I'll be honest: Part of the reason I wanted the Pac-Man Edition Atari 2600 Plus console was because I thought it would look cute in my living room, where I'm trying to pull off a late-'70s look. But after spending a few days with the retro Atari console, there's a lot more to it than just talking. If you're into retro games and ephemera, these new-old consoles are a pure dopamine rush.
The yellow Pac-Man 2600 Plus console is quite diminutive, especially compared to powerful modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series S. Although it is lightweight, its construction is durable and reliable. On the sides of the cartridge slot there are four large toggle switches, which are pleasant to tinker with. While the standard model of the Atari 2600 Plus console features a gorgeous late '70s woodgrain finish, the Pac-Man Edition available pre-order now The model, which arrived in late November, has a distinctly '80s feel, with bright yellow panels contrasting sharply with black trim. The best part is that the front illustration of Pac-Man and the four ghosts on the console lights up when you turn on the console. It's a nice touch that gives the console a bit of modern flair without sacrificing retro flair.
The Pac-Man Edition Atari 2600 Plus also supports 7,800 games, and there are dozens of games available on the Atari online store, with cart prices as high as $35. If you have a collection of retro carts that you keep, the 2600 Plus can reproduce them too. The Special Edition will set you back $169 and comes with one CX40 Plus joystick in a matching bright yellow hue, decorated with beads around the joystick and a Pac-Man cap on top. Unlike the original 2600, the controllers are wireless and easy to set up thanks to the included USB dongle. Additional controllers will set you back $34.99 for traditional black And $39.99 for Pac-Man colors..
Coming from the era of modern dual-stick consoles, the CX40 Plus takes a little getting used to. It's literally just a joystick and a single red button. (It even took me a minute to realize that the button was supposed to be facing away from you—I was spinning the controller in my hands while pressing down on the joystick only to have my cursor move down the screen.) Once I actually turned it in the right direction, I found myself “missing turns” in Pacmanmainly because I was too careful with the joystick. You'll have to crank the CX40 Plus a little more than you're used to with newfangled controllers, but it's durable enough to handle it.
The dedicated 2600 Plus console comes complete with Pac-Man Double Feature a cartridge that includes both the familiar arcade version of the iconic shotgun, as well as the 2600 version, which is very shimmery, drawn out and trippy. (To be honest, I liked the 2600 version more as a lava lamp/historical oddity than as an actual video game.) Everyone loves Pacmanand something about playing with an old-school joystick makes it a little more enjoyable.
I also had a lot of fun with the 1980s. Berzerk and its continuation. madnessboth of which are top-down shooters where you dodge skeletons and aliens while making your way through a maze. Both of them were completely new to me, but at the same time they seemed strangely familiar to me. It took me a few tries to realize that this probably (at least partially) inspired Jackenstein boss fight V Deltarune Chapter 4 since the beginning of this year. The visualization was very simple, but the atmosphere remained the same.
Another new film for me from 1984. Food Fightwhere you're a kid dodging a bunch of deadly chefs to get your hands on an ice cream cone. As you cross the screen, you can collect bananas and cupcakes and throw them at your opponents. Once you reach your target, baby's head will open wide and his tongue will unfold like a magic carpet and devour the cone. It's like a nightmare and I love it.
As someone who pored over printed game manuals as a child, I appreciate the fact that all new Atari games for the 2600 and 7800 include detailed instruction manuals. Each one includes basic information about “how to play the game” which can be really useful when dealing with things from an era where in-game text is very minimal. Some also include historical details about the game's development and restoration, as well as interesting archival images and illustrations. I'm sure there are legal and illegal ways to play 2,600 games for far less than $35 a pop, but the packaging and presentation are a big part of the charm here. In an age where game libraries are becoming increasingly digital, it's great to see this level of care and attention put into the paper boxes, cartridge sleeves, and brochures.
Some Atari game cartridges, including Double feature Pac-Man, also includes a set of four small “dip switches” on the underside. They can be switched up and down with your fingernail. For Double function, it's how you choose between the arcade version and the 2600 version of the game. As a child of the 90s, this whole concept was completely new to me, and I love that Atari kept that tactile design element of the cart rather than just making the alternate version a selectable option on the main menu.
So who is this for? There's no way around it: older games can be pretty darn unforgiving. Giving a modern child an Atari 2600 is like giving him a copy Canterbury Tales: This is probably more of a clever punishment than anything else. For a cute summer kid who grew up on Pikachu and Pili, everything would be ruined by They show or Bounty Bob Strikes Back. If you give this to a child, he will hate you.
Regardless, the Pac-Man Edition Atari 2600 Plus is a fantastic holiday gift, especially at a time when it's nearly impossible to get a gaming console under $200. (Hell, even Soulja Boy's New Portable Laptop costs over $400.) If you're at all interested in gaming history, it's really helpful to try out these old games and see all the connecting threads that still exist, even 40+ years later. This is for the oldies and retro lovers, collectors who have too many Ikea Billy bookcases to count. You know who you are.
The review of the Atari 2600 Plus Pac-Man Edition used a device provided by Atari. You can find More information about Polygon's ethical policies can be found here..
