Atari 2600

The Atari 2600, the ulimate gaming machine, never before and never again will an entertainment system make such a huge impact. Akin to the aspirin and sliced bread, their may always be better systems out there, but none can ever equal the effect on society that the 2600 created.

Just before Christmas in 1977, Nolan Bushnell and his Atari gang released the Video Computer System (VCS), later known as the 2600. System's not baring the 2600 logo are the older ones for all you collectors. The system sold for $249.95 U.S. You can see that video game system prices really haven't changed that much in the last 20 years.

The VCS was Atari's first home based multi-cart machine and the initial software was based on Atari's arcade games. Sales weren't very good for this system and there was a lot of stress between Nolan Bushnell, head of Atari and Steve Ross, president of Warner Communications who bought Atari back in 1976. Eventually this tension would cause Bushnell to leave Atari in the hands of Ray Kassar.

Atari released a few styles of the 2600 including the all Black version dubbed the "Darth Vader" the Atari 2600 Jr. and others.

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