Atari's 800XL Is The Next Hardware Revival From The Company Behind The Neo Geo AES+ 1
Image: Plaion / Retro Games Ltd

Plaion, the company behind the upcoming Neo Geo AES+, has announced that it is working with Retro Games Ltd. to resurrect Atari's best-selling 800XL 8-bit computer, first released all the way back in 1983.

THE 800XL is billed as a "faithful recreation" with a full-sized mechanical keyboard, working cartridge slot, built-in Atari BASIC and 25 built-in games. The system features modern HDMI connectivity.

"The computer supports software from the original Atari 400, 800, XL and XE 8-bit computers, as well as Atari 5200 titles, with USB loading, save states and up to 30 seconds of rewind," adds the PR. "Atari BASIC also lets users write, save, and load their own programs. The 25 built-in games include Asteroids, Berzerk, Boulder Dash, Centipede, Crystal Castles, M.U.L.E., Missile Command and Star Raiders II, alongside two hidden titles that can be unlocked with an analogue controller."

The 25 built-in games are:

  • Airbal
  • Asteroids
  • Basketball
  • BattleZone
  • Berzerk
  • Boulder Dash
  • Bristles
  • Capture the Flag
  • Centipede
  • Crystal Castles
  • Elektraglide
  • Encounter
  • Flip and Flop
  • Henry’s House
  • Hover Bovver
  • Lee
  • M.U.L.E.
  • Millipede
  • Miner 2049er
  • Missile Command
  • O’Riley’s Mine
  • The Seven Cities of Gold
  • Star Raiders II
  • Wavy Navy
  • Woomp!

Two additional titles - Castle Crisis and Super Breakout - are hidden on the game carousel and can be unlocked by connecting an analogue controller.

Matt Burnett, VP of Strategic Operations at Atari, had this to say about the news:

“The 800XL represents an important moment in Atari’s history, when home computers were becoming a gateway to gaming, programming and creativity,” said Matt Burnett, VP of Strategic Operations at Atari. “It gave an entire generation the opportunity to discover what they could do with a computer, while offering an incredible catalog of games and software. That combination is what makes the 800XL such an important part of Atari’s legacy, and working with Retro Games Ltd. and Plaion we are excited to bring back this modernized version."

Stuart Chiplin, COO at Retro Games Ltd, adds:

"The 800XL was one of those rare machines that really showed what an 8-bit home computer could be capable of. When recreating it, we wanted to capture not just how the original looked, but what made it such a compelling computer – the freedom it gave people to play, program and create. A lot of work has gone into making THE 800XL feel authentic while bringing the experience up to date for today’s players."

Pre-orders for THE 800XL are now live. It will cost £199.99, and shipping begins on 23rd April 2027.