What is all this 4-switch 6-switch he said she said stuff?

Ah ha! Sauce for the goose!

KAHN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

AHEM! Ok!

The 6-switch was the original Atari version released in 1977. It had 6 switches on the front of the unit. ON/OFF, B/W, Difficulty 1/2, Select and Reset. It's also the only Atari 2600 model that had 2 circuit boards inside it.

The 4-switch looks pretty much the same except for the Difficulty switches have been moved to the back, next to the joystick ports. (who ever used those, anyway?) That leaves only 4 switches on the front, thus, a 4-Switch! This model came out around 1980/81, right around when Space Invaders helped the 2600 launch its way into the annuals of history!

The Atari 2600 Junior was the last of the line for the 2600's (until I came along of course). They were designed in 1983 around the same time as the 7800, but shelved until 1987. (During that time, the new owners of Atari tried to get away from the videogame end of things.) It was low-cut and sleek, and had a silver band running across the front. It had REALLY cheap Select and Reset buttons (you have to push them to realize the true crappiness) Some Atari 2600 Jr.'s built in 1987 had only ONE chip inside. Atari really musta racked their brains on that one.