Console yourself with a blast from the past: Atari’s back with some 1980s classics

More than 20 years after its last home console, Atari is back with a vengeance, returning to living rooms everywhere with its new Atari VCS.

The Atari VCS console is actually a mini-PC.

Nostalgia is a powerful drug. More than 20 years after its last home console, Atari is back with a vengeance, returning to living rooms everywhere with its new Atari VCS and bringing its 1980s video game classics Pong, Breakout and Centipede with it.

At first glance, the Atari VCS looks like a modernised version of the 2600 from 1982, joystick and all. And yes, it plays the classics – beloved Atari 2600 titles including Missile Command, Asteroids and Tempest are all here, with no sticky arcade carpets to grapple with. The console features 100 old-school classics and retro arcade games pre-installed, and they play even better than you remember.

The Atari VCS is actually a mini-PC, boasting apps including Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video – which stream TV shows and movies in glorious 4K ultra-HD resolution – while you can also surf the web thanks to the in-built Google Chrome browser.

Available in black walnut or onyx, the Atari VCS features an AMD embedded processing unit, 8GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, along with a nostalgia-inducing wireless joystick and a more modern gaming controller.

A ‘‘PC mode’’ is also available, meaning you can plug the VCS into your home monitor and a keyboard.

The best of both worlds is on offer here – a ton of 2D games from the 80s that scratch a certain itch and play great with the bundled joystick, and the ability to delve into the modern era with games from Steam and indie publishers, via Atari’s game store, or to just do whatever you would do with a normal PC.

A lot of thought has gone into creating a machine that’s incredibly capable, for gaming or otherwise.

The VCS is a stylish, souped-up upgrade from the console of yesteryear. It’s not for everyone – hardcore gamers are better off sticking to their Xbox, PlayStation or gaming PC – but for anyone whose eyes light up at that familiar ‘‘pong’’ sound of the paddle hitting the ball, and maybe wants to give video games a try again after a couple of decades, this new console is very special. It’s definitely a strong option for anyone wanting a hub for streaming media, and something that plays retro classics at the same time.

It isn’t cheap, retailing for $849, but what you do get is an incredibly unique – yet incredibly familiar – gaming experience.

The Atari VCS is available now from JB Hi-Fi, Amazon, EB Games, Catch.com.au and The Gamesmen.