Final answer:
The Atari VCS (Atari 2600) lacked controllers with a 12-button numeric keypad, unlike other contemporary consoles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Atari VCS, also known as the Atari 2600, did not have controllers with a 12-button numeric keypad. When the Atari Video Computer System was released in 1977, it used a simple joystick and button layout without a numeric keypad. In contrast, other consoles of the time like the ColecoVision, Intellivision, and Odyssey² did feature controllers with a 12-button numeric keypad.