Retro console test: The400 Mini emulates Atari's 8-bit family
With The400 Mini, the Atari 400 is making a comeback in a compact version. On board: 25 games and lots of 8-bit nostalgia. We have tested it.
Sit comfortably in front of the TV and show the kids what you used to play with: That's what Atari and Retro Games promise with the The400 Mini. Visually, the mini console, which is distributed by Plaion in this country, is modeled on an Atari 400 down to the last detail. However, the device is not only compatible with Atari's former entry-level device: in addition to the Atari 400, the The400 Mini emulates other systems from Atari's 8-bit family, such as the Atari 800, the XL and XE series, through to the Atari 5200 console.
Included are 25 games, including classics such as Asteroids, Battle Zone, Centipede and Missile Command, as well as multiplayer games such as Basketball, M.U.L.E. and Capture the Flag. The game library can also be expanded: By connecting a standard USB stick to which the game files are copied, the games stored on it can be accessed.
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Of course, the legendary Atari joystick is also included: Included is a modern version with USB connection, which has some hidden buttons for better menu navigation, but otherwise feels like the CX40 original from the 1970s. The TV set is connected to the console via HDMI – a corresponding cable is included. Also included is a USB-C charging cable, which can be connected to a normal charger – as with the TheA500 Mini, there is no power adapter. We test the 120 euro device to see whether it manages the balancing act of originality and ease of use.
Detailed mini console
Externally, the console is amazingly true to the original, just like its predecessor, the Atari 2600+. It looks like an Atari 400 shrunk by around 50 percent, and even small details such as air intakes and the roughened surface have been reproduced exactly. The flap above the keyboard, in which the module port is located in the original, looks deceptively real so that it is hard to believe that it cannot be opened.
If you stroke the fake keyboard, you can feel the grain and think you can feel individual keys, just like the original – but it's still just a dummy without any function. However, if you need a keyboard, you can easily connect a standard external USB keyboard. It can also be played without a keyboard: An on-screen keyboard can be displayed by pressing the Home and Menu buttons.
The Atari 400 was released together with its sister model, the Atari 800, in 1979 in the USA (1981 in Germany). In contrast to its big brother, which was geared towards more professional requirements, the Atari 400 was designed as an inexpensive and uncomplicated entry into the world of computers. The series was initially planned as the successor to the VCS system.
Compared to other devices of the time, it looked rather unusual with its protruding sides and membrane keyboard: developer Doug Hardy wanted to create a robust computer for the children's room. As with the Atari 800, which was released at the same time, the protruding sides were intended to provide a secure hold when the computer was sitting on the lap.
The membrane keyboard was designed to withstand the occasional spilled drink. The four nine-pin DSUB-9 joystick connections also set Atari apart from the competition, where more than two controller connections - if at all - could only be set up with additional hardware.
The team around the later Amiga chief developer Jay Miner designed three special chips to relieve the main processor: The Alpha-Numeric Television Interface Circuit (Antic) was responsible for various graphics generation tasks and controlled the Color Television Interface Adaptor (CTIA, later GTIA), which was responsible for the color palette. The Potenziometer and Keyboard Integrated Circuit (POKEY) chip was responsible for sound generation, keyboard scanning and the serial interface. The concept of the special chips later found its way into the custom chips of the Amiga.
The Atari 400/800 could be supplied with games or tools via a cassette drive, module or 5 1/4-inch floppy disk. The Atari 800 in particular managed to dominate the market, at least briefly: Then came the C64. Although Atari tried to counter Commodore's dominance with the XL series and the XE, the devices did not come close to repeating the success of the early years.
Speaking of connections: The criticism of the low number of USB ports on the C64 and Amiga mini consoles seems to have been taken on board by Retro Games. With four USB-A ports on the front and one on the back, the device offers sufficient options for connecting additional controllers, keyboards or storage devices. As with the original, the ports on the front are numbered according to the players: Front left is for Player 1, the port to the right of it is for Player 2 and so on. This can otherwise lead to confusion, as you can also navigate the menu with controllers that are connected to other ports, but the joystick or gamepad seems to refuse to cooperate in the game.
The USB-C port on the back is used exclusively for the power supply. The internal values are nothing special for a retro emulation system: an AllWinner H3 SoC chip with 256 megabytes of DDR3 RAM and 128 megabytes of eMMC flash memory is used.
The joystick, called The CX Stick, is based on Atari's legendary CX40 joystick, but with a few additional functions: In addition to the fire button, which is located on the front left as on the original, there are seven more buttons for the settings hidden almost out of sight: in the ring around the knob are one button each at the front, and at the back, right and left. The Menu and Home switches are located in the middle of the front, with a shoulder switch at the bottom left of the side. The buttons are so discreetly positioned that the joystick is almost indistinguishable from the original CX40.
The 400 Mini - what it looks like (6 Bilder)
On the other hand, it's not perfect: it's quite stiff, and you notice this when you try to make precise manoeuvres in the heat of the moment. If you don't pull with force, the movement may not be enough or may be executed imprecisely. If you push too hard, you may hit a button hidden in the ring. In the test environment, we were knocked out of the game several times as a result.
Fortunately, you don't have to rely solely on the controller supplied: A great many commercially available USB joysticks and controllers can be connected without any problems. It was even possible to play on the mini console with a Playstation 5 controller connected by cable. However, a controller requires the USB connection: wireless controllers are out of the question – The400 Mini is not Bluetooth-capable.
(Bild: Markus Will)
A practical solution: a trick makes it easier for left-handers to use. Pressing the home button, the left button in the ring and the home button activates left-handed mode. The joystick knob control is positioned 90 degrees to the left so that the joystick can be turned so that the fire button is on the right-hand side.
The attention to detail can also be seen in the connection cables: Both are beige in color and Atari logos are incorporated. Like the joystick cable, they are also sufficiently long (1.8 meters each) to bridge distances of more than 3 meters to the TV.
Emulation with many features
After pressing the power button, it takes 11 seconds to reach the main menu. When starting for the first time, you are first asked to select the menu language and whether you want to use 60 Hertz (NTSC) or 50 Hertz (PAL). The output is 720p, which is more than sufficient for a retro console that displays 8-bit pixel graphics.
If you are familiar with the user interface of previous retro consoles – such as the TheA500 Mini – the The400 Mini has no surprises for you: You choose the game you want to play from the various game poster icons. In addition to a screenshot, a little more information is displayed for each game, such as the plot and gameplay. Further information such as the number of possible games can be found below the short description. "1P" stands for one player, "2P" for two players, and "2P+" if more than two players can play the selected game.
The games can also be sorted according to various criteria such as name or year of publication by pressing the ring button on the right. The ring button on the left can be used to assign up to four favorite stars. If you press the joystick upwards, a game aid appears: the joystick assignment is displayed. Pressing down takes you to the saves: up to four saves can be saved per game.
Press the menu button to access the options. Two screen modes can be set in the display options to bring the formerly almost square picture into the 16:9 era: The 4:3 format and "Pixel perfect" are available for selection. The 4:3 format scales the game screen to the standard format of the time. Pixel perfect, on the other hand, widens the game screen slightly, but avoids scaling artefacts. The format leaves a lot of space on modern 16:9 screens. These can be embellished in the frame settings with twelve different backgrounds, from a 3D playing field reminiscent of the movie Tron to hexagonal honeycombs.
In the options, you can also set the volume, the menu language or shut down the system. If the The400 Mini is switched off for a longer period of time, it is advisable to disconnect it completely from the mains, as the USB outputs still carry power even when switched off.
25 games plus two bonus games
The game collection is a colorful mix of different eras from 1979 to 2007 and includes several ports of classic slot machines: the garden baller game "Centipede", its successor "Millipede", the space classic "Asteroids", the tank game "Battle Zone" or Missile Command in which you have to protect cities from incoming missiles, as well as the robot baller "Berzerk".
There are also some remarkable games of its time, such as the fast-paced UFO chase "Encounter", or the 8-bit classic "Boulder Dash", in which you have to collect diamonds and avoid falling stones in a two-dimensional world. Another remarkable game is the two-player game "Capture the Flag", which delivers amazingly fluid 3D first-person graphics ten years before the release of DOOM. Lee", in which you fight Sumõ wrestlers and ninjas in a palace, is also an action classic. In turn, "Yoomp", in which a ball in a three-dimensional tunnel has to be saved from falling, is graphically impressive by 8-bit standards.
The games, plus bonus (27 Bilder)
Airball (1988)
However, the compilation also has its weaknesses. For example, the space baller game "Star Raiders 2" is installed, but not the first part. The predecessor would have been more interesting: Star Raiders was released in 1979 and was one of the most popular games of Atari's 8-bit era, influencing later gaming classics such as "Elite" or "Wing Commander" with its fast 3D graphics. The successor does not enjoy anywhere near the cult status.
M.U.L.E." is another game that is actually a lot of fun with several players, but the version installed on the computer is faulty: graphics errors are produced that make it almost impossible to play the game. Retro Games has already announced a firmware update and will make an improved version available for download by then.
There are even two more games available as Easter Eggs: All that is required is a USB controller with an analog stick, such as those found in modern console controllers. As soon as this is connected, the console simply needs to be restarted. After booting up, two more games can be found in the overview: "Breakout" and "Castle Crisis". "Breakout" is a type of solo pong and was a forerunner for games such as "Arkanoid" or "Bolo". "Castle Crisis" is the home computer version of the slot machine game "Warlords". In it, you defend your castle in the corner from approaching fireballs.
To be able to play your own games, you need a USB stick formatted in the FAT32 file system and the corresponding game files. Simply copy the games onto the stick and connect it to the console. Once the stick has been correctly recognized, a USB stick symbol pops up in the menu after a short time, on which the file structure can be found with a click. The mini console can handle a wide variety of file formats: from module (.crt .rom .bin .c##), cassette (.cas) and floppy disk (.atr .atx .xfd .dcm) to program files (.com .xex).
Conclusion
The400 Mini has been modeled on the original with great attention to detail. Above all, the many USB ports and the relatively easy dealing with additional controllers encourage multiplayer duels. And thanks to the sufficiently long cables, you don't have to sit directly in front of the giant TV, but can sit comfortably on the couch.
The game selection offers a cross-section of the typical game genres of the Atari 8-bit series. Overall, it is a varied compilation of style-defining games and genres. Even players who only know the C64 will rediscover some titles. Otherwise, a cult baller game like "Space Invaders", "Galaxian" or "Galaga" would certainly have done the collection good. Although "Wavy Navy" has a similar game principle, it doesn't quite come close to the pioneering classics of the genre.
The joystick, on the other hand, is not really convincing. It feels very clumsy and can make playing difficult. This is partly due to the faithful reproduction of the original – the CX40 was legendary, but never really known for its ergonomics – but the unintentional clicking is a shortcoming that can only be blamed on the new version. The option to connect your own input devices is commendable, but it does tarnish the retro experience.
At around 120 euros, the The400 Mini is no bargain and despite good compatibility with other controllers, a second joystick would certainly have been desirable. Overall, however, the game selection, the many emulated systems, the good menu navigation and the simple addition of further games are pleasing. Apart from the problems with the joystick, the mini console is certainly very interesting for fans of Atari's 8-bit series. However, everyone else should consider beforehand whether it is worth buying.
| System | The 400 Mini |
| Manufacturer | Atari/Retro Games, distributed by Plaion |
| Hardware | AllWinner H3 SoC |
| Memory | 256 Megabyte DDR3-RAM and 128 Megabyte eMMC Flash Memory |
| EmulatedSystems | Atari 400, Atari 800, Atari XE, Atari XL, Atari 5200 |
| Emulated Games | Airball • Asteroids • Basketball • BattleZone • Berzerk • Boulder Dash • Bristles • Capture the Flag • Centipede • Crystal Castles • Elektraglide • Encounter • Flip and Flop • Henry’s House • Hover Bovver • Lee • Millipede • Miner 2049er • Missile Command • M.U.L.E • O’Riley’s Mine • Seven Cities of Gold • Star Raiders II • Wavy Navy • Yoomp! |
| Dimensions | 31 x 19,4 x 9,9 cm |
|
Weight |
880 grams |
| Package contents |
- The400 Mini main unit - USB-Joystick (The CX Stick) - HDMI cable, 1,8 m - USB-C-Power cable, 1,8 m (power adapter not included) - Quick start guide |
| Price | €119,99 |
(mawi)
