Atari 2600+ Unboxing, Pictures, and Impressions
A new toy arrived in the studio here at ye olde GeekBarn today: The Atari 2600+
Yep Atari released a modern version of their classic system. (my first game system actually) Now by “modern” I don’t mean high-end graphics and AAA titles. This is functionally the exact same system that was released back when I was a kid.
Inside the box is the system itself (with a nice little plastic dustcover over it). Looking exactly the same (right down to the classic woodgrain)…except that this time it is about 25-30% smaller than the original. One neat new touch is the fact that the Atari logo lights up when the system is powered on.
Out of the box the system feels exactly the same as the original system. Just a bit smaller. Flipping around to the back…there are two controller ports, USB-C power in. There wasn’t a power charger in the box…you have to supply your own. (I used an old Kindle charger and it worked just fine) The ports WILL work with the original accessories, however at the time of writing…I was unable to test this with my own original system controllers, as they are still packed away from a recent move. There is also the neat option to switch between 16x9 and the classic 4:3 aspect ratios as well.
Moving past the system and into the box we see a set of set up instructions and the first of two red boxes. The first box is a thin one that contains just two cables. HDMI for the TV and then a USB-A to USB-C cable for power. Annoyingly a power brick is NOT included. However I dug out and old Kindle charger and it worked just fine.
The cables themselves aren’t really anything to write home about, except they DID go to the trouble and embossed the Atari logo on each cable.
The second red box is the far more interesting of the two. It contains the 2600+ joystick controller and the included pack-in 10-in-1 game cartridge. The controller itself feels exactly the same as the original I grew up with. The included game cartridge has a bunch of the classic games on there, but I am really not crazy about how they have you select the different games. You have to flip a bank of dip switches on the back of the cart in various combinations, reinsert the cart, and THEN play the new game. There is NOT any kind of dashboard menu.
Slap a cart in and power on the system and it flashes the Atari logo and then BAM! You are right in the game. The games play exactly like they did back in the day too.
I compared two games (Yar’s Revenge and Combat) from the pack in to the original versions on their respective carts and play-wise I can’t tell any difference at all. I also tested a couple original carts that I’ve had sitting in storage for decades. (Pac-Man and Frogger) Pac-Man didn’t work at all (prob more due to age and storage, however Frogger fired up and played just fine.
Do I wish they had improved a bit more? Sure…the switches on the front are a bit stiff and could stand to be improved. (but the originals could be wonky too) The pack in cart suffers from not having a selection screen, as switching the games can be tricky if one has fat fingers or issues with fine motor skills.
HOWEVER the hit of nostalgia this brings (especially with being able to play original carts), and adding in the HDMI and the ability to use on a modern TV without having to use a sketchy adaptor or mod your original console far outweighs that.
The Bottom Line: The Atari 2600 is a neat little system and pretty affordable at approximately $130 US bucks. I like it a bunch, and I’m glad I picked it up.
Yep Atari released a modern version of their classic system. (my first game system actually) Now by “modern” I don’t mean high-end graphics and AAA titles. This is functionally the exact same system that was released back when I was a kid.
Inside the box is the system itself (with a nice little plastic dustcover over it). Looking exactly the same (right down to the classic woodgrain)…except that this time it is about 25-30% smaller than the original. One neat new touch is the fact that the Atari logo lights up when the system is powered on.
Out of the box the system feels exactly the same as the original system. Just a bit smaller. Flipping around to the back…there are two controller ports, USB-C power in. There wasn’t a power charger in the box…you have to supply your own. (I used an old Kindle charger and it worked just fine) The ports WILL work with the original accessories, however at the time of writing…I was unable to test this with my own original system controllers, as they are still packed away from a recent move. There is also the neat option to switch between 16x9 and the classic 4:3 aspect ratios as well.
Moving past the system and into the box we see a set of set up instructions and the first of two red boxes. The first box is a thin one that contains just two cables. HDMI for the TV and then a USB-A to USB-C cable for power. Annoyingly a power brick is NOT included. However I dug out and old Kindle charger and it worked just fine.
The cables themselves aren’t really anything to write home about, except they DID go to the trouble and embossed the Atari logo on each cable.
The second red box is the far more interesting of the two. It contains the 2600+ joystick controller and the included pack-in 10-in-1 game cartridge. The controller itself feels exactly the same as the original I grew up with. The included game cartridge has a bunch of the classic games on there, but I am really not crazy about how they have you select the different games. You have to flip a bank of dip switches on the back of the cart in various combinations, reinsert the cart, and THEN play the new game. There is NOT any kind of dashboard menu.
Slap a cart in and power on the system and it flashes the Atari logo and then BAM! You are right in the game. The games play exactly like they did back in the day too.
I compared two games (Yar’s Revenge and Combat) from the pack in to the original versions on their respective carts and play-wise I can’t tell any difference at all. I also tested a couple original carts that I’ve had sitting in storage for decades. (Pac-Man and Frogger) Pac-Man didn’t work at all (prob more due to age and storage, however Frogger fired up and played just fine.
Do I wish they had improved a bit more? Sure…the switches on the front are a bit stiff and could stand to be improved. (but the originals could be wonky too) The pack in cart suffers from not having a selection screen, as switching the games can be tricky if one has fat fingers or issues with fine motor skills.
HOWEVER the hit of nostalgia this brings (especially with being able to play original carts), and adding in the HDMI and the ability to use on a modern TV without having to use a sketchy adaptor or mod your original console far outweighs that.
The Bottom Line: The Atari 2600 is a neat little system and pretty affordable at approximately $130 US bucks. I like it a bunch, and I’m glad I picked it up.
PodCulture, aka Brad B, is the host of PodCulture, which recorded over 500 episodes of geek culture, reviews, and discussion here on VOGNetwork. He is also the co-host of TARDIS Interruptus, an award winning Doctor Who discussion podcast.
DarkTetsuya
11/25/2023 12:02 PM
Reply