r/atari8bit • u/droid_mike • Sep 14 '26
Don't usually find this cartridge at a used game store...
But I guess Anchorage, Alaska is different. They had like 5 cartridges available! I have a working one, so. I didn't need one at that price. I:be never seen any of these in the wold. This was at the Anchorage Mall.
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u/ZZerglingg Sep 14 '26
I think they came standard with the 800.
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u/pete_68 Sep 14 '26
Sometimes. It depends when and where. Earlier buyers in the US got a BASIC cartridge, BASIC Reference Manual and an Atari BASIC self-teaching guide. I don't think they got this outside of the US and I think later releases of the 800 did not include the cartridge.
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u/droid_mike Sep 14 '26
They did, as well as the 100 and 1200xl. It was not necessary for models after that, so that are somewhat rare, but usually superfluous. The cartridge has an older version than the built in models.
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u/nix206 Sep 14 '26
Not exactly. The 400 and 800 had a self-test and a “notepad” built in.
A few years later, the 600xl, 800xl, and 1200xl (plus the xe series) had Basic built in.
In fact, you had to hold down the Option buttton on boot to prevent Basic from loading.
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u/Scoth42 Sep 14 '26
1200XL didn't actually have BASIC built-in yet, and the diagnostic self-test didn't come until the 1200XL as well. It was part of why the 1200XL didn't sell as well as they hoped. It was still pretty expensive despite their goals of cost reduction, had some compatibility problems with older software for various reasons, the port layout was weird enough to cause some problems with peripherals, it was a little tricky to use the full 64KB of RAM since the architecture was tuned for 48KB, and didn't have BASIC built in yet. Meanwhile you had things like the Commodore 64 out at the same time with a lower price point and BASIC built in, along with most of its competitors like the Apple II.
But yes, a BASIC cartridge would have come with the 1200XL as well and added yet more to the market.
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u/Starlanced Sep 14 '26
Indeed, I still have my original 1200xl and it did come with a Basic cartridge, it also had some compatibility issues with some cartridges but you can flash the 800xl rom with a few mods to make it fully compatible now.
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u/Perna1985 Sep 14 '26
When I bought my 800 XL from one of the classic gaming stores that's actually what they considered the pack in game. They sell basic carts for a few dollars. I tried to explain that having a basic car on an XL is redundant and it's meant for the earlier computers but they didn't want to hear it...
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u/Shot-Infernal-2261 Sep 14 '26
They are probably the most common cart, because a lot of 400/800/1200xl owners got the rev C update (setting aside their original Rev. A or Rev B.)
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u/csnwhy Sep 14 '26
This will be great when I get my monthly Compute magazine and I can type in the long program to make a square on the screen 😁
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u/midnitewarrior Sep 14 '26
Did you tell them you'd give them $5 for it? They might take it at any price. I don't see a huge demand for Atari cartridges, especially in Alaska.
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u/ZZerglingg Sep 14 '26
eBay prices. These shops all price based on eBay. I'm like, "I can give you hard cash now and you're done or you can pack, ship and wait for the money"
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u/droid_mike Sep 14 '26
Yeah, maybe I should have... Didn't really need one except as a backup, but it might have been good to have...
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u/KAPT_Kipper Sep 14 '26
The 400 and 800 did require the cart, had notepad liad otherwise but neither had a self test. That was XLs
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u/Few_Ad_8627 Sep 14 '26
Well what do you plan to do with it? Do you have an Atari 400 or 800 to use it in?
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u/droid_mike Sep 14 '26
I have an Atari 1200xl that uses it, but it is currently in need of repair due to the keyboard (I have the replacement film, just need to finally install it). I have a basic cartridge already, but wouldn:y mind having a backup just in case.
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u/Keanebg1 Sep 14 '26
Was it a cost thing or was Basic not ready at the time when they were finalising the 400/800 models? Always thought it odd that basic was a ad on. I have other machines that did the same Sega SC3000, Sord M5, Amstrad CPC plus, Thompson TO7 etc…. Always a strange one.
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u/droid_mike Sep 14 '26
The Atari 800, much less the 400, was a very modular machine. They had special expansion ramp packs and of course all the other accessories. I think they are going with a fully modular design where basic would not be the default programming language or operating system. You would have to specifically put the cartridge in if you wanted basic. That way you could have logo or some other language default go to if you wanted with the other cartridges. I think it was just an overall design philosophy. One benefit to fully modular philosophy like this one would be if you had updates to basic, it was an easy change for the user. They would not have to open up the machine or anything like that.
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u/Accomplished_Can1651 Sep 14 '26
I never really needed one, since my uncle handed down his 130XE which had BASIC built-in, but I could use it in the 400 if I really wanted to.
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u/krushem2000 Sep 14 '26
Early pc cartridge i have one. Cheap and pretty cool to keep running just be aware of power pack degradation!
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u/jonpertwee2 Sep 14 '26
That is an outrageous price to ask for a BASIC cartridge! 😳