Atari is once again bringing back a past classic for modern gamers. Nearly one year to the day since the company revealed the Atari 2600+, the company has unveiled a faithful recreation of the 7800 console originally released in 1986.
The 7800+, which will cost $129.99 (€119.99 / £99.99) and is scheduled for release in winter 2024, follows in the footsteps of the 2600+ and the well-received Atari 400 Mini by offering a scaled-down, compact version of the console with HDMI connectivity.
Each day-one console, created in partnership with Embracer Group subsidiary Plaion, will ship with the all-new CX78+ Wireless Gamepad and Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest, a brand-new game and a sequel to the iconic Crystal Castles. The 7800+ will be fully backward compatible with original 7800 and 2600 cartridges, offering “near-perfect” support for first- and third-party games.
Ahead of its upcoming appearance at Gamescom 2024, Atari has also unveiled other items as part of its “Atari+ Platform,” which brings together its modern hardware under one common umbrella. First and foremost, a new selection of 7800+ games will join Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest, priced at $29.99 each; all come with their own boxes and color-printed user manuals:
- Asteroids Deluxe: With new mechanics and two-player competitive modes;
- Bounty Bob Strikes Back: A sequel to Miner 2049er, with 10 additional caves created by developer Robert DeCresnezo;
- 7800+ ports of Berzerk, Frenzy, and Space Duel.
The Atari 2600+ and, by extension, the new 7800+, also gets a few games of its own:
- Caverns of Mars: An adaptation of the original 1981 game by homebrew developer John W. Champeau, with new challenges and a save feature;
- The Epyx Game Collection: A compilation of Summer Games, Winter Games, and cult hit California Games;
- The M Network Collection: Including Armor Ambush, Astroblast, Frogs and Flies, and Star Strike; and
- RealSports Collection: Including RealSports Baseball, Football, Volleyball, Soccer, Tennis, and Boxing–plus the never-before-released RealSports Basketball.
Finally, the new CX78+ Wireless Gamepad can be used with both the 7800+ and 2600+, and works with original 2600 and 7800 hardware using the DB9 wireless adapter that comes with it; it can also be connected to a PC with a USB-C adapter.
It’s joined by the CX40+ Wireless Joystick, a faithful recreation of the original CX40, which offers the same compatibility with old consoles and PCs.
