Computer game console
Atari
Category
Technological items
Date
1977
Materials
Plastic and electrical flex
Measurements
90 x 345 x 230 mm
Place of origin
Hong Kong
Collection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 672713
Summary
An Atari 2600 video game console. The ribbed top of the plastic console is black and brown with a slot in the centre at the top where video game cartridges can be inserted. To the left of the slot there are three buttons: an on/off power switch, a black and white or colour tv type selector and the level of difficulty (a or b) for the player on the left. To the right of the central slot are three further buttons for game reset, game select and the level of difficulty for the player on the right. On the right of the front edge there is a white Atari logo and on the rear edge there are socket points marked 'RIGHT CONTROLLER’, ‘POWER ADAPTOR’ and ‘LEFT CONTROLLER’. On the underside there is a white label that contains printed manufacturing details and the serial number (548067755). The console has a length of electrical flex attached to it which has a sliver single pin socket at one end that can be plugged into a tv set or a video display monitor. Atari Inc. was originally founded by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney in California in 1972. The company was a pioneer in developing arcade games and home video game consoles and the Atari 2600 was launched in September 1977. Atari is now owned by the French company Atari SA.
Provenance
Designed and manufactured by Atari Inc. in 1977
Makers and roles
Atari , designer