One of the most iconic video games consoles, the Atari 2600 is returning as a handheld console and innovative plug and play TV joystick in time for Christmas 2017.

The 'Atari "Retro" Handheld' features the immortalised "wood" effect and includes 50 classic games built-in, including: Asteroids, Pong, Centipede, Missile Command, Breakout, Millipede and more.

In addition to featuring a 2.4" screen, it also includes A/V output (with HDMI adapter available) and super responsive buttons with a stylish analogue control stick.

The 'Atari "Retro" Plug and Play TV Joystick' features a progressive design, with the inclusion of an arcade style button on top of the controller and will connect to your TV with the included A/V cable (or HDMI with an available adapter). It will feature the same 50 built-in games as the handheld.

The range is officially licensed by Atari and is being developed by PQube, the leading distributor of retro gaming hardware in Europe.

CEO of PQube, David Pain quoted:
"We are delighted to be working with Atari on this amazing project. Having sold over a million retro gaming consoles, we have taken the extensive feedback from press, retail and the consumer to develop new range of hardware that is faithful to the Atari brand"

CEO of Atari, Frederik Chesnais quoted:
“We are thrilled to partner with PQube on the compact handheld and Plug and Play TV Joystick,” said Fred Chresnais, Chief Executive Officer, Atari. “Both products are packed with nostalgic and fun-filled games that will give our fans the opportunity to relive the golden age of videogames wherever they go.”

The "Atari 'Retro' Handheld console" will retail for just £34.99 and the "Atari 'Retro' TV Plug and Play Joystick" at just £24.99. It is available to pre-order now at Europe's Number One Retro Gaming Destination, FunstockRetro.co.uk

Full list of included games below:

1.3D Tic-Tac-Toe (31 in 1)
2.Adventure
3.Air-Sea Battle
4.Asteroids ®
5.Black Jack
6.Bowling
7.Breakout ®
8.Canyon Bomber ®
9.Casino
10.Centipede ®
11.Circus Atari ®
12.Crystal Castles ®
13.Demons to Diamonds ™
14.Desert Falcon ®
15.Dodge 'em
16.Double Dunk
17.Fun With Numbers
18.Golf
19.Gravitar ®
20.Haunted House ®
21.Home Run
22.Human Cannonball ™
23.Maze Craze
24.Millipede ®
25.Miniature Golf ®
26.Missile Command ®
27.Night Driver ™
28.Off the Wall
29.Pong - Video Olympics
30.Quadrun ™
31.Radar Lock ™
32.Realsports Football ®
33.Realsports Tennis ®
34.Realsports Volleyball ®
35.Sprintmaster
36.Star Raiders ®
37.Steeplechase
38.Stellar Track ™
39.Street Racer
40.Submarine Commander
41.Super Baseball
42.Super Breakout ®
43.Swordquest: Earthworld ™
44.Swordquest: Fireworld ™
45.Swordquest: Waterworld ™
46.Tempest ®
47.Video Checkers
48.Video Chess
49.Video Pinball
50.Yar's Revenge ®

Official Site

 

[Taleweaver]

I won't lie: that looks pretty darn good. I'm not interested personally, but I imagine this is a nostalgic's wet dream (after the hat, of course ). Yup...I foresee a lot of people will love what Pain is doing.


seriously...with that kind of name it's hard not to make a pun: "Pain is bringing it", "the handheld is made by Pain", "Pain knows what old gamers want", "Pain guarantees the old school game feeling", ...I could just go on.

 

[Reploid]

wait... two buttons? Unlike. uh. One?

 

[JellyPerson]

inb4 this is the real ataribox

 

[zoogie]

Composite AV? :/

I guess it's ok if you have a CRT handy (like me)

 

[BvanBart]

Why do I miss ET on this list?

 

[JellyPerson]

No E.T. and no Pacman. This is trash.

 

[hobbledehoy899]

But will it be running on actual 2600 hardware like the Flashback 2 and 2+?

 

[NANASHI89]

At least it's not being made by a certain crud-tier plug and play developer....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bubsy Bobcat]

So it's essentially an Atari Flashback but as a handheld? Well, that's kinda neat. Not gonna get one though.

 

[hobbledehoy899]

At least it's not being made by a certain crud-tier plug and play developer....

Come on, Jakks Pacific's Namco decks were damn-near identical to the original arcade cabinets!

 

[Bladexdsl]

atari never had a start and select button this thing is 100% not Retro!

 

[NANASHI89]

Come on, Jakks Pacific's Namco decks were damn-near identical to the original arcade cabinets!

I meant the idiots responsible for Sega's plug and play thingies.


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[Veho]

atari never had a start and select button this thing is 100% not Retro!

I beg to differ.

 

[Tomy Sakazaki]

At least it's not being made by a certain crud-tier plug and play developer....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I really dunno if PQube isn't actually reusing the same hardware that AtGames used on their portable iteration of Atari Flashback. ( this one http://atgames.us/Atari-Flashback-Portable-Game-Player-AP3228.htm ).
Recently in Brazil a company called Tectoy released an older AtGames' Genesis hardware (they had imported the portable AtGames' Genesis before and now are importing Atari Flashback 7) with a more proper mold in actual size of the older Genesis/Mega Drive console. Those things are essentially OEM hardware that may get rebranded and re-stylized when imported by other companies.

 

[hobbledehoy899]

I meant the idiots responsible for Sega's plug and play thingies.

Oh, those twits. Carry on then.

 

[DinohScene]

Looks neat but... idk I never really fancied Atari,

 

[zoogie]

No E.T. and no Pacman. This is trash.

I see what you did there.

 

[TVL]

It doesn't include Combat (or Space Invaders, or Smurfs or E.T). I don't get who buys these things. But if you are going to make something like this I think it would be cool if you created an online leaderboard for the games since 99% of Atari VCS games are only about racking up points which is boring as hell when the scores are not even saved.

Edit: Maybe it's real hardware running inside though, then it might be a little bit of a chore to make that happen.

 

[Abu_Senpai]

Ah..okay. So this is what that tease a month ago was about.