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Product: Home electronics
Handheld Atari 2600   (+2, -1)  [vote for, against]
"I got high score on River Raid!"

The Game Boy Advance has taken on a retro flavor with many games released on in development based on classic SNES titles from many years back.

However for the ultimate retro gaming experience, a handheld version of the Atari 2600 would be just excellent.

The graphics are simple and would work on a small LCD screen perfectly and the games are perfect for short attention span handheld playing.

The system would have a cartridge slot for any surviving 2600 cartridges, but as the games are tiny in size, literally hundreds could be fit onto a single cartridge, or even built into the system itself.

The system itself could come in a modern looking case, or in a "classic" case with fake wood panels and big metal stick select buttons. It features two buttons and a joypad with a screw on joystick attackment. Above that is a small paddle "dial". Plus you can play in black and white mode.
-- mrkillboy, Jun 28 2001

Atari 2600 VCS Portables Site http://www.classicgaming.com/vcsp/
[egnor, Jun 28 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Atari 2600 CE ("Compact Edition") http://www.classicg...2600ce/project.html
[egnor, Jun 28 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Atari 2600 emulator for PocketPC http://pocketvcs.emuunlim.com/
[egnor, Jun 28 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

C64 Plug'n'Play Joystick http://www.firebox....on=product&pid=1001
[zen_tom, Jun 20 2005]

I like the concept. While I doubt that the custom STELLA chip is widely available (and the 6507 and RIOT chips, though they were once standard parts, are probably no better), it should be possible to emulate them well in modern silicon.

One interesting caveat, however, is that emulation must be much more precise than for, e.g. a Commodore 64 or Apple II emulator. While few programs for the C-64 take advantage of the hardware's eccentricities (and even fewer for the Apple do so), such tricks are virtually required to make a playable game on the 2600.
-- supercat, Jun 28 2001


Baked.
-- egnor, Jun 28 2001


My uncle got me a little Atari© joystick, that when pluged into a TV, has about 16 games built in. Fun games too...I think I'm going to play it now. BTW, he got it off of QVC, so try their website.
-- DemolitionMan, Feb 06 2003


"Pong" *sigh*
-- snarfyguy, Feb 06 2003


My new calculator is smarter than all the computers combined that controlled the Saturn 5 moon missions. If I can have that, surely somebody can scrape up enough transistors to emulate my old 2600. Bun
-- elhigh, Jun 20 2005


Baked enough. I might bun this for sheer nostalgia if I had played the 2600 much, but I was a ZX Spectrum kid.
-- wagster, Jun 20 2005


speaking of the 2600, did you ever try their "raiders of the lost ark game"? it took me a while to figure it out, but i eventualy found the ark. good game, but real basic graphics.
-- -wess, Jun 21 2005


Baked, but it's Good idea anyway.
-- Xcubeds, Jun 22 2005



random, halfbakery