5 of the best Atari creations
Rather than mourn the passing of an era as Atari US files for bankruptcy, we prefer to focus on all the great things this gaming God granted us
Atari US has filed for bankruptcy, and while it will undoubtedly live on in some form – hipsters need their 80s-logo-adorned satchels, after all – will it ever produce awesome devices like these again?
Atari 2600 (1977)
Released in 1977, the Atari 2600 was originally sold as the VCS (video computer system). It wasn’t the first catridge-based gaming console – the little-remembered Fairchild Channel F scooped that honour – but Atari’s wood-panelled wonder was the one that endured. The 128-byte 2600 brought Space Invaders and joysticks into the home – something for which all gamers should be grateful.
Atari Jaguar (1993)
When the Atari Jaguar was announced, it looked like the future of gaming – with Atari boasting of the console’s 64-bit processing power in an era when most gamers were still using the 16-bit Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo consoles. The Jaguar stumbled, though – and was quickly overtaken by the Sony PlayStation, launched the following year. It may have marked the end of Atari’s participation in the console wars, but the Jaguar served up some quality titles – including Tempest and Alien vs Predator.
Atari’s Greatest Hits
100 classic Atari titles ready for playing on your iOS or Android device – though you’ll need to pony up for in-app purchases, at 59p a pop or £9 for the lot. If you owned an Atari console back in the day, playing classic titles like Missile Command on a mobile device feels like living in the future. And if you’re a young whippersnapper, the likes of Asteroids and Centipede may look primitive, but their stripped-back game mechanics test your skills to the limit. Also, get off our lawn.
Niyari Atari 400 keyboard
As retro keyboards go, this chocolate coloured, USB powered slice of the past is a champion – delivering Atari 400 looks without the pressure sensitive keys that gummed up at the whiff of a sugary drink. Sadly the Niyari‘s sold out now – but doesn’t that just make it all the more covetable?
Atari ST (1985)
Pitched battles were fought in the playgrounds of the 1980s between the true believers who pledged their allegiance to the Atari ST and the heathen followers of the Amiga 500. The ST’s MIDI ports made it the computer of choice for music geeks – and also spawned the first ever deathmatch FPS game, MIDI Maze, which required gamers to connect their machines using the MIDI-IN and MIDI-OUT ports.
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Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
