atari 2600
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The Multari: Atari 2600 gets elegantly shoved in a handheld
We already knew what Marshall was capable of when we caught wind of his masterfully assembled portable Nintendo 64, but the modder extraordinaire has really outdone himself this time. As the name implies, The Multari is a portable Atari 2600 with 32 games built right in. The chassis itself was crafted from vacuum-formed styrene plastic, and aside from the colorful buttons and iconic D-pad, there's also a 5-inch display and what appears to be a set of speakers. Mmm, retro never looked so good. Peek the video after the break (right after you grab your drool cup).
Blizzard announces new Molten Core console version
The conversion of WoW Insider to HKO Insider has thus far been an unprecedented success, but that said, some news is so amazing, so massively genre defining, that we have to report it regardless of any harm to ourselves or accusations of breaking the site format. The Bard class was one such announcement, and this is another. Ladies and Gentlemen, Molten Core: The Console Version. This, to say the least, is a major step forward for Blizzard. With everything from the ground-breaking Aggro Every Bears technology that is sure to revolutionize the Skinning tradeskill when they bring it to the main WoW game, to the amazing 8 direction movement system, this game should easily boost the Atari 2600 past lesser consoles such as the Wii and the PS3. Be sure to check out the official website, especially the concept art. It's amazing how Blizzard has realized it in full stunning 2D glory. I'm already planning to reserve my Collector's Edition copy, because those cellophane TV overlays sound hella sweet. We're sure the news on this amazing game will only keep coming, so stay tuned to HKO Insider for all your HKO and WoW:MC news!
New Hero Class revealed: Bard! Also, new Molten Core for the console
I did not think anything could break me away from the Death Knight class. The minute I got my hands on the Wrath of the Lich King beta, I was going to go to the character selection screen, pick Death Knight, and never look back. Sorry Druid, Sorry Hunter. Sorry Warlock. Maybe I'll come back to you when my uber awesome Death Knight is level 80 and I have Frostmourne in my hot little hands. Blizzard has once again raised the bar. No longer shall I be a Death Knight. Instead, I shall be a Bard. That's right, Blizzard's just announced a new Hero Class, and it's not the Archdruid that was previously rumored.
The Atari 2600 cake, mascarpone cartridges sold separately
What can you really say about this? It's simply the most delicious looking 8-bit console we've ever laid eyes on. Now, if someone could just whip up an Xbox 360 hot-fudge sundae or Genesis-brûlée. Hey -- maybe for our next birthday?[Via technabob]
What would Super Mario Bros. look like on Atari?
digg_url='http://digg.com/nintendo/What_would_Super_Mario_Bros_look_like_on_Atari'; Ah, Atari 2600 -- where would we be without ye? But, now that you're older, we've moved on to newer, prettier models. We're sure you understand.What's that? You don't understand? You think that games like Super Mario Bros. would look just fine on you?Well, let's take a look. The video above will show us the truth ... huh.Uh, what did we think? No, the game didn't look like a discolored, misshapen blob. What? That's so not code for "you're fat!"Okay, you want the truth? You're ugly. Now go learn to make coffee.See also: What if Super Mario Galaxy was on the SNES? What would Super Mario Bros. look like on the Sega Genesis? [Via Geekstir]
Atari 2600 enters Strong National Museum of Play's Hall of Fame
We know that the Atari 2600 doesn't really need more accolades, but it's always nice to see the system get propers from the man upstairs. In this particular case, the man upstairs happens to be the Strong National Museum of Play's Toy Hall of Fame (that's a mouthful). To date, the museum has only added 38 toys to its list, so Atari's old pixel pusher joins the ranks of luminaries such as G.I. Joe, Barbie, the Slinky, Hula Hoops, and the Kite. In addition to being the newest entry, the console also has the distinction of being the most recently invented toy in the Hall of Fame, though we understand that claim was nearly edged out by Silly Putty. Congratulations, 2600, you've come a long way.[Via Next Generation]
The Joystiq Weekend: September 29 - October 1, 2007
It's time to celebrate the Atari 2600, who turns 30 this month. He hasn't aged too well, unfortunately, but the old behemoth still knows how to have a good time. While the console attempts to blow out the birthday candles, check out the highlights for the weekend:Tokyo Game Show GoodiesJoystiq vs. the Square Enix storeJoystiq Podcast 018 - Pizza blasted editionTGS hands-on: Cooking Mama 2TGS hands-on: Final Fantasy Ring of Fates multiplayerTGS hands-on: No More HeroesTGS07: Interview with Loco Roco's Tsutomu KounoTGS Video Games Museum highlights Japan's tasteJoystiqueryJapanese hardware sales, Sept. 17 - Sept. 23: Crisis editionWeekly Webcomic Wrapup: not just Halo 3 editionZelda: Phantom Hourglass launch draws cosplayers to Nintendo StoreNewsWe can't enjoy it at release, but Haze will have rumbleNew games this week: Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass editionSin and Punishment and Super Mario Bros.: Lost Levels on Virtual ConsoleWii can't meet demand for holiday season, says ReggieSmash Bros. Brawl adds Mother 3's LucasSilent Hill: The Arcade makes us jealousSony to release $39.99 retail Warhawk this monthSCEA announces "PlayStation: The Official Magazine"Universe at War bumped to 2008This Wednesday: Tetris Splash dives into XBLABungie: Halo 3 resolution cut for HDR lightingDouble Agent audio duo partner again for Hellgate soundtrackRe-Mission devs HopeLab cause serious RuckusNintendo announces free Wii Remote JacketRumors & SpeculationRumor: Sony has 'big bang' announcement for Oct. 12Culture & CommunityDon't post where you eat: Nintendo fires employee for bloggingTherapists, Army tap Wii for patient rehabSay it with us: Reggie "FEE-SUH-MAY"[Via Engadget]
Happy 30th birthday, Atari 2600!
See that Wii or Xbox sitting under your TV? The PSP or DS tucked away in your messenger bag? That copy of Pac-man on your cellphone which cost five bucks and expires next month? Each of them owe a debt of gratitude to the granddaddy of all videogame consoles, the Atari 2600, which ushered in an era of unprecedented television usage, and which turns 30 years old this month. That's right, the first 2600 units rolled off the assembly line in October of 1977, delighting both children and kids at heart with games like Pitfall and Pole Position, and helping distract the nation after the untimely death of the King, the tragic crash of Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane, and Pele's retirement. So here's to you, dear 2600: Atari may only be a shadow of its former self today, but you've lived on in our fond memories, in retro Flashback products, and last but not least, in tricked-out mods from the great Ben Heckendorn.
Ben Heck's NEStari is twice the fun
You just can't put this guy down. Just when you think he's had his full share of soldering injuries and heatsink frustration, Benjamin Heckendorn goes and builds the NEStari, a flavorful combination of NES and Atari 2600 in a convenient, portable package. The story is half the fun, but short of it is Ben had a NES-on-a-chip lying around and a spare Atari Flashback 2 chip, but only a single 3.5-inch LCD, so he decided to make a nice, fat portable that can load both NES and Atari cartridges. Sure, the DS lite kids may laugh, but you can always bludgeon them with this monstrosity, while playing gaming classics that far surpass the Pokemons of today. Well, at least Ben can. He's not going to be making any more of these, since the hack wasn't exactly easy to pull off. Hit up the read link for the step-by-step and even some video of the NEStari in action -- if you can get it to load.
Atari 2600 controller candleholder
Looking for a way to crank up those romantic evenings with your significant other, yet still want to remind them that gaming is your true love? This old school Atari 2600 controller candleholder from Mixko should do the trick. At least until someone starts selling a Miyamoto candle.[Via Joystiq]
Today's throwbackiest video: Atari Pole Position commercial from the 80s
"HEY! You look like a jerk!" Any commercial that starts off like this is gold in our book. We can't remember seeing a commercial so disproportionally different from the actual gameplay experience. Even the raw processing power *ahem* of the Atari 5200 couldn't make Pole Position look this exciting.You've got 80s metal, crazy haircuts, wacky family racing, and something that'll leave skidmarks on your soul. We need more commercials like this for video games.
Sewing the seeds of retro: crocheted Atari 2600
Who said that grandma's skill set wasn't that useful? It's a custom crocheted Atari 2600, complete with two controllers, a game cartridge, and Pitfall on the screen. Amazing! These is exactly the sort of old school stuff we'd be filling our homes and offices up with if it was for sale in stores.Now the real proof comes when someone knits us a next-gen system complete with a multiplayer game playing out on the crocheted screen in -- wait for it -- high definition. That'd be like a million lines of yarn or something. Better get to knitting before Super HDTV gets invented.[Thanks, Mike]
Ben Heck's latest: Atari VCSp Revision 7
What does Ben Heckendorn do when he's not modding up consoles for Engadget? Why, mod up consoles on his own dang time, of course. His latest is another Atari 2600 portable, this time aping the DS lite almost too well -- Nintendo just looks bad now. Sure, the processor requirements of the 2600 aren't substantial, but that cartridge sure is. Unfortunately, after inital tests, it seems touch screen input is a no go. Read on for some more pics, including a straight up DS comparison shot.
The Atari 2600 changed the world
The Atari 2600 makes Wired's list of the top 10 gadgets that changed the world. This article from Wired Test lists the Walkman, Western Electric rotary phone, microwave, and other gadgets that we take for granted.The Atari 2600 spurred the home game industry, being the original must-own console. We didn't realize that it was still available until 1992, giving it a 15-year lifespan. Wired Test picks the Wii as today's version of the 2600. Will any of our current systems be as iconic as the classic Atari console?
New Activision Hits Remixed screens released
Back when we first posted about Activition Hits Remixed's existence, Andrew told you about the game's "modernized front-end graphics." Well, Activision has just released a ton of new screens from the game and even some that show off those fancy schmancy front-end graphics.The game packs more than 40 Atari 2600 games onto one UMD. And while I'm sure Activision probably could have fit a lot more, Gamespot said "these properly emulated golden oldies will be wrapped up in a visually appealing and easily accessible package with some nice goodies thrown in on the side."Besides the game having no load times (Thank you, God!), Remixed features unlockable content like old-school commercials, songs, box art, manuals and even an achievement system similar to the Xbox 360's. Get ready to be rocking with Thwocker come Nov. 14.
Activision joins the return to retro
A slightly old news story about games that are very old. If you aren't sick of retro games yet, then Activision would like for you to read up on their offering of repackaged classics. Activision Hits Remixed will feature more than 40 games from the Atari 2600 era, such as Pitfall, Kaboom!, Chopper Command, Stampede, and Keystone Kapers. Thankfully, games that feature multiplayer will utilize the Game Share feature of the PSP, so that you and a friend can duke it out with a single UMD.The disc will also feature "modernized front-end graphics" (as fancy as the PS3's front-end?) and unlockables. I would get excited, but I'm too busy not caring.[Via Gamespot]
Microsoft to pull a PS3, place motion sensors in Xbox 360 pad?
In a recent episode of Gamertag radio, Peter Moore speaks out about the increasing complexity of video game controllers, comparing today's gamepads to the simplicity of the Atari 2600's button-and-stick joystick. He didn't exclude the Xbox 360 controller's design from criticism, mentioning that his 14-year old daughter found the controller somewhat confusing. Naturally, there was a point to his self-criticism; later on in the podcast he says that Microsoft is "doing a lot of stuff there. Nothing that we're ready to talk about, and we're not going to force anything that is not going to be intuitive and innovative."The most obvious conclusion to make from this statement would be that Microsoft is working on a new, simplified controller, which may or may not "borrow" the Wiimote's defining feature, although the part where Moore says that "[Microsoft is] not going to force anything that is not going to be... innovative" could suggest that simply slapping a motion sensor inside an Xbox 360 pad isn't on the cards.British tech magazine T3 points out that the company could possibly be working on a simplified controller--to be sold in parallel with the main Xbox 360 pad--designed specifically for Xbox Live Arcade games. The magazine reasons that the company won't want to make the Xbox 360 pad's ergonomic design obsolete any time soon, which lends credence to the possibility of a simplified controller designed to play simple games to compliment the "hardcore" 360 gamepad.[Via Engadget]
