Photo: Evan-Amos, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
The Atari 2600, originally sold as the Atari Video Computer System (VCS), is a home console released by Atari in 1977.
Key facts
| Manufacturer | Atari |
|---|---|
| Release | North America 1977 (as Atari VCS) |
| Generation | 2nd |
| CPU | MOS 6507, ~1.19 MHz |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| Units sold (approx.) | ~30 million |
About the Atari 2600
The 2600 popularized interchangeable game cartridges in the home. Its licensed arcade conversion of Space Invaders boosted sales, and companies such as Activision became the first third-party console developers. A flood of low-quality games contributed to the North American video game crash of 1983.
Notable games
- Pitfall!
- Adventure
- Space Invaders
- Pac-Man
- River Raid