The latest mini-console is this adorable Atari 400
By Andrew Webster, an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.
The mini-console trend that started with the tiny NES Classic has largely slowed down, but there are still some cute game-filled gadgets coming. Case in point: the 400 Mini from Plaion and Retro Games Ltd. It’s exactly what it sounds like — a shrunken-down version of the Atari 400 — and like its contemporaries, it comes with a bunch of games preinstalled.
The device itself is about half the size of the 1979 original, and it comes bundled with an updated version of the CX40 Atari joystick, which supports USB so that you can use it with other devices. The console also has five USB ports — so you can connect joysticks or keyboards as well as sideload games — along with an HDMI port so this little piece of yellow plastic can connect to a modern television.
As for the included games, the 400 Mini comes with 25 titles preinstalled, which span Atari’s 8-bit era. That includes the likes of Berzerk, Millipede, Miner 2049er, M.U.L.E., and Star Raiders II. The games also support some modern conveniences, with the ability to rewind the action and multiple save slots.
Retro Games has previously released miniaturized versions of the Amiga 500 and the Commodore 64 (and last year, Atari itself launched an updated version of the 2600, complete with cartridge support). But if you have your eyes on the blocky form of the 400, it’s launching on March 28th for $119.99 — with preorders open now.
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