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The Atari 7800 was announced on May 21st, 1984, and was intended to cost consumers $140. In the eyes of Atari management the Atari 7800 would be a return to form after the lackluster performance of the Atari 5200, as the Atari 7800 would address almost all of the shortcomings of the Atari 5200. However due to series of unfortunate events the system wouldn’t launch until almost two years after its announcement. By this time Nintendo and Sega were dominating a newly rejuvenated home console market in the United States, but Atari still saw the opportunity to re-introduce the Atari name into American homes. Yet the Atari 7800 would mark a turning point for Atari as a console manufacturer as the console’s struggle to regain public popularity marked the eventual collapse of the Atari brand name and company as a whole.
In July of 1984, the home video game division of Atari was purchased by the now infamous Jack Tramiel. Although the Atari 7800 was ready to go at this point, licensing negotiations had to begin again because the Tramiels did not agree with existing licensing arrangements, as a result the release of the 7800 was delayed. It was around this time that the video game market crashed, and retailers cut orders and shipments for video games across the board. As a result, by the end of 1984 the industry was left with only Atari, Coleco ( ColecoVision), and Mattel ( Intellivision) all of which decided to turn out new product for their old systems instead of developing new consoles, as such no new consoles were on the horizon for the United States. However Atari after spending the last two years working out the paperwork for the 7800s, by 1986 the 7800 was ready for release.
However, on October 15, 1985, everything changed.
Unbeknownst to Atari, a Japanese company called Nintendo decided to bring their successful Famicom console over to the United States. In their ignorance Atari management ignored the Famicom, and even skipped the chance to publish the American version of the Famicom. This mistake alone would prove to be one of the most costly mistakes ever enacted by Atari and even the video game industry.
Despite the fact that the American home console market was still reeling from the video game crash in 1984, Nintendo still saw potential consumers. They were right; by 1986 the Nintendo Entertainment System had become an enormous hit with American consumers. With this in mind Tramiel and Atari continued with the release of the 7800, in hopes of reaping in the rewards of a newly awaken home console market.
Twelve 7800 titles were announced for launch, as well as a special High-Score cartridge that would allow console gamers to save their high scores for the first time ever. Also the system was completely compatible with 2600 games, a feature that the previous 5200 console lacked. The public was excited, and the 7800 was poised to take over the gaming world. But it didn't quite happen that way.
Instead Tamriel and the rest of Atari management would make various business mistakes with the release of the system. The first of which was the fact that Atari had failed to promote and captivate developers to adopt the system and develop games for the 7800. Instead Atari would concentrate on advertising the complete backwards compatibility the 7800 had with the 2600 games instead of the 7800 own library of games. In fact only 10 games were developed and released by third party developers for the 7800, 6 from Absolute Entertainment; 2 from Activision; and 2 were from Froggo. This meant that the 7800 would have to rely on in-house development from Atari in order to supply games for the system. However this sadly was not enough to compete with the NES’s or even the Sega Master System’s massive video game library. Also the launch for the system itself was poorly planned out as only three games, versus the promised twelve titles, were available for the system at launch. Not only that but the 7800 was poorly distributed amongst retailers making the system hard to find during its launch. Sadly the 7800 was never able to recover from its rocky launch and in the end poorly conceived business decisions and a highly competitive console market doomed the system.
Graphically, the 7800 was an excellent machine for its time, rivaling and even surpassing the NES and Sega Master System in some respects. The new custom CPU that would power the system was capable of moving 100 objects on-screen at the same time and was capable of displaying a 256 color palette. However sound quality for the system was poor, and this was due to the fact that the system utilized the same old sound chip from the 2600. However resourceful programmers got around this limitation by adding the 5200's POKEY sound chip directly to certain cartridges. Arcade ports for the system were excellent, but even the most popular arcade hits just didn't have the marketing behind them to overcome the Nintendo juggernaut.
The system is indeed compatible with almost 100% of the existing Atari 2600 game library, and all the existing 2600 controllers and peripherals are compatible as well. The 7800 was also sold with its own special Proline controllers, meant to be an improvement over the 5200 design. The controller was a two-button controller, allowing for greater functionality than the classic one-button from the 2600 days.
Elsewhere in the world, the 7800 had a bit more success. Systems sold outside North America included Asteroids built-in to the OS ROM, making it an interesting item for American collectors. In Australia and New Zealand, it included a 32-in-1 cartridge, although it was just a re-labeled 2600 version. Still, this is another interesting collectible that North American collectors won't find at the local flea market.
Interestingly, very few prototypes have turned up for this system over the years, compared with the dozens that have been found for the 2600. It was only recently emulated, and no new games have been written for the system like they have for virtually every other classic system. In the end Atari was no longer the console manufacturer that it once was, but unconvinced of this Atari would make one last ditch effort to compete in the console market….
* CPU: Custom 6502C
Speed: 1.79 MHz, drops to 1.19 MHz when the TIA or RIOT chips are accessed
(note: This is Atari's custom 6502 known as SALLY which can be halted to allow other devices to control the bus)
* RAM: 4 KB (2 6116 2Kx8 RAM ICs)
* ROM: built in 4 KB BIOS ROM, 48 KB Cartridge ROM space without bankswitching
* Graphics: MARIA custom graphics controller
160x240 (160x288 PAL) resolution or 320x240/288 resolution
25 color palette out of 256 colors (16 hues * 16 luma), different graphics modes restricted the number of usable colors and the number of colors per sprite
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Graphics clock: 7.16 MHz
* I/O: Joystick and console switch IO handled byte 6532 RIOT and TIA
* Ports: 2 joystick ports, 1 cartridge port, 1 expansion connector, power in, RF output
* Sound: TIA video and sound chip, same as the 2600. Only the sound is used in 7800 games. Both video and sound are used in 2600 games.
Optional POKEY sound chip on cartridge for improved sounds.
The third console released by Atari. It was the successor to the Atari 5200. It was a home entertainment system which featured backwards compatibility with the Atari 2600.
Summary
Atari 7800 Pro System
The Atari 7800 was announced on May 21st, 1984, and was intended to cost consumers $140. In the eyes of Atari management the Atari 7800 would be a return to form after the lackluster performance of the Atari 5200, as the Atari 7800 would address almost all of the shortcomings of the Atari 5200. However due to series of unfortunate events the system wouldn’t launch until almost two years after its announcement. By this time Nintendo and Sega were dominating a newly rejuvenated home console market in the United States, but Atari still saw the opportunity to re-introduce the Atari name into American homes. Yet the Atari 7800 would mark a turning point for Atari as a console manufacturer as the console’s struggle to regain public popularity marked the eventual collapse of the Atari brand name and company as a whole.
Backstory
In July of 1984, the home video game division of Atari was purchased by the now infamous Jack Tramiel. Although the Atari 7800 was ready to go at this point, licensing negotiations had to begin again because the Tramiels did not agree with existing licensing arrangements, as a result the release of the 7800 was delayed. It was around this time that the video game market crashed, and retailers cut orders and shipments for video games across the board. As a result, by the end of 1984 the industry was left with only Atari, Coleco ( ColecoVision), and Mattel ( Intellivision) all of which decided to turn out new product for their old systems instead of developing new consoles, as such no new consoles were on the horizon for the United States. However Atari after spending the last two years working out the paperwork for the 7800s, by 1986 the 7800 was ready for release.
However, on October 15, 1985, everything changed.
One of the few third party games for the 7800
Unbeknownst to Atari, a Japanese company called Nintendo decided to bring their successful Famicom console over to the United States. In their ignorance Atari management ignored the Famicom, and even skipped the chance to publish the American version of the Famicom. This mistake alone would prove to be one of the most costly mistakes ever enacted by Atari and even the video game industry.
Despite the fact that the American home console market was still reeling from the video game crash in 1984, Nintendo still saw potential consumers. They were right; by 1986 the Nintendo Entertainment System had become an enormous hit with American consumers. With this in mind Tramiel and Atari continued with the release of the 7800, in hopes of reaping in the rewards of a newly awaken home console market.
Twelve 7800 titles were announced for launch, as well as a special High-Score cartridge that would allow console gamers to save their high scores for the first time ever. Also the system was completely compatible with 2600 games, a feature that the previous 5200 console lacked. The public was excited, and the 7800 was poised to take over the gaming world. But it didn't quite happen that way.
Not exactly what we would call a "killer-app"
Instead Tamriel and the rest of Atari management would make various business mistakes with the release of the system. The first of which was the fact that Atari had failed to promote and captivate developers to adopt the system and develop games for the 7800. Instead Atari would concentrate on advertising the complete backwards compatibility the 7800 had with the 2600 games instead of the 7800 own library of games. In fact only 10 games were developed and released by third party developers for the 7800, 6 from Absolute Entertainment; 2 from Activision; and 2 were from Froggo. This meant that the 7800 would have to rely on in-house development from Atari in order to supply games for the system. However this sadly was not enough to compete with the NES’s or even the Sega Master System’s massive video game library. Also the launch for the system itself was poorly planned out as only three games, versus the promised twelve titles, were available for the system at launch. Not only that but the 7800 was poorly distributed amongst retailers making the system hard to find during its launch. Sadly the 7800 was never able to recover from its rocky launch and in the end poorly conceived business decisions and a highly competitive console market doomed the system.
Design
Graphically, the 7800 was an excellent machine for its time, rivaling and even surpassing the NES and Sega Master System in some respects. The new custom CPU that would power the system was capable of moving 100 objects on-screen at the same time and was capable of displaying a 256 color palette. However sound quality for the system was poor, and this was due to the fact that the system utilized the same old sound chip from the 2600. However resourceful programmers got around this limitation by adding the 5200's POKEY sound chip directly to certain cartridges. Arcade ports for the system were excellent, but even the most popular arcade hits just didn't have the marketing behind them to overcome the Nintendo juggernaut.
Atari Pro-Line Controller
The system is indeed compatible with almost 100% of the existing Atari 2600 game library, and all the existing 2600 controllers and peripherals are compatible as well. The 7800 was also sold with its own special Proline controllers, meant to be an improvement over the 5200 design. The controller was a two-button controller, allowing for greater functionality than the classic one-button from the 2600 days.
In the End
Elsewhere in the world, the 7800 had a bit more success. Systems sold outside North America included Asteroids built-in to the OS ROM, making it an interesting item for American collectors. In Australia and New Zealand, it included a 32-in-1 cartridge, although it was just a re-labeled 2600 version. Still, this is another interesting collectible that North American collectors won't find at the local flea market.
Interestingly, very few prototypes have turned up for this system over the years, compared with the dozens that have been found for the 2600. It was only recently emulated, and no new games have been written for the system like they have for virtually every other classic system. In the end Atari was no longer the console manufacturer that it once was, but unconvinced of this Atari would make one last ditch effort to compete in the console market….
Technical Specifications
* CPU: Custom 6502C
Speed: 1.79 MHz, drops to 1.19 MHz when the TIA or RIOT chips are accessed
(note: This is Atari's custom 6502 known as SALLY which can be halted to allow other devices to control the bus)
* RAM: 4 KB (2 6116 2Kx8 RAM ICs)
* ROM: built in 4 KB BIOS ROM, 48 KB Cartridge ROM space without bankswitching
* Graphics: MARIA custom graphics controller
160x240 (160x288 PAL) resolution or 320x240/288 resolution
25 color palette out of 256 colors (16 hues * 16 luma), different graphics modes restricted the number of usable colors and the number of colors per sprite
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Graphics clock: 7.16 MHz
* I/O: Joystick and console switch IO handled byte 6532 RIOT and TIA
* Ports: 2 joystick ports, 1 cartridge port, 1 expansion connector, power in, RF output
* Sound: TIA video and sound chip, same as the 2600. Only the sound is used in 7800 games. Both video and sound are used in 2600 games.
Optional POKEY sound chip on cartridge for improved sounds.
Atari 7800 games
Edit
| Platform Name: | Atari 7800 |
| Release Date: | June 23, 1986 |
| Online Support: | False |
| Install Base: | 0 |
| Original Price: | $140 |
| Producing Company: | Atari Corporation |
| Total Games: | games |
|
Mario first in Donkey Kong |
3
|
|
Pac-Man first in Pac-Man |
2
|
|
Cranky Kong first in Donkey Kong Country |
2
|
|
Donkey Kong Jr. first in Donkey Kong Jr. |
1
|
|
Donkey Kong first in Donkey Kong Jr. |
1
|
|
Abobo first in Double Dragon |
1
|
|
Clark Steel first in Ikari Warriors |
1
|
|
Ralf Jones first in Ikari Warriors |
1
|
|
Ms. Pac-Man first in Ms. Pac-Man |
1
|
|
Luigi first in Mario Bros. |
1
|
|
Space first in Spacewar! |
4
|
|
Jungle first in |
1
|
|
The United States of America first in The Oregon Trail |
1
|
|
Earth first in |
1
|
|
Boxing Ring first in |
1
|
|
Space Station first in |
1
|
|
Desert first in |
1
|
|
New York first in |
1
|
|
Chicago first in |
1
|
|
Los Angeles first in |
1
|
|
2D first in Tennis for Two Simulator |
15
|
|
High Score first in Seawolf |
11
|
|
Virtual Console first in |
10
|
|
Single-Screen level first in Tennis for Two Simulator |
8
|
|
Digital Rights Management first in |
8
|
|
Lives first in |
8
|
|
Unbeatable Games first in Tennis for Two Simulator |
7
|
|
Instant Death first in |
7
|
|
Death first in |
7
|
|
Achievements first in Kameo: Elements of Power |
6
|
