Atari Game Console - Dismantled for reference and curiosity
Designed in 1983 but not released until 1985/86 the Atari 2600 Jr. (Junior) was yet another cost reduced version of the classic Atari 2600 game consoles; see separate pages on this site. The planned '83 release of the 2600 Jr. was delayed due to the sale of Atari Inc. to the Tramiels. This is why many of the motherboards are stamped with earlier dates such as this board stamped 1983.
The 2600 Jr. went through a number of design revisions and was originally going to be a different system entirely (codenamed 'VAL' / CX-2000) that had the cartridge port at the back and built in joysticks. Flimsy design and a rethink saw the now familiar 2600 Jr. released with the cartridge port on top and two rear facing, DE-9 Atari standard joystick pinned controller ports. The unit shipped by default with one controller, however over the course of its run that could be a standard Atari Joystick, an Atari Pro-Line Joystick or an Atari Joypad; see separate pages
on this site.
The 2600 Jr. was distributed a reduced price compared to the previous 2600 consoles forming much of its rekindled market interest. Sporting a new design not unlike the Atari 7800 the console was finally retired by Atari in 1992. This fourteen year (and two months) run makes it the longest-lived home game console of all time; at time of writing 2014.
