In honor of E3 week, we thought we would dedicate this week’s Throwback Thursday to a gaming device from the past: the Atari 2600. The console that really brought in-home gaming to the masses and a gadget we have a real soft spot for, the 2600 was first launched in 1977. At the time it retailed for $199, which is roughly equivalent to $730 today. Despite the high cost, Atari managed to move over a 250,000 units in its first year. Although by today’s standards its 8-bit 1.19MHz processor and 128 bytes of RAM are absolutely ridiculous, the 2600 managed to keep generations entertained — thanks to insanely addictive titles such as Missile Command, Pitfall and Space Invaders (don’t get us started on that awful Pac-Man port). In spite of the fact that many of the people who revere it weren’t even alive when it was finally discontinued in 1992, the 2600 retains a huge cult following. What memories do you have of the Atari 2600?
BGR Throwback Thursday is a weekly series covering our (and your) favorite gadgets of yesterday and yesteryear.
