Here's one for those of us interested in the early days of home computing. UK based Retro Games is set to release the Atari 400 Mini, a modern take on the Atari 400 home computer, complete with a recreation of the classic Atari CX-40 joystick. And what a thing of beauty it is.
The system is a miniaturized version of the classic 8-bit Atari 400. It was released in 1979 and in many ways, was the first gaming PC. It had dedicated graphics and sound co-processors, upgradeable memory, plug-and-play peripherals and a membrane keyboard. It was regarded as being ahead of its time, but strong competition from Apple, Commodore and Tandy hampered its adoption. Additionally, its mostly closed software ecosystem led to a lack of development by third-party programmers. As a result, Atari's 8-bit systems quickly fell by the wayside in the early 1980s.
Retro Games says the 400 Mini supports modern USB game controllers. It even has a rewind mode, which allows you to rewind your gameplay by 30 seconds, giving you a chance to beat a particularly troublesome level. I won't dob you in if you use it.
Retro Games has a history of releasing classic remakes. It's the company behind the Commodore 64 Mini and Amiga 500 Mini. The latter was my first real foray into the world of computing and I remember arguing with a friend at the time that the Amiga was superior to the PC. History proves I came out on the losing side of that argument.
The 400 Mini is set to launch on the 28th of March exclusively at Amazon UK for £100. Those longing for a bit of nostalgia should find that price very acceptable.
