Atari 2600, 5200, 7800 Games

Atari’s cartridge consoles shaped early home gaming, beginning with the 2600 in 1977, which brought arcade hits like Space Invaders and Pac-Man into living rooms worldwide. The 5200 followed in 1982, offering advanced graphics and analog controls, while the 7800 launched in 1986, focusing on backward compatibility and smooth arcade ports such as Centipede and Joust. Though each had its own lifespan and quirks, together they represent Atari’s most important era: the birth of the home cartridge market and the foundation of modern retro collecting.