Atari’s first-ever game console has now been reincarnated for modern gamers’ needs without sacrificing the nostalgia of the cartridge era. No this is not a concept design, but rather an official release by the company who’s revolutionized the gaming scene. They’ve teamed up with publisher Plaion to bring the iconic gaming console back to life.
Dubbed the Atari 2600+, the console pays homage to the four-switch model from the 1980s. This trimmed-down version (80 percent scale) of the original slated for the November release can play both 2600 and 7800 cartridge games. Keeping in mind high-definition output requirements, the 10-in-1 game cartridge console comes with HDMI and USB ports.
This is not the first time Atari has cashed in on the trend of faithful recreations of classic models, as Atari VCS released in 2021 very well proved. Yes, the combo console and TV streaming box with the price equivalent to an Xbox Series S. After the initial success, the console failed to attract prospective buyers and was eventually discontinued. The Atari 2600+ should have a chance of gaining stable popularity with the Gen-Z given the compatibility with old game cartridges and widescreen output support.
Out of the box, the retro-modern console will come with titles including Adventure, Combat, Dodge ‘Em, Haunted House, Maze Craze, Missile Command, RealSports Volleyball, Surround, Video Pinball and Yars’ Revenge. Other than these titles, if you’ve got the Pac-Man, Frogger, Space Invaders or Pitfall cartridge somewhere in the closet, you’re good to go. Atari has enlarged the cartridge socket size to eliminate the cartridge sticking issue and the logo lights up to enhance the gaming feel.
The console comes with a revamped CX40+ joystick which is again a modern take on the classic Atari CX40. Support for two-player mode is there, so you’re in for a fun time with your millennial buddies. Surprisingly you’ll get only a single stick bundled with the purchase, and for the second one, you’ll have to shell out $25. Atari also promised a revamped CX-30 Paddle Controller for a price tag of $30.
Powering the retro-mini gaming console is a Rockchip 3128 processor mated to 256MB DDR3 RAM and 256MB internal storage. Atari 2600+ will launch worldwide on November 13 with pre-orders starting right now. A price tag of $130 should give it the strategic advantage in the arcade gaming arena going neck to neck with Nintendo Switch.
