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Atari 2600+ on test: a nostalgic trip made easy

29.11.2023

Translation: machine translated

The Atari 2600 + is a new model inspired by the cult console of the 70s. I can plug in original games and controllers. But the device offers almost nothing more than modern connections.

Retro is making a comeback. Reissues like Super Mario RPG, mini handheld computers like the Abernic RG Nano or replica consoles like the Atari 2600 + are sprouting up like mushrooms. The latter is Atari's latest find to cash in on the legendary game maker's nostalgia.

At first glance, the Atari 2600 + looks exactly like the 1977 original. If I were to put them next to each other, a sizeable difference would be immediately noticeable. The Atari 2600+ is much more compact. Nor does the layout of the four switches match the Atari VCS, the name of the original brown and black machine. Instead, the Atari 2600 + was inspired by the first model from 1982, later called the Atari 2600.

The Atari 2600 + is significantly smaller than the original and about as big as the Atari Junior.
Source: Philipp Rüegg

No emulator

But what exactly is the Atari 2600 +? This console is a reproduction of the original, with slightly modernised hardware and a few features for added convenience. There's also an HDMI port and a switch that lets you switch between 4:3 and 16:9 formats. What's missing, however, is a cable for connecting the device to older CRT televisions. But those of you who still have this beast at home (like me) probably also have an old Atari (me too).

The HDMI and USB-C ports are new, but the connecting cable is missing.
Source: Philipp Rüegg

Within the Atari 2600 + is a Rockchip 3128 SOC microprocessor with 256 megabytes of RAM and 256 megabytes of memory. That may not sound like much, but it's enough to play Atari games. By comparison, the original contains an 8-bit microprocessor with 128 bytes of RAM and 1.18 MHz of power. There is no memory, and games are loaded directly from the modules. This is still the case today. The Atari 2600+ is not an emulator and has no additional software like an Analogue Pocket. It can only be used to play Atari 2600 and Atari 7800 games. The package includes a multimode containing ten games. As with the older games, I can also use my original CX-40 controller if I want to play a game with two people. My test sample comes with three other games and two CX30 paddle controllers.

Atari was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. In 1976, Bushnell sold Atari to Warner. That same year, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak developed the game Breakout for Atari. In 1977, the once revolutionary Atari VCS 2600 home console appeared and was later renamed the Atari 2600. The company dominated the games sector until the early 1980s. The collapse of the US video game industry in 1983 also led to Atari's downfall. The group's computer and console business was sold to Jack Tramiel, founder of Commodore. In 1993, Atari tried a new product offensive with the Jaguar console, but it failed to live up to expectations. In 1996, Atari merged with hard drive manufacturer JTS. The latter then gradually sold off the brand rights. Hasbro secured the last rights in 1998, but not for long. In 2001, French games manufacturer Infogrames bought out Hasbro's entire computer games division, including Atari. Now the company's main focus is publishing and selling retro games and devices

A very entertaining game

Time to get a taste of the fun. Thanks to the HDMI port, I can connect the Atari 2600 + directly to my OLED TV. Power is supplied via USB-C. A cable is also supplied, but it's up to me to organise the power supply. The nostalgic adventure can finally begin. The Atari 2600 was the first console I played with and I added it to my retro collection a long time ago. The reproduction of the original awakens the same nostalgic feelings as the original.

The controllers that are used to turn the device on, reset it or change the game mode are pretty sturdy. Nothing to do with today's power buttons like those on the PS5 and co. Cool little detail: the Atari logo lights up when the console is activated.

The four regulators are powerful.
Source: Philipp Rüegg

The block design, made up of a maximum of 128 colours even though the European PAL only has 104, is amusingly rudimentary. Here, you still have to use your imagination to recognise a heroine or hero in Adventure, or a spaceship that repels rockets in Missile Command. In particular, you hear those archaic but iconic Atari beeps that accompany the game. I quite like them. The chip can't make more complex sounds, however.

The joystick, which can be pointed in eight directions and has a single press button, is very simple to operate and considerably cruder than modern analogue sticks. But that's the charm of the Atari 2600.

A switch on the back switches between the 4 : 3 ...

to the 16 : 9 image. The image is certainly distorted, but it's not particularly distracting for a simple graphic. — A switch on the back switches between the 4 : 3 ...

The two control paddles are a little more filigree. They have a socket for two and consist of a rotary knob, and a button. I can use them with games like Breakout or Night Driver, or perhaps to take on another person in Canyon Bomber. Such a situation is not predictable, however. When my mates come over to play, then we have far more options than the one 40-plus console. Because the games can't keep me enthralled for more than a few minutes, even Defender, my favourite game. They're too old-fashioned to spend hours on. The same goes for Mr. Run and Jump, a new game designed for the Atari 2600 that involves chasing a dog while avoiding obstacles. It can be purchased separately.

Overview: a little simple, but satisfies nostalgic fans

The Atari 2600 + is a superb console if you want to immerse yourself in nostalgia with a model very close to the original. Or to discover the early days of the gaming industry. Thanks to the HDMI port, the console is suitable for modern TVs or monitors. You need to buy the games separately. Still, it contains a cassette of ten titles.

The Atari 2600 + offers a little more comfort than the original, but nothing more.
Source: Philipp Rüegg

It's a shame Atari didn't bring anything to the table on the software front. The integration of the "Atari 50 Collection", an interactive documentation about Atari, would have been perfect, or the inclusion of Mr. Run and Jump. I would also have appreciated a rewind function, cheat techniques and the like. The Atari 2600 + is a slightly modernised replica of a piece of gaming history with no frills. If you don't fancy digging out the original and buying a huge CRT, the Atari 2600 + may satisfy.

Retro gaming

EUR141,22

Plaion Atari 2600

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Philipp Rüegg

Senior Editor

Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.

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