Atari Bringing Back Its Original System Via Atari 2600+

Gaming history is something that is still being made, but the origins of the video game market can be traced back to certain people and companies. One of those companies was Atari. They were one of the originals when it came to making a video game system that you could plug in and play at home, which was quite an innovation at the time. While Atari would eventually die out of the hardware-making business, they’re still alive today. Just as important, they know that many people crave their original consoles, which is where the Atari 2600+ comes into play.

As noted by VGC and others, the Atari 2600+ is a fully functional modern version of the legendary console with a big twist. Unlike other “remakes” of original systems like the NES and SNES Mini, the reborn system will be able to play nearly every cartridge that the OG system could play, as well as the 7800 cartridges. So if you still have those Atari cartridges lying around? You’ll be able to play 99% of them on this system.

“But what if I don’t have any Atari games anymore?” Well, there’s good news on that front, too. Atari will bundle the reborn console with a special cartridge that has ten legendary titles within, like Adventure, Combat, Dodge ‘Em, Haunted House, Maze Craze, Missile Command, RealSports Volleyball, Surround, Video Pinball, Yars’ Revenge.

If you still want more, Atari will sell a special paddle controller with four additional games, and they’re even selling singular cartridges with titles. So no matter whether you’re an OG Atari fan or want to check out what games were like in the “early days,” Atari will ensure you have titles to play. For a price, that is.

The console is $129, but it was built to ensure it looked and played like the original system, just with modern technology.

It’ll be interesting to see how well the console sells. There’s undoubtedly a market for retro or nostalgia-style items, especially in the video game market. When the NES and SNES Mini arrived, they sold out so fast that fans demanded more. We’re not saying the Atari console will have that same kind of effect, but you never know.

If it does work out, we could see more releases like this from Atari in the future. Or, we could see other OG systems arrive to remind the world of how far we’ve come in game development.