Atari’s new 7800 console remake can also play your old Atari 2600 cartridges

Atari has a treat for those of you sitting on a cache of Atari 7800 game cartridges — a new compact recreation of the classic home console complete with backward compatibility. The company has teamed up with Plaion to announce the Atari 7800 Plus, which comes equipped with an HDMI port to connect to modern televisions, alongside support for both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges — just like the original console.

The $129.99 Atari 7800 Plus is available to preorder now, with a global release expected in “winter 2024,” according to Atari’s press release. Like other mini-console recreations the company has released in recent years, the Atari 7800 Plus is visually identical to the original 1986 console (aside from being shrunken down). Players can also choose between running games in widescreen mode or 4:3 aspect ratio to preserve the feeling of playing on retro hardware.

There are two new wireless controllers launching alongside the Atari 7800 Plus. The CX78 Plus Wireless Gamepad — a recreation of the console’s original two-button controller — comes bundled with the Atari 7800 Plus but can also be purchased separately for $34.99. The gamepad also wirelessly connects to the Atari 2600 Plus recreation released last year and can be connected to a PC via a USB-C adapter. There’s also the $34.99 CX40 Plus Wireless Joystick, which is sold separately and carries the same support.

Atari touts that the Atari 7800 Plus has “near-perfect compatibility” with original and third-party Atari games. Only one game is being shipped with the console itself — a specially designed cartridge for the Crystal Castles sequel, Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest — but 10 additional titles will be available to purchase separately for $29.99. You can preorder the 7800 Plus right here.

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