Atari 400 Mini Review: Exploring the 8-Bit World – A Fascinating Adventure | Games

TFor a kid growing up in Britain in the 1980s, the Atari 400 and 800 machines seemed incredibly appealing. Most of my friends had a Commodore 64 or ZX Spectrum (occasionally he also used an Amstrad or Acorn Electron), but I only saw Atari computers in cool TV shows and movies like Videodrome and Police Story. That never happened. These two models, released in 1979, featured an Antic video processor that provided excellent graphics for the time, and a sound chip named Pokey to improve audio. These, like the Apple II, were seminal machines for young game programmers looking to create new types of experiences beyond simple arcade conversions.

Opening up the new Atari 400 Mini was a strangely emotional experience. The latest nostalgic release from Retro Games is an exquisitely detailed recreation of the original computer, featuring a non-functional version of the famous membrane keyboard in luscious 1970s beige, orange, and brown. It has 4 joystick ports (currently rather USB) (from the original Atari joystick port standard). The console comes with a new version of the classic Atari CX40 joystick, with the subtle addition of eight buttons that can now summon the keyboard to provide additional input options in Atari 400/800 games. Masu.

It includes 25 games that show the range of what was being produced on the 400 and 800 (the 800 was a higher-end model with more memory and a better keyboard) in the early 1980s. There are quaint home versions of classic arcade titles like “Asteroids,” “Millipede,” and “Battlezone,” which are, after all, what home console and computer developers had to do at the time. It’s a fascinating reminder of the compromises that weren’t made. And there are many more to come, including Capture the Flag, Paul Allen Edelstein’s two-player first-person tracking game, and his MULE, a multiplayer colonial strategy game that influenced the entire management simulation industry. You can get a glimpse of the genre.

There’s also some interesting experimentation in creating fast-paced 3D visuals in the form of futuristic racing sims Elektra Glide and Encounter. Written by Paul Woakes, who later went on to create one of his most fascinating 3D sci-fi adventure titles of this era, Mercenary.

Some games will be familiar to anyone who bought a C64 Mini or other retro machine, but the Atari 400 version was often the first to be released, so you get the primary source material here. Well almost. Although there is no original hardware used, the emulators that Retro Games employs to run all these games are robust and accurate, allowing them to recreate these 40-year-old gems very well.

And while they’re definitely older, many of these titles, including Boulder Dash and Lee (originally titled by Bruce Lee, whose license has probably expired), remain as truly playable relics. Saved. Either way, I’ve had many hours of fun discovering games I’ve never seen before, as well as familiar favorites in various guises. Additionally, in typical mini-console style, there is a rewind feature to fix mistakes, and the game can be saved to memory. You can also fine-tune your visual settings and choose CRT effects that mimic the display style of a traditional TV. A virtual keyboard is also available if you want to play games that require more input options. It’s not always easy to use, but it’s nice to be able to use it when necessary.

Interestingly, one of the 400 Mini’s selling points is its ability to “load your own programs.” This is a euphemism in the instruction manual for the console to play game files known as ROMs, which can be loaded via a USB stick. Most people will find these ROMs on the internet, but the legality of freely downloading game files is murky to say the least. So Retro Games leaves it up to you to figure this out. I ran a few games to test this aspect and it was a surprisingly smooth process. The emulator accepts files in many popular formats and plays both Atari 400 and 800 titles, as well as his later XL/XE variations. When you insert a USB stick with game ROMs, you’ll see a thumb drive icon in the games list on the screen, and clicking on it will show the games you’ve added. The system also supports games that originally appeared on multiple discs. Additionally, you can reconfigure the joystick buttons to suit the input requirements of most games you’re trying out.

At £100, the 400 Mini isn’t cheap, and the game is a great choice for new players who prefer their Mega Drive or PC Engine Mini machines with their attractive 16-bit visuals and familiar series. It may not be appealing. But as an accessible museum piece, it’s a fascinating and well-made device that reveals games you’ve never played in its original form, as well as an entirely fresh retro experience. This industry has always failed to protect its heritage and history. Official archives are often exposed and inaccessible. The Mini Console is a small attempt to address this issue in an intuitive and well-chosen format.

I’m a long way from that kid growing up in the 1980s now, but finally playing these Atari 400 gems reminded me of him and what he was fascinated by. That in itself gives value to this little machine.