The Atari 2600 is a video game platform released in September 1977 by Atari. It is credited with popularizing the use a cartridge-based system (although the Fairchild Channel F was actually the first console to do this) which could play multiple games rather than having games built-in as previous systems had.
The console was originally sold as the Atari VCS (Video Computer System) but after the release of the Atari 5200 in 1982, the VCS was renamed Atari 2600. The console was normally bundled with two controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers and a game. The Atari 2600 was an enormous hit with gamers and featured games such as Space Invaders, Missile Command, Breakout and Pitfall.
