrade and whatever new games comes with. just put the cart in and have fun. playing basketball at the moment.. simple fun. much like top hat guy says, really..

[@TechSpec814]

HenrikHAAndersson Fair enough. Any game suggestions?

[@henkehaandersson]

Writing this while watching the video.. (6mins in)

[@dad7275]

One game comes to mind of the 2600 with in game music. Double Dragon.

[@Bob_Beaky]

THGM, just wondering if you still play your 2600 in 2018? Regarding narrative in 2600 games, surely it has the ultimate narrative in all of its games - "we all die in the end!" :P

[@theboys9657]

The 2600 was my first console it was a hand me down from my causient I was born in 1980

[@bprgm775]

Defender, Adventure, Yars revenge, Ms. Pacman, Pitfall. The answer is yes.

[@TG_Sponge]

Do you know that Combat has planes too?

[@aemerox5773]

Hmm... There's another Atari type 2600 system that exists and not many know about it's existence. I now own this type and quite a few call it a clone or an OEM version brand. It was made for Sears.

[@marcorubio3496]

Bloody style points in the character department.

[@nunavyourbiznas8660]

"Your nearly dead, ha ha ha ha" Subscribed. :D

[@olafbuddenberg4787]

My favourite 2600 game will always be ASTEROIDS!

[@dad7275]

Olaf Buddenberg Nice choice.

[@chargermaster4054]

do a is the nes still worth playing today since its 30 years old well techically 33 in japan with the famicom

[@yandman26]

Twenty six hundred and it was originally called the Video Computer System.

[@ZylonBane]

Woah there, saying 2600 games NEVER had music is flat-out wrong. Frogger alone should have put that myth to rest.

[@frankieaponte8263]

2018 and still playing.

[@patrickfinnegan1376]

I am as old as the Atari 2600 and I would like to redownload these games again how can I do that it will make me feel like if I'm a kid again

[@TitanIsBack]

Two Six Hundred... I had to tap out about the tenth time I heard that, sorry.

[@steve24822]

Never heard it said that way...

[@leeball4585]

Two thousand six hundred

[@tomsuzyinfluencerinfj2712]

Is The Atari 2600 Still Worth Playing In 2016? Of course, - timeless!

[@eddtheduck2011]

great video

[@omegasupreme1970]

the fun is back was also used in the US

[@tomsuzyinfluencerinfj2712]

very good YT video

[@WS-gw5ms]

Omg tunnel runner. That scared the shit out of me and my brother. But we played it in the 80s. So that explains your ghost-stache. Just busting you but please shave that dust off your lip. Subscribed

[@Maggerama]

Wouldn't mind a remake of War Lords.

[@davidrobo8935]

I'm not sure if I ever heard anyone say "two six hundred"

[@RieklinRideR]

yeah the future of gaming its play a game istantly! i hope it will happen soon, in the meanwhile i'll stick with the emulators xD

[@pixelartingames]

Great new seeing as i just pulled on out of the local skip....

[@Stevaside]

2600 was the 1st system I collected for & I have close to 200 games in my collection, but honestly there's only a small handful of games I can bring myself to play nowadays...I was an 80s kid so it was my 1st system... so in the late 90's the nostalgia, finding out about all the games I never knew existed online, and the fact any game was $1 a piece at the time caused me to build a big library, but the novelty kinda wore off after a little while...I can pretty much do 7800/NES & up as far as spending some time playing now lol

[@Lone432345]

If you want something new for your 2600. There the homebrew stuff.

[@66cuda]

I still have mine the "woody" I got mine before the video game crash" it was a milestone in gaming I must be close to death I'm 44 now

[@chargermaster3676]

like the suit and hat and humor and video.

[@TheDanno210]

Sigh. You're gonna make me say it, aren't ye Richard? Fine. Ahem. Insert picture of Madea cocking her hand gun here with the caption "SAY TWO-SIX HUNDRED ONE MORE TIME!" Stay wonderfully cranky my friend. Sincerely, everyone.

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

I went to the Cambridge computer museum a few weeks ago too and interviewed their archive historian on the channel. He referred to it as a two six hundred too.

[@philsmith3261]

I thought you were 50 lol (sorry). I liked the 1980's and early 1990's. You could go into a shop and you buy a spectrum game as well as an Amiga one. Brilliant. The 2600 had playability and I still love many of the games today. Plus the only guy ever to call it a two six hundred lol.

[@Eucep]

I actually had the Junior version, around the time that the NES also was available, but the Junior was damn cheap, the games however were not.

[@Dazlidorne]

It's pronounced Atari twenty-six hundred!

[@Victoria3232-j7o]

Dazlidorne Jenkins its the way him and British people say it clam down.

[@dubsy1026]

charger master literally no other British people say it that way. I live in the UK myself and he is the only person who ever said it that way. Don't talk about how other countries say things if you don't even know.

[@Anu_Sol]

charger master Nope I'm English and I've always said "twenty six hundred". Maybe it's a Jewish thing?

[@Stevaside]

I like his videos, but have to say I cringed every time he said it that way..which was multiple times lol

[@Sut1978]

We’ve picked ‘twenty six hundred’ from the Americans us Brits should would actually read it as ‘two thousand six hundred’.

[@paulspopculture5592]

god you even have 1970s wallpaper lmao in this video

[@sorryimaiden]

My dad owned an Atari

[@boogiemanspud]

My top 2600 games are River Raid and Frostbite.

[@TheNecropolis20]

Interesting, i have not played though games much, i have both of those but i dont play them much. those are from the Activision series. you would proably win games if you faced off with me playing them. Although im really good with Gravitar. And my Nephew loves playing Outlaw , Air-sea battle and Combat from the Game program series made by Atari.

[@PonPonWeii]

the atari 2600 is like a 14.4k modem, or floppy disks. cool concept at the time but who the hell wants to go back to that?

[@xGeneticzz97]

Two Six Hundred?!??!! it's Twenty Six Hundred!!!

[@gabenewell7773]

What's your favorite game (out of curiosity)

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

+Gabe Newell Id like to tell you, but that will be revealed, next time I visit Atari with a stand alone game review!

[@gabenewell7773]

+Top Hat Gaming Man Can't wait