{"id":19749,"date":"2022-07-20T02:50:48","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T02:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/recapture-the-fun-of-the-1980s-game-crash-with-legos-240-atari-2600-replica\/"},"modified":"2022-07-20T02:50:48","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T02:50:48","slug":"recapture-the-fun-of-the-1980s-game-crash-with-legos-240-atari-2600-replica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/recapture-the-fun-of-the-1980s-game-crash-with-legos-240-atari-2600-replica\/","title":{"rendered":"Recapture the fun of the 1980s game crash with Lego&#8217;s $240 Atari 2600 replica"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<figure class=\"intro-image intro-left\">\n  <figcaption class=\"caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-text\">enlarge <span class=\"sep\">\/<\/span> Lego&#8217;s Arcade 2600 sets.<\/div>\n<p>The Lego Group<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside id=\"social-left\" class=\"social-left\" aria-label=\"Read the comments or share this article\">\n<\/aside>\n<p><!-- cache hit 53:single\/related:5ffb6a7717586dee9db058109686ef9e --><!-- empty --><\/p>\n<p>Even the cheapest, slowest modern game consoles are capable of pushing high-definition 3D graphics that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago.  But if you&#8217;re old enough to remember when video game graphics were just a series of colorful, abstract blobs, Lego has something for you.<\/p>\n<p>A new 2,532-piece set re-creates the 1980-era, four-switch version of the venerable Atari Video Computer System (VCS), later known as the Atari 2600. The kit includes a moving joystick, three game cartridges that can be inserted into the system or into an &#8217;80s-brown storage rack, and other nostalgic touches\u2014even the chintzy wood-grain texture on the front of the console has been lovingly re-created with Lego bricks.<\/p>\n<p>The Lego Atari 2600 launches for $239.99 on August 1.<\/p>\n<div class=\"gallery shortcode-gallery gallery-wide\">\n<ul>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_12-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_12.jpg\" data-responsive=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_12-980x654.jpg 1080, https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_12-1440x961.jpg 2560\" data-sub-html=\"#caption-1868002\">\n<figure style=\"height:654px;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-1868002\">\n                  <span class=\"icon caption-arrow icon-drop-indicator\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                      The Lego Atari 2600 comes with a moving joystick and three replica cartridges that fit into the system.                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                      <span class=\"icon icon-camera\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                                              The Lego Group                                          <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_13-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_13.jpg\" data-responsive=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_13-980x654.jpg 1080, https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_13-1440x961.jpg 2560\" data-sub-html=\"#caption-1868003\">\n<figure style=\"height:654px;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-1868003\">\n                  <span class=\"icon caption-arrow icon-drop-indicator\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                      A replica 1980s living room pops out of the console, complete with CRT TV and period-appropriate posters.                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                      <span class=\"icon icon-camera\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                                              The Lego Group                                          <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Front_02-150x150.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Front_02.jpeg\" data-responsive=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Front_02-980x481.jpeg 1080, https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Front_02-1440x707.jpeg 2560\" data-sub-html=\"#caption-1868006\">\n<figure style=\"height:654px;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-1868006\">\n                  <span class=\"icon caption-arrow icon-drop-indicator\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                      Three small scenes re-create memorable imagery from the games (and will give younger kids something to do while adults put the main console together).                     <\/p>\n<p>\n                      <span class=\"icon icon-camera\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                                              The Lego Group                                          <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_08-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_08.jpg\" data-responsive=\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_08-980x654.jpg 1080, https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_08-1440x961.jpg 2560\" data-sub-html=\"#caption-1868008\">\n<figure style=\"height:654px;\"><figcaption id=\"caption-1868008\">\n                  <span class=\"icon caption-arrow icon-drop-indicator\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                      Atari nerd minifig and mini-joystick included!                    <\/p>\n<p>\n                      <span class=\"icon icon-camera\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                                              The Lego Group                                          <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>The Atari 2600 set is a follow-up of sorts to the 2,646-piece Nintendo Entertainment System from a couple of years ago.  But where that console included a replica TV set with a 2D rendition of <em>Super Mario Bros.<\/em> that could actually scroll, the Atari 2600 kit includes an &#8217;80s living room set that pops out of the console and miniature scenes that depict the centipede from the game <em>centipede<\/em>the asteroids from the game <em>asteroids<\/em>and the adventure from the game <em>adventure<\/em>.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad_wrapper\" aria-label=\"In Content advertisement\">\n    <span class=\"ad_notice\">Advertisement <\/span>    <\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The Lego Atari 2600 is just the latest in a long line of sets aimed at formerly Lego-loving kids.  Other nostalgia-driven kits with thousands of pieces include the replica NES, a re-creation of <em>Super Mario 64 <\/em>in miniature, a lovingly crafted typewriter with working keys, and a Lego Optimus Prime that can actually transform into a Lego truck.<\/p>\n<p><em>Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Listing image by The Lego Group<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>enlarge \/ Lego&#8217;s Arcade 2600 sets. The Lego Group Even the cheapest, slowest modern game consoles are capable of pushing high-definition 3D graphics that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. But if you&#8217;re old enough to remember when video game graphics were just a series of colorful, abstract blobs, Lego has something for &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/recapture-the-fun-of-the-1980s-game-crash-with-legos-240-atari-2600-replica\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Recapture the fun of the 1980s game crash with Lego&#8217;s $240 Atari 2600 replica<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19417,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/lego-atari-2600-set-announced-for-august-release-priced-at-239-99\/","url_meta":{"origin":19749,"position":0},"title":"Lego Atari 2600 set announced for August release, priced at $239.99","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Lego and Atari are celebrating the gaming company's 50th anniversary with a new set based on the iconic Atari 2600 (aka Atari VCS) console that launched in 1977. But the Lego Atari 2600 is more than just a brick-based recreation of the console and its one-button joystick; Lego went the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19343,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/atari-2600-lego-set-announced\/","url_meta":{"origin":19749,"position":1},"title":"Atari 2600 LEGO Set Announced","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"LEGO has announced a new set based on the classic game console Atari 2600. The set includes a buildable recreation of the console itself, plus a joystick, a few game cartridges, as well as some extra features. LEGO Atari 2600 will be available exclusively on the LEGO Store on August\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19195,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/iconic-atari-2600-console-gets-the-lego-treatment-for-companys-50th-anniversary\/","url_meta":{"origin":19749,"position":2},"title":"Iconic Atari 2600 console gets the Lego treatment for company&#8217;s 50th anniversary","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Atari 2600 is getting the Lego treatment. The Danish toy company's latest model is based on the 1980 revision of the iconic console rather than its 1977 debut and consists of a meaty 2,532 pieces (which seems like a missed opportunity to offer 2,600 pieces, but I digress). It'll\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19311,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/lego-made-an-atari-2600-kit-complete-with-game-cartridges\/","url_meta":{"origin":19749,"position":3},"title":"Lego Made an Atari 2600 Kit, Complete With Game Cartridges","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"If there was any doubt that Lego is leaning hard on nostalgia to empty the pockets of kids who grew up in the '70s and '80s, its latest video game console is a brick-built Atari 2600 that includes a collection of classic carts and that all important faux wood grain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10306_Lifestyle_19-760x380.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19749"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19749\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}