The Atari CX40 joystick was the first widely used cross-platform game controller. The original CX10 was released with the Atari Video Computer System (later renamed the Atari 2600) in 1977 and became the primary input device for most games on the platform. The CX10 was replaced after a year by the simpler and less expensive CX40. The addition of the Atari joystick port to other platforms cemented its popularity. It was the standard for the Atari 8-bit computers and was compatible with the VIC-20, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, MSX, and later the Atari ST and Amiga. Third-party adapters allowed it to be used on other systems, such as the Apple II, Commodore 16, TI-99/4A, and the ZX Spectrum.
The CX40 was so popular during its run that it became as iconic to Atari as the company's "Fuji" logo;[1] it remains a common staple in video game iconography to this day,[2] and is commonly referred to as the symbol of 1980s video game system design.[3] The CX40 has been called "the pinnacle of home entertainment controllers in its day",[4] and remains a staple of industrial design discussions.[5]
The CX40 had several well-known problems and was subject to eventual mechanical breakdown. A number of more robust third-party alternatives were available in a thriving market, but generally at much higher prices[6][a] so they never achieved widespread popularity in comparison to the CX40.[citation needed]
The Atari-style joystick declined in popularity as games relied on multiple buttons for gameplay. Systems from the third generation of video game consoles, such as the Nintendo Entertainment System and Master System included two action buttons on their controllers (with the NES controller also including two menu buttons). Atari's own Atari 7800 shipped with two-button controllers as well.[citation needed]
- ^ Goldberg & Vendel 2012, p. 323.
- ^ Wolf, Mark (2012). Before the Crash: Early Video Game History. Wayne State University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0814337226.
- ^ Lidwell, William; Manacsa, Gerry (2011). Deconstructing Product Design. Lockport Publishers. p. 97. ISBN 9781592537396.
- ^ Rollings, Andrew; Adams, Ernest (2003). Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design. New Riders. p. 167. ISBN 9781592730018.
- ^ Lidwell, William; Manacsa, Gerry (2011). Deconstructing Product Design. Rockport Publishers. p. 98. ISBN 9781592537396.
- ^ a b Plotkin 1982.
- ^ "advertisements". Modern Photography: 141. 1982.
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