Okay, let me show something here:
Disclaimer, the reason there's no sound is because I dont quite understand how to record this properly. There's full sound in the simulation.
So, this is what the 2600 has become for me, at this point. This program is one of the reasons I got an Oculus in the first place, and one of the reasons I got this overpowered PC. There's a seperate program that's all about recreating an 80s arcade, as I'm also a big fan of golden age arcade games.
But I use this one mostly for playing 2600 stuff, and NES. The video just shows off a few games and the general experience.... there's alot more to it (it can have all of those TVs active at once, for instance, and I can spawn in more.... not that this accomplishes much, how can one play 21 games at the same time?).
Yeah, I'm just that darned attached to these things.
Also, I'm one of those rare players that doesnt only focus on the well-known games. Something I've heard a few too many times is that there's only a few good games on the 2600. Well, no. Frankly, I like the vast majority of them. There's some absolute stinkers in the library, sure... like Firefly, that one's terrible. But there's a bazillion others that are plenty of fun, even if they never get any attention from anyone else. One of my old favorites is SpiderDroid. Nobody knows what the heck I'm talking about when I mention that one. Another one I tried the first time recently and quite liked is River Patrol (no, not River Raid, this is seperate). That's one odd game but it's a good time (and the real thing is apparently very rare).
And yes, I even like ET, and unlike most, I actually know how to play it.
I had alot of games as a kid, and still have all of them, there's cartridges all over my room even now. But currently, I mostly play them through the VR program. With the added benefit of literally all of the games in the library being in there. That's why the program is a bit choppy at first in the video, as it's trying to load all of the roms into that list. Why that slows it down, I dont know.
But also playing it via that is easier on my arm. Much as I love the original console, that controller gives me trouble now. Nerve/tendon issues, you see.
But yeah, I play these very often. I also have the big 2600 collection on the Switch. Not the best selection of games ever, but pretty good. I play that one alot when I'm travelling. I forget the exact name of it, look it up if you have a Switch. It comes with some arcade games, too.
Honestly I could rant about this subject for hours.
