The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[protomank]

On 12/9/2023 at 8:03 AM, Ben from Plaion said:

I actually like this more. The final versin is a biit too clean for my taste with the white background.

[Warboss Gegguz]

Finally arrived!

Dad loves it and so do I.

Batari's custom arms (with some work arounds) let me play a lot of complex/weird stuff and homebrew that's not officially listed as compatible.

Which most importantly means it runs Pac-Man 8k and DK VCS perfectly.

 

Shame I still gotta keep my PC on-hand to switch games atm (outside of the pack-ins), but overall I'm extremely satisfied.

Also, as a Zoomer I'm having to get used to the joysticks after testing all these roms in Stella and only ever using a stick in fighting games. Not that it's bad at all, just that I find myself stumbling with controls for the first time since childhood 😆

[protomank]

I was thinking about how one could implement multicarts with the Plus a couple days ago. Maybe just a trick that you add some value into the default rom address that let you know it is a multicart, then it boots that rom that contains a selector, and once you press reset with a selected game, it would move to another address (depending on a value in memory), like bank-switching, and then boots a new game from that address and then the console works as normal mode. To go back into "game-selection mode", you would had to power down and on again.

Of course, that requires changes in both multicart and the Plus and I am not sure it would work, it was just a mind exercice of my part  

[Bitsized]

I finally got my pre order of Mr. Run and Jump (but still waiting for Berzerk and the paddle set) from amazon.

It was a thrill to open a new NEW 2600 game.  Great packaging etc.  I don't know who is in charge of this decision, but I wish it came with a manual.  If they can make the little cardboard condom, why not eliminate that little sleeve and put the efforts to make a paper manual instead.  I know people have been giving feedback about that, I hope it comes to happen in future game releases.  It would be great to say, "Remember the era where they didn't include manuals?  Glad they fixed that.

[Brad_from_the_80s]

4 hours ago, Bitsized said:

I finally got my pre order of Mr. Run and Jump (but still waiting for Berzerk and the paddle set) from amazon.

It was a thrill to open a new NEW 2600 game.  Great packaging etc.  I don't know who is in charge of this decision, but I wish it came with a manual.  If they can make the little cardboard condom, why not eliminate that little sleeve and put the efforts to make a paper manual instead.  I know people have been giving feedback about that, I hope it comes to happen in future game releases.  It would be great to say, "Remember the era where they didn't include manuals?  Glad they fixed that.

And it's not like "new Atari" hasn't done manuals already with the XP and limited releases, although screwing up and having to reprint some might have left a bad taste, but still.  It can't be THAT hard.  Even something digital as a last resort.

[Bitsized]

10 minutes ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

And it's not like "new Atari" hasn't done manuals already with the XP and limited releases, although screwing up and having to reprint some might have left a bad taste, but still.  It can't be THAT hard.  Even something digital as a last resort.

Oh.  Did they have to reprint some?  Haven't heard this before.

[Brad_from_the_80s]

7 minutes ago, Bitsized said:

Oh.  Did they have to reprint some?  Haven't heard this before.

Yeah, Aquaventure and maybe one more.

[infinite.pies]

10 minutes ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

And it's not like "new Atari" hasn't done manuals already with the XP and limited releases, although screwing up and having to reprint some might have left a bad taste, but still.  It can't be THAT hard.  Even something digital as a last resort.

Atari have published some online manuals here but they seem to be fairly short and incomplete, e.g. they don't include full details of game variations.

 

It would be great if they at least expanded this to include a copy of the original complete instructions. In the absence of printed manuals, downloadable pdf's would be a reasonable alternative.

[Brad_from_the_80s]

47 minutes ago, infinite.pies said:

Atari have published some online manuals here but they seem to be fairly short and incomplete, e.g. they don't include full details of game variations.

 

It would be great if they at least expanded this to include a copy of the original complete instructions. In the absence of printed manuals, downloadable pdf's would be a reasonable alternative.

Looks same as the vip press kit version I've posted a couple times.  But even if that is "the manuals", they could have included a QR code in the box.  There was some kind of code on the instruction sheet, but when I tried it only went to atari.com

Edited December 11, 2023 by Brad_from_the_80s

[HatNJ]

11 hours ago, protomank said:

I actually like this more. The final versin is a biit too clean for my taste with the white background.

Me too

[Dalton]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:14 PM, JetSetIlly said:

Thanks. From the description it sounds like the problem I've described. But why it only affects some 2600+'s and not others, I have no idea.

Here is a short movie with HERO: 

and another one with Pitfall: 

 

 

[Crash7]

Is the joystick they give you with this thing as loud and clunky as the one you buy it separate?

[+sramirez2008]

On 11/16/2023 at 5:14 PM, Albert said:

 

 ..Al

Okay. I don't have lots of time to test today, however I have tested 2600 Asteroids and it works as expected with the CX40+ and with the Starplex controller. I tested 7800 Asteroids and it works with my OG CX-24 and OG CX-78, however it does not work correctly with the Starplex controller.☹️ The Fire button on the Starplex triggers warp/hyperspace and the hyperspace button does nothing when pressed. As I stated, 2600 Asteroids works as expected with the Starplex, so I'm guessing that the 7800 Asteroids/Starplex controller behavior issue, may have to due with the 7800 emulation. Can anyone else test 7800 Asteroids with a Starplex, just to re-confirm my finding?

 

I also tested the folling:

 

- 10 in 1 Cart. Played Missile Command, Video Pinball and Yars'

- 4 in 1 Paddle games. Played Breakout. I like the paddles. I'm looking forward to testing them on one of my 2600s or 7800's.

- Berzerk Enhanced.

    Pro - Robots ability to shoot diagnally.

    Con - Speech. I know, it pains me to call the Speech a con, but the volume is pretty low and hard to make out. The rest of the SFX are fine and quite audible.

- Space Invaders with CX-40+ and Starplex and the game plays as expected.

 

By the way, each of these carts worked on the first try, each time I loaded them. So far I'm treating the 2600+ like a 2600 (e.g., turning off the unit, and replacing carts). I probably won't hot swap, unless I use my 7800 Dragon Fly multicart. 

 

That all for now. So far I'm liking the unit and looking forward to the firmware update.🙂

[Thomas Jentzsch]

3 hours ago, sramirez2008 said:

Okay. I don't have lots of time to test today, however I have tested 2600 Asteroids and it works as expected with the CX40+ and with the Starplex controller.

I suppose that's luck. The default button configuration coincidentally fits to the controller.

 

Usually you have to go into Stella's settings and configure the controller.

[Ben from Plaion]

Don't know if anyone is interested but I'm going on Dan Woods retro podcast tomorrow afternoon to talk about the 2600+.

 

Should be good fun.

[infinite.pies]

After testing my console by playing Adventure for a bit, I've now packed it away again for Christmas.

 

It's killing me putting it back in the box, but opening it and playing even for a short while was pure joy, and I'll get to do it all again at Christmas.

 

It's going to be a very special Christmas this year.

 

I'm spending a lot of time on eBay now looking for cartridges. I can't wait to hear what games Atari is going to be releasing, and I really hope any new releases are going to be available internationally.

 

 

 

[Ben from Plaion]

Circus Convoy running and Realsports boxing fixed in latest beta update.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Ben from Plaion

[Ben from Plaion]

 

 

 

[dancero]

Does anyone have RS Soccer NTSC for the 2600, do the colors look good?

[Atari_Warlord]

1 hour ago, dancero said:

Does anyone have RS Soccer NTSC for the 2600, do the colors look good?

Here's what it looks like on my 2600+

 

 

[ChrisKewl]

6 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Circus Convoy running and Realsports boxing fixed in latest beta update.

 

 

 

 

Where do we get the beta update? Thanks!

[Dr Karnov]

28 minutes ago, ChrisKewl said:

Where do we get the beta update? Thanks!

I don't think it's been released yet. Still being tested.

[dancero]

1 hour ago, Atari_Warlord said:

Here's what it looks like on my 2600+

 

 

thanks. that's how it should look. i'll buy one.

[Ben from Plaion]

8 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

 

 

 

@Thomas Jentzsch What was that other game that suffered from seemingly the same issue as Realsports Boxing, can you remember?

 

[AtariYMás009]

18 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

@Thomas Jentzsch What was that other game that suffered from seemingly the same issue as Realsports Boxing, can you remember?

 

I'm not @Thomas Jentzsch hehe, but I think it was robot tank from activision.

Edited December 12, 2023 by AtariYMás009