Atari 2600

Homestar's Atari debut

The Atari 2600 became an iconic home video game system of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Along with systems such as the Intellivision and the NES, The Brothers Chaps played Atari growing up. They often include homages to Atari games, characters, hardware, and graphic styles in Homestar Runner.

The Atari 2600's single-button, single-joystick controller and simple, blocky graphics convey the feeling of a simpler, easier time. While the system was innovative at the time — featuring a cartridge system and color graphics — by comparison, the system now seems primitive. Thus, Strong Bad, always an aficionado of outdated technology, has a particular affinity for Atari-style games. Fortunately for him, the game developers at Videlectrix have produced quite a library of such games.

Characters

• Atari Homestar
• Atari Strong Bad
• Atari Dragon
• Minor Atari Characters

Graphics

• In Search of the Yello Dello — A reference to the game Pitfall!
• Second Games Menu
• Email duck pond
• Main Page 13
• Everybody to the Limit
• HomestarRunner.com: PAY PLUS!
• Everything Else, Volume 3 — The menus and the interior of the case
• SBCG4AP Collector's DVD — Menus

System and Controller

Real-life Homestar Runner computer magic

The Atari 2600 is blocky and black, and the controller is similar with a joystick and button. They have occasionally made appearances in various toons.

• Debut: In Search of the Yello Dello — An Atari 2600 joystick is watermarked on the first deleted scene's description page.
• Strong Bad Main Page — Strong Bad's Room has an Atari 2600 system.
• Main Page 13 — Its icon is an Atari 2600 controller.
• Puppet Time — An Atari 2600 system is the last item Homestar steals from Strong Bad.
• Experimental Film — Homestar plays on the ATM with an Atari 2600 joystick.
• Bug In Mouth Disease — What appears to be an Atari 2600 system is visible on the TV during the taped head scene.
• Email space program — An Atari 2600 joystick is duct taped onto the real Proud Anselmo.
• Kid Speedy — The fake online play's loading screen features two Atari joysticks being connected via the Internet.
• Email concert — Strong Bad and Strong Sad play an unseen Atari game in their basement.
• Everything Else, Volume 3 — If you don't make a selection on the main menu, the screen will zoom out to reveal Puppet Homestar Runner and Puppet Strong Bad playing it as an Atari 2600 game. Also, on the Holidays menu, an Atari 2600 joystick is one of the powerups The Cheat collects.
• Email environment — Homestar moves an Atari 2600 joystick, thinking he's playing a game.
• Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People — When Strong Bad examines the Atari 2600 in his room (called the FunMachine), he can play Videlectrix games such as Snake Boxer 5. The game available varies by episode. Oddly, the controller used resembles an NES controller.
• Sbemailiarized! — An Atari 2600 game system is seen sitting between The Brothers Chaps.
• Joystick Wagglin' with Videlectrix: Halloween Edition — The Videlectrix Guys play the Atari 2600 game Haunted House.

Games

83 Percent Snake Handler Approved!

The following games are modeled after the Atari 2600 games of old:

• Armless Invaders
• The Cheat's Smoking Challenge
• Nighttime Driving Type Game
• Secret Collect. (for the FunMachine)
• Duck Guardian
• 50K Racewalker
• HomestarRunner.com: PAY PLUS! Free Sample Game
• C.H.E.A.T.
• Where's an Egg?
• Where's The Cheat? (game)
• Snake Boxer 5 (for the FunMachine)

The Videlectrix game catalog is presented as stacks of Atari 2600 games. The alternate cover of the SBCG4AP Collector's DVD is designed in the typical style of Atari 2600 box art.

See Also

• Homestar Runner RPG
• Intellivision
• Nintendo
• Sega
• Sega Tapes
• FunMachine
• Video Game References