Atari 800XL returns as a near-identical replica with 25 games and a cartridge slot

According to Adrenaline, Atari is bringing back the 8-bit home computer 800XL as an almost identical replica of the 1983 original. The machine comes with Atari BASIC, 25 pre-installed games and a cartridge slot that actually works. The design was redone by Retro Games, and manufacturing and distribution are handled by Plaion Replai, the same company behind the NeoGeo AES+.

The built-in games include Asteroids, BattleZone, Boulder Dash, Centipede, Flip and Flop, Hover Bovver, Missile Command and Star Raiders 2. Two extras, Castle Crisis and Super Breakout, unlock when an analog controller is connected. More games can be loaded from a USB pen drive, and the machine runs software from the 400, 800, XL and XE models as well as 5200 games. The bundled CX40 joystick connects via USB-A.

Pre-orders are already open on the Plaion Replai site for US$220, about R$1,099 by direct conversion, and include 1.8 m USB-A, USB-C and HDMI cables. The problem is the wait: the companies only plan to start shipping orders from April 23, 2027.

For anyone who collects retro hardware, I find it interesting to see a computer, and not just another mini console, get a second life.

Source: Adrenaline