Most games for the 2600 really aren't all that difficult to figure out and 
  thus the need for a manual isn't so great. There are some exceptions, for instance, 
  you wouldn't want to have a go at Space 
  Shuttle without the manual (and overlays!), 
  but most 2600 games you can just plug in and go. However, it is nice to have 
  the manuals for reference and of course the completionist will want them for 
  his or her collection. Besides the raw instructions on how to play the game 
  many manuals also contained a back story (really!), colorful artwork and even 
  tips from the game's designer. Most 2600 manuals were printed in full color 
  and were typically delivered in booklet style using staples to keep the pages 
  together. 
At present we do not yet have scans of many 2600 manuals online, as it takes some 
  time to scan, crop and resize the large number (hundreds!) of manuals available 
  for the 2600. These will be coming online soon, but in the meantime we do have a sizeable collection of HTML manuals that you can browse.  |