Design:
The Atari 2600+ is a console that came out back in 2023 and was co-developed and manufactured by Plaion, and Atari Inc. It was made to replicate the original console that came out in 1980. There were several different models of the Atari and the 2600+ was actually a combination of two of these models, which I think was an interesting design choice.
The various models of the Atari 2600 were the all black (Vader), the Wood-grain , which came in several variations, and the Atari 2600 Junior. The Vader was an all black design that features four switches. The wood-grain model variations are the heavy sixer, lite sixer, and the four switch. The heavy sixer is a bulky model that has six switches, lite sixer is nothing more than a weight reduction to the heavy sixer and also features six switches. The four switch shares the same weight reduction as the lite sixer and has two of the six switches removed. The Atari 2600 Junior uses a re-design form factor that makes it much smaller than it’s original model, and was redesigned to look similar to what would come to be the Atari 7800.
They took the look of the Atari 2600 wood-grain (four switch model) and the size of the Atari 2600 Junior, and that was the basis for the Atari 2600+, which when you look at it, was really a good design choice as it feels both nostalgic and modern at the same time.
Hardware and Specs:
Taking a look at the hardware of the Atari 2600+, it’s kind of a mixed bag. You have all of the physical switches that would be found on an original four switch Atari 2600. You have the Power, TV Type (select to play either in color or black and white), Game Select (choose which game to play if a game supports different options), and the Game Reset ( this resets your game when you get a game over which allows you to play again).
The system has two DB9 connectors for wired controllers, two difficulty switches for each controller port, and that’s really where the similarities stop between this new system and the original.
I know what you’re thinking, well what about the cartridge port that is clearly pictured? Well yes, both the Atari 2600 and 2600+ have a cartridge port to play game carts, but the difference with this new console is that it plays both Atari 2600 and Atari 7800 cartridges; which is where the “+” in Atari 2600+ is in reference to. That’s right, the Atari 2600+ can play both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges.
The only other major thing that sets this system apart is the fact that it has modern hardware in the form of a socket 7 Rockchip 3128 single board computer, is powered by a standard USB-C cable, and it outputs using HDMI.
For those curious, it appears that the socket 7 Rockchip 3128 is a quad-core ARM processor that is typically found in single-board Raspberry Pi systems. From taking apart the console briefly, it seems like the choice was made to slim-down the board with what it offers, and use daughter-boards for the physical switches.
The OS on the onboard computer seems to be a very locked down proprietary OS that is only meant to run Stella. It may not be an OS at all, but just enough code on the computer to be able to dump the physical cart to it’s memory and use Stella; more on Stella in a bit.
Peripheral Support:
The Atari 2600+ support all original Atari 2600 and 7800 controllers that use the DB9 ports. So that means the original Atari 2600 joysticks, paddle controllers, and the Atari 7800 controllers will also work without issues. Now what I loved about the original Atari 2600 was that you could plug in a Sega Genesis Controller and use that to play your Atari 2600 games. Well unfortunately, the Atari 2600+ does not allow you to do this. This is likely because it’s not setup and programmed inside of the system software or Stella.
In addition to the original controllers, you can use the newly released CX40+, CX30+, and the CX78+ controllers which are wireless controller options. We were sent two out of the three of these available controllers.
The CX40+ is a modern take on the standard Atari 2600 joystick. It’s wireless and connects to the Atari 2600+ using the included DB9 adapter. You could also use the included standard USB connector to use it with a PC or other platform that supports it. In addition to being wireless, they are also rechargeable using the included USB-C cable. Plug in either adapter, hold the sync button for a few seconds, it connects, and you’re ready to play.
The CX78+ is a modern take on the Atari 7800 gamepad controller. Just like with the CX40+, it too is wireless, rechargeable, and comes with both the DB9 and USB adapters. The cool thing about the CX78+ is that you can use the d-pad or screw on the little joystick top and use it like a joystick/analog stick which is really handy for some titles.
The CX30+ is a modern take on the Atari paddle controllers. They are similar to the other controllers mentioned in this article, with the difference being that you get two and are purchasing a set as opposed to buying the other two mentioned here where you only get one.
Software and Games:
The software used by the Atari 2600+ is called Stella. Stella along with a little bit of code, is what allows the system to read your carts and allow them to be played. I made mention of Stella previously in this review and now I will go into a bit of what it does and how the system uses it. Stella is an open source emulator that is used to emulate the Atari 2600 and can be ran on a variety of different platforms.
What I find interesting is that Stella is written to support Atari 2600 games. I couldn’t find anywhere that indicates that it supports playing 7800 games. So the fact that Atari and Plaion were able to get it to run both platforms is awesome. I previously mentioned that the reason you likely couldn’t use a Sega Genesis controller on the Atari 2600+ is due to Stella limitations, I was correct. I have found that the Stella emulator supports a variety of Atari 2600 controllers among other Atari platform controllers, and that’s it.
The Atari 2600+ comes with a pack in 10 Games in 1 cart. That’s right, there are a total of ten games packed into a single Atari 2600 cart. How can ten games fit on a single cart? Well this cartridge uses dip switches. Each game is chosen by setting the dip switches on the back of the cart is a specific order. Let’s go over each of them.
Adventure (1980): Adventure is a game that has you on a quest to find the chalice that’s in a castle that you have to bring back to the initial castle that you start at. There are dragons to avoid with the number of dragons depending on the game selection that you choose. There is also an occasional bat that will fly around to try and take items that you’re trying to locate.
Combat (1977): Combat is a two player military battle game that has you playing against an opponent. The first person with the highest score at the end of two minutes is the winner. This game is based on Atari’s arcade game Tank and was developed at the same time that the Atari 2600 was being developed.
Dodge ‘Em (1980): Dodge ‘Em is an arcade game that reminds me a lot of Pac-Man. You control a race car that has to drive around four separate tracks counter clockwise to the computer controlled car, collecting dots. The more dots you collect, the higher your score with the kill screen being set at 1080 or “80” when playing a perfect game.
Haunted House (1982): Haunted House is a single player game that is similar to that of Adventure. In this game, you collect three pieces of a magical urn that are scattered about 24 different rooms. You traverse the rooms by using matches and the light that they emit. This works to unlock rooms so that you can continue your journey through the house in search of the urn pieces.
Maze Craze (1980): Maze Craze is a game of cops and robbers. So you play as a cop that either has to avoid the robbers and get to the end of the maze, or capture them to earn points and get to the end of the maze. Each maze is randomly generated each time you play, but over time I am sure you could run into the same maze, but it definitely take a while.
Missile Command (1980): Missile Command is a classic Atari game that has you defending cities from incoming missile attacks. You control a cursor or targeting system and use it to shoot down the incoming missiles. If all of the towns are destroyed, you lose the game. This is an Atari 2600 port of Atari’s arcade game of the same name. Definitely a great game to play as it’s fun and somewhat addictive.
RealSports Volleyball (1982): RealSports Volleyball is as you would expect. It’s a volleyball game that has you playing a doubles game of volleyball where you go against the computer, or you can play against a friend if you connect another controller. Regardless of playing against CPU or human, both sides control both players simultaneously. This is not as difficult as one might think, but does take a few minutes to get used to.
Surround (1977): Surround is essentially a two player version of Snake. Each player controls a continuously moving block that leaves a trail behind it. Your goal is to take up the most space on the screen with your trail and the player that gets the other to hit their barricade or “trail” scores a point. The first to reach ten points wins.
Video Pinball (1980): Video Pinball is what you would expect it to be, a pinball game. Now the game is pretty basic by today’s standards but is rather impressive on the Atari 2600. It’s a single screen with bumpers to hit and a couple of pits to fall down and lose your ball to.
Yars’ Revenge (1982): Yar’s Revenge is a fixed shooter that is very fun and addicting to play. You pilot the Yar and are tasked with taking out the Qotile. The Qotile is protected by a shield that must be destroyed by either shooting it with the Yar or allowing the Yar to get close enough to consume it. Once you have a clear shot of the Qotile, you use the powerful Zoron Cannon to line up the shot and take it out. Doing so, will let you move onto the next level.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, do I think you should run out and purchase an Atari 2600+? Well I would honestly say that it depends. If you have a large collection of 2600 and/or 7800 games and want a modern way to play them, then yeah, definitely pick this up. For those curious about what the Atari 2600 and 7800 experience was like back in the day, then consider picking up this system.
One thing to keep in mind with this console is that yes it’s an emulation machine, but it’s very unique. It allows you to play physical 2600 and 7800 games and use the actual controllers for those platforms. It’s also made by Atari, the same company behind the original 2600 and 7800 consoles. On the flip side, though it does use emulation, it does not support ROMs. You must use a physical cart of a game in order to play it. A side note about this is that if you remove the cart while the game is loaded in memory, it immediately tells you the game can’t be detected, a step further to ensure you’re using the physical cart to play games you want to play.
So in other words, if you’re getting this thinking that you could just emulate all of the games, you can’t. Don’t get this system if you’re looking for an all in one solution to playing any 2600 or 7800 game.
If you’re a fan of video game history, of Atari, the Atari platforms that this system allows you to play, or just want to experience some amazing old school games, then you should definitely consider purchasing either this Atari 2600+ or the upcoming Atari 7800+.
Disclaimer: A review unit was provided
In addition to writing articles, Ryan Byers also creates content for his YouTube channel called "Obscure Games and Consoles", collects video games, and dabbles in video game development.