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

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

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

Nope, that's a full fledged console. This is just another random "flashback" handheld.

As to the news, meh. Looks neat, but I'd only buy something like this if it supported actual 2600 cartridges.

 

[Abu_Senpai]

Nope, that's a full fledged console. This is just another random "flashback" handheld.

As to the news, meh. Looks neat, but I'd only buy something like this if it supported actual 2600 cartridges.

Seriously? So they are really bringing out something new huh? Oh and i am actually glad this wasnt what that tease was about. (Actually wait a minute that tease showed a pic of the console and yeah your right. How did i get the idea that, this was what that tease was about (facepalm)

 

[The Catboy]

It's cool and all, but I've personally never been a big 2600 fan. I had one growing up, played it here and there, but it was only for short bursts of time. I might know someone who might want this.

 

[Kinqdra]

Awww, can't believe this doesn't include Space Invaders :/

Would've been the most amazing christmas present for my dad..
but who knows, maybe they'll figure out a way to add games like they did with the nes classic..

 

[slaphappygamer]

Ka-BOOM and keystone capers were my favorites. Sadly, they didn't make the cut. I'll stick to emulating this system on my Psp.

 

[Pleng]

innovative plug and play TV joystick

What's innovative about it?

 

[Dust2dust]

That joystick! I hope they made it tougher than the original. The thing would break just looking at it. Seriously, it didn't take a lot of gameplay to break it. Flimsy plastic pieces inside.

 

[VitaType]

Guess they think that they can top the NES/SNES minis by having something similar, but "even portable"... I'm underwhelmed by this product.

What's innovative about it?

You seem to be not up-to-date with your English. The word "innovation" and its variations dont mean anything. It's like e.g. the word "awesome". It's a word you say if you feel the need to say something, but you have nothing to say

 

[mightymuffy]

Looks nice (that handheld) but agreed with most: little more than a curio, and I don't see myself picking one up.

You seem to be not up-to-date with your English. The word "innovation" and its variations dosn't mean anything. It's like e.g. the word "awesome". It's a word you say if you feel the need to say something, but you have nothing to say

If you're gonna be an arse and pick up on something like that at least make sure your own post is waterproof: 'dosn't'? Is that 'don't' or 'doesn't'? ...Neither really work from a grammatical point of view in that sentence anyway.. So be careful in future, and remember if you get just 2 letters mixed up, that's your whole post urined....

 

[VitaType]

If you're gonna be an arse and pick up on something like that at least make sure your own post is waterproof: 'dosn't'? Is that 'don't' or 'doesn't'? ...Neither really work from a grammatical point of view in that sentence anyway.. So be careful in future, and remember if you get just 2 letters mixed up, that's your whole post urined....

I don't think my whole post got ruined by this small mistake.
I criticised the phenomenon that marketing departments and media which repeats marketing statments uncritical leads to a brainless use of words. It leads to the "zombification" of language-usage and therefore also to the "zombification" of thinking.
That hardly is on the same level as the annoying correcting by "grammer nazis" you seem to accuse me.
The proper usage of grammer indeed is useful and should be striven for, but my ridiculing of zombie-english serves a different purpose then making me feel good by humiliate others. It's about pointing out zombie-english. It's not about a crude "saving the language" agenda, it's about supporting clear thinking and fighting propaganda.
Please excuse me that you feel attacked or at very least annoyed by that... but there is no need to insult me (I'm refering to address me as arse).

 

[proflayton123]

Never had an Atari so I'm tempted

 

[Byokugen]

I call BS.... no E.T.

 

[DKB]

It would have been cool if Atari would have released Swordquest: Airworld ™ with this. Just like how Nintendo released Starfox 2 with the Mini SNES..but..whatever.

 

[osaka35]

neato!

 

[Enryx25]

Switch clone? It's ok because it's a retroconsole.

 

[Alkéryn]

@GhostLatte Gimme that joystick

 

[V0ltr0n]

No pitfall 2? Fuck this pos.
They'll probably find a way to hack it and put more games on it like with the nes plug and play console. It has potential. Not sure about that dpad/disc....thingy tho.

 

[hobbledehoy899]

No pitfall 2? Fuck this pos..

Pitfall was made by Activision...

 

[Pleng]

If you're gonna be an arse and pick up on something like that at least make sure your own post is waterproof

Is that the sound of a missed joke flying over your head?

I don't think @VitaType was calling me out. I asked "what is innovative about it" to ridicule the claim, and @VitaType just took it a step further by ridiculing the market in general

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

With the Atari 2600 featuring simple controls, I would just go with emulation on a phone. Touch controls could work for it, but even the cheapest bluetooth controller would work fine.

The entire romset including some of the 8K homebrew's is under 3MB's.

But honestly there is only a handful of 2600 games that would still be fun to play today, 99% of the system's games are pure trash. The remaining 1% are decent to fantastic though so probably a good idea if some one wanted to play the system to look up a top 20 2600 games list or something.

I always liked Yars Revenge, Berzerk, Asteroids, Combat (if you have 2 players) Missile Command, plus a few more I am sure I will remember as soon as I hit post... lol

Edit: Oh yeah Pacman 8K homebrew and Frogger for the Tele something or other are infinitely better versions than what most people had.



People would have really enjoyed this version a thousand times better than the one Atari launched....

Edit 2: More on topic, this hand held thing looks cool to me, but the small screen at least for me would not be good old age and bad eyes lol

If I had good eyes I would probably want it, assuming it has micro SD support... hmmm that ancient 128MB MicroSD card I have would be perfect for it lol