When the miniconsole movemen started to pick up steam, there were plenty of systems we expected to go through the shrink ray – and if we’re being completely honest, the Atari 400 wasn’t one of them. The 400 Mini is fashioned after the Seventies computer and aims to support the entire family of Atari 8-bit computers as well as the much-maligned Atari 5200. The system comes via Retro Games Ltd, which has built up a reputation for solid plug-and-play machines thanks to its previous work on a series of Commodore-themed devices. First impressions of the physical product are good. The 400 Mini is a half-size recreation, and as with previous Retro Games machines it is faithful without much in the way of bells and whistles – for example, the cartridge lid is cosmetic only, and doesn’t open. Four USB ports are provided for controllers on the front, with a fifth on the back for loading games. Also on the back are a standard-sized HDMI port and a USB-C power port, and as is common today a power cable is supplied but you’ll need your own plug adapter.
BRIEF HISTORY
>> The 400 Mini is the latest plug-and-play console from Retro Games Ltd and Plaion, previously behind The A500 Mini, The C64 and The C64 Mini. This new machine is licensed by Atari and plays games intended for the Atari 8-bit range, including the 400/800, XL and XE computers as well as the Atari 5200 console. Unlike the recent Atari 2600+, it's a more traditional type of mini console with built-in games and no support for original peripherals or software.
This story is from the Issue 259 edition of Retro Gamer.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 259 edition of Retro Gamer.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PLAYING CO-OP
This month's collector isn't going it alone
The 400 Mini
MORE FUN, LESS HASSLE?
THE MAKING OF BURNOUT 3 TAKEDOWN™
THIS IS THE REMARKABLE STORY OF HOW CRITERION'S DISASTROUS DEAL WITH EA TO REMAKE A CLASSIC SKATEBOARDING GAME SOMEHOW LED TO THE BRITISH STUDIO CREATING ONE OF THE BEST RACERS OF ALL TIME
PSP Go
While Sony was no stranger to tinkering with its hardware, the PSP got a lot of attention over the years – the PSP Go was the fourth major iteration of the hardware, and the most radical redesign.
THE IMPACT OF 3rd STRIKE STREET FIGHTEr III
THEY SAY THIRD TIME'S A CHARM, ALTHOUGH STREET FIGHTER III DIDN'T IGNITE FIGHTING GAMES IN THE SAME WAY AS ITS PREDECESSOR UNTIL 3RD STRIKE. MEMBERS OF THE FIGHTING GAME COMMUNITY TELL US HOW THIS COMEBACK CEMENTED ITS PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF 2D FIGHTERS
ARCADE WRATH OF THE MUTANTS
A NEW TURTLES BEAT-'EM-UP IS FINALLY HEADING HOME AFTER YEARS OF DELIGHTING ARCADE-GOERS WE TALK TO EUGENE JARVIS AND MARC-ANDRÉ JUTRAS TO LEARN HOW THIS THROWBACK BRAWLER CAME TO BE, AND HOW IT'S BEEN EXPANDED FOR CONSOLES
THE MAKING OF STAR TREK 25TH ANNIVERSARY
SPACE MAY BE THE FINAL FRONTIER BUT STAR TREK ADVENTURE GAMES WERE PRETTY MUCH THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY IN THE EARLY NINETIES. AT LEAST UNTIL STAR TREK: 25TH ANNIVERSARY CAME ALONG A GAME THAT DARED TO GO WHERE NO STAR TREK GAME HAD GONE BEFORE
Datasette
If you’re going to adopt a common storage method across a range of computers, it makes sense to make the hardware as widely compatible as possible – and that’s just what Commodore did with the Datasette, known by the model numbers 1530 and C2N.
THE MAKING OF CAPTAIN BLOOD
AS HE TRAVELS THE HYDRA GALAXY IN HIS SHIP THE ARK, CAPTAIN BLOOD MUST TRACK DOWN AND DISINTEGRATE HIS FIVE REMAINING CLONES. TO DO SO, HE’LL HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH SEVERAL ALIEN SPECIES USING THE UPCOM, A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE DEVICE. UNIVERSALITY IS THE KEY CONCEPT BEHIND THIS WIDELY ACCLAIMED FRENCH CLASSIC
SUPER METROID AN ENDURING LEGACY
AS NINTENDO'S SCI-FI CLASSIC TURNS 30 WE REVISIT THE PLANET ZEBES AND SPEAK TO DEVELOPERS OF BOTH METROIDVANIAS AND ACTUAL METROID GAMES TO LEARN WHAT MAKES SAMUS ARAN'S 2D ADVENTURE SO SPECIAL
