Atari announces the Flashback 2.0

You remember how excited we got when the Atari Flashback (right) came out last winter (if it's a little before your time, just watch I Love the 70s and get yourself in the spirit, why don't you?). It looks like someone did something right over there since Atari apparently shipped over a half a million units (we're just as jaw-dropped as you), so they're busting out the Flashback 2.0, but this time with that hot 2600-steez wood grain paneling in addition to being loaded up with Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Lunar Lander, Millipede, Missile Command, and Pong (among 30+ others) for about $30. Coming this summer to a wood-paneled den near you.

[john @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

ROCK ON!

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

If they'd include an actual cartridge slot, you can bet they'd sell a whole lot more than half a million of these things.

btw, that was half a million in *one holiday season*. How many PS2's or Xbox's sold in that same amount of time? Not a whole lot more than that, and that's compared to a system that only plays 20 games. There is a huge pent-up demand for a return to old-school gameplay. I never thought I'd say this (I consider myself a gamer, whatever the era), but I've lately been finding modern games generally unplayable with a few notable exceptions (Katamari Damacy being a big one) - they've just gotten far too dark, far too complex, and far too long. They are not fun anymore, by and large.

I know there are pics of the Flashback 2.0 floating around (that's the 1.0 you've got up there) - I wish you'd posted one of those, because it is a much different looking system. I personally don't like the way they've taken an original Atari VCS case (the heavy sixer variety) and replaced the chrome switches with orange buttons... but some other people seem to like it a lot.

I just wish it had a proper cartridge slot. It looks like it does (the 2.0, I mean) but it's apparently just for show. It's still not running real 2600 hardware, so that's probably why - all the games are emulated this time (better than ports, but still not the real thing).

[RikF @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Excellent! That is my Dads birthday present sorted! I sense many hours of father-son Combat action looming!

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

btw, what I really think they should do is just *re-release* the damn 2600, exactly as it originally was. They'd seriously make millions. They'd seriously sell millions. No joke.

[knot_u @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Atari, the mother of all concoles.
we salute you.):-)
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ATARi

[Architect Zero @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Here's one retro item that I really don't think is being fueled by the retro-hipster fad crowd. There's just something about the type of gameplay offered by the old consoles that just isn't present in most current games. The closest I've gotten to it lately has been the Wario Ware series.

I had to face facts a few years ago. I no longer have the time to invest in all-weekend game sessions in front of the TV or computer screen. As much as I'd like to buy a PSP for all its gadgety goodness, I know that I'd be throwing my money away as the games it offers just don't fit into my life any longer. :-(

But those twitch games... bring 'em on. Super Mario Bros., any of the Activision 2600 classic games... 2 minutes to learn, 30 minutes of enjoyment, then on to other things.

[Jayson Elliot @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

It's still the hobbled together reprogrammed versions of the games, NOT the actual original ROMs. I wonder if the construction is as cheap as the first "Flashback?"

http://gear.ign.com/articles/573/573583p1.html

What is so goddamned hard about just re-releasing the REAL Atari VCS? Hell, I'd even buy a Sears Telegame system.

The fake cartridge port only adds insult to injury. It's like getting an electric golf cart shaped like a classic car, with a fake gas cap drawn on the side.

[Jeremiah @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

What Atari, Nintendo, Sega and any other manufacturer that made a classic system need to do are to just rerelease all their old systems and games. Hell, if I could buy a brand new Atari 2600 and Pitfall I'd do it. I'm sure more people would buy a cheap re-release or a classic time-honored system than would drop $250 on the PSP which really only plays not-quite-as-good ports of PS2 games.

[Scott @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Where's the Intellivision flashback? That's the one I want. And don't forget the voice synthesizer.

[Roy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Anyone else notice that the console looks like the 5200/7800 instead of the 2600?

[Kevin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

This is soooo much better then the orig Flashback
(which used NES technology to power the very
un authentic games) These are the original games
not some half backed ports... and the hardware
is the original hardware reduced to one chip
not "emulated" as someone else said...

supposidly there will be leads inside so that
you can solder your cartridge port in and
use your orig games, and the you can use any
joystick/paddles you might have from the old
days too... all this and the device is going
to be marketed for less then 30 bucks!!

[narco @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I don't think these companies should release the old systems and games. I honestly don't think people would buy them because they're more concerned about portability and such.

If Atari released a system like the 2600 (maybe a lot smaller), and sold different multi-game cartridges like "Action" and "Adventure" or whatever. This would be much better.

For now, I bought this:
http://www.sealiecomputing.com/retrozone/nintendo.html

and use it on my G5 to play my 1,000+ NES ROMS. Awesome, yes?

Fishes,
narco.

[Justin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Nice....Ads by Google put up links to wood paneling sites.

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

if atari can bring back the 2600 with a new look then where are the other systems of old like the callico vision, or the turbo graphics 16. splatterhouse was the bomb!!!

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I wanted to back up Kevin in stating that these are not reprogrammed games. These are original Atari games on an Atari chip, not emulations on an NES chip like the first Flashback. The joysticks are modeled after the originals and you can use any of the old ones with this new system.

Although it's not the original system (it's smaller, lacks an external cart port, and has those nasty orange buttons) it's just cool that this is available for $30.

On a related note, for any of you nostalgic Atari fans, this is pretty cool: http://www.cafepress.com/angstridden.20982990 - We used to stay up until the wee hours playing Combat and Outlaw. Maybe this Flashback 2.0 will cause me to do the same thing almost 30 years later!

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

A cartridge port can be added to this machine, see this website: http://www.atarimuseum.com/fb2hacks/

It definitely runs on original atari hardware specs, and the games are the same original binary files that were burned on to the carts 20+ years ago. :)

For those of you that are curious, the creator of this console, Curt Vendel, regularly hangs out at the forums at www.atariage.com. Many regulars on the atariage forums helped Curt and made suggestions that made it into the final product.