Summary

• Atari and Plaion launch the Atari 7800+ console with modern features, backward compatibility for Atari 2600 and 7800 games.
• The new Atari 7800+ comes with Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest and wireless controllers for a retro gaming experience.
• Atari also releases 10 new game cartridges, including exclusive titles for Atari 7800+ and Atari 2600+, for $29.99 each.

Atari and Plaion announced the release of the Atari 7800+, a new console that revives the classic 1986 system with modern features and backward compatibility for both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges. This announcement comes as part of Atari’s ongoing effort to bring back its iconic hardware with updated capabilities and let fans rediscover some of the most popular Atari games and consoles from the past four decades.

Atari has been a legendary name in the gaming industry since the 1970s, known for popular consoles like the Atari 2600 and iconic games like Pong and Tetris. In recent years, the company has been focused on reviving its classic consoles, with the Atari 2600 making a comeback with the release of the Atari 2600+ in 2023.

Atari has teamed up with Plaion to announce the Atari 7800+, a modern version of its 1986 gaming system with backward compatibility. The Atari 7800+ is a compact and modernized version of the original 7800 console with HDMI connectivity, so players can easily connect the system to modern TVs and enjoy their collection of Atari games either in widescreen mode or 4:3 aspect ratio. The console comes with Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest, a sequel to the classic Crystal Castles. The Atari 7800+ is available for preorder, with a release expected in winter 2024 and a price tag of $129.99.

New Games Coming To Atari 7800+ and 2600+

Atari 7800+

• Asteroids Deluxe
• Bounty Bob Strikes Back
• Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest
• Berzerk
• Frenzy
• Space Duel

Atari 2600+

• Caverns of Mars
• Ep Game Collection
• M Network Collection
• RealSports Collection

Two new wireless controllers launched alongside the console: the CX78+ Wireless Gamepad, a reimagined version of the original 7800’s two-button controller, and the CX40 Plus Wireless Joystick. Both controllers can connect wirelessly to the Atari 2600+ or to a PC via a USB-C adapter, making them a good addition to the collection of players who are looking for the best retro gaming controllers. The CX78+ Wireless Gamepad comes bundled with the Atari 7800+ and can be purchased separately for $34.99, just like the CX40 Plus Wireless Joystick.

The Atari 7800+ is backward compatible, capable of playing both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges just like the original 1986 console. In addition to the 7800+, Atari announced the release of 10 new game cartridges. Six games will be exclusive to the Atari 7800+: Asteroids Deluxe, Miner 2049er’s sequel Bounty Bob Strikes Back, Crystal Castles’ sequel Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest, a new version of Berzerk and its arcade sequel Frenzy, and an updated version of the original 1982 arcade game Space Duel. Four games join the Atari 2600+ lineup: Caverns of Mars, the Ep Game Collection and its multiple sports games, the M Network Collection and its adaptation of popular Intellivision games that Atari recently acquired, as well as RealSports Collection including the never-before-released RealSports Basketball. These games will be available to purchase separately for $29.99 upon the Atari 7800+'s launch this winter.