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 Atari 5200 and one of its controllers | |
| Manufacturer | Atari, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Home video game console |
| Generation | Second |
| Release date |
|
| Discontinued | May 21, 1984 |
| Units sold | 1 million[1] |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | MOS 6502C @ 1.79 MHz |
| Memory | 16 KB RAM |
| Controller input | Joystick Trak-Ball |
| Predecessor | Atari 2600 |
| Successor | Atari 7800 |
The Atari 5200 SuperSystem or simply Atari 5200 is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. as a higher-end complement for the popular Atari Video Computer System.[2] The VCS was renamed to Atari 2600 at the time of the 5200's launch.[3] Created to compete with Mattel's Intellivision, the 5200 wound up a direct competitor of ColecoVision shortly after its release.[4] While the Coleco system shipped with the first home version of Nintendo's Donkey Kong, the 5200 included the 1978 arcade game Super Breakout, which had already appeared on previous Atari home platforms.
The system architecture is almost identical to that of the Atari 8-bit computers, although software is not directly compatible between them. The 5200's controllers have an analog joystick and a numeric keypad along with start, pause, and reset buttons. The 360-degree non-centering joystick was touted as offering more control than the eight-way Atari CX40 joystick of the 2600, but was a focal point for criticism.
On May 21, 1984, during a press conference at which the Atari 7800 was introduced, company executives revealed that the 5200 had been discontinued after less than two years on the market.[5] Total sales of the system were reportedly in excess of 1 million units,[1] far short of its predecessor's sales of over 30 million.
- ^ a b Schrage, Michael (May 22, 1984). "Atari Introduces Game In Attempt for Survival". Washington Post. p. C3.
The company has stopped producing its 5200 SuperSystem games player, more than 1 million of which were sold.
- ^ "The Atari 5200 will be available in October". The Milwaukee Sentinel. September 1, 1982. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
- ^ Barton, Matt; Loguidice, Bill (February 28, 2008). "A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS". Gamasutra. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
- ^ G4TV's Icons season 2 episode 1 "Atari"
- ^ Sanger, David E. (May 22, 1984). "Atari Video Game Unit Introduced". New York Times: 3 (Section D).
Company officials disclosed for the first time yesterday that the 5200 is no longer in production, and Atari appears to be selling off its inventory.