Okay, the title isn't strictly accurate. My Atari 2600 never broke, I just put it away for years at a time.
Today, I got it out again, and its storage tub came complete with a daisy chain of adapters to render it compatible with modern technology.
It still works!
To me, that's utterly amazing. We can scoff at the poor graphics, primitive music and limited replay options of the old games, but how many of today's slick products will function 40 years later? The 2600 was solid state technology at its zenith. No moving parts, no need for fans or blowers, just a rugged plastic box filled with copper and some microchips.
There is a tradeoff between fancy features and durability. I look at my venerable console and can't help notice that everything else in modern society is built for the moment rather than to last as long as possible.
I'm looking forward to digging out the old games and showing them to my children. Today's generation are too wired, too online, too digital. It's interesting to see how it started and consider where things went so drastically wrong.
Chateau Lloyd 
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