Atari 5200 Review: A Bold Misstep in Console Gaming History

Released in 1982, the Atari 5200 was the follow-up to the wildly successful Atari 2600, and Atari's attempt to push into the 16-bit era with a more advanced console. Unfortunately, despite its promising hardware and ambitious goals, the Atari 5200 is widely regarded as a flop in gaming history. It faced multiple issues that led to its early demise, including poor controller design, a limited game library, and stiff competition from other systems like the Commodore 64 and Intellivision.

Let's take a closer look at what the Atari 5200 did right, and where it fell short.

Design & Build

The Atari 5200's design was bold, featuring a large, boxy body with a sleek black finish. The console looked modern for its time, and it had a slightly futuristic vibe, with large vents and a built-in joystick controller docking station. While the console had potential, its real downfall lay in its controllers. The 5200's controllers were incredibly uncomfortable and poorly designed, featuring a numeric keypad with disappointing joystick functionality.

The joysticks themselves were the main point of criticism: they were prone to malfunctions, especially the rubberized controller base that would wear out quickly. Many players found the joystick stiff and unresponsive, which made games frustrating to play. The controller design, though innovative in its time, was a step backward in terms of ergonomics and reliability, leaving players longing for the simplicity and durability of the Atari 2600's joystick.

Performance & Graphics

The Atari 5200 boasted a 16-bit processor and was capable of producing some impressive graphics for the time, particularly in arcade ports. Games like "Space Invaders" and "Galaxian" showed off the system's color depth and smooth scrolling, with some titles making use of its better sound capabilities. The graphics and sound were noticeably superior to the Atari 2600 and were in line with other early 80s consoles.

However, despite its impressive specs, the Atari 5200 was ultimately outpaced by systems like the Commodore 64 and even the ColecoVision, which had better games and more robust third-party support. While the 5200 could produce good visuals, it never fully delivered on the potential its hardware promised.

Game Library

One of the biggest disappointments of the Atari 5200 was its game library. While the system launched with several popular arcade ports, including "Asteroids", "Pac-Man", and "Centipede", the total number of available titles remained relatively small. The system suffered from a lack of third-party support, and many developers were hesitant to develop for it due to the already established dominance of the Atari 2600 and competing consoles like the ColecoVision.

Moreover, many of the games available for the 5200 were seen as inferior versions of arcade titles, lacking the polish of their original counterparts. The Atari 5200's limited library and lack of quality exclusives ultimately held it back from establishing a strong fan base.

Backward Compatibility

One of the selling points of the Atari 5200 was its supposed backward compatibility with Atari 2600 games, which was a nice feature for those who were upgrading from the previous console. However, this feature wasn't implemented perfectly, and only a handful of games were compatible with the 5200's hardware. Even with the backward compatibility, the system struggled to gain traction, as many players were dissatisfied with the overall gaming experience and frustrated by the limitations of backward compatibility.

Market Position & Legacy

Despite being an upgrade to the Atari 2600, the Atari 5200 quickly became a commercial failure. The issues with the controllers, small game library, and a lack of third-party developer interest left the system unable to compete with the growing popularity of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and other systems in the early 1980s.

The Atari 5200 was discontinued in 1984, just two years after its release, and Atari shifted its focus to developing its next console, the Atari 7800. In hindsight, the 5200 is seen as one of Atari's biggest missteps, a console that had the potential to succeed but failed due to poor design decisions, hardware limitations, and the inability to create a compelling game library.

While the Atari 5200 has a small cult following among retro collectors, it remains a curious chapter in gaming history-an ambitious attempt that was undone by some fundamental flaws. Today, it's remembered for its controversial controllers, its underwhelming game library, and its overall failure to make an impact on the video game market.

Limitations & Drawbacks

• Uncomfortable Controllers: The non-responsive joysticks and flimsy build made the Atari 5200 one of the most frustrating consoles to play.

• Limited Game Library: Despite having a few solid arcade ports, the 5200's library was small and didn't offer the diversity or quality seen on other systems like the ColecoVision or Intellivision.

• Lack of Third-Party Support: A major issue for the 5200 was its inability to attract third-party developers, resulting in a lack of compelling and varied games.

• Backward Compatibility Issues: While backward compatibility with Atari 2600 games was a selling point, it was limited and didn't enhance the system's overall experience.

Final Verdict

The Atari 5200 had good intentions. It tried to push forward with improved graphics, sound, and backward compatibility, but ultimately, its poor controllers, limited game library, and lack of developer support prevented it from reaching its potential. Despite its technological improvements over the 2600, it was overshadowed by better systems in the market.

For retro collectors and fans of Atari's history, the Atari 5200 is a fascinating console to study, but it's difficult to recommend to casual gamers due to its inherent flaws. It's a system that had ambition but couldn't quite live up to its promise.

Score: 4/10

? An ambitious failure with poor controllers, a lack of support, and a disappointing game library. The Atari 5200 was a system that tried to compete with the growing console market but ultimately fell short.