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The title card for the episode.

Atari_5200_-_Angry_Video_Game_Nerd_-_Episode_20

Atari 5200 - Angry Video Game Nerd - Episode 20

(Shots of various Atari 2600 games) This is a video game. This is what you immediately think of whenever you hear the term. It's the Atari 2600, and it defines the word "classic". (He gives the Atari 2600 a thumbs-up.)

Even though the games are so simple and the graphics so primitive, it has a charm that will never be matched. The objects and characters just barely represent what they're supposed to be, but that's the whole beauty of it; that you have to use your imagination. The sound effects? (Atari 2600 sound effects) Just awesome. And the lack of music just enhances the mood. It's that special kind of atmosphere when it's in the middle of the night, and you're sittin' in the glow of your TV with the sound of crickets. (Shot of the Nerd playing a game in the dark, with the glow of the TV on his face and the chirping of crickets in the background.)

The Atari had the longest lifespan of any home video game system, and when people say "Atari", they're usually referring to the 2600. But, in between its existence, Atari made other systems which came and went. And one of these was the Atari 5200. It was meant to replace the 2600, although ironically, it failed and faded away, while the 2600 lived on. Why don't many people remember this, and why did it die off so quick?

(The Nerd holds the Atari 5200 and glares at it.) Because it's a pile of fuckin' shit! Why? Well, just look at it. Look at how huge this beast is. It's ginormous! And why is there a door on it? Is this a video game console or a fuckin' closet? Even the AC adapter weighs a million tons. (he tries to lift it, but drops it and an earthquake happens) So, I'm gonna plug this son of a bitch in here. (Plugs AC adapter in.) There we go. Get all this shit outta the way.

Now where do I plug the other end in? Doesn't it go into the Atari? Well, you can look all over the system, but there's no power connector. There's a separate box that ya have to plug it in. Now seriously, have you ever seen one of these? Other than the Atari 5200, I haven't. So, you plug this bastard in, then there's this one wire comin' outta the system, so you plug that into the box. (electric current) Whoa! Did you see that? That can't be good. Look, sparks. No joke. So anyway, the AC adapter and TV actually share the same wire.

So, I don't know what they were thinkin'. I mean, maybe they were thinkin' it'd be more convenient to have less wires runnin' across your floor, but, they knew that they fucked up because later they re-released the Atari 5200 with the traditional two separate wires instead of just, y'know, this thing. But that one had two controller ports instead of four, I think.

Now we wanna hook this thing up to that TV, but, it's not gonna be easy. I mean, just look at all these games. And every one of them has their own AC adapter and RCA cables or those weird box things; all going in to the same TV. So, I don't know how we're gonna do it, but we gotta get back there and plug this sucker in. (We see the Nerd feeling for the plug at the back of the TV as the Super Mario Bros. underground theme starts playing.) Shit! (Super Mario Bros. "Hurry Up!" plays. To make it easier, he takes the TV out to make sure it's still there, but box cables and AC adapters are following it, so he puts it back, hitting his head in the process, as the Super Mario Bros. Death Music plays.)

That TV is just out of the question. It's a little too busy back there. But, that's okay, because I believe, the only true way to play Atari... (Turns camera so we see his '80s TV) ...is on an old piece of shit like that. (Spy Hunter (NES) music plays as he tries to plug the TV in, but the cable isn't long enough.) Damn! (He sees the cable stuck by the TV.) Damn. (He tries to plug it in again, but gives up.) Damn, damn! (Blaster Master (NES) Area 1 music plays as we see him go into his closet to get an extension cord, which he plugs into the power strip, then plugs the TV cable into one of its slots. He then trips over the cable.) Ahhhh! Fuck...! (He then turns on the TV as "Gang-Plank Galleon" from Donkey Kong Country plays, puts the 5200 on the floor, then tries to plug the box into the TV.) Ugh. (sighs) Son of a bitch! (He tries to tug the wire from behind the other TV, but it doesn't work, so he picks up the old TV while he grunts, but the stuck cable on the stand makes him drop it on his foot, and he screams in pain.) AAAAGGH! FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK!

Now, after all that trouble I went through, let’s play some damn games. Well, we haven't played the games yet, but I can definitely tell ya the cartridges suck, because they don't have end-labels. I mean, come on! The Atari 2600 games were all conveniently labeled so you can easily pick out a game... but the 5200, ya have to pull each one out to see 'em. I mean what a bunch of shit. Alright, let's try this one out. So okay, here we go. Now, listen. When you hit the power button, the box makes this weird clicking sound. (He turns it on, box clicks) I'm afraid this thing might blow up.

("Big Earl Bump" from ToeJam and Earl plays. The Nerd tries out Space Invaders, but his controller doesn't work; the same thing happens with Kaboom! and Frogger.) This controller is a piece of shit. (CGI "piece of shit" replaces the Atari 5200 controller in his hand.) What's the most important aspect about any fuckin' game? Well - being able to fuckin' play it! And whaddya need to fuckin' play it? A fuckin' controller! So whaddya do when the controller doesn't work? You're fucked. This is the reason the system failed. This! In the name of God, Heaven and Hell, everything in between, every creature on Earth, by the far reaches of the galaxy, by the inner rims of the universe, and... every megaverse in the ultraverse, let it be known, let the word be known: This controller is fuckin' horrible! (Takes a bottle of Rolling Rock out of the door on the 5200 and takes a swig.)

Well... to tell you the truth, it is true that the controllers were notorious for malfunction, but they were pretty innovative for their time. For one thing they're analog, so they're capable of more sensitive movement. They also have a pause button which, believe it or not, was a new thing back then. Also there's these two buttons on each side which, I think was a bit excessive for these type of games. Then there's all these numeric buttons. Like, what the shit is this? Is this thing a phone? Like, what is all this for? Is it like talkin' to intergalactic space aliens, flyin' fuckernauts or astro-bastards?

Now there's another one: the Trak-Ball controller, but it's an ungodly abomination that begs for apocalypse. (The Nerd takes the controller out of the box and holds it, apparently amazed on how big it is.) Look at it! It's like as big as a VCR or DVD player. It's big enough to be the game system, let alone the controller! Look! It's almost as big as a Nintendo! I mean, no, look, I think it's slightly bigger than the Nintendo! What a beast! But the ultimate question is, "Does it work?" Well, does it? (He tries playing Super Breakout with the Trak-Ball controller, but it doesn't work.) No, it doesn't.

(Takes another swig of Rolling Rock) What a piece of shit. Well, we can't play the games, but... we can at least look at 'em. (The Nerd watches the Pole Position demo while drinking Rolling Rock.) We don't have to stand for this shit. There exist alternatives. Did you know that you can plug a Sega Genesis controller into an Atari 2600, and it'll work? See, that's the interesting thing about Atari; you can find all kinds of different... stuff that's compatible. As for the 5200, there exist third-party controllers made for the reason of replacing the shitty controller that the system came with. So, let's take a trip into the cyber world known as the Internet, and take a look.

(He goes on the Internet, looking for a working controller, which he does; the auction page reads "ATARI 5200 CONTROLLER - works fucking better!".) There we go. (He buys it, then we see footage from the NES version of "Paperboy", and the package arrives, hitting him on the head. He groans when it does. He opens the package, exploding into packing peanuts.) Alright. Okay. Let's play this bitch. (he tries to plug it into the 5200, but the plug won't fit because there aren't enough pins. The Super Mario Bros. Game Over music plays) FUUUUUCCK!

Trivia[]

The Wico 5200 controller requires a Y-cable to plug in to the keypad to the Atari 5200.

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