The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, commonly known as the Atari 5200, is a home video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari Inc. as a higher-end complementary console for the popular Atari 2600. The 5200 was based on Atari Inc.’s existing 400/800 computers and the internal hardware was almost identical, although software was not directly compatible between the two systems. The 5200’s controllers have an analog joystick and a numeric keypad along with start, pause and reset buttons. The 360-degree non-centering joystick was touted as offering more control than the eight-way joystick controller offered with the Atari 2600.
The initial 1982 release of the system featured four controller ports, where nearly all other systems of the day had only one or two ports. The 5200 also featured a new style controller with an analog joystick, numeric keypad, two fire buttons on each side of the controller and game function keys for Start, Pause, and Reset. The 5200 also featured the innovation of the first automatic TV switchbox, allowing it to automatically switch from regular TV viewing to the game system signal when the system was activated. Previous RF adapters required the user to slide a switch on the adapter by hand. This unique RF box was also where the power supply connected in a unique dual power/television signal setup similar to the RCA Studio II’s. A single cable coming out of the 5200 plugged into the switch box and was used for both electricity and the television signal.
The 1983 revision of the Atari 5200 has two controller ports instead of four, and a change back to the more conventional separate power supply and standard non-autoswitching RF switch. It also has changes in the cartridge port address lines to allow for the Atari 2600 adapter released that year. While the adapter was only made to work on the two-port version, modifications can be made to the four-port to make it line-compatible. In fact, towards the end of the four-port model’s production run, there were a limited number of consoles produced which included these modifications. These consoles can be identified by an asterisk in their serial number.
This is the collection of original hardware and software. None of this collection is for sale. If you have an item which is not on the list, please contact me and maybe we can trade. Donations are welcome too 🙂
Hardware:
| Item | Manufacturer | Boxed/loose |
|---|---|---|
| 5200 console 2 port NTSC | Atari | boxed |
| 5200 rf switch | Atari | boxed |
| 5200 joysticks | Atari | loose |
| CX-55 VCS Cartridge Adapter | Atari | boxed |
Software:
| Title | Publisher | Box size | Boxed/loose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berzerk | Atari | normal | boxed |
| Centipede | Atari | loose | |
| Countermeasure | Atari | loose | |
| Defender | Atari | normal | boxed |
| Dig Dug | Atari | loose | |
| Frogger | Parker brothers | normal | boxed |
| Galaxian | Atari | loose | |
| Joust | Atari | loose | |
| Missile Command | Atari | normal | boxed |
| Moon patrol | Atari | loose | |
| Ms. Pacman | Atari | loose | |
| Pac-man | Atari | normal | boxed |
| Pengo | Atari | loose | |
| Pole Position | Atari | loose | |
| Q-bert | Parker brothers | normal | boxed |
| Realsports Baseball | Atari | loose | |
| Realsports Football | Atari | loose | |
| Realsports Tennis | Atari | loose | |
| Soccer | Atari | loose | |
| Space dungeon | Atari | loose | |
| Star Raiders | Atari | normal | boxed |
| Space Shuttle | Activision | loose | |
| Star Trek | Sega | loose | |
| Super breakout | Atari | normal | boxed |