Changing roms

Atari 2600
The leading light of the second generation (pre 8-bit) of home consoles, and the first to popularize the use of cartridges rather than having built-in games. This meant that, in time, all the big names of the arcade market made their way into people’s lounges - a huge deal in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Until the Atari’s success hit the giddy heights it did, the world was about to write off videogames as a passing fad. Without this, the history of gaming would be very, very different.

Get it working

1) Again, you’re spoilt for choice for 2600 emulators, but try Stella (named after the Atari’s original codename, y'know). Its interface is on the rustic side, but it’s simple to use and unobtrusive.

2) Its default view is the root of your C:\ - change this to be, for instance, a folder you keep your 2600 ROMs in (they’ll be in the .bin format), by pressing Escape, then Options > Files and Snapshots > Browser Settings > Path.

3) There isn’t much in the way of video filtering or sound tweaking here - you can’t make a clump of six pixels look like anything more than that. However, you’ll find the option for fullscreen under Options > Video Settings, and can rebind keys from Options > Input Settings.

Atari 2600
The leading light of the second generation (pre 8-bit) of home consoles, and the first to popularize the use of cartridges rather than having built-in games. This meant that, in time, all the big names of the arcade market made their way into people’s lounges - a huge deal in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Until the Atari’s success hit the giddy heights it did, the world was about to write off videogames as a passing fad. Without this, the history of gaming would be very, very different.

Get it working

1) Again, you’re spoilt for choice for 2600 emulators, but try Stella (named after the Atari’s original codename, y'know). Its interface is on the rustic side, but it’s simple to use and unobtrusive.

2) Its default view is the root of your C:\ - change this to be, for instance, a folder you keep your 2600 ROMs in (they’ll be in the .bin format), by pressing Escape, then Options > Files and Snapshots > Browser Settings > Path.

3) There isn’t much in the way of video filtering or sound tweaking here - you can’t make a clump of six pixels look like anything more than that. However, you’ll find the option for fullscreen under Options > Video Settings, and can rebind keys from Options > Input Settings.

Above: All the old-school fun without the dust allergens

Essential games

Yars’ Revenge
A simple idea tweaked until it became almost completely nonsensical, but totally unique with it. Shoot or eat through a barrier, then aim your giant space cannon at the thing on the other side of the screen, using a Technicolor ribbon to avoid the enemy’s fire. Hmm.

Adventure
The root of games like Zelda and Final Fantasy, this may seem incredibly weird now (really, who carries around a magic bridge?) but it’s still a compelling bit of dungeoneering. Beware the bat that can replace your sword with an angry dragon, though.

Solaris
Nothing to do with George Clooney having sex in space, this had a scale unprecedented on the 2600. It’s a space shooter spanning planet surfaces as well as the big black itself, and shoveling repair yards and rescue operations into the mix.