when did you get it and why? how often do you use it?
If you don’t own a retro system or console, what is the oldest system you emulate or which system would you like to own in the future?
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For me, my oldest system is an Atari 800xl (i’m counting early home computers). I purchased it on a whim when Netflix’s Bandersnatch interactive movie was briefly popular. I was studying (and still am) computer science and was curious on what you could all do on a home computer from the early 80s. Turns out, quite a lot and I’ve had a lot of fun sifting through the 50+ floppies i have finding everything from home finance software, a plethora home brew games, and even floppy magazines (a bunch of articles on a floppy. not sure the proper name)
when i first got it i was on it more than my modern computer, but after moving it has been gathering some dust in its box. i’m hoping to eventually find a home for it in my home so i can use it more.
a fun thing of note is that it still has the saran wrap on its chrome parts, and it has a Sears Service sticker on the bottom of it when one of the previous owners had it serviced.
Probably my issue 2 Sinclair ZX Spectrum, which is from late 1982.
Mattel Electronics IntelliVision (1979)
I have this and an Atari 800 in a tote waiting for the day I have somewhere to put them.
Had 2-3 of them! Amazing machines for their time. Only knock would be the controller pads kept going bad. My dad started repeating them at one point.
I was so hooked on B-17 bomber with the voice module!
My oldest running system is a Commodore 64C with a 1541-2 floppy drive but that is for years only a nice accessories on my wall, because my MiSTer Multisystem completely replaced that (and my Amiga 500 and my SNES and all other retro consoles I own) in every way.
The oldest functioning system I have is an Atari 2600. it was originally my mother’s.
Oldest by release is my NES which I got recently as a sort of gift sort of “Well I’m not using it” from a family member.
Oldest in terms of owned by me the longest is my SNES which I got for Christmas when I was about 8-10 along with a CRT, I remember that Christmas quite fondly.
I don’t find myself often going through the effort to play my retro consoles anymore with projects taking up a lot of my time. If I had the time, however, I’d happily use the consoles over emulating, which I do frequently.
Personal computer. I got a Atari 130xe in middle school (newer version of the 800xl).
Put hundreds of hours on the thing. Had a 300 baud modem and connected to BBSs to download pirated games.
Actually fired it up 3-4 years ago. Most of the floppies still work !
The earliest one I bought was an Amiga 500 which I still think is one of the greatest machines of all time. I loved the community - really creative. I also own a ZX81 which was the first machine I ever did any programming on
Atari 7800. I bought it from someone on craigslist about 3 years ago. The video was pretty fuzzy and audio wasn’t consistent, so I talked them down to a good price. I ended up modding it for composite video and audio, but I rarely play it. I didn’t grow up with an Atari, so I don’t have the nostalgia for the games, but I still think it’s pretty neat.
I have a Timex Computer 2068, a ZX Spectrum clone made my Timex Portugal. My dad bought it sometime in the 80s. I still turn it on from time to time, mostly out of nostalgia. That one is the oldest in my house. I was too young to remember it being bought but it had to be some time between 1985 or 1987.
I also have the first model of the European Sega Master System made in 86 or 87 but I bought it second hand less than a year ago.
i dont use it as much but i stil have my snes which i got specifically to play secret of mana again (its not my original one but i got it on ebay mid 2000s again; i dont know what happened to our original)
PS3, modded with HEN 1.5 TB SSD.
My Commodore 64. I have a ton of cassettes and floppies with games. Some even with intros from scene release groups, which are pretty fun. I should probably digitize them at some point to preserve them. I don’t use it much though due to the risk of the original power supply frying the computer. I’ll have to buy a modern replacement at some point.
Perhaps foolishly, I got rid of most of my older systems 20 years ago, so the oldest one I have left is my Sega Genesis.
I still have my original Game Boy that was a gift from my aunt and uncle. Still works but I rarely play it; need to find some of my other games for it.
I have a *working Pong machine.
*It runs, but I don’t like to turn it on because it gets extremely hot.
