Pitari: A Raspberry Pi Atari 2600 HAT

The Atari 2600, launched in 1977, was more than just a gaming console—it was a revolutionary piece of technology that brought arcade-style gaming into homes around the world. Despite the constant wave of new technology, the Atari 2600 held its own in the market for an incredible 14 years, officially discontinuing production in 1991.

In 1980, the Atari 2600 reached its peak popularity, with classics like Space Invaders driving console sales through the roof. By the mid-80s, competitors like the NES entered the market, but the Atari 2600 maintained a strong presence well into the early 90s, outlasting many of its successors and setting a legacy few consoles have matched.

For me, the Atari 2600 was already a household name, even when I was barely old enough to hold the controller. Growing up with it, I didn’t realize how special it was to have a console that would go on to define a generation of gaming. Its simple games, limited graphics, and the iconic joystick all felt like magic to me then. And while my attention eventually drifted to the Commodore 64, the Amiga, and later the PlayStation, the Atari 2600 remained a nostalgic treasure in my mind.

As time progressed, technology introduced new innovations in rapid succession. The Commodore 64, the Amiga, the personal computer, and the first PlayStation all emerged during this whirlwind of innovation, so my attention shifted. With their even increasingly sophisticated graphics and gameplay, it wasn't strange I forgot about the Atari 2600. Until some time ago, I being a few kilos older regained an interest in retro tech.

Times were different then, and technologically simpler. I started reading up on the tech, and how did they build it. What did they have to work with? I was amazed about how they built the first Atari Pong Machine realisigin which was built with only simple TTL logic. Loved the talk by David Crane about his design challenges in creating the iconic Pitfall.

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For me, learning has always been a process of thinking up new ways of looking at things. To understand if my ideas would work and how I learned it is best to put them into practice. As I usually do with topics that interest me they resonate as my day goes by. Ideas can come at any time. For me, the idea for this project project popped into my head while on a train ride to Tilburg. Basically as an answer where the question came afterward. The question in this case seemed to be; "How can I create a platform that will allow me to create some hands-on experience with the old Atari 2600 tech.

Would it not be great to have a platform where you easily can interface play with the old tech? Why not attach the whole shebang to a Raspberry Pi, the shebang being the controllers, the buttons on the console, and of course the cartridge itself. 

Also appealing to me was, to pull this project off there would be a bit of a learning curve for me. I have never written a Linux Kernel driver. Electrical and PCB design is not something I do regularly.  

This platform could become a true playground for innovation. Imagine wirelessly connecting a Bluetooth controller and experiencing Pitfall in a whole new way. Or even playing over the internet with friends, bringing multiplayer options to classic Atari games.

Right now, this project is still in its early stages. I’ve drawn up my first electrical schematic and laid out the traces on the PCB, but as I neared completion, I realized I wasn’t thrilled with the design. So it’s back to the drawing board! Maybe I’ll try a different layout or explore alternative ICs. Who knows where this project will take me next?