Atari Announces Flashback 2.0 Launch and Titles

by Vladimir Cole { Apr 28th 2005 at 10:00AM }

Atari Flashback 1.0 Atari today announced plans to release a new version of their retro console system, Atari Flashback. The Atari Flashback 2.0 will include 40 bundled games and all of the necessary hardware to play them on your decidedly non-retro plasma TV screens.

The press release is thin on details, but here's what we know about this 0th-generation console system compared to the first version of the Flashback:

Flashback 1.0 vs. Flashback 2.0
20 titles vs. 40 titles
$44.95 MSRP vs. $30 MSRP
Nov 22 launch vs. Launch "this summer"
7800-style console vs. "wood grain paneling"
Redesigned joysticks vs. "classic joysticks"

At least four of the titles to be released with Flashback 2.0 were released with the 1.0 launch in November 2004, but Pong is new to this year's launch, in part because it's supposedly the 30th anniversary of Pong (according to Pong-story.com, however, "November 1972 saw the first production PONG games rolling off the assembly line." (Bad marketers, bad!)

Only time will tell if Atari learned from the launch of Flashback 1.0, which suffered from extraordinarily bad emulation. According to one Amazon.com reviewer:

Apparently, this console was a rush-job, developed in only ten weeks, and it shows. Instead of running on the original hardware, these games are being emulated. This leads to all sorts of graphical glitches and gameplay problems. Desert Falcon has so much flicker that it's all but unplayable. I was unable to select different tracks/surfaces in Sprintmaster. The ship in Asteroids doesn't drift when you fire the thruster. There is no gravity in Gravitar. The list goes on…

Also no word yet on whether Microsoft and Sony will be bumping up the release dates of the Xbox 360 and PS3 to compete with Atari's stealth attack.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Brian Bethel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

I certanly hope they do this one right. I still think they should just include a cartridge slot so that those of us who still actually own our 2600s could now easily play our ancient cartridges on our new televisions. But this one might be great as long as the game selection is good and the emulation is perfect.

Brian Bethel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Eric Pobirs @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

One big mistake was using the VCS version for several games that had much superior 7800 versions. Why do a 7800 package if you aren't going to favor the 7800 versions?

Agent X @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

The Atari Flashback 2.0 console isn't including the Atari 7800 versions of games because it's based on 2600 hardware, not 7800 hardware.

The original Flashback console was supposed to be based on the 7800. (For the benefit of those who may not know, the 7800 was backward compatible with the 2600.) However, it didn't really use 7800-based hardware as Atari originally wanted to do, because they couldn't get a cheap "7800 on a chip" in production in time for the big holiday shopping season. So, they decided to go with an "NES on a chip" solution instead, and ported 15 2600 games and 5 7800 games to the NES-like hardware. Unfortunately, the NES hardware has many differences from 7800 hardware, and most of the ports were sloppy and inferior. While some casual gamers appreciated the ability to play some of the old games again, purists were miffed that the games didn't do justice to the 2600/7800 games they were supposed to be replicating.

Atari allegedly has a "2600 on a chip" solution now, so that's why you're seeing this machine being produced. One of the really cool things about this is that it not only includes classic 2600 games, but some entirely new (recent) developments. There are even supposed to be some games on here that are newly created 2600 conversions of old arcade games. For example, Lunar Lander was mentioned in the press release--that game was never officially released on cartridge for the 2600, so I'm guessing that's one of the newly ported games. I'll certainly be following the progress of this unit.

Retro Rogue @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Vladimir, it's the 30th anniversary of the home version of pong. That's what the press release is refering to.

Brian, there will not be any cartridge ports. It would cost Atari to much in technical/consumer support to suddenly start dealing with a flood of calls from people trying to get 20-some year old carts to work. What might be in this one however is the imprint for a cart port that homebrewers can add themselves. It will void the warranty, but solve that issue.

Agent X, it's not allegedly. It is using an actual 2600-on-a-chip. No emulation, no porting to an NES on a chip.

Barry @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

If it's gonna be a "3600 on a chip", then where are the FREAKIN' PADDLES? :)

Seriously, I hope there will be a way to add a cartridge port in the future. I have over 100 Atari 2600 cartridges and I don't want to part with them (lots of sentimental value). Also I hope the controller jacks are the standard 9-pin jacks so other Atari 2600 controllers can be used, especially the Video Touch Pad and the paddles.

Barry @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Chico Malimba @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

The home version of Pong came out in 1975. That is why they are saying the "30th Anniversary". The arcade Pong came out in 1972. The very fist video game was the Magnavox Odyssey. Atari copied the ping-pong game from the Magnavox Odyssey, got sued, and lost. Just a little history for you.

Retro Rogue @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

In response to number 8: Little correction on that history - The Odyssey was the very first home video game system, not the first video game.
The first arcade video game actually came out in '71, Computer Space. Though technically the Stanford version of Spacewar, entitled Galaxy Game, was around the same time (September). In a recent interview in CPU magazine, Nolan mentioned he already had the idea for a tennis game before seeing the Odyssey. When he saw the Odyssey, he was convinced to go through with it, and felt he could do it better - that the Odyssey version was lacking. Secondly, Atari did not loose anything. Atari was sued for the game technology, not for Pong itself. Magnavox had used Ralph's patents to claim it had ownership of the technology to display a game in video format. Atari decided to pay a licensing fee (even though it was their own design).

Zagman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

WHOOT this has a nes on a chip (no wonder it sucked at asteroids...
I'm sad at the fact it's a nes on a chip cus i bought it FOR the atari tytles and hopes of moding it.

But i found it didnt except orginal hardware (pluged in the paddles) and it would go nuts when triger was pushed.

Nes on a chip explains that one :)

WHOOT! now i dont gota search for a nes on a chip!.

YES i'm happy. building a portible NES.
And for those of yall wondering about carts'
All of the (on a chip) consols i've seend (sega genisus nes) have literly ben that. The Game ports cart pins controler inputs all of it.) are ON THE CHIP.
Just add a clock ocelator and some power manegment and rig up an adequit filtering scheme to hook up the controler/carts (some reisisters normly do the job) and you got a console :)

the resisters are to stop spikes.

(gona go grab my screw drivers and my drimmel now byby)

Justin @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

are these 40 games going to include the 20 from the 1.0 version plus 20 more, or are they going to be 40 whole new games? i just hope they at least have lunar lander, asteroids, space invaders, battlestar galactica, and frogger. those are the ones i really want. does anyone have a clue as to the release date?