Atari 7800 and 2600 query

[bacteria]

I know there was the Atari 2600, 5200, 7800. The original one had a wood finish (my Father bought one of the first UK ones, the console is long gone now though) then was made into a smaller plastic one.

The 7800 from what I see has better games, looking on some YouTube videos anyway. Something in the back of my memory says that the 7800 could play 2600 game carts too. Is that right or incorrect? The pics of the 7800 I have seen seem to show just a normal controller - is that right? What are the best games on the 7800, and anyone know any other interesting things about them??

[bacteria]

Further research looks like it does.

? thought you could embed YouTube here ? Nevermind: link instead

[Rekarp]

AtariAge.com Bacteria is your friend.

[bicostp]

Yep, Atari learned from their mistakes with the 5200 (which itself was basically an Atari 800 home computer anyway) and made the 7800 backwards-compatible with the 2600.