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Atari celebrates its 50th birthday with a new, working 2600 cartridge

Atari is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new line of Atari XP game cartridges. Fans will be able to buy cartridges for both Missile Command and Adventure, both of which will work on a classic Atari 2600 console.

Atari’s XP initiative is a relatively new product line for the gaming icon. It allows fans to buy limited edition versions of classic games, presented as working 2600 cartridges complete with vintage packaging. Atari has already released cartridges for Yars’ Revenge, Saboteur, and Aquaventure.

An Atari XP cartirdige of Missile Command.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Missile Command and Adventure are the latest additions to the line and debatably the biggest ones yet. Both are iconic Atari 2600 titles that had a fundamental influence on the video game industry. Both games will be available as Atari XP cartridges that will retail for $100.

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Both games come comes in bright orange packaging that features some physical bonuses, like a full booklet, an enamel pin, and a patch. Both can be played on an original Atari 2600 console if you still have one kicking around. Like other Atari XP games, the cartridges feature an acrylic logo that lights up while the games are being played.

That’s just the beginning for Atari’s anniversary plans when it comes to the XP line. The company plans to release 10 titles within the next six months. The remaining eight have yet to be revealed.

Atari XP is part of the company’s wider game preservation efforts. Earlier this  Trends spoke with the company, which stressed that part of its focus was on preserving the physical experience of old Atari titles, rather than just porting old games to modern consoles. The company is also celebrating its birthday with Atari Mania, a WarioWare-like microgame collection.

Pre-orders for both Missile Command and Adventure will close on July 31.

Giovanni Colantonio
As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…
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