The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[tradyblix]

I wonder if my copy of Juno First will work. I'll try tomorrow. 

[Ben from Plaion]

10 hours ago, Dionoid said:

I'm sure that's because the bottom 5% of PAL Galaga isn't displayed on the 2600+. If you play your cart on an actual 7800, you'll probably see 3 ships (on the bottom left, not the bottom right). Curiosity solved? 

 

The Galaga logo should be in the center of your screen. It's hard to see from this picture, but it looks like its shifted to the bottom too much.

Yes, I think you are right

[DEANJIMMY]

43 minutes ago, Dr Karnov said:

I played my (PAL) Ikari Warriors for a good 20 minutes. Definitely no phantom inputs 

Yes, the phantom inputs come from extension cables you can buy today.

Hope the quality of the coming Atari extension cables are like the ones from the 80s which work fine on the 2600+.

The "bad" cables work on real 7800 or C64 only.

[DEANJIMMY]

39 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

I wonder if my copy of Juno First will work. I'll try tomorrow. 

It should work but if it is PAL60 with wrong colors 👍

Mine does not work, the 2600+ slot does not like it.

But as Atarivox is not supported on the + I play it on my 2600 Jr anyway.

[Dalton]

I've received mine from Parcel Machine yesterday evening:

 

 

I was too tired to try it, but I was very positively surprised by Polish language on the box.

I bought it for convinience - to plug it to the modern TV without modding the original unit. I don't have any 7800 cart and my 2600 collection is still quite limited, so I guess all of my carts will work fine.

[TailChao]

Hey, Rikki & Vikki's lead here...

 

20 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Where do I get a cartridge of this game, header file and ROM from?

The physical cartridges have been out of production since late 2020, but still I have a few of our prototype boards and could send one over. For digital goods or other inquiries, send me a private message.

 

 

17 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Thanks for posting this, looks hard to do.

Not really, as I mentioned earlier in this thread. The game is already supported in Libretro / RetroArch, which is based upon ProSystem. It's also supported by BupSystem, which I wrote with low-end platforms in mind and is available for commercial licensing.

[PacManPlus]

My only wish for BupSystem is that it emulated paddles (with the mouse or an analog stick); as then Crazy Brix and Super Circus AtariAge would work better.

[Defender_2600]

21 minutes ago, TailChao said:

Hey, Rikki & Vikki's lead here...

 

The physical cartridges have been out of production since late 2020, but still I have a few of our prototype boards and could send one over. For digital goods or other inquiries, send me a private message.

 

 

Not really, as I mentioned earlier in this thread. The game is already supported in Libretro / RetroArch, which is based upon ProSystem. It's also supported by BupSystem, which I wrote with low-end platforms in mind and is available for commercial licensing.

 

@Ben from Plaion, @TrogdarRobusto,

 

Rikki & Vikki is a true masterpiece, absolutely one of the best 7800 Homebrew Games and would certainly be a killer app for 2600+. Please make it happen, it would be a win-win for everyone.

 

 

 

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

36 minutes ago, Defender_2600 said:

Please make it happen, it would be a win-win for everyone.

The game is great, no doubt about it. But you keep forgetting the target audience of the 2600+. Which is not us, but casual gamers, who want to relive a bit of their youth. These will mostly jump at big names, but not so much modern at homebrews. 

[vagabondartist]

1 hour ago, TailChao said:

Hey, Rikki & Vikki's lead here...

 

The physical cartridges have been out of production since late 2020, but still I have a few of our prototype boards and could send one over. For digital goods or other inquiries, send me a private message.

 

 

Not really, as I mentioned earlier in this thread. The game is already supported in Libretro / RetroArch, which is based upon ProSystem. It's also supported by BupSystem, which I wrote with low-end platforms in mind and is available for commercial licensing.

I hope this happens. Are you going to do reprints at all?

[TailChao]

2 hours ago, PacManPlus said:

My only wish for BupSystem is that it emulated paddles (with the mouse or an analog stick); as then Crazy Brix and Super Circus AtariAge would work better.

There's a lot of accuracy improvements I wanted to add in BupSystem, the input block was definitely one of them. But for now its development is still suspended, I've gotten more support for reverse engineering the Watara SuperVision and have to give that priority.

 

 

1 hour ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

But you keep forgetting the target audience of the 2600+. Which is not us, but casual gamers, who want to relive a bit of their youth. These will mostly jump at big names, but not so much modern at homebrews. 

Right, and in that respect I think omitting support for Rikki & Vikki is totally fair. Most of the interest in the game seemed to come from younger players anyway, who wouldn't be likely to purchase the 2600+.

 

However, I do think the 7800 emulation in the 2600+, as it is, needs significant improvement to live up to the marketing copy.

 

 

41 minutes ago, vagabondartist said:

I hope this happens. Are you going to do reprints at all?

For now, let's say "probably not". But you can still purchase the game digitally and run it on the 7800 GameDrive.

[Ben from Plaion]

4 hours ago, TailChao said:

Hey, Rikki & Vikki's lead here...

 

The physical cartridges have been out of production since late 2020, but still I have a few of our prototype boards and could send one over. For digital goods or other inquiries, send me a private message.

 

 

Not really, as I mentioned earlier in this thread. The game is already supported in Libretro / RetroArch, which is based upon ProSystem. It's also supported by BupSystem, which I wrote with low-end platforms in mind and is available for commercial licensing.

ok thanks for this.

[Albert]

8 hours ago, tradyblix said:

I wonder if my copy of Juno First will work. I'll try tomorrow. 

It works, I've already tested it. 

 

 ..Al

[Defender_2600]

4 hours ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

The game is great, no doubt about it. But you keep forgetting the target audience of the 2600+. Which is not us, but casual gamers, who want to relive a bit of their youth. These will mostly jump at big names, but not so much modern at homebrews. 

 

I think the target audience of the 2600+ is not casual gamers in the strict sense (e.g. Atari Flashback), but a more attentive and informed public, who has kept the original cartridges and is interested in purchasing new cartridges. I think that after playing "Adventure" for the umpteenth time, people will enjoy getting new games, and that is indeed the direction the new 2600 "Mr. Run and Jump" is going. And since by purchasing the 2600+ you also obtained compatibility with the 7800, the migration of interest towards the more powerful brother is quite natural, as we often see in this forum.

 

Furthermore, I see that the 7800 compatibility is catching the attention of retrogamers interested in the third/fourth generation, such as the target audience of Evercade, Retro-Bit and users who regularly purchase NES Homebrew games.

 

Just as "Full Void" is a modern title for Evercade, so I don't see why the 2600+ can't have "Rikki & Vikki". Still a modern title, Evercade has now released "PETSCII Robots", just as the 7800 recently did. I think the potential of the 7800 Homebrew scene should not be underestimated. On the other hand, there were initially people who were skeptical about the success of both Evercade and 2600+.

[Flyindrew]

I just tested my 7800 Popeye on the 2600 + and Olive Oyl shows up in the nude.

 

😂😂..sorry..bad joke

[tradyblix]

23 minutes ago, Albert said:

It works, I've already tested it. 

 

 ..Al

Great news ! One of my favs. 

[Zap1982]

31 minutes ago, Defender_2600 said:

 

I think the target audience of the 2600+ is not casual gamers in the strict sense (e.g. Atari Flashback), but a more attentive and informed public, who has kept the original cartridges and is interested in purchasing new cartridges. I think that after playing "Adventure" for the umpteenth time, people will enjoy getting new games, and that is indeed the direction the new 2600 "Mr. Run and Jump" is going. And since by purchasing the 2600+ you also obtained compatibility with the 7800, the migration of interest towards the more powerful brother is quite natural, as we often see in this forum.

 

Furthermore, I see that the 7800 compatibility is catching the attention of retrogamers interested in the third/fourth generation, such as the target audience of Evercade, Retro-Bit and users who regularly purchase NES Homebrew games.

Absolutely,  and to add to the target audience many either won't own or have room for a CRT television and / or doesn't know how to start ripping out innards of original consoles and playing with soldering irons!! The idea of having essentially two consoles in one that will just plug into a modern TV alongside Atari's wish to support development of new games and stuff like new paddles etc makes for a very cool platform IMO... If it all works properly of course...

 

which it doesn't at present 🥴

 

but I am staying hopeful. I hope it works out!

[vagabondartist]

1 hour ago, Defender_2600 said:

 

I think the target audience of the 2600+ is not casual gamers in the strict sense (e.g. Atari Flashback), but a more attentive and informed public, who has kept the original cartridges and is interested in purchasing new cartridges. I think that after playing "Adventure" for the umpteenth time, people will enjoy getting new games, and that is indeed the direction the new 2600 "Mr. Run and Jump" is going. And since by purchasing the 2600+ you also obtained compatibility with the 7800, the migration of interest towards the more powerful brother is quite natural, as we often see in this forum.

 

Furthermore, I see that the 7800 compatibility is catching the attention of retrogamers interested in the third/fourth generation, such as the target audience of Evercade, Retro-Bit and users who regularly purchase NES Homebrew games.

 

Just as "Full Void" is a modern title for Evercade, so I don't see why the 2600+ can't have "Rikki & Vikki". Still a modern title, Evercade has now released "PETSCII Robots", just as the 7800 recently did. I think the potential of the 7800 Homebrew scene should not be underestimated. On the other hand, there were initially people who were skeptical about the success of both Evercade and 2600+.

I agree. New games are needed. It’s why I’m here. New games for retro consoles are where it’s at.

[Ben from Plaion]

3 minutes ago, vagabondartist said:

I agree. New games are needed. It’s why I’m here. New games for retro consoles are where it’s at.

I agree!

[vagabondartist]

5 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I agree!

Evercade got me into the Atari to begin with, as it was a bit before my time back in the day.

That post definitely rings true for me.

[Zap1982]

57 minutes ago, vagabondartist said:

Evercade got me into the Atari to begin with, as it was a bit before my time back in the day.

That post definitely rings true for me.

For me  it was Atari Anthology on Xbox which may be 'wonky' by Atari 50 standards but yes whenever I see a compilation released "again!?" of anything it is often a starting point for somebody out there.. my Sons (10 and 7) love the N64 but that's off the back of the Nintendo Online back catalogue - not me or nostalgia.

[+karri]

1 hour ago, vagabondartist said:

I agree. New games are needed. It’s why I’m here. New games for retro consoles are where it’s at.

On the Atari Lynx scene we have a traditional Jam every December for creating new games with some theme. This year everyone gets the same graphics sheet and you can write any kind of game that fits in the RAM. No cart access allowed.

 

Perhaps there would be interest in some Xmas Jam tradition for the 2600+ also? Limited development time - 3 weeks, no bankswitching schemes or extra RAM or Pokey. Keep it simple and concentrate on playability.

 

Usually there is a released multicart for every jam. All developers receive a copy of the cart and the warm feeling for being able to participate.

 

A dip-switch cart would work well as a jam cart. This could later be available from AtariAge shop perhaps?

 

Here is the submissions for 2022. Actually Drunk Witch by me was a dual release. Lynx and 7800 at the same time. Submissions to LynXjam 2022 - itch.io

[Brad_from_the_80s]

I briefly saw "Loading Game Failed" pop up for the 10-in-1 cart today, although admittedly I was hot-swapping it.  I'm basically just collecting a few loose carts to start with.  About 3/4 of them just play.  A couple of them were even really dirty, which I cleaned them first, but they just played first time.  And then a couple carts that I received were tested and clean, but generated "Loading Game Failed" the first few times I tried to start them.  I would give them a clean with a alcohol and try again, but they still would not load the first few times I tried.  These are all NTSC 2600 carts.  And then it's as if the cart finally "wakes up" after 40 years and just starts working on subsequent insertions.  Weird.

 

I haven't found anything that just won't work at all yet, although I have a couple 7800 titles coming that I'm gonna try.  But the cart reader is clearly a bit more temperamental than OG hardware.  And after quickly discovering that hot swapping and auto detection are a thing, I'm wondering if it's a software sensitivity issue that can perhaps be adjusted in firmware, since the pins look perfectly fine and seem to make good contact.

[tradyblix]

9 minutes ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

I briefly saw "Loading Game Failed" pop up for the 10-in-1 cart today, although admittedly I was hot-swapping it.  I'm basically just collecting a few loose carts to start with.  About 3/4 of them just play.  A couple of them were even really dirty, which I cleaned them first, but they just played first time.  And then a couple carts that I received were tested and clean, but generated "Loading Game Failed" the first few times I tried to start them.  I would give them a clean with a alcohol and try again, but they still would not load the first few times I tried.  These are all NTSC 2600 carts.  And then it's as if the cart finally "wakes up" after 40 years and just starts working on subsequent insertions.  Weird.

 

I haven't found anything that just won't work at all yet, although I have a couple 7800 titles coming that I'm gonna try.  But the cart reader is clearly a bit more temperamental than OG hardware.  And after quickly discovering that hot swapping and auto detection are a thing, I'm wondering if it's a software sensitivity issue that can perhaps be adjusted in firmware, since the pins look perfectly fine and seem to make good contact.

Yeah that's exactly the type of transient weirdness with hotswapping I've seen. I first saw it on a youtube video too. So yeah. I just power cycle it. I doubt it matters (healthwise to the console) The loading speed isn't as bad as I was lead to believe by online reviews. By the time I hit game reset or turn it on and go back to my couch, It's almost ready.

 

Come to think of it, I wonder if it's just the brand new cart loader pins that need a few insertion cycles to work right, or a combo of issues with software and that.  

Edited November 22, 2023 by tradyblix

[Brad_from_the_80s]

4 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

Yeah that's exactly the type of transient weirdness with hotswapping I've seen. I first saw it on a youtube video too. So yeah. I just power cycle it. I doubt it matters (healthwise to the console) The loading speed isn't as bad as I was lead to believe by online reviews. By the time I hit game reset or turn it on and go back to my couch, It's almost ready.

 

Come to think of it, I wonder if it's just the brand new cart loader pins that need a few insertion cycles to work right, or a combo of issues with software and that.  

Maybe.  Hot-swapping is just me being lazy, but using the power switch after first powering the unit on also just seems like a bit of theater.  Even though the games do not run from the cart, their execution is clearly tied to sensing that the cart is still in the slot, after the initial rom dump.  I've had game sessions where I've hot-swapped several 2600 carts without issue.  And I'm sure I tried powering off and on for the carts I had trouble with initially.  Very strange.

 

I don't find loading time to be an issue really, once the carts start working.  Might be different for 7800, I'm not sure.