Rebuilding childhood memories one cartridge at a time
🕹️ Atari Retro Collection Project
My first ever console was an Atari 2600, the classic woodgrain version, so when Atari announced the Atari 2600+, I jumped at the chance to relive some serious childhood memories.
Yes, original consoles are still out there, but the appeal of the 2600+ was obvious straight away:
HDMI output for modern TVs
Smaller, cleaner form factor
Compatibility with Atari 2600 and 7800 cartridges
Within minutes of unboxing, I was straight back in the late 70s and early 80s, joystick in hand, rediscovering games I hadn’t touched in decades.
📺 Why the Atari 2600+ Works So Well
The beauty of the 2600+ is how effortlessly it bridges old and new. No RF tuning, no signal issues, just plug in via HDMI and you’re playing instantly. It keeps the physical cartridge experience intact while removing all the modern-day friction.
Another big win is 7800 support. I’ve already picked up a couple of 7800 cartridges, Pac-Man and Galaga, and plan to expand that side of the collection over time.
🛠️ Custom Shelf & Display
As part of this rebuild, I also designed a custom shelf, built specifically to store and display the cartridges I wanted to collect. The idea wasn’t to own everything, but to curate a personal “greatest hits” collection of games I actually played and loved growing up.
I spent a bit of time measuring and planning what this would look like and sourced the Atari badge. Having put the measurements together and worked out how I wanted it to look and where to house it then I passed it over to a joiner to do the build.
The end result looks fantastic, and best of all, within seconds I can be playing Atari games again. No emulation menus, no boot times, just pure retro gaming.
Some cartridges aren’t cheap these days. H.E.R.O. in particular was a bit painful on the wallet, but completely worth it. Seeing the carts lined up on the shelf feels just as satisfying as playing them.
Atari Custom Shelf for CollectionAtari Game Display PlaqueAtari 2600+ ConsoleRecent 7800 Game CartsAtari 7800 Pacman (its brick hard)
🎮 Atari 2600 Collection
🕹️ Air Sea Battle
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1977
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Outlaw
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1978
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Championship Soccer
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Circus Atari
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Arcade
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Street Racer
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Racing
Year: 1978
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Space War
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1978
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Spider Fighter
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Warlords
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1981
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Pitfall!
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Platformer
Year: 1982
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Kaboom!
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1981
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ SeaQuest
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Jr Pac-Man
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Arcade
Year: 1983
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Video Chess
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Strategy
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Stargate
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Tennis
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1978
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Millipede
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1984
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Q*bert
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Arcade
Year: 1983
Publisher: Parker Brothers
🕹️ Dig Dug
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Arcade
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Centipede
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1982
Publisher: Parker Brothers
🕹️ Atlantis
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: Imagic
🕹️ H.E.R.O.
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1984
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ River Raid
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Frostbite
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Asteroids
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1981
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Donkey Kong
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Platformer
Year: 1982
Publisher: Coleco
🕹️ Video Checkers
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Strategy
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Indy 500
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Racing
Year: 1977
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Summer Games
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1984
Publisher: Epyx
🕹️ Mouse Trap
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1981
Publisher: Coleco
🕹️ Decathlon
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Commando
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Plaque Attack
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Phoenix
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1981
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Mario Bros
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Platform
Year: 1983
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Smurf
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Platform
Year: 1983
Publisher: Coleco
🕹️ Defender II
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1983
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Galaxians
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1981
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Moon Patrol
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Carnival
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1980
Publisher: Sega
🕹️ Freeway
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1981
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Space Invaders
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1980
Publisher: Taito
🕹️ Pole Position
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Racing
Year: 1983
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Jungle Hunt
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1982
Publisher: Taito
🕹️ Super Football
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1982
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Star Raiders
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Kung Fu Master
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1985
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ River Raid 2
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1988
Publisher: Activision
🕹️ Defender
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1981
Publisher: Williams
🕹️ Popeye
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1983
Publisher: Parker Brothers
🕹️ Cosmic Ark
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1982
Publisher: Imagic
🕹️ Breakout (Paddle)
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1978
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Canyon Bomber (Paddle)
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1978
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Night Driver (Paddle)
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Racing
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Video Olympics (Paddle)
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1977
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Adventure
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Adventure
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Combat
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1977
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Dodge ’Em
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Racing
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Haunted House
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Adventure
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Maze Craze
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Puzzle
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Missile Command
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1981
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ RealSports Volleyball
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Sports
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Surround
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1977
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Video Pinball
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Action
Year: 1980
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Yars' Revenge
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Radar Lock
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1989
Publisher: Tengen
🕹️ Mr. Run and Jump
System: Atari 2600
Genre: Platformer
Year: 2023
Publisher: Atari
🎮 Atari 7800 Collection
🕹️ Pac-Man
System: Atari 7800
Genre: Arcade
Year: 1986
Publisher: Atari
🕹️ Galaga
System: Atari 7800
Genre: Shooter
Year: 1987
Publisher: Atari
🔮 What’s Next?
This project has completely reignited my love for retro hardware, not just emulation. There’s something special about physical cartridges, original controllers and the limitations of early game design.
More retro projects are definitely coming soon, including expanding the Atari 7800 side of the collection and revisiting other classic systems.
For now though, I’m more than happy knowing that a slice of gaming history is always just a power button away.
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