The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[+TwentySixHundred]

Without trying to sound like an ass but really it's just another Flashback with a cart slot? More junk IMHO...

 

2600 and 7800 via emulation is where i start asking what emulators are they using? Probably something sub-par, especially with the 7800 emulation side of things.

 

I have plenty of flashbacks and emulation boxes although to be honest i would buy the shell if they sold it separately.

[kevtris]

3 hours ago, GoldLeader said:

@kevtris

 

Please put out what people want! 

 

(We know "Atari"'s not gonna do it!)

if only time were infinite!

[+KaeruYojimbo]

Exclusive first look inside the new Atari 2600+

[+Defender_2600]

@SainT So please make no further commitments for the future, as you can see what everyone needs is a your "new 2600/7800 GameDrive _console_" with one SLOT for cartridges.

 

[turbo graphics 220]

They have it on the eb games website. I'll definitely pre order the CX40 and the paddle bundle as mine are trashed. They don't show Bezerk or Mr Run and Jump so I wonder if they are concerned about them not working right on pal systems. I agree with most comments here about the system and I haven't used a real cartridge since I got my harmony cart 10 years ago but still, the idea of getting a new 2600 that looks like its pretty high quality is enticing. I think they could have used a proper menu, hes games and some Brazilian games had a menu in the 80's. The Atari gamestation is due too so many atari systems released at once which I like.

[Cynicaster]

I don't like to get all negative on this sort of thing, but this might be the most redundant product imaginable.  A lot of the shortcomings of "retro" products can be handwaved away by saying "ok, I'm not the target customer, blah blah blah."  Basically, rationalize the shortcomings of a retro-themed cash-grab product by making it within reach for a nostalgic impulse buy from somebody who isn't interested in putting in any effort to do the same things in better ways.  

 

But here, you need actual Atari cartridges to use the thing.  So I really wonder, who has Atari cartridges (or is willing to hunt them down), while at the same time not already able to play them?  And if they are already able to play them, chances are it's because they have a real system, which is the gold standard (right...?). 

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against playing Atari on an emulator box hooked up to a modern HD TV.  But if I'm going to do that, then you can be darn sure I'm going to take advantage of the other quality-of-life features that come along with that: wireless controllers, entire ROM collections organized however I like, ability to jump from one game to the next without getting up off my pasty white ass, etc.  This 2600+ kind of feels like it has been conceived to tactically cut out anything that might make it truly cool, useful, or in anyway complementary to a retro gamer's collection of stuff.    

 

 

   

 

 

[Smell Dawg]

15 hours ago, swlovinist said:

I also want to know if this will have firmware that can be updated.  

Davpa mentioned in a stream yesterday that there will be a way to update firmware.  Didn't get into specifics though. Just thought I'd share what I heard.

[Smell Dawg]

(edit: double-posted)

Edited August 23, 2023 by Smell Dawg

[Thomas Jentzsch]

6 minutes ago, Smell Dawg said:

Davpa mentioned in a stream yesterday that there will be a way to update firmware.  Didn't get into specifics though. Just thought I'd share what I heard.

Must be via USB port then.

[8bitPoet]

Man, they ALMOST had me with this product. I certainly fall into the targeted demographic. *cough*old nerd*cough*

 

They lost me when I learned it was a ROM dumper running an emulator that won't support 100% of the original games, homebrews, or 3rd party carts like Harmony, PlusCart, and UnoCart.

 

I don't know if Atari did any focus groups, polls, or marketing research, but it seems like they've missed the mark with this. Sure, it delivers on the nostalgia vibes but it ignores the most exciting aspect of the system - the homebrewers.

 

Here's my list of desired specs for this product, showing what they got right and what's missing:
 ✔️ Nostalgic aesthetic

 ✔️ Modern TV output
❌ Plays 100% of original games (hardware or multi-emulator)

❌ Supports 3rd party carts

❌ SD card option

❌ Wifi (for firmware updates, controllers, file sharing, and multiplayer)

 

What's your idea of the perfect new product to come from Atari?

[Albert]

36 minutes ago, 8bitPoet said:

Supports 3rd party carts

It does support third-party carts.

36 minutes ago, 8bitPoet said:

Wifi (for firmware updates, controllers, file sharing, and multiplayer)

There will be a way to update the firmware, but obviously not via WiFi.

 

 ..Al

[+Kaboomer]

22 hours ago, Shaggy the Atarian said:

Too bad they don't include a few 7800 games with the 10-in-1 cart (make it a 20-in-1, why not) or have some other 7800 multicart but otherwise I do find this tempting. It'll make capturing games easier than I currently do using an HDMI convertor.

Well, you know what we're probably getting Christmastime 2024 then... a 7800 HW version of this with a 10x 7800 multi-cart! Oh boy...

[+DamonicFury]

20 hours ago, CapitanClassic said:

I would much rather have seen an update to the AFB 2 (2005) (Atari-On-A-Chip), with HDMI output, SDcard support, and fixes for the Starpath and other games that hit special R/W addresses that the Atari on a Chip wasn’t designed to play. 

 

Anyone care to speculate why they didn't do something like this?  (Y'know, something that would actually appeal to the large-amounts-of-carts-owning fans who might actually want this thing if it was 100% compatible or very nearly so.)  

[8bitPoet]

1 hour ago, Albert said:

It does support third-party carts.

By third-party carts, I meant carts like Harmony, Melody, Uno, and Plus. I'm sure there's a more accurate term for those. I guess third-party is reserved for makers like Activision, Parker Brother, Imagic, etc.

[Albert]

Just now, 8bitPoet said:

By third-party carts, I meant carts like Harmony, Melody, Uno, and Plus. I'm sure there's a more accurate term for those. I guess third-party is reserved for makers like Activision, Parker Brother, Imagic, etc.

Yeah, I'd just list those as Flash Carts. 

 

 ..Al

[+wongojack]

32 minutes ago, DamonicFury said:

 

Anyone care to speculate why they didn't do something like this?  (Y'know, something that would actually appeal to the large-amounts-of-carts-owning fans who might actually want this thing if it was 100% compatible or very nearly so.)  

Well since the FB2 architecture has never been used since, I'd say it is the same reason as always.  Guesses are

 

Cost - that chip/chipset too expensive

Ownership - it is possible ownership of that design is disputed

 

 

 

[Atariboy]

Too bad they didn't have the foresight to buy O'Shea's inventory. Wasn't Curt trying to work with Atari SA at one point to make a modern Atari 7800 and sell this inventory alongside the systems?

[moycon]

I'm interested in this, but I'll wait for review to start being published before I even consider buying one. 

Borderlands 3 cured me of pre-ordering anything video game related. Better to wait and see if the product is actually finished and playable.

[+GoldLeader]

What the hell is a moycon?

[Flyindrew]

Bottom line, the product is a re release of the 2600 that plays 7800 games and has HDMI output.

 

It is what it is

 

If you like it, buy it

 

If you dont like it, dont buy it.

[Bakasama]

I suppose Atari SA might actually rerelease 7800 games if they bothered to make it work with 7800 games.

[Special Teams]

5 hours ago, Cynicaster said:

But here, you need actual Atari cartridges to use the thing.  So I really wonder, who has Atari cartridges (or is willing to hunt them down), while at the same time not already able to play them?  And if they are already able to play them, chances are it's because they have a real system, which is the gold standard (right...?). 

They have new boxed carts they're selling to play on the machine on the same page for $29.99 and I assume they're coming out with more, so you don't need to necessarily already have them or "hunt them down".  Ten games on the multi-cart plus two more in November.  That's more than I had when I first got my 2600 BITD.

 

Plus why not an alliance with Al/AtariAge to provide even more new cart options to 2600+ buyers?  Didn't Al just remove non-licensed games EXCEPT for Atari titles and then coincidentally Atari comes out with a cart driven console...things that make you go hmm...

[Special Teams]

2 hours ago, Atariboy said:

Wasn't Curt trying to work with Atari SA at one point to make a modern Atari 7800 and sell this inventory alongside the systems?

IIRC Curt was working on what he referred to as Syzergy 3000 which was a modern 2600/7800 console.  I wonder how far he got.

[Zoyous]

So since it's been confirmed that it allows for firmware updates via USB, does that mean that it's possible it can be updated at some point to play the kinds of homebrew carts people are wanting it to be able to?

[jerseystyle]

1 hour ago, Bakasama said:

I suppose Atari SA might actually rerelease 7800 games if they bothered to make it work with 7800 games.

Oh yeah I fully expect to see lots of multicarts moving forward. I’m guessing they saw the Evercade model and are gonna steal it- which I’m fine with, gimme a 10 in 1 7800 cart and I’m down!