Coming soon: the portable Atari 2600
By Marc Perton 
posted Apr 5th 2005 5:30AM
posted Apr 5th 2005 5:30AM
PSP? We don't need no stinkin' PSP. While
the rest of the world falls before the PlayStation Portable juggernaut (or
doesn't), Benjamin Heckendorn, who created the
Portable PlayStation 2, is hard at work on a portable game console for the rest of us: the Phoenix 2600, based on the
venerable Atari 2600. Heckerdon is currently working on a prototype, and expects the final custom-made product to go
for about $300 with the trade-in of an existing 2600. Yes, you have to give up your original console; but that seems
like a small price to pay for the looks of envy and incredulity you'll get when you whip this thing out and launch a
round of Asteroids or Pitfall.
[Via Hackaday]
Does it play MP3's as well or only tapes?
Probably carts.. just like the original!
Wow that rules.. and I think I have been to his website... dosnt he do this to those mini aracde pacman and frigger consoles too?
Where's the sceen? I think that up-front the tape is.
Holy ****. Sign me up for that!
Fishes,
narco.
This guy has actually been developing portable 2600's for like 10 years. Not just 2600's either - he's the guy who did the PS2p, the NESp, and others. See here: http://www.classicgaming.com/vcsp/
The Phoenix is his latest 2600 portable; the original was the VCSp. I'm not too up on the Phoenix but it looks like this is going to be the "production" version - the older VCSp's were sort of extremely limited-run projects. I think there were more than one of each revision (I think he did sell them) but it seems like he's designing the Phoenix to be easy to produce and cheap.
The only downside of this unit is that it doesn't have a second port for two player action, or those games that require two joysticks. I purchased his book and am in the process of making my own portable 2600. Take THAT psp.
I'm actually very glad that the person behind this is an actual, dedicated gamer instead of some CEO who's only looking out for his wallet. This is real gaming devotion!