What a time it is to be alive for every gamer. Virtually every day comes with some form of excitement. This time is Atari 2600+. The new version of the iconic 1977 console was announced on Tuesday 22 August 2023 and will be a collaboration between Atari and Plaion. What is most fascinating about the Atari 2600+ is that it is backward compatible.
So, if you own any Atari cartridges, you will now be able to play them again. According to Atari, the new Atari 2600+ will come with HDMI output and USB-C ports. The company says the new console will support 2600 and 7800 game cartridges and will be compatible with the original paddle controllers and joystick. It is also expected to have widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio support.
A compatibility chart provided with the console shows which games will work on the new console. Out of all the Atari 2600 games tested, only The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Super Cobra, and RealSports Boxing failed to work.
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The USA-exclusive console is priced at $129.99. Gamers that wish to purchase an additional joystick will have to pay $24.99 for it. Also launching with the console are handpicked enhanced games including Mr. Run and Jump and Berzerk which will be available each for $29.99.
The relaunch of the 70s classic is scheduled for November 17, although the books are now open for preorders. What struck us the most was how Atari was able to maintain the majority of its design cues from the original version. This is definitely a step in the right direction for video game and console conservation.
The new Atari 2600+ will come with a compilation cartridge that will have 10 of the most popular Atari 2600 games including:
- YarS’ Revenge
- Video Pinball
- Surround
- RealSports Volleyball
- Missile Command
- Maze Craze
- Haunted House
- Dodge ‘EM
- Combat
- Adventure
The paddle controller will be sold separately for $39.99. It will come with a 4-in-1 cartridge housing Video Olympics, Night Driver, Canyon Bomber, and Breakout.
Atari 2600+ may not be the only console that will be resurrected from the past
Atari’s body language suggests that the Atari 2600+ may not be the only console that will be resurrected. In 2021, the company launched Atari VCS, a compact PC set-top box that has the capability of downloading and playing classic Atari titles and PC games—sort of a combo TV streaming and console box. Earlier this year, the company signed an acquisition agreement with Nightdive Studios—a studio famous for retro remaster.
Also in February, Atari launched a limited edition of the 50th-anniversary box containing physical Atari 2600 games to mark the 50th anniversary of the company. The box set was sold for $999.99. Included in the package were 10 physical Atari 2600 games in new packs.
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Four of the games from the 50th-anniversary box set were included in the 10-in-1 cartridge that will come with the new Atari 2600+. The 50th-anniversary box set is yet to sell out—and likely the same fate will hit the Atari 2600+ because consumer taste may have moved on to the next-gen consoles.
Another reason why the Atari 2600+ may struggle against other exhumed retro consoles is that it lacks an Internet connection which would have made it possible for fans of the consoles to download additional games from supporting services.
That inevitably means that those purchasing the new consoles will have to rely on cartridge purchases—which are not cheap—to play more games. However, it was evident that Atari wants to preserve as much of the old console as possible. Too many alterations will make it to be something else.
Atari plans to release more multi-game cartridges for the new console in the future. However, fans would likely prefer to mop up refurbished cartridges—which should be considerably cheaper—rather than purchasing new cartridges.
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