Header text
Established 1997
System: 800XL
Manufacturer: Atari
Launch Date: 1983
CPU:
MOS Technology 6502B @ 1.77Mhz
Original RRP: $999
Notes: RapidusXL accelerator WDC 65C816
microprocessor @ 20 MHz.
Rarity: Low
Data
Opinion
Here in the UK, the Atari range of 8-bit computers faced stiff
competition from Sinclair and Commodore, and it’s fair to say
they didn’t enjoy the market penetration they did in other
regions.
The 800XL, based on the original Atari 800 released in 1979,
is, however, a revelation. Despite its concept harking back to
the ‘70s, the Atari 800 is a remarkably powerful and capable
machine. Technically, it could easily compete with much
younger machines like the C64 and the humble Speccy,
although that was reflected in its price.
Our 800XL has been clearly (ahem)
modified. It features a brand new
keyboard, purchased from Best
Electronics in Sunnyvale, and an acrylic
case, which allows us to show-off the
the repair and cleaning work done to
the motherboard by @gadgetUK64.
Another interesting add-on is the
RapidusXL accelerator card, that takes
this 40 year old computer from a
humble 1.77Mhz to a blistering 20Mhz
Add-ons
The ‘Side 3’ Cartridge allows software to be
loaded from SD Card. It can load Cartridges,
Tape images and even Floppy Disk images.
There are a wealth of other add-ons and
parts available for the 8-Bit Atari range too.
As for all things Atari, the Atari Age forums
are a useful resource to find out what’s new,
what can be done and other help and
assistance.
Seeing a Mario game on anything but a
Nintendo machine seems somehow wrong
today, Mario Bros was ported to wide variety
of systems.
Galaxian on the 800.
Pole Position on the Atari 800 Is extremely fluid and fun to
play. The only bugbear I have, and this isn’t limited to Atari
800 or even Pole Position, but if in qualifying you attain
“Pole Position”, you don’t expect to hit traffic at the first
corner… Just sayin…
Back in 1984, if you had put a gun to my head, I would have
solemnly swore that Pac-Man was an Atari game.
Obviously, it wasn’t. This version is streets heads of the
2600 version.
New Love
The most American looking of all American
computers, and I love it…
I never owned one, nearly
purchased one in the later ‘80s
when they were cheap in Dixons,
but never did. To my eternal
shame…
Interesting Games
Released in 1979.
Let that sink in…
It doesn’t look like much by today’s standards, but
it’s not hard to imagine looks of utter amazement
on peoples faces when seeing Star Raiders for the
first time back in the ‘70s.
It’s a free roaming 3D space shooter, and it’s quite
literally astonishing. In an interview, David Braben
was asked if it influenced, Elite. It did not. But to
suggest that indicates Star Raiders was something
special.
A less than inspiring implementation of the classic Star
Wars arcade game
Missile Command on the 800 is considerably more
challenging, and indeed, more advanced than the 2600
version.
There are well considered members of the retro
community, that do not like DigDug. Those people are
wrong people.
An excellent version of Battle Zone is available for the 8Bit
Atari computers.
Frogger is a game that’s fading into obscurity. But it was an
iconic game, and this version, for the time, is extremely
good.
BMX simulator. Despite the age gap
between the Atari 800 and systems like the
C64 and Spectrum, this version on the 8Bit
Atari can hold it’s head high. It’s a fun, if
somewhat infuriating at times, game.
Even though I’m British, the Space Shuttle holds a special place in my heart. I remember being taken into the assembly
hall at school to watch the actual Space Shuttle take-off, then Land. It was a huge moment in history for me. And this
game, and I admit it’s not great, allowed me to participate in that moment in history. There was a Space Shuttle ‘buzz’ and
games like this made you feel part of that buzz.
Ghostbusters was another point in history that’s fading with time. There was the film, obviously, but the chart song, the T-
Shirts, the sticker collections. It seemed, to me at least at 11 years old in ‘84, the whole world. Again, the aging 8Bit Atari
showed it’s ability in the face of younger, and in the UK at least, more popular systems. This is impressive version of the
game.
This is basically a ‘knock-off’ of Battle Zone but it’s fast and
fluid and solid fun.
3D maze games, certainly in the early ‘90s, were a display of power for a system. So, it’s always rewarding for me to see a
humble 8Bit system, heralding from the ‘70s no less, providing a solid showing. On the left we have a 1982 game ‘Way
Out’ and on the right ‘
I have fond memories of Drakonis for the Sinclair Spectrum.
Largely because my second-hand Spectrum +2 came with a,
erm, 24 hour evaulation copy on generic tape, so to speak.
Little did I know at the time, with was 1987, that the Atari
8Bit system not only had a graphically superior version but
also there were four, yes four, release of Draconis. Still, it’s
hard as nails mind you.
Pitfall 2, on the Atari 2600, even for my somewhat niaeve
gaming mind back in 1986 when I got my hands on a copy,
was something special. It never cross my mind, that it was
released, as here, on other platforms. And while being very
similiar to the Atari 2600 version, it’s a touch prettier.
There has been a demo of Wolfenstein 3D running on an Atari 800 for a while. It’s called Project M, and it’s pretty special.