Wish I had an Atari 2800

[VideoGameCritic]

I recently discovered that the Atari 2800 was the Japanese version of the Atari 2600. I would love to have one of these. It sports a streamlined design much like the Atari 7800. You can get one on ebay for $300+.

Apparently it has four controller ports. Why would you need four? Would any games support that??

I noticed it has "joystick" and "paddle" buttons. What are they for?

Finally, would this thing even run on a North American TV?

[Stalvern]

Any Japanese system will work with an American TV.

[matmico399]

I recently discovered that the Atari 2800 was the Japanese version of the Atari 2600. I would love to have one of these. It sports a streamlined design much like the Atari 7800. You can get one on ebay for $300+.

Apparently it has four controller ports. Why would you need four? Would any games support that??

I noticed it has "joystick" and "paddle" buttons. What are they for?

Finally, would this thing even run on a North American TV?

warlords perhaps?

[Matchstick]

Finally, would this thing even run on a North American TV?

I may be wrong, but I believe early game consoles that relied solely on RF output will not work properly between the US and Japan regions. Anything with RCA outputs will work fine, but with RF, our TVs are calibrated to receive a slightly different manner of broadcast signals.

I remember this being a problem with early Famicom consoles. Trying to get one to work on a US TV, over RF, meant having to switch to Channel 99 or so before a signal would begin to come in. And even then, it was a bit distorted.

If you have an original model Famicom, Critic, and it works fine on your TV over RF output, then I’d imagine the 2800 would work fine, too. But I would do a little research to confirm the different regions’ signals will play nice with each other first.

[djc]

Check out the Sears Video Arcade II. This is essentially a US version of the 2800 including the same controllers, etc... but goes for much less money.

I actually own one (my cousin's from when we were kids that he gave to me). The controllers are really awesome. They look like 7800 controllers BUT are comfortable to hold/use and combine joystick and paddle into one unit.

[ThePixelatedGenocide]

Apparently it has four controller ports. Why would you need four? Would any games support that??

According to Atari Age -

Party Mix on Starpath,Warlords, Medieval Mayhem, Video Olympics, Steeplechase, and a prototype for Pressure Gauge 2.

[VideoGameCritic]

Well paddles have one plug that splits into two controllers. So for four-player games you only need two ports.

[Atariboy]

Well paddles have one plug that splits into two controllers. So for four-player games you only need two ports.

Not with the Atari 2800's stock controller. The controllers that were bundled with it featured a single joystick that also doubles as the paddle. So you'd need one plugged into each of the 4 ports to play a 4-person game of Warlords with the stock controllers.

Here's a picture of the Sears version of the Atari 2800 showing the combination joystick/paddle controller.

https://atariage.com/2600/systems/sys_S ... rcade2.jpg

I assume standard Atari paddle controllers were also supported, which at least with the Sears Video Arcade II is likely the route most owners went that wanted to enjoy a 3 or 4 person game of Warlords.

[VideoGameCritic]

Thanks Atariboy -
Just goes to show even an old timer like me has more to learn!