This was the very first VCS console ever released. It features six switches at the top, as well as woodgrain highlights. It is also much heavier than it's successors, which gives it the nickname "heavy sixer".

Released in 1980. Exactly the same as the first two, except the 2 of the 6 control switches on the console have been eliminated.

A little known variation. This was for store displays and had a slightly different color scheme than the usual version.

Released in 1982: Same as the CX2600A, the only difference was the design. The wood grain highlights were replaced with an all black color scheme. The VCS name on the front was also replaced by the name "2600". This angular black console became known as the "Darth Vader" version.

Released in 1986 by Atari's successor company, Atari Corp. A slimmed down version of the 2600 had been planned, but the crash of the video game industry had shelved that project. As games became popular once again, Atari brought the redesigned console out of mothballs and released it under the unofficial name "2600Jr.". This console is radically different from the original 2600 line. It is much thinner, wedge shaped console, much like the 5200 and 7800 systems.

There are two different versions of the 2600Jr. This one has a short rainbow stripe underneath the 2600 logo.

Sears and Atari continued their close relationship, which had gone back to the days of PONG. Sears released their own version of the VCS, called the Tele-Games Video Arcade. The Video Arcade was exactly the same as it's Atari counterpart.

Released in 1982. The successor to the original Video Arcade console went through a major cosmetic change. Instead of resembling the classic 2600 hardware, it instead mirrored the new 7800 console. Despite the fact that it looked like a new system, it still only played games for the original VCS.

In 1982, Coleco released a special adapter for their ColecoVision console, which allowed it to play Atari 2600 games. When Atari sued Coleco for copyright infringement, a judge ruled that because Coleco used off the shelf components instead of directly copying Atari's design, that the adapter was legal.

Heartened by this ruling, Coleco went one step forward and released a stand-alone model that played only 2600 games, called the Gemini. The Gemini was not only less expensive than the 2600, it also came with the popular Donkey Kong cartridge.

The Home Arcade played 2600 games but was not based off of Atari's console. It was actually a clone of Coleco's Gemini, which was itself a 2600 clone. Columbia House, known for it's music club, wanted to start a "game of the month club". Strangely, Columbia decided to partner with Coleco to release Atari games. Coleco made a special variation of their Gemini console as the centerpiece of the club, which would only be available via mail-order.

The Activision VJ8900, a strange Brazilian clone that bears the name and logo of the popular software company.

The Applevision. Another Brazilian clone with a questionable corporate logo.

The Computec 2600. This clone is from Australia and looks more like an old PONG model.

Microdigital Onyx Jr. Another colorful Brazilian model. This one has a very flashy design.

There are many more foreign 2600 clones, but you're probably sick of looking at Ataris by now. Click here for part 3 as we look at the various controllers and peripherals of the VCS line.