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{{System
{{Series
|name=Atari Flashback
|name=Atari Flashback
|image=Atari Flashback.jpg
|image=Atari Flashback logo.jpg
|manufacturer=[[Atari]], [[AtGames]]
|developer=[[Legacy Engineering]], [[AtGames]]
|released=2004
|publisher=[[Atari]], [[AtGames]]
|discontinued=
|year=2004
|preceded by=Atari 7800
|genre=[[Compilation]]
}}
}}
The '''Atari Flashback''' is a series of dedicated consoles. They are "plug and play" versions of the classic [[Atari 2600]] and [[Atari 7800]] consoles with all games built in, and do not use ROM cartridges.


The '''Atari Flashback''' is a series of dedicated consoles marketed by Atari, Inc. in [[2004]], [[2005]] and [[2010]], then [[AtGames]] in [[2011]] and [[2012]]. They are "plug and play" versions of the classic Atari 2600 and Atari 7800 consoles with all games built in, and do not use ROM cartridges.
The systems are powered by an AC adapter (included), come with a pair of joystick controllers, and earlier versions used standard composite video and monaural audio RCA connectors to connect to a television. Newer versions use HDMI for audio and video.


The systems are powered by an AC adapter (included), come with a pair of joystick controllers, and use standard composite video and monaural audio RCA connectors to connect to a television.
{{Atari Flashback}}
 
The Atari Flashback was released in 2004. The console resembled an Atari 7800 in appearance, and came with a pair of controllers which resembled those of the Atari 7800 but were slightly smaller. The system had twenty games built-in, all originally developed by Warner Communication's Atari Inc. and Atari Corp. for the 2600 and 7800 game systems. The games which originally required analog paddle controllers were made to work with the included joysticks.
 
It was designed by Atari veteran Curt Vendel, whose company Syzygy Co. (formerly Legacy Engineering Group)[1] designs other home video game and video arcade products. Atari Inc. gave Syzygy Co. ten weeks to design the product, produce its games, and ready it for the 2004 Winter holiday season. The Atari Flashback was based on "NES-on-a-chip" hardware, not resembling either of the Atari systems which the Flashback was supposed to represent (this was solved with Flashback 2). As a result, the games it contained were ports and differed in varying degrees from the original games, and therefore the Flashback was unpopular with some purists.
 
==Included games==
 
One game, ''Saboteur'' (originally designed by [[Howard Scott Warshaw]]), was advertised as "unreleased"; though never part of the Atari lineup, it was sold at the Philly Classic 5 convention in 2004.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
;Atari 2600
*''[[Adventure (Atari 2600)|Adventure]]''
*''[[Air-Sea Battle]]''
*''[[Battlezone (1980 video game)|Battlezone]]''
*''[[Breakout (arcade game)|Breakout]]''
*''[[Canyon Bomber]]''
*''[[Crystal Castles (video game)|Crystal Castles]]''
*''[[Gravitar]]''
{{col-break}}
*''[[Haunted House (video game)|Haunted House]]''
*''[[Millipede (arcade game)|Millipede]]''
*''Saboteur''
*''[[Sky Diver]]''
*''[[Solaris (Atari 2600)|Solaris]]''
*''Sprintmaster''
*''[[Warlords (1980 video game)|Warlords]]''
*''[[Yars' Revenge]]''
{{col-break}}
;Atari 7800
*''[[Asteroids (arcade game)|Asteroids]]''
*''[[Centipede (arcade game)|Centipede]]''
*''Desert Falcon''
*''[[Food Fight (video game)|Charley Chuck’s Food Fight]]''
*''Planet Smashers''
{{col-end}}
 
==Atari Flashback 2==
{{Infobox CVG system
|title = Atari Flashback 2
|logo =
|image = [[Image:Atari FB2.JPG|250px|Though much smaller in size, the Atari Flashback 2 resembles the original Atari VCS console from 1977.]]
|manufacturer = Syzygy Company (formerly Legacy Engineering)
|website = http://www.syzygycompany.com/portfolio-vcs.html
|type =
|generation = [[History of video game consoles (second generation)|Second generation hardware]]
|lifespan = 2004 ([[History of video game consoles (sixth generation)|Sixth generation era]])
|CPU =
|media =
|unitssold =
|author=
|onlineservice =
|topgame =
|compatibility =
|predecessor = Atari Flashback
|successor = Atari Flashback 3
}}
 
The Atari Flashback 2, the successor to the original Atari Flashback console, was released in 2005. It has forty Atari 2600 games built-in. A few of the included games are [[homebrew (video games)|homebrew]]s which were created by enthusiasts in recent years, and two of the games (''Pitfall!'' and ''River Raid'') were originally published by [[Activision]].
 
The appearance of the Atari Flashback 2 is reminiscent of the original Atari 2600 console from 1977. It is roughly two-thirds the size of the original, and much lighter in weight. The Flashback 2 console has five buttons (power, reset, left and right difficulty toggles, and select); on the back it has a color/black-and-white slider switch and two ports for the included joysticks. The joysticks bear very close similarity to the original Atari 2600 joysticks from 1977, and are compatible and interchangeable with them. The Flashback 2 does not come with paddle controllers, but original paddle controllers can be connected to it and used with its paddle-based games.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1887136,00.asp | work=[[PC Magazine]] | title=Atari Flashback 2 | author=Lance Ulanoff | date=November 16, 2005 | accessdate=January 3, 2014 | publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>
 
Curt Vendel and Legacy Engineering returned to develop the Flashback 2. Unlike the original Flashback console, the Flashback 2 contains a single-chip version of circuitry designed by Vendel; it is a reproduction of the original circuitry in that of the original Atari 2600. Therefore, the Atari Flashback 2 runs games just as they ran on an original console. The Atari Flashback 2 project was [[project code name|codenamed]] "Michele", after Vendel's wife. Her name is printed on the [[motherboard]].
 
Marty Goldberg, owner of the Electronic Entertainment Museum, was the technical writer for the packed-in manual and full design of the online manual.  Because of changes in game content during the development and problems with the graphic design company keeping edit revisions straight, the manual which comes with the Flashback 2 has several errors in it including [[typo]]s.  For example, contrary to the manual there is no two-player mode in ''Centipede'', and there is no connected-ship gameplay in ''Space Duel''. Likewise in the description of ''Save Mary'' "Barnaby just blew up the nearby damn" appears.
 
===Included games===
The available games are arranged into four categories selectable from an on-screen menu. Once a game is selected, the only way back to the menu is to use the power button to turn the console off and on again.
 
The games listed below as ''hacks'' used other games' code as a starting point and modified their gameplay or appearance. ''Homebrews'' were written from scratch by Atari fans in the 1990s and 2000s. ''Unreleased prototypes'' are games which were developed by Atari Inc. in the 1970s and 1980s but never sold to consumers; some of these games may have bugs or be incomplete.  A few of the games listed are new and exclusive to the Flashback 2.
 
====Adventure Territory====
*''[[Adventure (Atari 2600)|Adventure]]''
*''Adventure II'', a sequel to ''Adventure'' that is built on its original [[assembly language|assembly]]-based game code
*''Haunted House''
*''Return To Haunted House'', a sequel to ''Haunted House'' that is built on the original ''Adventure''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[assembly language|assembly]]-based game code combined with graphics from the original ''Haunted House'')
*''Secret Quest''
*''[[Wizard (2005 video game)|Wizard]]'' (unreleased prototype)
 
====Arcade Favorites====
*''Arcade Asteroids'' (hack) of the original Atari 2600 ''Asteroids'' with the [[sprites (computer graphics)|sprites]] changed to outlines to more accurately portray the arcade version
*''Arcade Pong'' (exclusive to the Flashback 2), a version of ''[[Pong]]'' which can use paddle controllers if attached
*''Asteroids Deluxe'' (exclusive)
*''[[Battlezone (1980 video game)|Battlezone]]''
*''[[Centipede (arcade game)|Centipede]]''
*''[[Lunar Lander (arcade game)|Lunar Lander]]'' (exclusive)
*''[[Millipede (arcade game)|Millipede]]''
*''[[Missile Command]]''
*''[[Space Duel]]'' (exclusive)
 
====Skill and Action Zone====
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
*''[[3-D Tic-Tac-Toe (Atari 2600)|3D Tic-Tac-Toe]]''
*''Aquaventure'' (unreleased prototype)
*''Atari Climber'' (homebrew), released in 2004 as ''Climber 5''
*''[[Combat (video game)|Combat]]''
*''[[Combat 2]]'' (unreleased prototype)
*''[[Dodge 'Em]]''
*''Fatal Run'' (only released in Europe)
*''Frog Pond'' (unreleased prototype)
*''Hangman''
*''Human Cannonball''
{{col-break}}
*''Maze Craze''
*''[[Off the Wall (Atari 2600)|Off The Wall]]''
*''[[Outlaw (arcade game)|Outlaw]]''
*''[[Pitfall!]]'' (originally released by Activision)
*''Radar Lock''
*''[[River Raid]]'' (originally released by Activision)
*''[[Save Mary]]'' (unreleased prototype)
*''Video Checkers''
*''[[Video Chess]]''
{{col-end}}
 
====Space Station====
*''[[Caverns of Mars (computer game)|Caverns Of Mars]]'' (exclusive)
*''[[Quadrun]]'' (originally sold only by mail order through the Atari fan club)
*''Saboteur'' (unreleased prototype)
*''[[Space War]]''
*''Yars' Return'' (exclusive sequel to ''Yars' Revenge'' built on its original [[assembly language|assembly]]-based game code)
*''[[Yars' Revenge]]''
 
====Paddle Games====
The console also includes two hidden titles which require the use of paddle controllers. The Flashback 2 does not come with paddle controllers, so these games cannot be played unless the user has an original set of Atari 2600 paddle controllers. To access the hidden paddle game menu, the user must press up on the joystick 1 time, pull down 9 times, push up 7 times, and pull down 2 times (this represents the year 1972, in which ''[[Pong]]'' first appeared). The code must be entered steadily and without pauses (enter it too quickly and it won't work).
 
*''[[Breakout (arcade game)|Super Breakout]]''
*''[[Warlords (1980 video game)|Warlords]]''
 
===Test screens===
Controller test screens can be accessed by holding down the select and reset buttons while pressing the power button to turn on the console. With the color/black-and-white switch set to 'color', the joystick test screen will appear; with it set to black-and-white, the paddle test screen will appear. These test screens allow a gamer to test controller inputs as well as the console's colors and sounds. On the paddle test screen, if joysticks are plugged in as opposed to paddle controllers, the game [[Off the Wall (Atari 2600)|Off the Wall]] can be accessed and played by moving right with the left controller.
 
===Revisions===
There have so far been three revisions of the Atari Flashback 2.
 
*Rev. 0X has a problem with the synthesized voice in ''Quadrun'' not working due to a problem with the emulation of the original console's audio output. (When play begins, the game should speak "Quadrun" three times.) It also contains a prototype version of ''Millipede'' programmed by [[General Computer Corporation]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atariprotos.com/2600/software/millipede/gccproto.htm |title=All Your Protos Are Belong To Us! |publisher=AtariProtos.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref> this version has problems with the display losing vertical hold and appearing to "roll", making the game unplayable.  This revision had the early delivery data to the chip fabricator and was not meant to be run into production.  While this is commonly called Rev. A it is properly termed Rev. 0X
 
*Rev. A Is the correct production revision of the chip which fixes the voice synthesis in ''Quadrun'' and also contains the Atari Inc. version of ''Millipede'' as well as a newer revision of ''Adventure 2'' that is easier to see on certain TVs that experienced too dark a color palette.  This revision is sometimes referred to as Rev. B since it was the 2nd series of release.
 
*Rev. C features a reduced-size PCB, which was designed to simplify installing a cartridge port (as described below).  There are no changes to the unit's functionality; the Revision C chip corrected some Hmove incompatibility issues, but still lacked several 65xx Illegal OpCodes and support for FE bankswitching.
 
A few of the included games, such as ''Lunar Lander'', exhibit some [[flicker (screen)|flicker]]. This is due to limitations in the original Atari 2600 hardware, which the Flashback 2 reproduces accurately.  Curt Vendel noted that the games exclusive to the Flashback 2 were programmed under a strict schedule, and later commissioned developers to tweak these games in order to reduce flickering.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/89603-60000-rev-cs-on-the-water/#entry1089008 |title=60,000 Rev C's on the water... - Atari Flashback Consoles - AtariAge Forums |publisher=Atariage.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>  Some of these revisions were included with the Atari Flashback 2+, released in 2010 (see below).
 
Rev. D is the [[Atari Flashback Portable]] with support for all games with the exception of ''Pitfall 2'' and the Supercharger games. This new chip will also have built in LCD driver lines, and USB connectivity support and built in Flash RAM for games storage. No official word on when Atari Inc. will release this revision.
 
===Adding a cartridge port===
While the original Atari 2600 consoles had a cartridge slot, the Atari Flashback 2 does not include one. However, a hobbyist can easily modify a Flashback 2 to use Atari 2600 cartridges, and can even install a switch across certain points of the motherboard so that the console can be easily set to play the forty built-in games again. The motherboard is printed with several [[solder]] points and a guide to what contact points associate with which cartridge pinouts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atarimuseum.com/fb2hacks/ |title=Hacking the Atari Flashback 2 Console - Cartridge Port Mod |publisher=Atarimuseum.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>
 
===Sales===
In an interview with ''[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]'', Curt Vendel remarked, "Flashback 2 did exceptionally well. 860,000 sold in U.S./domestic."<ref>{{cite web|author=Curt Vendel: The Escapist Interview |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_100/555-Curt-Vendel-The-Escapist-Interview |title=The Escapist : Curt Vendel: The Escapist Interview |publisher=Escapistmagazine.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>
 
==Atari Flashback 2+==
In January 2010, Atari announced pre-orders for the Atari Flashback 2+, to be released on February 22, 2010.<ref name="atarisite">{{cite web|url=http://www.atari.com/games/atari_flashback2_plus |title=Atari's FB2+ page |publisher=Atari.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>  General Mills simultaneously announced a giveaway sweepstakes for the console, along with other Atari related merchandise, in conjunction with its Honey Nut Cheerios cereal.<ref name="generalmills">{{cite web|url=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20100721160806/http://generalmills.promo.eprize.com/retrogamegiveaway/ |title=General Mills retro giveaway site |publisher=Wayback.archive.org |date=2010-07-21 |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>
 
===Included games===
The bulk of the included games in the Atari Flashback 2+ are the same.  However, Pitfall, River Raid, Wizard, Caverns of Mars, and Atari Climber have been removed.  In exchange, a sports section was added that included the games Realsports Boxing, Realsports Soccer, Super Baseball, Super Football, and Double Dunk.<ref name="atarisite"/>  A third 'hidden' game, Circus Atari, was added to the 'hidden' menu that features the paddle-controller only games Warlords and Super Breakout.
 
===Console differences===
Aside from the games, the cosmetic differences between the FB2 and the newer FB2+ are that the latter console sports a plus (+) sign and larger text for "Classic Gaming Console". Also the 'fuji' Atari symbol on the original FB2 resembles the newer Hasbro-era fuji, whereas the FB2+ fuji resembles the original Atari fuji of the 1970s.
 
==Atari Flashback 3==
{{Infobox CVG system
|title = Atari Flashback 3
|logo =
|image = [[File:Atari Flashback 3.jpg|250px|Though much smaller in size, the Atari Flashback 2 resembles the original Atari VCS console from 1977.]]
|manufacturer = AtGames
|website = http://www.atgames.net
|type =
|generation = [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|Fifth generation hardware]]
|lifespan = 2011 [[History of video game consoles (seventh generation)|Seventh generation era]]
|CPU =
|media =
|unitssold =
|author =
|onlineservice =
|topgame =
|compatibility =
|predecessor = Atari Flashback 2/2+
|successor = Atari Flashback 4
}}
 
In 2011, Atari licensed out Legacy Engineering's Flashback concept and name to AtGames for the "Flashback 3".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atgames.net/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=AR2660&Category=103701 |title=AtGames Atari Flashback 3 page |publisher=Atgames.net |date=2013-01-24 |accessdate=2013-01-28}}</ref>  The Flashback 3 includes 60 built-in Atari 2600 games, 2 joysticks, and a case design that is similar to the Flashback 2/2+ design, except for front-based joystick ports, no B/W switch, and a different curvature.  Internally the Flashback 3 system uses emulation running on an ARM-based processor instead of Legacy's "2600-on-a-chip" and is not hackable to add a cartridge port for reading original Atari 2600 cartridges. However, original 2600 joysticks and paddles will work on this system.
 
===Included games===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*''3D Tic-Tac-Toe''
*''Adventure''
*''Adventure II''
*''Air-Sea Battle''
*''Aquaventure''
*''Asteroids''
*''Backgammon''
*''Basketball''
*''Battlezone''
*''Bowling''
*''Canyon Bomber''
*''Centipede''
*''Championship Soccer''
*''Circus Atari''
*''Combat''
*''Combat 2''
*''Demons to Diamonds''
*''Desert Falcon''
*''Dodge 'Em''
*''Double Dunk''
*''Fatal Run''
*''Flag Capture''
*''Frog Pond''
*''Fun with Numbers''
*''Golf''
*''Gravitar''
*''Hangman''
*''Haunted House''
*''Home Run''
*''Human Cannonball''
*''Maze Craze''
*''Miniature Golf''
*''Missile Command''
*''Night Driver''
*''Off the Wall''
*''Outlaw''
*''Realsports Baseball''
*''Realsports Basketball''
*''Realsports Soccer''
*''Realsports Volleyball''
*''Saboteur''
*''Save Mary''
*''Secret Quest''
*''Sky Diver''
*''Space War''
*''Sprintmaster''
*''Star Ship''
*''Steeplechase''
*''Submarine Commander''
*''Super Baseball''
*''Super Breakout''
*''Super Football''
*''Surround''
*''Swordquest: Earthworld''
*''Swordquest: Fireworld''
*''Video Checkers''
*''Video Chess''
*''Video Pinball''
*''Wizard''
*''Yars' Revenge''
{{div col end}}
 
==Atari Flashback 4==
{{Infobox CVG system
|title = Atari Flashback 4
|logo =
|image =
|manufacturer = AtGames
|website = http://www.atgames.net
|type =
|generation = [[History of video game consoles (seventh generation)|Seventh generation era]]
|lifespan = November 13, 2012
|CPU =
|media =
|unitssold =
|author =
|onlineservice =
|topgame =
|compatibility =
|predecessor = Atari Flashback 3
|successor = Atari Flashback 5
}}
 
On November 13, 2012, the Atari Flashback 4 was released by AtGames. The console looks similarly like its predecessor, the Flashback 3; however, the noticeable change is that the joystick controllers are wireless. The console increased its library to 75 games,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.polygon.com/2012/11/12/3637034/atari-flashback-4-channels-2600-nostalgia-with-a-75-game-bundle | work=[[Polygon (magazine)|Polygon]] | title=Atari Flashback 4 channels 2600 nostalgia with a 75 game bundle | author=Dave Tach | date=November 12, 2012 | accessdate=December 27, 2013 | publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref> 15 more than Flashback 3. The new additions are:
*''[[Breakout (video game)|Breakout]]''
*''[[Crystal Castles (video game)|Crystal Castles]]''
*''[[Football (video game)|Football]]''
*''[[Front Line (arcade game)|Front Line]]''
*''[[Jungle Hunt]]''
*''[[Polaris (video game)|Polaris]]''
*''[[Pong]]''
*''Return to Haunted House''
*''[[Slot Machine]]''
*''Slot Racers''
*''Space Invaders'' (Not the original 2600 version)
*''Stellar Track''
*''Street Racer''
*''Tempest''
*''[[Warlords (1980 video game)|Warlords]]''
 
The game ''Secret Quest'' was replaced with the game ''Black Jack''.
 
On December 4, 2012, AtGames released the Atari Flashback 4: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. This included a set of replica Atari 2600 paddles, 5 collectible posters, and a copy of the original Atari joystick patent signed by Nolan Bushnell.
 
==Atari Flashback 5==
 
 
{{Infobox CVG system
|title = Atari Flashback 5
|logo =
|image =
|manufacturer = AtGames
|website = http://www.atgames.net
|type =
|generation =
|lifespan = October 1, 2014
|CPU =
|media =
|unitssold =
|author =
|onlineservice =
|topgame =
|compatibility =
|predecessor = Atari Flashback 4
|successor =
}}
 
The Atari Flashback 5 was released on October 1, 2014.  Like the previous two, it was built by AtGames. It is the same as the Flashback 4 with the wireless joysticks, but it adds 17 more games, increasing the total to 92 games. New games are from [[M-Network]] and [http://www.gooddealgames.com www.gooddealgames.com].<ref>http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=35291066#productDescription</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[Atari Flashback Portable]]
* [[Atari Joystick Controller TV Video Game System]]
 
==References==
{{reflist | 30em}}
 
==External links==
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20041127044055/http://atari.com/us/games/atari_flashback/7800 Archive of Atari Flashback product page].
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20051027002359/http://www.atari.com/us/games/atari_flashback2/7800 Archive of  Atari Flashback 2 product page].
*Atari Flashback 2 online manual: [http://web.archive.org/web/20081230173638/http://www.atari.com/us/images/games/FBK2/manual/main.htm HTML], [http://web.archive.org/web/20070209233822/http://www.atari.com/us/images/games/FBK2/manual/largeprintmanual.pdf PDF]
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Atari Flashback 5.jpg|Atari Flashback 5 with all components from the box.
File:Atari Flashback 5 box front.jpg|AFB5 box, front.
File:Atari Flashback 5 box rear.jpg|AFB5 box, rear.
File:Atari Flashback 5 box side1.jpg|AFB5 box, side.
File:Atari Flashback 5 box side2.jpg|AFB5 box, side.
File:Atari Flashback 5 box side3.jpg|AFB5 box, side.
File:Atari Flashback 5 box side4.jpg|AFB5 box, side.
</gallery>
 
[[Category:Atari]]
[[Category:AtGames]]

Latest revision as of 18:08, 16 October 2021

Atari Flashback
File:Atari Flashback logo.jpg
Developer(s)Legacy Engineering, AtGames
Publisher(s)Atari, AtGames
Year introduced2004
Genre(s)Compilation

The Atari Flashback is a series of dedicated consoles. They are "plug and play" versions of the classic Atari 2600 and Atari 7800 consoles with all games built in, and do not use ROM cartridges.

The systems are powered by an AC adapter (included), come with a pair of joystick controllers, and earlier versions used standard composite video and monaural audio RCA connectors to connect to a television. Newer versions use HDMI for audio and video.

Pages in category "Atari Flashback"

The following 6 pages are in this category, out of 6 total.