What’s Your Oldest System?
What’s Your Oldest System?
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?
—
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.
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.
The oldest system I have would be the NES. My brother received it sometime before I was born. I'm just holding onto it for him, though - it doesn't get played right now. I actually intend to clean it all up and retrobright it before sending it back to him... eventually... The oldest system I have that still gets occasional use would be my Gameboy Color, which I received, with Pokemon Red, for Christmas when I was 8 or 9. Unfortunately, I need to find a better plastic polish, to take some light scratches out of the lens, and until I do, it will remain disassembled... I've also been contemplating using the board for a complete boxypixel overhaul, but there's something about still having my full original GBC that I'm having a problem getting over...
I have an Atari Lynx that I picked up at a garage sale. Never actually played it, though...
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.
Vic20 is my oldest machine. After that is either my dead C64 or OG macintosh.
I have a *working Pong machine.
*It runs, but I don't like to turn it on because it gets extremely hot.
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!
i have a 2600. warlords and circus atari are awedome with the paddle controllers. that seems to be the one of if not the oldest answer showing up in this thread, but i'd love to own a coleco telstar one day. the wood grain aesthetic is so cool, i wish it stuck around longer!
Psion 5mx palmtop computer running Epoc OS. Had the screen cable replaced a few years ago. Still use it for the word processor from time to time. Runs on two AA batteries.
Psions were pretty amazing. Can't believe they ran a whole operating system like that on a couple of batteries. Iirc, turning on the LCD backlight doubled the idle power consumption. So the whole system was as heavy as a couple of LEDs.
NES Power Set! The power pad was loads of fun!
didn’t know about the power set. super cool bundle and the box for it is awesome. did it come with the track and field game?
Yes! & duck hunt for the zapper!
My NES. My dad had a Pong machine that hooked up to old TVs, but it was in terrible condition when he threw it out after the divorce. If I remember correctly the connector required you to screw it into the contacts on the back of the TV - Old electronics were so bad lol
Original 6-switch Atari 2600. Spent so many hours playing it. Hope it still works haven't tried it in decades.
Oldest console probably Atari 2600
Oldest PC Commodore VIC20
Oldest electronic handheld Parker Brothers Merlin
GameBoy Pocket. Screen needs a swap though. Copped some sun and the display has darkened bad.
A Binatone 6-in-1 Pong machine from (if I recall) around 1977. My next oldest machine is a red-label Astro Wars from 1980.
Atari 2600. Got in a few years ago from my in laws. Still hook it up and play berzerk from time to time.
A 1984 MSX home computer. It was the first computer I had. My grandfather gave it to me in 1985 when he upgraded to a new model. I didn't have a lot of software for it, but it had Microsoft Basic built-in. With a lot of books from my grandfather, I learned to not only program in Basic, but Z80 assembler as well. I used that thing so much I wore out the keyboard.
I recently picked up a matching color CRT monitor for it. I never had a color monitor for it and only hooked it up to the family TV infrequently. I saw the color monitor locally for cheap and after doing a lot of repairs and fixing it up it looks awesome. Really cool to see how good of an image my old computer could do. Still love the old black and green monitor though, that's how I remember it.
Computer is still running and with a big memory expansion I even have DOS 2.0 running on it. Somebody hacked FAT16 into that, so I can theoretically access 4GB of data. On a machine that only has 64kb of ram to start with.
Ive got a Magnavox Odyssey. Gift from a family member who knew I collected older games. Its a bit older than I can really get into playing but its fun to bring out every now and then.
I still have all my old systems even the nes which I first gamed on, technically it’s my parents. But they don’t game at all so it’s really more mine than anyone else’s in the family.
Mine is an Atari 2600. It's my dad's old one that I used to play as a kid, so it has a lot of sentimental value to me.
I have a computer from the 70s but I can't find it right now to tell you the model.
But my next oldest is vic-20.
Atari 2600 "Light Sixer" I got off FB Marketplace locally with 30 cartridges
Sega Mega Drive with the blue reset button. My pops got it for me when I was a kid to distract me. Doesn't see a lot of use but I'll never sell it, got the 32X for it as well which is just a regret brick.
Oldest functioning system is my NES. Oldest system overall is a Darth Vader Atari 2600 that I really need to repair
Depends on how you count it. I had an NES in the 1980s but did that classic kid thing where I sold it and all my games for the next generation (SNES). Therefore my oldest system is the NES I got around 2007.
I feel like many have a similar story. for me it was my n64 for PS2 games.
I sold my PS2 and every game I owned for it for like 3-4 360 games. About 5 or so years later I massively regretted that. Ended up trying to go for a full PS2 PAL collection, likely to compensate. Stopped collecting at around the 600+ mark.
Oldest system, by release year its my Hong Kong 6 Switch Atari 2600. Local guy was selling it and it was in immaculate condition. Dust cover on the system, with boxed games.
At the time I was selling games and systems, so I kept the system and 2 games for myself. Don't use it much since its a 2600, but I have it on my shelf.
Oldest system I own is my GBC, had it since before my youngest sibling was born and I still have it today. Obviously doesn't get much use since GBA SP, but I still keep it around.
Dreamcast ATM. lost my SNES to an apt fire.
Sorry to hear that :(
Amiga 1200 from the 90s.
Spectrum +3 from the 80s.
Radotin Black and White TV game from the 70s.
Never use them tbh.
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.
The oldest functioning system I have is an Atari 2600. it was originally my mother's.
Pen, paper and dice
nintendo 64. used to have a playstation as well but it was sold at a garage sale years ago (thank god ps2 allows ps1 games)
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.
MegaDrive. Don't remember how I got it, I just always had it. I don't play it that often if at all anymore as I prefer the ease of emulating on my HTPC with retroachievements. Even got a nice saturn style fight pad that works great for MD games.
Also the model I have is the region free Asian one even though I live in the UK. I've always had a JP copy of sonic 1 too. No idea how they ended up in my hands.
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.
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.
I still play the Intellivision's Treasure of Tarmin on my phone from time to time. People would probably call it a first-person roguelike or something today. Amazing how a little randomness can give even a 1983 game so much replay value.
For actual hardware, I doubt I'll ever play anything especially retro/vintage now. I'm spoiled by today's gamepad ergonomics (I'd never play much Treasure of Tarmin on an Intellivision pad, woof). However, I do sometimes think about setting up some sort of hardware to play on a CRT with a wireless gamepad.
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 !
I think I have a famicom+disk system in storage somewhere. Got it as a college student studying in Japan.
I still have my TI-99 4/A and voice synthesizer and the parts. Been a few years since I hooked it up though.
PS3, modded with HEN 1.5 TB SSD.
Probably my issue 2 Sinclair ZX Spectrum, which is from late 1982.
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)
I think it's the NES for me too. It was my dad's, and he kept it in good condition. He mostly only had sports games for it though, and Super Mario Bros. I've heard the NES came with a combo cart for SMB and Duck Hunt, but we don't have Duck Hunt and Mario is on its own cartridge. We also don't have a R.O.B. I have no idea what that says about what time period or in what package combo he might have bought the NES.
Most recently, I got a copy of Super Mario Bros 3 and I've been playing through that. I also still like buying new games for it whenever someone like Limited Run publishes them. When I was there last, I bought Alwas Awakening and it sure feels wild to be playing a game on the NES that's also sold on Steam.
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