My take on The Atari 400 Mini

Support The 8-Bit Guy on Patreon:

Subscribe to the Time Rift Arcade Youtube Channel:

[GregsGameRoom]

I’m always excited for your Atari computer content! Crossing my fingers for a series of Atari computer history videos from you!

[JustinEmlay]

Bruce Lee's estate refused to license the game anymore. They don't own the game, only the name. So bye-bye name.

[LMacNeill]

My uncle had an Atari 800 back in the early '80s -- actually I think he bought it for himself for Christmas of '79. He had this game for it -- not sure if it would've run on the original Atari 400 or not, but I guarantee it'd run on your 400 Mini there, if you put it in 800-mode. Anyway, you were in a spaceship -- first-person PoV from inside the cockpit looking out at space all around you. You had to hyperspace-jump to different sectors and shoot at (and hopefully blow up) the enemy space ships in each sector, to try take over the whole galaxy. You had to defend your star-bases, too, or else you lost points if you let enemy ships destroy them. I think it was called Star Commander or Star Raider or something like that. You should definitely try to find a copy -- guarantee you'd enjoy it. Heck, I might buy one of these just to play that game, if I can find a copy of it. LOL!

EDIT: Star Raiders. That's the name. I was close. Not a bad memory considering I was 10, 11, 12 years old when I played it.

EDIT2: Oh, the 400 Mini comes with Star Raiders II -- I didn't know there was a sequel. Neat! Anyone know if it was any good?

[RB-czjn]

My first computer was a 400.
Star raiders still gives me flash backs.
I would play until I fell asleep. I can still hear it to this day.
Amazing stuff for its time

[stringstandard]

M.U.L.E was our favorite game for the Atari 800. Fantastic game for up to 4 players. I still have my Atari 800 and my copy of M.U.L.E.

[knuckles]

I think it’s very cool how there are mini retro computers like the amiga 500 and commodore 64 and now Atari 400!
It introduces these old computers to a whole new generation! And also being nostalgia to people that owned the original computers in the 80s

[JeffBarberDigideus]

Encounter was written by Paul Woakes, who went on to create one of the most important bits of software on the Commodore 64 called "Novaload". He also wrote "Mercenary" which still is a massive classic on the c64.

[youtube-ventura]

Wow, your full size 400 is super clean, looks great!

[azriell]

The Time Rift Arcade vids have been great! But please (continue to) promote that channel more on here, David. A few weeks/months ago I remembered Time Rift was supposed to be a thing (as mentioned in the end of one of your videos earlier this year, I believe), but I couldn't remember what the new channel was called. I'm happy to report that I was able to figure it out by digging through this year's videos, but I'm sure there's a bunch of your fans who are missing out. Anyways as always thank you for another great video!

[robjeanbras]

Omg, Zombies is the same as C64 Realm of Impossibility. I loved that game!

[cabbitkisser]

I found an Atari 400 at goodwill back in the 90s. i forgot how much i bought for it. i still have it today

[rmcdudmk]

This is a very cool machine. I didnt get to play with these when they were still in production. Wouldnt mind getting my hands on one to check it out.

[CharlieDramatic]

That "zombies" game was called "Realm of Impossibility" on the C64. It's pretty much a multi level maze game where you gotta grab certain Items before you solve each maze. The crosses only purpose is to block the enemies from chasing you. I used to play the heck out of that game!

[CaptainDangeax]

When I was a teenager, a good friend of mine had an Atari800xl, while I was in the C64 team. The 2 machines were on par about gaming. Next we followed different routes, he has an ST and I had an Amiga, obviously

[miked]

good video....and David takes the best pics ....and doesn't hesitate to show one...when ever he

[theotimeyt]

I swear the intro music for Henry’s house is literally Rule Britannia

[TheOpponent]

When I heard the announcement for this, I snarked that people might think THE 400 is a prequel to THE A500 even though they're based on different lines, but from what I learned about the history of Atari and Commodore computers on this channel, that actually isn't wrong.

[FrankHammond]

man, seeing the 400 takes me back to when my pops was teaching me basic. They keyboard was absolute trash, but I loved the damn thing to be able to play games and code them all in one unit.

[jcchaconjr]

Ah, so you were one of the enemies, haha! I grew up on Atari, and you could say that an Atari 400 that a friend got for Christmas back in 1979 (IIRC) is what started me down the Computer Science path. While my friend was solely interested in the games, I became fascinated with HOW the games worked under the hood. I was able to get myself an 800XL not long after release after a season of mowing lawns, and that’s how I became enamored with programming. To this day, I still have a copy of the Atari BASIC book, not to mention the very famous Atari Bible, “Your Atari Computer”.

Atari stopped painting the joysticks around the time that the black variant of the 2600 was released (the “Vader” model, if you will). Aside from matching that console’s aesthetic, it was actually a cost-cutting move (the trim around the control panel of earlier 2600 models also used to have that same orange trim around it). Glad to see that the retro versions of this iconic controller brought back the Orange paint!

[gryfandjane]

Great stuff! My first computer was an Atari 400, and hearing the sounds of certain games in your video reminded me of me vividly of the many hours I poured into that little machine gaming, learning BASIC, writing music, etc. Good times indeed! By the way, I accessorized my 400 with an external keyboard. It was called the Sidewriter, and greatly facilitated typing on the 400. Thanks! I’m a longtime fan of your channel.