Review: Atari Arcade Duo Powered

Blast to the past with the Atari Arcade by Discovery Bay Games! It’s a retro Atari game controller for the iPad, and just the perfect gift for fans of the Atari 2600 video game console. It’s such a fun way to bring back those childhood memories!

The Atari game controller is an extension to the iPad. It’s a one-piece device with a joy stick and 4 buttons on it, as you would expect on an old arcade machine to have. On the top of the controller is a place for you to slide your iPad in. This part is a little tricky because the slot is only as big as the iPad’s charging port. Once you slide it in, click on the two locks on both sides. These locks keep the iPad in place so it doesn’t fall out while playing.

The next thing you need to do is download the Atari Greatest Hits iPad app. It’s a free iPad app with in-app purchases. The app comes with one free game. You may remember the old favorite, Missile Command. Of course you can play the game without the controller, but it’s much more fun with it!

Be sure to mount the iPad onto the the controller before launching the Atari Greatest Hits app. If you happen to launch the app first, you may need to close the app or restart the iPad. Once mounted, select a game to play and go to “Controls.” Make sure the “Atari Arcade powered by Duo” is selected. Then hit “Play.”

The joystick and buttons feels so much like the old arcade games. They even make the same clicky sounds! They could sound a little loud, but that’s what makes them great!

Play some of the old arcade favorites like Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command. You can purchase packages of 5+ games for just 99 cents, or purchase all 99 games for just $9.99.

One downside is that it only works with the Atari Greatest Hits iPad app. You can’t use the joystick with other games. I’d love to see this working for Pac-man one day.

Overall, the controller and the games in the apps are a lot of fun if you like the retro pixel games. They sure bring back a lot of great childhood arcade memories!

Note: The Atari Arcade controller is compatible with both the iPad and iPad 2.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars · DiscoveryBayGames.com · $59.99

Disclosure: This product was sent by Discovery Bay Games for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.