Atari Gamestation Go preorder opens at $179 retro handheld

Atari and hardware partner My Arcade have opened U.S. preorders for the Atari Gamestation Go, a $179.99 portable console that packs more than 200 classic titles and a suite of retro and modern controls. The company says the handheld will begin shipping in October and will be sold through retailers including Best Buy, GameStop, EB Games and Atari’s online store, with broader international availability not yet confirmed.

Atari describes the Gamestation Go as a way to "take retro games everywhere you go," and promotional materials highlight a seven inch full‑color display, Wi Fi for updates, USB‑C for charging and peripherals, and HDMI output for TV play. The device aims to reproduce the feel of older systems by including unusual physical inputs for a handheld, such as an integrated paddle, a trackball and a numeric keypad alongside a D pad, face buttons and shoulder bumpers. A feature called SmartGlow uses built‑in LEDs to illuminate the controls most relevant to each game, Atari said.

The built‑in library spans Atari 2600, 5200 and 7800 catalogs as well as arcade and licensed third‑party titles. The roster includes Asteroids Recharged, Missile Command Recharged, Centipede...