Summary
Atariand Plaion announced the release of the Atari 7800+, a new console that revives the classic 1986 system with modern features and backward compatibility for both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges. This announcement comes as part ofAtari’s ongoing effort to bring back its iconic hardware with updated capabilities and let fans rediscover some of the most popular Atari games and consoles from the past four decades.
Atari has been a legendary name in the gaming industry since the 1970s, known for popular consoles like the Atari 2600 and iconic games likePongandTetris. In recent years, the company has been focused on reviving its classic consoles, with theAtari 2600 making a comeback with the release of the Atari 2600+in 2023.
Atari has teamed up with Plaion to announce the Atari 7800+, a modern version of its 1986 gaming system with backward compatibility. The Atari 7800+ is a compact and modernized version of the original 7800 console with HDMI connectivity, so players can easily connect the system to modern TVs and enjoy theircollection of Atari gameseither in widescreen mode or 4:3 aspect ratio. The console comes withBentley Bear’s Crystal Quest, a sequel to the classicCrystal Castles. TheAtari 7800+ is available for preorder, with a release expected in winter 2024 and a price tag of $129.99.
Atari 7800+
Atari 2600+
Two new wireless controllers launched alongside the console: the CX78+ Wireless Gamepad, a reimagined version of the original 7800’s two-button controller, and the CX40 Plus Wireless Joystick. Both controllers can connect wirelessly to the Atari 2600+ or to a PC via a USB-C adapter, making them a good addition to the collection of players who are looking for thebest retro gaming controllers. The CX78+ Wireless Gamepad comes bundled with the Atari 7800+ and can be purchased separately for $34.99, just like the CX40 Plus Wireless Joystick.
The Atari 7800+ is backward compatible, capable of playing both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges just like the original 1986 console. In addition to the 7800+, Atari announced the release of 10 new game cartridges. Six games will be exclusive to the Atari 7800+:Asteroids Deluxe,Miner 2049er’s sequelBounty Bob Strikes Back,Crystal Castles’ sequelBentley Bear’s Crystal Quest, a new version ofBerzerkand its arcade sequelFrenzy, and an updated version of the original 1982 arcade gameSpace Duel. Four games join the Atari 2600+ lineup:Caverns of Mars, theEpyx Game Collectionand its multiple sports games, theM Network Collectionand its adaptation of popularIntellivision games that Atari recently acquired, as well asRealSports Collectionincluding the never-before-releasedRealSports Basketball. These games will be available to purchase separately for $29.99 upon the Atari 7800+’s launch this winter.
Atari
Originally founded in 1972, Atari began as a company that created arcade games, home video game consoles, and computers. The brand was very popular in the 1970s and 1980s, producing games like Pong and consoles like the Atari 2600. The video game crash of 1983 tanked the company, selling the computer and game console divisions to Jack Tramiel, and split the company into Atari Games and Atari Corporation.Since then, Atari has changed hands numerous times before eventually merging with IESA in 2008 and eventually filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2013. However, the company announced the new corporate strategy, releasing new products, software, developing hotels, as well as a new console named the Atari VCS.
