Archive for the 'Atari' Category

Phil Hartman Is Ready For Ice Hockey By Activision

Published on February 18, 2008 in 1980s, Atari, Celebrities, Commercials, Funny, Hockey, Sports, USA and Videogames.

Ice Hockey is an ice hockey video game designed by Activision programmer Alan Miller, and published by Activision. If one discounts the “Hockey Pong” variant on Video Olympics, Ice Hockey is the only real hockey game on the Atari 2600.

Phil Hartman (September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998) was a Canadian-American Emmy Award-winning writer as well as an actor, voice artist, comedian and graphic artist. He first came to widespread attention in the late 1980s and early 1990s for his roles on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, afterwards going on to motion pictures, frequent roles on the long-running FOX animated series The Simpsons, and a major part as “Bill McNeal” on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio.

I’d like an Atari 2600 system please and everything that goes with it

Published on July 30, 2007 in 1980s, Atari, Commercials, Pac-Man, USA and Videogames.

Originally known as the Atari VCS—for Video Computer System—the machine’s name was changed to “Atari 2600” (from the unit’s Atari part number, CX2600) in 1982, after the release of the more advanced Atari 5200. It was wildly successful, and during the 1980s, “Atari” was a synonym for this model in mainstream media. The 2600 was typically bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a cartridge game – initially Combat and subsequently Pac-Man.

At the time, the 2600 was the most popular video game console in the world and Pac-Man was the most popular arcade game in the world, so Atari widely promoted the 2600 version of the game. Upon release, however, the quality of the adaptation of the game was criticized and sales were well below expectations, and even those who bought and kept the game were often dissatisfied.

Atari Video Computer Spiele

Published on May 3, 2007 in 1980s, Atari, Commercials, Germany, Pac-Man and Videogames.

Atari continued to scoop up licenses during the shelf life of the 2600, the most prominent of which included Pac-Man and E.T. Public disappointment with these two titles and the market saturation of bad third-party titles are cited as big reasons for the video game crash of 1983. Suddenly, Atari’s growth meant it was losing massive amounts of money during the crash, at one point about $10,000 a day. Warner quickly grew tired of supporting the now-headless company, and started looking for buyers in 1984.

Discover Atari

Published on May 3, 2007 in 1980s, Atari, Commercials, Computers, USA and Videogames.

The original Atari was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in arcade games, home video game consoles, and home computers. The company’s products, such as PONG and the Atari 2600, helped define the computer entertainment industry from the 1970s to the mid 1980s.

The Atari VCS’s Best Pitch

Published on April 20, 2007 in 1970s, Atari, Celebrities, Commercials, Pete Rose, Sports, USA and Videogames.

The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the first successful video game console to use plug-in cartridges instead of having one or more games built in.

Peter Edward “Pete” Rose, Sr. (born April 14, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio), nicknamed Charlie Hustle, is a former player and manager in Major League Baseball. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, best known for his many years with the Cincinnati Reds. Rose, a switch hitter, is the all-time major-league leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at bats (14,053), and outs (10328).

Jesse Donald Knotts (July 21, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show (a role which earned him five Emmy Awards), and as landlord Ralph Furley on the television sitcom Three’s Company.

Atari 5200 Pole Position

Published on April 15, 2007 in 1980s, Atari, Commercials, Funny, USA and Videogames.

Pole Position is a racing video game released in 1982 by Namco, the creators of Pac-Man. In Pole Position, the player has to complete a lap in a certain amount of time in order to qualify for an F1 race at the Fuji Racetrack. After qualifying, the player has to face other cars in a championship race.