Why I’m pre-ordering Atari’s new handheld – the Nintendo Switch for retro gamers

When Atari announced the Gamestation Go, I didn’t expect to be this interested. Retro handhelds are everywhere right now, and it feels as if there are more Atari collections than actual games. Really, how many repackaged versions of Pac-Man do we need? But this handheld console release feels different. It’s not trying to cash in on nostalgia with a handful of ROMs; it’s a serious attempt to make Atari’s library playable, enjoyable, and practical in 2025. That’s why I’ve already pre-ordered mine.

The Gamestation Go is due for release 24 October and will be bundled with more than 200 games built in, spanning the Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and the arcade. You'll get the titles we all know – Asteroids, Breakout, Missile Command, Tempest, Warlords – alongside licensed classic games from Jaleco and PIKO Interactive. There’s even the addition of the Atari Recharged Series, which instantly makes this more than a closed Atari shrine and something a little more expansive.

What caught my eye most, though, is the design, which picks from current console trends and ideas and funnels them through Atari's retro time tunnel. So we get additions like the original 1980s trackball and paddle to play games like Missile Command, the way David Theurer wanted.

Controls that respect the games

Along with the paddle and trackball, the Gamestation Go features a keypad, a D-pad, bumpers, and A/B/X/Y buttons, all built in. The SmartGlow system lights up the exact controls you need for each game, so you never have to guess whether Centipede wants a paddle or a trackball.

Personally, I love the addition of the trackball. It’s a feature designed purely to let Atari’s aging hits be played the way they were meant to be. Games like Centipede, Marble Madness, and Crystal Castles all demand that smooth, brushed spinning motion, and having it built into a handheld feels like a small miracle. It’s tactile, precise, and makes a world of difference compared with trying to approximate it on a D-pad.

In fact, this new Atari console has the same design feel as the Sinclair GamerCard; both have a nostalgic soul and a clean, modern approach to controls and form. Both have the DNA of the original design built in and expanded upon for a new audience.

Built for now

A lot of retro handhelds get the nostalgia right but the basics wrong. The Gamestation Go avoids that trap. It has a 7-inch colour display, WiFi for updates, save options, HDMI out for big-screen play, and USB-C for external controllers. There’s even a pop-out stand, and the rechargeable battery lasts about 4–5 hours.

It’s not pretending to be a modern powerhouse. The Gamestation Go isn't trying to topple Nintendo Switch 2 or Steam Deck. Instead, it’s a tidy, flexible way to revisit Atari’s history without digging through cable piles, blowing into cartridges, or attempting to figure out how to connect aging hardware to modern TVs – the Gamestation Go just plugs in for big screen Tempest.

For me, this is personal. I grew up playing Space Invaders, cross-legged in front of a black-and-white TV, straining to make out the blocky shapes. The idea of revisiting those games on a bright colour screen, in comfort, feels like a full-circle moment.

I still haul my old Atari 2600 out of the loft to play Missile Command, but it’s always a precarious job, and the gamble that this time, the old console won't start. The Gamestation Go saves me the trouble, the same games, in sharp colour, played anywhere.

If you want to explore more options, read my list of the best retro game consoles for other ways to play classic games. And if you’re inspired to make as much as you play, check out our guide to the best software for game development, because a handheld like this might just rekindle the urge to build your own arcade classics.

The Atari Gamestation Go launches in October 2025 for $179.99 / £134.90. It’s available to pre-order now from GameStop, EB Games, and Atari.com.

This isn’t the cheapest handheld around, but it’s one of the few that feels like it’s been built with care. For once, retro gaming isn’t about squinting at the past. It’s about making those games worth playing again, with the right controls.