The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[Albert]

2 minutes ago, Chemical Burrito said:

Honestly, I consider this a real flaw with the Atari 2600+ as shipped.  When one of your big selling points is the ability to play Atari 7800 games, at the bare minimum your console should ship with a controller that is capable of playing said games.  It's not like a 7800 controller is considered a specialty controller like the paddles or driving controller - it was the basic controller that shipped with the system.  We should have gotten a 2600 joystick and a 7800 pad (I'm figuring it's cheaper than the joystick if they're worried about costs) shipped in the box.

I can see the argument to be made for that, but you'd probably be paying another $20+ for the system if it also included a 7800 gamepad.  I didn't have anything to do with the decision on what to include with the console, but I can see why they went with the iconic CX-40.  I also don't know if 7800 support was envisioned from the start, or if that was added at a later point, well after design of the CX-40+ had begun.  To be honest, most people buying this system (the general public, versus the relatively small retro gaming community) are only going to play 2600 games on it, and a 7800 gamepad will be available soon.

 

 ..Al

[infinite.pies]

15 minutes ago, Albert said:

I can see the argument to be made for that, but you'd probably be paying another $20+ for the system if it also included a 7800 gamepad.  I didn't have anything to do with the decision on what to include with the console, but I can see why they went with the iconic CX-40.  I also don't know if 7800 support was envisioned from the start, or if that was added at a later point, well after design of the CX-40+ had begun.  To be honest, most people buying this system (the general public, versus the relatively small retro gaming community) are only going to play 2600 games on it, and a 7800 gamepad will be available soon.

 

 ..Al

I would agree.

 

It's primarily a 2600, which happens to have 7800 compatibility. I don't want a 7800 controller, and wouldn't want to pay extra for something that I will likely never use. It's right that this will be an optional extra.

[Albert]

5 hours ago, Albert said:

We'll be able to fix this with an update, it's something I'm actively working on right now.

Also, I should say this is something @Ben from Plaion and I are working on. 

 

 ..Al

[Chemical Burrito]

5 minutes ago, Albert said:

I can see the argument to be made for that, but you'd probably be paying another $20+ for the system if it also included a 7800 gamepad.  I didn't have anything to do with the decision on what to include with the console, but I can see why they went with the iconic CX-40.  I also don't know if 7800 support was envisioned from the start, or if that was added at a later point, well after design of the CX-40+ had begun.  To be honest, most people buying this system (the general public, versus the relatively small retro gaming community) are only going to play 2600 games on it, and a 7800 gamepad will be available soon.

 

 ..Al

 

I think that's right (most people will be playing 2600 on this) for the simple reason that hardly anyone had a 7800 in the first place.  Either they were playing NES/Famicom at the time or they were into 8-bit computing.

 

I do understand why there's a CX-40+ as a pack in ... this system is sold based on its looks.  Heck, that's why I bought one - the 2600+ absolutely nails the classic look.  The gamer side of me wants to play 7800 games with a decent controller, though.

 

(I really hope the reissued 7800 pad is good.  I have both original 7800 joysticks and a couple of original 7800 pads and ... none of them are really any good.  Back in the day I rewired an Epyx 500XJ for the 7800 but that modified stick got lost in a move ...)

 

 

[bradhig1]

Sounds similar to the Retron 77.  I never kept up with the community updates on that one so I don't know what works on it that doesn't work on the Atari 2600+ 

[Chemical Burrito]

15 minutes ago, infinite.pies said:

I would agree.

 

It's primarily a 2600, which happens to have 7800 compatibility. I don't want a 7800 controller, and wouldn't want to pay extra for something that I will likely never use. It's right that this will be an optional extra.

I suspect the general public would have traded the entirety of 7800 compatibility for a set of paddles packed in with the system in addition to the joystick.

[bradhig1]

I will still get it when it comes out.  I hope they fix pitfall ii so it works on it.

[Albert]

4 minutes ago, Chemical Burrito said:

(I really hope the reissued 7800 pad is good.  I have both original 7800 joysticks and a couple of original 7800 pads and ... none of them are really any good.  Back in the day I rewired an Epyx 500XJ for the 7800 but that modified stick got lost in a move ...)

I much prefer the original 7800 pad compared to the 7800 joystick.  In fact, I have one hooked up to one of the 7800 systems I use for testing. 

 

 

I very much look forward to testing the new 7800 gamepad!   

 

 ..Al

[Video]

Those 7800 pads are awesome. Wish the us had gotten them, the stick is terrible.

 

Two days left! Looking forward to it, I need to dig out more games. Going to be interesting to see how a modern tv handles a flicker fest like pacman.

 

 

[Bakasama]

According to Ben, Atari is making new versions of the 7800 joypads.

[Chemical Burrito]

3 minutes ago, Albert said:

I much prefer the original 7800 pad compared to the 7800 joystick.  In fact, I have one hooked up to one of the 7800 systems I use for testing.

Oh, I definitely agree that the pad was far, far better than the joystick.  The 7800 joystick was an abomination ... as if no one engineering the stick thought to make something that was comfortable to use for more than a few minutes.  I go back and forth in my mind as to whether the 5200 stick or the 7800 stick was the worst one Atari put out.

 

The 7800 pad is usable as long as you took out that silly screw-in stick part - and better than even the 2600 joystick at least for some games.  That said, I hope the revised 7800 pad modernizes the D-pad.  For the 7800, I don't want a recreated controller - I want a better one!

[Chemical Burrito]

11 minutes ago, Video said:

Those 7800 pads are awesome. Wish the us had gotten them, the stick is terrible.

 

I have one "new" (as in never used and still in bubble wrap) 7800 pad that I'm saving for when my 2600+ comes in.  Forgot where I bought my 7800 pads, though.  It was probably someone off rec.games.video.classic, but ...

[Albert]

1 minute ago, Chemical Burrito said:

Oh, I definitely agree that the pad was far, far better than the joystick.  The 7800 joystick was an abomination ... as if no one engineering the stick thought to make something that was comfortable to use for more than a few minutes.  I go back and forth in my mind as to whether the 5200 stick or the 7800 stick was the worst one Atari put out.

I'd have to go with the 7800 ProLine, as even though they are terribly uncomfortable to use, they generally still work fine, even after so much time.  5200 controllers, not so much.  The side fire buttons on both controllers are pretty terrible, though.  I also have no idea what the heck Atari was thinking back then.  This also goes for the ColecoVision and Intellivision controllers.

 

 ..Al

[Albert]

Just now, Chemical Burrito said:

I have one "new" (as in never used and still in bubble wrap) 7800 pad that I'm saving for when my 2600+ comes in.  Forgot where I bought my 7800 pads, though.  It was probably someone off rec.games.video.classic, but ...

LOL, how long ago was that?! 

 

 ..Al

[Chemical Burrito]

1 minute ago, Albert said:

LOL, how long ago was that?! 

 

 ..Al

Must've been in the mid to late nineties.  It was shortly after the Famous Brands Electronics bundle came out - after which I drove all the way to Atlanta GA for their Atari 7800 bundle and a Pioneer Laseractive.  I think I might have just traded some Astrocade stuff for the 7800 pads, come to think of it.  I traded a lot of Astrocade stuff back then!

[AtariNerd]

50 minutes ago, Chemical Burrito said:

...

For the 7800, I don't want a recreated controller - I want a better one!

For me, the cut-outs on the top surface of the Joy-pads always bothered my thumbs. If one were to recreate the looks, one could use color or a light texture under the buttons, instead. And yes, the D-Pad doesn't have to be that slavishly faithful, either, just comfortable to use.

Edited November 15, 2023 by AtariNerd
Clarity

[T.A.P.]

Is there a chance the new 7800 style joypad might be offered with a game too?

 

I'd love to have a new game for that system.

[+Stephen]

3 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I always use the TVs USB socket to power any 2600+ I'm using. Otherwise any 1a or 2a mobile phone USB plug will be fine. 

That's really cool.  Almost a throwback to the 5200 models which got powered via their coax cable (connected to the TV but actually powered by a wall wart).

[Jstick]

This comment from the ScreenRant review has me concerned:
 

Quote

many of the games played on the Atari 2600+ over multiple days crashed frequently. Although the crashes typically happened at opportune moments when there was already a Game Over, they were nonetheless disheartening to see. These issues arose most frequently when playing any of the games on the combination cartridges such as the 10 Games in 1 or 4 Games in 1 cartridges, although there were still a couple of occasions on separate cartridges as well. In a way, this can add to the nostalgia and retro feeling, but its not necessarily the good kind of nostalgia, and is certainly a frustrating feature.

 

I'm interested in the 2600+, even considering it's current drawbacks, but "frequent crashing" is something that isn't really acceptable. 

 

I haven't heard this so far from any other sources though, might this be a faulty unit perhaps?

[Albert]

That's the first I've heard of any games crashing on the 2600+. We had five units at PRGE running all day Saturday and Sunday, with several Atari employees and Ben from Plaion watching and interacting with people playing the systems, and I never heard anything about games crashing there, either.

 

 ..Al

[+swlovinist]

Just want to clarify here as well that the 2600+ works with the Dragonfly Multicart.  Homebrew 7800 games still do not work but at least you can play the commercial 7800 games this way.  There was an error in my video and I have since pinned a post on my channel to correct.   

[H.Fraenkel]

6 hours ago, Albert said:

If these games all require a second button, you would need a proper 7800 controller to play them.  This isn't something unique to the 2600+, you'd also need a two-button controller to enjoy these on a regular 7800.

 

 ..Al

Okay, thanks for the info! 🙂

[Jstick]

1 hour ago, Albert said:

That's the first I've heard of any games crashing on the 2600+. We had five units at PRGE running all day Saturday and Sunday, with several Atari employees and Ben from Plaion watching and interacting with people playing the systems, and I never heard anything about games crashing there, either.

 

 ..Al

Hmm, another possibility might be a faulty power supply on their end?

[Aragorn7]

On 11/14/2023 at 1:33 PM, MarcinJ said:

Well, Amazon is still claiming that mine will arrive on November 17, but it is a Christmas gift so I need to wait until December 25. 🙃 

I did not play Atari games for more than 3 decades, so a few more weeks does not matter that much. 

🤔 Hmmm.  I think a quality check is in order. Don't you? At least a few hours should do the trick. That way if there are any issues, you still have time to tell Atari and get another one before Christmas. 😉 

[Aragorn7]

1 hour ago, swlovinist said:

Just want to clarify here as well that the 2600+ works with the Dragonfly Multicart.  Homebrew 7800 games still do not work but at least you can play the commercial 7800 games this way.  There was an error in my video and I have since pinned a post on my channel to correct.   

Any chance the Harmony Cart will work?