Just when we thought gaming handhelds were starting to all look the same, MyArcade gave us a retro twist for the fast-growing market.
During CES 2024, MyArcade teased its Atari Gamestation Portable that’s officially licensed by the iconic video game company. It’s not your typical handheld design with just a standard D-pad and ABXY buttons, since it includes three of Atari’s most popular controllers: the Trak-Ball, Paddle, and Keypad.
MyArcade announced a bunch of official Atari gear at CES 2024, building on last year’s release of its Atari Gamestation Pro. Atari may not be releasing any AAA titles, but it still knows how to capitalize on that nostalgia. The company even recently released a remake of its own with the 2600+ console, staying true to the original wood panel design that takes cartridges.
Classic Atari Controller Inputs
MyArcade incorporated the Trak-Ball that’s commonly used with Centipede and Missile Command and the Paddle controller that’s better suited for Breakout and Canyon Bomber on the left side of the handheld. Meanwhile, you’ll find the Keypad that’ll work better for Brain Games and Codebreaker. The Gamestation Portable has much smaller versions of these controllers, but it’s far more convenient than digging up your dusty Atari 2600 and plugging in each peripheral.
MyArcade says the Gamestation Portable will have a seven-inch “high-resolution” display and a rechargeable battery. There weren’t many other specs revealed, but it’s not like we’re expecting this to have the performance of a Steam Deck OLED or anywhere close to the recently announced MSI Claw.
Besides you won’t need that much power when running these old-school Atari games. Speaking of which, since the Gamestation Portable is officially licensed, MyArcade says it will come with classic Atari “a minimum of 200+ games” to be announced closer to launch.
Price and Release Date
The Gamestation Portable is set to come out in the fourth quarter of this year for $149.99. It’s not as cheap as the company’s smaller $39.99 Atari handheld, but that device also doesn’t have the extra controller inputs and comes with a more cramped 2.75-inch screen.
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