If you're big of years but small of shelf space, you might be interested in the newly announced 400 Mini, an officially licensed scaled-down version of Atari's four-and-a-half decade old home computer, the Atari 400, which launches on 28th March this year.
Created by Retro Games Ltd – the company previously responsible for the C64 Mini and Amiga 500 Mini – the 400 Mini sports a similar design to Atari's 1979 8-bit computer (albeit approximately half the size) but can do a little more beyond its inspiration.
As per Retro Games' announcement, the 400 Mini (styled THE400 Mini) doesn't just emulate the Atari 400 hardware, it's also emulates the entire 8-bit Atari range, including the 400's primary sibling the Atari 800, plus the XL and XE series, and the 5200 home console.
“THE400 Mini has been lovingly crafted using modern technology,” explains Retro Games, “from the hard-to-match colors of the original machine to the authentic textures of the plastic casing and membrane keyboard, no compromise was made relative to the iconic 1970s look and feel of the original Atari 400.
The diminutive plastic lump will cost $119.99 (around £95) when it launches on 28th March, and the price includes 25 built-in 8-bit Atari games – Berzerk, Boulder Dash, Capture the Flag, Lee, Millipede, Miner 2049er, Missile Command, MULE, Star Raiders 2, and Yoomp are all namechecked in the promotional material.
The machine supports 720p output at 50 or 60Hz, and includes the ability to rewind gameplay by up to 30 seconds and save at any time in one of four slots per game. It also comes with a choice of 12 frames to tart up the surroundings of your gameplay if you just can't tolerate an empty black border, and includes five USB ports.
The latter supports a range of external peripherals including joysticks, gamepads, and keyboards, and you can even use a USB stick to side-load any games you already own. And speaking of joysticks, the package includes a recreation of the classic Atari CX-40 with seven additional buttons (Retro Games is calling this THECXSTICK), plus an HDMI cable and a USB power lead. You'll need to buy the power adapter yourself, though.
So that's the Mini 400, available for £95-ish on 28th March.
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