The Mini Madness Continues...
The Mini Madness continues with the Atari 400 Mini, or "THE400 Mini" as it is branded. This device emulates all the Atari 8-bit systems, from the 400 to the 800XL, even the Atari 5200 console, as it was based on the same hardware as the 400/800/XL series.
The console has 720p HD output, offeres the original 4:3 aspect ratio for pixel perfect display and offers a variety of CRT filters to make your modern screen look like it has scan-lines.
Some other options the console has are:
- Rewind gameplay by up to 40 seconds.
- Play your own games on a USB stick (cassette and ROM compatible)
- 12 frames to surround your 4:3 screen
- 4 USB ports for 4 joysticks (or three if you use one for a USB stick)
Built in Games
- centipede
- missile command
- minder 249er
- Berzerk
- Bristles
- Capture the flag
- Encounter!
- Flip and Flop
- M.U.L.E.
- O'Riley's Mine
- Wavy Navy
- Hover Bovver
- Lee
- Millipede
- The Seven Cities of Gold
- Boulder Dash
- Elektraglide
- BattleZone
- Henry's House
- Star Raiders II
- Airball
- Crystal Castles
- Yoomp!
With a compatible USB stick you can play your own games on the console. Of course software piracy is not condoned, but if you happen to own game files with the .cas, for Tape, .atr, .atx, .xfd, .dcm, .com, .xex, .crt, .rom, .bin. or .c?? extension there is a good chance it will play. The console also supports playlists in the .m3u format, which is great for games that span multiple disks.
The box resembles the old Atari packaging of the 1980s, which is a really nice touch for all of us nostalgic nerds. The keyboard and the buttons are of course non-functional, as is the case with most of the mini consoles. The price is a tad high for our taste. You can own THE400 Mini for around $120 which is a tad higher than most other Mini's.
Although we really like the fact that there is such an abundance of retro stuff available, we keep asking ourselves more and more: how many ways do we need to play the same old games?
