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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 the 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 the Atari 8-bit computers and Atari VCS in 1979 and 1981 respectively.
The CPU and the graphics and sound hardware are almost identical to that of the Atari 8-bit computers, although software is not directly compatible between the two systems. 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 5200 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.