Awesome Atari

Serious video game nerds might have heard of the never-released Atari arcade game Akka Arrh. Created by Tempest and Gridrunner dev Jeff Minter, a modernized version has been released for consoles and gaming PCs. Like other Llamasoft games, expect a trippy array of colors and insane swarms of attackers.

Caverns of Mars was one of the best games for Atari’s 8-bit PCs. Caverns of Mars: Recharged revamps the downward-scroller with HD graphics, trickier obstacles, new power-ups, destructible environments, local co-op, and global leaderboards. Coming to Atari VCS, Steam, Epic, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch on 3.9.23.

This colorful Artist Edition watch celebrates 50 years of Atari. The forefathers of video games and Misfit teamed up with artist JK5 (Joseph Ari Aloi) to create this collectible 42mm watch, illustrated in a vibrant pop art style incorporating classic gaming elements. Limited to 500 pieces.

A while back, Techmoan showed off the Atari Video Music, a device that produces colorful patterns from audio. YouTube channel Atari Video Music CRT Garage makes music videos with the 8-bit box, displaying its images on a roomful of TV screens. There are more than 40 videos in the series. Here’s a playlist of our faves.

It might cost more than an actual Atari 2600, but this 2532-piece LEGO kit is still awesome. The brick-built 8-bit console and includes a joystick and switches that move. Plug in the Asteroids, Adventure, and Centipede cartridges and enjoy the accompanying 3D vignettes. Slide open the console to reveal a tiny basement scene.

Arcade1up brings 10 classic Atari arcade games to your TV screen, along with an arcade-quality controller you can enjoy from the comfort of your couch. Its base station plugs into your TV’s HDMI port, and the wireless controller has real arcade buttons, a trackball, a spinner, a soft bean bag bottom, and a built-in carrying handle.

This teensy replica of the Atari 2600 comes with a miniature TV cabinet. It’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is loaded with nine 8-bit video games, including Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Combat, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong Tempest, Warlords, and Pac-Man. They’re not the original 2600 versions though.

A while back The Slow Mo Guys showed off how TV screens display images in slow-motion. Now Gav is back to look at a different kind of arcade display, a vector graphics monitor used in Atari’s Tempest, Star Wars, and BattleZone. These displays draw images like an X/Y plotter rather than line-by-line or frame-by-frame.

1980s technology had a certain futuristic vibe to it. Maker MarcioT shows off a sweet ’80s-inspired clock he made using an old CRT television and a digital clock he programmed onto an ESP32 microcontroller. The build instructions are available on Instructables with the source code for the Dali Clock on Github.

One of our favorite arcade games is getting the 1/6th-scale treatment by New Wave Toys. These mini machines play the original Atari ROM and have a working Trak-Ball, lighted volcano buttons, and arcade artwork. The limited-run Field-Test Edition gets a light-up marquee, prototype control panel, and a triple-slot coin door.

’80s kids might remember an Atari arcade game called Klax, a puzzle game where bricks dropped down the screen sort of like Tetris. Boing Boing’s Rob Beschizza thinks this house remembers the game too, as it satisfyingly drops snow off its roof in perfect brick-shaped pieces.

Atari, working in collaboration with UNIS Technology, Ltd. is bringing back its 1970s arcade classic PONG. This tabletop gaming system has a 7.9″ LCD panel and offers both classic 2-player mode, and 1-player vs. AI mode. It runs on USB power or AAA batteries and is shipping in limited quantities now.

The latest Replicade mini arcade machines are based on Atari’s classic Asteroids. The 12″ tall game has an ultra-sharp display for the game’s B&W vector graphics and has every detail, including Atari’s “owl eyes” coin slots. Choose from a 3500-unit original version and a 500-unit Overhaul Edition with blue cabinet molding.

Atari is mounting a comeback, first with a new console, and now with a chain of video game-themed hotels. The hotels will feature retro and modern games, Atari merch, and much more. Phoenix location breaks ground in 2020, and future locations will include as Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Jose.

Makers of 2/3rd-scale arcade machines Arcade 1Up have released a cabinet that plays three classic Atari Star Wars video games based on the original trilogy. It features a 17″ color display, a 15″ arcade height riser, and is one of the only ways to play these games with the proper arcade controller. Also available from Gamestop.

If you grew up in the ’70s or ’80s, there’s not much more iconic than the box art from classic Atari games. Authors Robert V. Conte and Tim Lapetino explore the history of videogaming’s great forefather, and the artists and creative process behind these now classic works.

New Wave Toys adds to its collection of tiny, working arcade machines, with this 12″ tall (sixth-scale) replica of the Atari classic Tempest. Its wood cabinet is accurate to every detail, with a screen optimized for vector-style graphics, and a rotary control with swappable caps. Save 16% in The Awesomer Shop!

Inspired by this earlier design, this coffee table lets you play a mechanical version of the classic Atari arcade game. It packs USB charging ports and a Bluetooth speaker as well. It’s available with matching ottomans, and in coin-op arcade table and cocktail styles.

The Atari VCS is a retro console inspired by the look of the Atari 2600. Aside from letting you play hundreds of classic Atari games, it will also be compatible with many modern games. It can also stream and play music and video and is compatible with external storage. Drops 2019.

Show your love for retro video games with this sweet dark red messenger bag, embellished with the Japanese version of gaming great Atari’s iconic logo. We suggest using it to carry a LYNX portable, a selection of game cartridges, and some old Antic magazines.

Great Big Story presents a short interview and documentary about Nolan Bushnell, the man who not only gave birth to the video game industry, as founder of Atari, but who also founded numerous other companies, including Pizza Time Theater, home to Chuck E. Cheese.

New Wave Toys’ RepliCade is an upcoming line of fully-functional sixth scale (i.e. 12″ tall) arcade machine scale models. The series is kicking off with Centipede. It has a wood cabinet, LED backlighting, laminated overlays and coin return buttons that work as controls.

Etsy store 1Up Forge makes key holders using the controller connectors of old video game consoles, such as the NES, the Atari 2600 and the PlayStation. Attach the male connector to your keyring then stick it in the proper port to secure it. They could use more polish though.