It’s now been around eight years since the NES Classic Edition was released, and the ‘mini system’ trend has continued to roll along ever since.At this point we’ve now got a shelf full of miniature consoles, computers, handhelds and arcade cabinets, each offering a selection of titles from their respective libraries, usually alongside a recreation of the original controller for authenticity.One company that leans away from the mini console side of things and focuses more on recreating home computers is UK-based Retro Games, which previously brought us the C64 Mini (followed by a full-sized version with a working keyboard) and the Amiga-based A500 Mini.Now it’s back, this time with the 400 Mini, a shrunken replica of Atari’s first entry in the home computer market, the Atari 400.
And for the most part, it’s done a fantastic job with it.For those not familiar with this part of gaming history, the Atari 400 and Atari 800 computers were both released on the same day in November 1979, but at nearly half the price the 400 ended up outselling the 800 by around 2 to 1.Retro Games’ latest offering is a brilliant way to discover its library for the first time, but there’s just one thing we don’t like about it.The 400 Mini is a wonderfully dinky recreation of Atari’s computer, but like the C64 Mini and A500 Mini before it, its keyboard is only there for show and doesn’t actually work.
The same goes for its little cartridge flap at the top, which doesn’t open and is purely decorative.The device comes with an HDMI cable and a USB power cable which, like most gizmos of its type these days, requires you to provide your own plug.
Alternatively, you can plug it into something with a powered USB slot – we plugged it into the front USB port of our Xbox Series X and it powered up without any argument.Also accompanying the unit is The CX Stick, Retro Games’ recreation of the widely-used Atari CX40 joystick (which was initially included with the Atari 2600 but worked on numerous other