Here in the Search nav, you can.... SEARCH. Start typing a game or gamer, it will autosuggest. Press one to go, or hit Enter to get the full search results.
Below the searchbox, you'll see recent games, gamers, clubs, events, and quests you've visited.
Below that is the full site map with all of the different pages on this platform. Most of these are accessible in the other navs too. But here they're all in one place, if you're into that sort of thing.
Jump in a virtual or IRL event, tournament, or league. Participate in a Quest (a gaming challenge that you can do any time). Channel 3 has something for all skill levels, including gaming-focused daily minigames.
Go to Events below to search for real-time tournaments or other events. Quests will show you offline challenges you can complete at any time.
You can flex your ranks for many games on your profile. To add them, go to edit profile - game stats.
RATE
RATE HELP
The heart of Channel 3 is rating and reviewing video games. What are your favorite games of all time? How about least favorite? The more games you rate, the more personalized Channel 3 becomes. You can even rate systems and make lists.
Press Games below to go to navigate the entire list of games. Or go Search.
Go to Lists to make collections of games. Channel 3 can be your game tracker, like Goodreads or Letterboxd for video games.
You can also rate and review video game systems. Which system did you start on? Press Systems below and go drop a review.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants
4/23
Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU
4/25
Another Crab's Treasure
4/25
The Epyx Collection: Handheld
4/26
TopSpin 2K25
SQUAD UP
SQUAD UP HELP
You may have friends here already, or you may meet your next lifelong squadmate here. Either way, Channel 3 is most fun when you find your people and can have friendly competitions and participate in challenges together.
Below you can navigate all the gamers, clubs, and causes on Channel 3.
If you'd like to create and run a Club, submit an New Club Request.
Whether it's 1 to 2, or 99 to 100, leveling up is the best feeling in the world. On Channel 3, when you participate in quests, when your post gets 1Up'd, when you crush a daily minigame, you get XP. Get 1k XP, and you level up and unlock rewards. Rewards can be custom reaction GIFs, cool backgrounds, or prize wheel spins for IRL gaming gear or in game currency.
Turbo is an optional subscription for superusers. You don't need Turbo to enjoy Channel 3. Turbo users get early access to new features, and are able to unlock more levels in a season.
On Channel 3, seasons last 3 months. They will always run January 1 - April 1, April 1 - July 1, July 1 - October 1, and October 1 - January 1.
Open channel3.gg in Chrome. Click the Install icon in the right side of the address bar:
Click Install when you get this prompt.
After installation, you can pin to the Windows taskbar alongside your other favorite apps.
Open channel3.gg in Safari. It has to be Safari.
Tap the Share button in the middle of the footer.
Tap Add to Home Screen.
Tap Add on the prompt.
BOOM. You're done. iPhones try to act like it's "just a website bookmark" because they want everyone to go through the App Store but really it functions just like an app... Full screen, moveable icon on your home screen. All of it.
Enjoy.
Install the Channel 3 app from the Google Play Store.
You can flex your ranks for many games on your profile. To add them, go to edit profile - game stats.
Atari 2600
1977-09-01
The Atari 2600, branded as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS) until November 1982, is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977, it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridges, a format first used with the Fairchild Channel F in 1976. The VCS was bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a game cartridge—initially Combat and later Pac-Man.
Recently acquired one of these from some family. It is very family friendly and easy to use for young kids. Attention span can be difficult with some of the games, but its still great. 100% recommend everyone play one.
I have to rate this in the context of the time and not hindsight (not that I was around then), but interchangeable games? No unit did that. Sure you look back now and it is primitive and ancient, but mind-blowing to have in a home.
I can still hear all the sounds (all 4 of them) from when I was a kid. I played Frogger, Space Invaders, and Spider-Man constantly back in the day. I was 4 years old and here was this weird brown wooden box thing that played games on the TV and I was hooked ever since.
If anyone says these games hold up, they're lying. 99% of them don't. And they're not supposed to. But they were the beginning of this crazy hobby we love so much which is why it's so important.
Well, our video games were just groups of squares on a screen which maybe resembled something if you squinted hard enough. But it was the coolest thing out there.
Hard debate between 3 and 4 stars. If I could do 3.5, I would. The Atari brought gaming home in a big way. It wasn't the first home system, as both the Odyssey and Telstar came before, but the Atari 2600 was possibly the most popular and innovative. It definitely made the idea of a cartridge popular, so popular that it basically never died out.
The original bad boy! Atari releases a anthology twice a year easily and they still do well. The idea of playing arcade games at home in the 70s was insane. That is until et came out. This system really needs to be looked at with rose colored shades. It was amazing for the time. But definitely doesn't hold up as a whole today.
