The Atari Gamestation Go has officially launched for preorder after much anticipation, and looks to offer an insanely  comprehensive retro gaming experience in a chunky but attractive form factor. This handheld was made possible through a collaboration between Atari and the licensed hardware experts at My Arcade, and looks to be a dream console for Atari fans, like yours truly.
The Gamestation Go was first announced at CES 2023 and is built to play Atari’s classics, from humble beginnings on the Atari 2600 to newer games in their Recharged series. It boasts a 7-inch display of undisclosed resolution and an exhaustive set of controls consisting of a D-pad, trackball, paddle and full numeric keypad.
One striking feature on the Gamestation Go is the device’s “SmartGlow” technology, which conveniently lights up the necessary controls for every game so players aren’t left guessing which button layout to use for a selected game. Modern features include an HDMI output for use on a larger screen, (2) USB-C ports for external controllers, and a rechargeable battery that My Arcade claims lasts 4-5 hours.
The Gamestation Go has over 200 games preloaded, encompassing much of Atari’s legacy. The games span the entire lineage of Atari’s classics, including games from the Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and Atari Arcade. Sadly, no 720º.
In addition to the beloved classics from Atari, there are also titles from other franchises people often associate with Atari, like Pac-Man, as well as games from Jaleco, and PIKO International. The Gamestation Go also includes popular titles from the aforementioned Recharged series of remakes, as well as the Balls Of Steel pinball tables. Not bad for under $200!
The Atari Gamestation Go is one of several products in My Arcade’s current and upcoming line of products. Other products in the collection with the Gamestation branding include the Gamestation Retro Go, another large handheld, and the Gamestation Retro Pro, a home system with wireless controllers.
The Atari Gamestation Go will retail for $179.99, and should ship next month. With a high-quality game library, authentic controls, and modern conveniences, the Gamestation Go is a great way to celebrate the golden age of gaming, legally and officially!
Pre-order the Atari Gamestation GoAtari Gamestation Go (Amazon)
Source: Atari
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Do we have any info on expansion? Either over WiFi via purchasing additional content, or via sideloading via the SDCard slot? I’ve heard from some sources that the later will be possible, and some very credible sources that it’s only going to be for firmware updates if WiFi doesn’t provide a solid option. Havind said that the Gamestation PRO also has an SDCard slot, and users were able to hack together a firmware build that would run on a microSD card rather than the built in firmware. By doing this, it opened up the ability to add ROMs or game files and expand the devices catalog.
I am somewhat ‘meh’ at the apparent lack of an ability to put your own games onto the device for those missing. I can understand why though. It’s a dedicated handheld and not a standard retro handheld.