Atari 2600 emulators

Atari VCS / Atari 2600

Developer	Atari, Inc.
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Second generation
Release date	1977
Discontinued	1992
Introductory price	$199.99
HGSF	$19.99
Predecessor	Home Pong, Super Pong, Video Pinball
Successor	5200 SuperSystem
Emulated	✓

The Atari 2600 (also known as Video Computer System or simply VCS) is a second-generation console released by Atari on September 11, 1977. It had a 6507 CPU at 1.19 MHz with 128 bytes of RAM. It had a 160x192 16-color, out of 128, display.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the console and its games, emulation of the 2600 is surprisingly difficult relative to other early consoles due to its unusual primitive hardware designed as a cost-saving measure, including the complete lack of a framebuffer and resulting need to "race the beam" to display graphics. Despite this, at least two emulators have offered highly accurate 2600 emulation for years.

Emulators

Name	Platform(s)	Latest version	Retro Achievements	Hardware features and peripherals	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
x86
Stella stella_libretro stella2014_libretro		7.0 libretro core	✓	~	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME		git artifacts 0.270 libretro core	✗	?	Cycle	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
Pantheon		14.360	✗	?	High	Proprietary	✓	~
ares		v140	roadmap	?	?	ISC (Permissive	✓	~
PCAE		2.6 2.7	✗	?	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~
z26		4.07	✗	?	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~
javatari javatari.js (old)		5.0.3	✗	?	?	AGPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	~
BizHawk (Original)(Stella)		Dev builds 2.10-rc1	✓	?	? (Core dependent)	MIT (Permissive) GPL	✓	~
Gopher2600		0.35.1	✗	?	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
CLK		2024-09-08	✗	?	Mid	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗
EMU7800		5.4.0.1	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
Stellarator		git	✗	?	?	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	✗
ARM
Z64K		2.0.0	✗	?	Cycle	Proprietary	✓	✓
stella_libretro stella2014_libretro		libretro core	✓	~	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Stella - Pyra		0.1	✗	?	?	?	✗	✓
2600.emu		1.5.77 1.5.46.02 Pyra	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✓	✓
Ataroid		1.0.4	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
g2600		7.2.0	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
Console
stella_libretro stella2014_libretro		libretro core	✓	~	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
StellaDS		git 1.2 Phoenix Edition	✗	?	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓ (Phoenix Edition)	✓
Wii2600		git	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	~	✓
PSP2600		1.2.0 Source (1.2.0)	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
Stella GC		18-12-2007	✗	?	Mid	?	✗	✓
PVCS Reloaded		0.3	✗	?	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
Stella DC		0.2F	✗	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✓
Game
1FPS Atari 2600 Emulator	Minecraft	0.2	✗	?	?	?	✓	✗

Hardware features and peripherals

Name	Stella
Amiga mouse	✓
Atari mouse	✓
AtariVox	✓
Booster Grip	✓
Driving Controller	✓
Sega Genesis	✓
Atari Keypad	✓
Kid Vid Controller	✓
MindLink	✓
Atari Paddles	✓
SaveKey	✓
Trak-Ball	✓
XE Light Gun	✓
QuadTari	✓
Joy 2B+	✓
Atari 7800 console button	✓
Atari 7800 game	✗
HyperShot	?
Track & Field Controller	?
Atari Space Age Joystick	?
Flight Commander	?
Overlay	?
Space Shuttle	?
Foot Craz	?
Joyboard	?
Kid's Controller	?
Remote Control Joysticks	?
Video Touch Pad	?
Frying	✓

See also

• First and second generations of video game consoles

External links

• Atari 2600 VCS ROM Collection by Rom Hunter

Internet Archive

• Console Library: Atari 2600
• Console Manuals: Atari 2600