Should You Pick Up the New Atari 7800+ ?

Atari has spent the last year or so on a pretty solid roll. Lots of interesting game releases and the return of a Gen-X favorite. I was pretty sure the original 7800 was a commecial failure even though the hardware was nice. If only they had released it when originally planned *sigh*.
Check it out here: atari.com/prod...
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[@jeromesppd1383]

I ordered mine today! It's a good deal! I almost ordered a second 2600+ when it first came out.....

[@Retr0Rob]

I think the 2600+ is the prettier of the 2.

[@audrisampson]

I'm pretty annoyed this got announced. I would have went with this for the pad but I won't double buy since my 2600+ works fine and dandy.

[@lorensims4846]

I recently took possession of an old Atari 7800 Pro System and about two dozen game cartridges. The joysticks don't work right so I'll just be looking at the new controllers. Mine is an American model with the THIN rainbow stripe and those funky double trigger joysticks. I understand you can't apply the patches to the 2600+ unless you have a Windows PC, which counts me out. The 7600+ will be a fully updated version of basically the same thing inn a much slicker looking package (IMHO). Caverns of Mars was written by a high school kid a year after he got an Atari 800. He released it to the Atari Program Exchange (APX) where it was so successful that Atari released it as a regular game under their label for the Atari Home Computers. I'm delighted to see that it has now been ported to the 2600. I haven't been interested in wireless controllers since Atari first introduced them in the early '80s. I'm pissed that I missed the earlier wired versions of these controllers, but these'll do.

[@Bikeguychicago1]

Most of the 'new' games started as homebrew/ROM hacks on Atariage and were available on cartridges there until last year. These are official Atari releases of said games. Bounty Bob is a new port of the 5200/A8 game.The 5200 version is one of, if not THE rarest titles for that platform.

[@lordmegatron65]

Atari will forever be an absolute legend! Also, congrats on almost 30k!

[@Retr0Rob]

Thanks ya!

[@mattx449]

This looks cool. I had a 7800 in the 80s, but I’ll be passing this up. I just don’t want to start collecting for another system 😂

[@andrewwhitfield5480]

Almost 30k subs! Congrats!

[@Retr0Rob]

Thank ya! 28000 of them are bots.

[@pierreinthavong181]

Rob, I really like your atari video game previews!😁

[@Retr0Rob]

Thank You!

[@arostwocents]

Atari's big problem was an arcade mindset. simple pick up and play games that didn't contain any characters and couldn't grow beyond the core simple gameplay, leading to rereleases constantly of old games as there was no way to make Centipede something new. Then the arcade mindset leads to Atari Karts only containing one actual character. 😢 Atari should have been buying up cheap IP in the micro days that had potential to grow into franchises. There were loads of Spectrum and c64 characters that could have continued being iconic. Atari owning Manic Miner could have meant Minecraft arrived a lot earlier and was an Atari franchise, with the character being Manic Miner rather than Steve 😂❤ Owning Horace, with his pedigree for different game styles would have been very useful. Atari have iconic games but they don't have iconic characters which is a huge part of their downfall which is usually ignored. Lynx had good games but really what represented the system? When Nintendo were creating some of the most valuable characters in the world, Atari pumped out remakes of arcade games, which they had done on every system since 2600 and actually thought would lead to success as late as the Jaguar. Just stunning incompetence. Modern Atari are obviously a different company but had old Atari hired some more intelligent people who understood gaming and media more, they could have remained popular and stayed in business as a third party publisher. When they went third party the paucity of their IP was laid bare as all they had was retro throwbacks or retro throwbacks with updated graphics and worse gameplay. There was nothing you could create a bigger game from without completely losing the soul of the IP. The Atari story is one of failure and as tragic as the story of Sinclair 😢😢😢

[@arostwocents]

Had Atari created Starfox, it only would have contained the ships and generic military guys and been forgotten after one or two games. Nintendo had the intelligence to include characters that make it a lasting and loved IP, beyond what the game without the characters would have come close to achieving (as similar early 3D games including those that beat SF to market are forgotten) Atari created games, Nintendo created worlds. This meant they were always going to fail once simple arcade experiences were not what people wanted anymore. Atari were modern Nintendo years earlier, every system was sold with "look, 2600 games with better graphics!!!" Then executives wondered why it was not selling 😂 If Kirby was an arcade experience where he was a plain dump truck and was eating bits of trash on a black background, there is nothing that could become a franchise there. It's a game but it's not a world. Any expansion would have been negatively received for expanding the basic gameplay and would have just been an uglier version of the plain dump truck. You couldn't have a third person shooter RPG Defender spinoff as there was no world and characters beyond what was on the screen. If they had included characters and world building, you could have actually had long lasting franchise's that pushed boundaries rather than rehashed arcade experiences. As tragic as it is, RetroAchievements and 2600 is the best of Atari. 😢

[@arostwocents]

The Too Much 2 Bear homebrew on 2600 is the perfect example of stuff Atari didn't make, games that could have spawned a franchise. I love the 2600 and have enjoyed roms on the other systems, 7800 having one of the best Donkey Kong and DKJR ports, which is doesn't get credit for. But system sellers? There were none. As a kid I was amazed by the Lynx graphics, but no game inspired me to actually want the system. As for the home systems through the Jaguar, it was just 2600 games with better graphics or ports 👎 It's such a shame the Dreamcast isn't getting the love and rereleases that a lot of undeserving systems are seeing. A rereleased Vectrex would be brilliant though. What would really make Atari's rereleased systems truly amazing and worth buying would be integration with RetroAchievements, which adds an unbelievable amount to the games. Before RA I always thought 2600 was too old to be fun. With goals and achievements I absolutely love the system now, having completed over 100 games' achievements on RA. Strongly recommend getting RA set up.

[@arostwocents]

Defender could have led to an 8 bit Mass Effect style game if there was some world building and characters originally. Berserk could have developed into an online third person arena shooter, with coop modes, with tonnes of loot to collect. You could even have a Borderlands style game out of it, had there just been some characters and world building included at the beginning for people to recognise and be attached to. I don't see people talk much about how it was the lack of foresight to include characters and a world beyond the simple arcade titles that doomed Atari, while they were still on top of the world.

[@basicforge]

Retr0rob Strikes Back! ;)

[@AloanMoreira1]

Fpga for the 2600 is what I would have dreamed. Just bring it trully back and be open to homebrews! that would have nailed it imo. Then later do the same to the 7800.

[@Retr0Rob]

I agree on this: I would even be willing to pay a bit more for that level of compatibility.

[@RockyP77]

I'm sure this is just the 2600+ in a new shell.... and since I have that, if this brings nothing new, I'll have to pass.... I'm waiting for an Atari endorsed system that will play an everdrive. (Good video 👍)

[@Retr0Rob]

I think you may be correct. Functionally at least they are the same.

[@Bears9McMahon]

I knew you would double dip..I’m probably going to as well

[@Frank_D]

It's a neat idea. I don't have any 7800 or 2600 carts, so I won't be picking this up. I'd probably be more interested in something along the lines of the 400 Mini, with pre-loaded 7800 games, but for someone who has a collection of carts, this is a great way to play those games. That being said, quite a few 7800 games have been included on Evercade cartridges, and quite a few more are included on their upcoming Hyper Mega Tech handheld, so I do have a way to play these games. 🙂

[@DannyP-dm1pw]

Didn't they come out with the 400 Mini already with 25 games pre loaded?

[@Frank_D]

@@DannyP-dm1pw Yeah. I mean if they were to come out with a similar product for the 7800. 🙂

[@jayschulz8060]

happy with my composite 7800 and all my games for it

[@Retr0Rob]

I used to use my modded one for video recordings (like on the Sorry Atari series). The new one makes recording a bit easier since I no longer have to use an upscaler to conver the Composite to my HDMI based recording equipment. Composite does look so much better than the standard RF though - I agree it really does halp clean up the picture.

[@RedRanger2001]

I'd say yes. But remember, it's not going to play the 7800 GameDrive...

[@Tristinfate]

I bet most everyone on here , like me, have already secured their pre order.

[@Retr0Rob]

Yeah kind of a "safe" audience for sure!

[@krathoon2338]

I did go ahead and get Frenzy and Crystal Quest. It does seem kind of silly to get the 7800+ when the 2600+ plays 7800 games.

[@Retr0Rob]

I think that is a fair assessment. Excited for both of those games!

[@krathoon2338]

I am thinking about getting the 7800 game pad. You kind of need that to play the 7800 games.

[@arostwocents]

It is an emulator without a screen dude. It dumps the carts. Dont these systems have loads of issues with games just like the AtGames handhelds and systems did?

[@JDonahue79]

What? 129 bucks for another box that just plays cards? There's cheaper alternatives that plays them as well. I wouldn't pay more then 30 or 40 bucks. Needless to say, the 2600 is more sought after that also plays 7800 (2600+)

[@michaelbotting806]

I guess for the Atari purist, the 7800+ is more authentic than the 2600+. As the original 2600 never played 7800 games. But the 7800 was backwards compatible with 2600 games.

[@basicforge]

I have an original 2600 Jr and a 7800, and a 5200. I'm not tempted to buy one of these new consoles, but I think I will snap up a copy of Bounty Bob Strikes Back, and maybe one of the gamepad controllers. ;-)

[@Retr0Rob]

There really is no need if you have those systems unless you would just like a newer console for your rec room, or maybe for taking to events etc. I use the 2600+ as a "daily driver" for videos etc, and the orginals go to gaming conventions. Not really a typical use case though.

[@krathoon2338]

Yeah. I may go for Bounty Bob.

[@jayschulz8060]

bently bear and bounty bob

[@zockeromi1970]

I might pick up some games but stick to the 2600+

[@Retr0Rob]

Yeah, those wireless controllers are pretty cool, but you can use those with the 2600+ as well.

[@jayschulz8060]

frenzy and bezerk on atariage for 35.00. 2 games on one cart.

[@Retr0Rob]

Thanks for the clarification on that!

[@donny4182]

I will forever have a soft spot for Atari, but so much of their current offerings feel like nostalgia grabs. There has to be a better way to appease fans and honor the legacy.

[@Retr0Rob]

Im actually a fan of these - although there is really no point if you have the 2600+ already - The video quality is quite good and it still gives the old school feels.

[@BeingADik_Jacob]

The console is beautiful, at least there is that, but honestly they should really start to focus on world building with some of these titles. Bentley Bear has the same potential as Mario and Sonic.

[@rossydv]

I’m even okay with a nostalgia grab, but can’t there be even a meager modern reimagining of the old games? I’m looking for an EXCUSE to buy this, but it’s not there🤷‍♂️

[@d.vaughn8990]

I wonder if GCC is receiving royalties for this new 7800? Any ideas?

[@krathoon2338]

I like how they admit the original 7800 joystick was crap. They are selling the gamepad.

[@keilmillerjr9701]

Does it have analog video? If not, its useless to me. I could just get an original that will work with any tv, new or old.

[@Retr0Rob]

No it does not. You can do a composite mod on your existing 2600, or get a pre-modded one. The picture is quite nice. Up until this year II used a modded 7800 for my Sorry Atari videos if you want to see an example of the output from those mods.

[@mortimore4030]

The M Network games are better on the Intelliviison. Better to wait for the Intelliviison plus.

[@jayschulz8060]

cx7800 controller is small and very thin thumb button . I have nes style controllers for atari7800 ..superior to cx78

[@jayschulz8060]

not for me

[@jdd3786]

30 bucks for an 8-bit cartridge seems a little steep to me.

[@athisio836]

So does it support 5200 games?

[@OrionsAngel]

Nintendo offered Atari a chance to produce the NES in the states & they declined. They said video games are over. NES became a big hit! In a panic Atari who had the 7800 in the back burner, but canceled it, quickly rushed the 7800 to market to compete with the NES. 7800 It flopped! My point is that the 7800 is not worthy of this plus system. The games feel rushed. They're bad. The fact the ad calls it "iconic" is insulting. The Atari 5200 should be getting an Atari 5200+ release before the 7800. It has better quality games and great arcade ports. Atari could also re-release the crappy controllers, but now have them work well. A chance to redeem the Atari 5200. I'm not happy how Atari keeps neglecting the Atari 5200. No, the Atari 400 mini is not worthy tribute of the 5200. I don't care if the hardware is the same. I grew up with the 5200. I'm nostalgic for it.

[@Retr0Rob]

It would likely be a lot harder to do a 5200+ but I agree it would be nice to see - especially with an improved controller. The 5200 really was not that bad.. well the games were not bad... The controllers are.a horror show. I still bring the 5200 to gaming conventions but I have to repair the controllers a whole lot. New ones would be so great!

[@OrionsAngel]

@@Retr0Rob The problem might be licensing the games from CBS Electronics and Parker Brothers. Those companies made some of the best games on the 5200.

[@d.vaughn8990]

From what I’ve read, Atari Inc. declined to deal with Nintendo, because Nintendo wanted most of the money. Now as far as your “video games are over” comment - this is from the Atari Corp. and Jack Tramiel era. Tbh, I don’t know if he actually said this or if it’s an Urban legend. The 7800 was delayed, from being released, mostly due to who owed GCC for development.

[@marklechman2225]

As someone who’s owned a 7800 since 1986 and who currently owns a 5200, I can say confidently that the 7800 arcade ports blow the 5200 away. Plus it plays all of your 2600 games and uses the same (better) controllers. Not to say the 5200 wasn’t great, but the 7800 has way better graphics handling, the games in general look better and play more smoothly. The 5200 only beats the 7800 on sound and the fact that it supported a trackball natively.

[@d.vaughn8990]

@@marklechman2225 I prefer 5200 graphics over 7800 graphics. 5200 graphics, are reminiscent of what was seen in a late 70’s arcade - very pixelated. I love the look of that era. To each their own!