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The Video Game Console Library - Atari XE Game System (XEGS)

Atari Logo Atari XE Game System (XEGS) Atari Logo

  DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
Page content, development and design by Marriott_Guy
Developer Manufacturer Release Date Country(s) Initial Price Model Number Game Releases Overall Rating
Atari Corp. Atari Corp. Nov-87 North America $199 USD XEGS Approx. 30 NA
Ratings Reviews Pictures\Video Specs Games\Emulation Models Clones Links
Atari XEGS
Ratings
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release.  Ratings based upon a 10 point scale (10 being excellent\very rare).
Console Design (appearance, functionality) N\A
Console Durability (sturdy or frail and fragile) N\A
Controllers (design, response, feel, use) N\A
Graphics (graphical capability and presentation) N\A
Audio (sound, music, speech, effects) N\A
Media (game media format, design, durability) N\A
Packaging (appeal, durability of packaging) N\A
Game Library (quality, quantity of game library) N\A
Innovations (technological industrial strides) N\A
Gamer Value (good investment for the gamer?) N\A
Collector Value (good collector investment?) N\A
Games Rarity (general availability of games) N\A
Console Rarity (general availability of a system) N\A
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Reviews

Atari XEGS

DW FACTS
 - by Dark Watcher

It was the 1980's, and the Atari 7800 release fails to attract attention in a market dominated by the Nintendo N.E.S. So the folks at Atari came to a decision to market another system. Oddly enough it was a step back in time.

Atari introduced the XE Game System in 1987. The XEGS was merely a console remake of their 8-bit Atari 65XE computer. For $199 you got the console, a standard joystick, a light gun, and a pack in game called Bug Hunt (light gun game).

The marketing strategy was to take advantage of the back stock of Atari computer cartridges (10 years worth). Some Atari 5200 games were also remade since the architecture was quite similar.

Even though it looks like a console, the XEGS is a true 8-bit Atari computer system. It offered the convenience of a detachable keyboard, compatibility with any standard Atari 8-bit computer peripherals, while offering 64K RAM. When no cartridge was inserted it would also start up with a built-in version of Missile Command.

Of course the XEGS could not compete with the likes of newer systems and Atari pulled it from production after a short time.

Atari XEGS

FACT: The XEGS was basically an Atari 5200 with computer capabilities. The internal architecture is nearly identical. However the XEGS had a lot more RAM, and oddly enough the Atari 5200 carts were not compatible.
 


  HANDS ON REVIEW
 

Coming soon...
 

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Pictures & Video

Various picture\video media for this console.  Click pictures to enlarge.
1987 Atari XE commercial
Video courtesy of pika62221.		 1988 Atari XE Commercial
Video courtesy of VHShifi.		 Atari XE Commercial
Video courtesy of lingpanda101.
1987 Atari XEGS - Front

 1987 Atari XEGS - Front
 1987 Atari XEGS - Top

 1987 Atari XEGS - Top
 1987 Atari XEGS - Back

 1987 Atari XEGS - Back
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Specs

For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.
 Processor Type  Processor Speed  Other Processor Information RAM \ Video RAM
8 bit Motorola 6502C 1.79 MHz Pokey (sound chip), Antic (graphics), GTIA (video), Freddy (Memory
Management)		 64 Kb \ None

Screen Resolution

Color Palette

Polygons \ Sprites

 Audio
320 x 192 256, 16 on-screen 8 Sprites 4 channels. 3.5 octaves

Media Format

Media Capacity

Games Released

Other Supported Formats
Cartridge  8 KB Approx. 30 Atari 8-bit, some Atari 5200 games

Internal Storage

External \ Removable Storage

Game Controllers

Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
None None
(optional tape drive sold separately)		 Joystick, Keyboard, Light Gun
(all included)		  See Other Ports
Controller Ports Network Ports

Other Ports

Audio \ Video
Two (2) None SIO peripheral port
(tape, disk, printer, modem)		 RF, Composite

Power Supply

Other Outputs

 Other Details \ Notes
External 110V, 1A None The game Missile Command was built into the system along with BASIC.
Bug Hunt and Flight Simulator II came packaged with the system.
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Games & Emulation

Game screen shots and\or videos released for this system.  Click pictures to enlarge.
Space Invaders

Video courtesy of vwestlife. 		Ms. Pacman on the Atari XEGS

Pole Position on the Atari XEGS

Dig Dug on the Atari XEGS

Donkey Kong on the Atari XEGS

 Donkey Kong

Video courtesy of vwestlife.
Pole Position

Video courtesy of matramurena.		 Centipede

Video courtesy of vwestlife.
Third Party Emulators
Program Website Description

M.E.S.S.

http://www.mess.org/

 Multi-Emulator Super System is a DOS based emulator capable of running many systems. Since the XEGS is a remake of the Atari 800 computer, this emulator works nicely. It has a Windows based GUI, and should be usable by most PC systems
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Models

Additional authorized releases for this console.
No other models were released for this system.
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Clones

Non-licensed releases (clones).
No clones were released for this system.
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Links

Highly recommended additional sites\resources for this system.
Name Website Description
Atari HQ http://www.atarihq.com/atcomp/xegs.html Really good Atari XEGS page
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