Atari 2600 to Release First Cartridge in 30 Years – ‘Mr. Run and Jump’
In the console industry, Atari was the dominant player before Nintendo and its famous plumber mascot entered the scene. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Atari released several notable games for its 2600 console, including Pitfall and Pac-Man. However, the console lost its popularity and was forgotten until recently when Atari revealed a new physical cartridge for it. The cartridge features a 2D platformer game called Mr. Run and Jump, which draws inspiration from modern indie games like Celeste.
Atari says this is the first 2600/VCS cartridge release for a new title since 1990, despite an active DIY scene that has created plenty of its own retro carts over the past few decades. The Mr. Run and Jump cartridge comes in a sealed box and comes with an actual user manual, a rarity these days. The cartridges are made from all new parts and materials and feature a modern design such as beveled edges to prevent pin damage and gold plated connectors. Pre-orders for the physical release begin on July 31 for $60.
The game was actually developed for the ancient platform to showcase “the enduring capabilities of the 2600 hardware even four decades after its original release.” Despite its old school pedigree, the title is also in development for modern consoles such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and Epic. This version includes over 30 hours of gameplay, a new time trial feature, and a “glowing explosion of color, action and personality.” In other words, there’s no way it would work on the original 1977 hardware.
However, the Atari 2600 cartridge features six worlds, 80 levels, five enemy types, and a unique scoring system that deducts points when you bump into baddies, but does not include a download code for the modern version. Not bad for a console that once had to dump 14 truckloads of unsold cartridges into a landfill. Mr. Run and Jump work with real retro 2600 consoles, but also with newer VCS versions.
