Category Archives: Video Games

Forums Added! New System Being Hacked into Bits!

My Screwdriver of Fate has fallen upon yet another system… but which one? The answers will come in the weeks ahead… so stay tuned! (Hint: It’s NOT the 3D0)

Meanwhile, feel free to take part in our newest feature, The Forums! (Note 5-16-05: This now leads to current forums) Once reserved only for the senators of Rome, the Atari 2600 Portables Site has decided to get with the year 1993 and add this valuable tool! In the Forums, you can discuss stuff such as your own projects, what sort of systems should be ‘portablized’ (a word so trendy and new, not even the spell-checker can recognize it) and more!

So click here or use the “Forums” button to your left and post away!

Site Facelift & New Wallpaper!

Dashing, Debonair Desperado of Danger!

I was never completely happy with my old site design so I re-did it. The site now has a cleaner look and the navigation has changed. It now uses frames that load sub-menus for most selections, thereby not disturbing the contents of the main window until you are ready. Upon final selection of something, the content is displayed in this window. Some categories have been lumped into each other, such as “How To” and “Research & D” being under “Info”. Hopefully this is simpler for everyone, let me know what you think.

New wallpaper! A phantom blimp over London? An army of mechanized motor-men? Just a few stories from the serial novel that never was but still could be, “The Portable Crusader”. Now, adorn your desktop with the prototype cover of this exciting new foray into overwrought escapism! Your co-worker, wife, husband or friend-who-stops-by-constantly-to-use-your-CD-burner will be amazed, and at the same time impressed by the daring exploits depicted on your once-mundane computer screen! To get it, visit the Download section or click the photo above!

In other news, I’m glad everyone enjoyed the PSp so much! Now, if I just had more time to play it…

Playstation Portable

(Note- The PSp is a personal project of mine, it is not intended to be a mass-produced product and is not for sale. Thanks -Ben)

Playstation Portable!  Can you guess the game playing> (hint: it rocks)” src=”https://benheck.com/Games/Sony_projects/PSp/PSpMain1.jpg” /></p>
<p align=Since it’s this site’s birthday, I thought we’d have a SURPRISE! Here it is, my latest gizmo, the Playstation Portable, or (you guessed it) ‘PSp’ for short.

Hopefully this doesn’t seem like ‘treachery’ to all my Atari-loving fans out there, but SOMEONE had to make a portable CD-ROM based game system! The PSOne, despite its ability to run off wall adapters and hook up to mini screens, just wasn’t portable enough so I had to take things into my own hands. For the whole story on how (and more importantly WHY) I did this, please click here.

Visit my Download page for video of the PSp in action and desktop wallpaper.

This unit is not for sale and I have no plans to mass produce them. Being a modern system and not ancient like an Atari, it’s a safe bet Sony would come after me for it. However, maybe they’ll take the hint and make this themselves (and have me design the case?) A portable Playstation would be aimed towards a different market than the Gameboy Advance and is certainly a more powerful system. And with a different, more adult market the reduced battery time wouldn’t be as big an issue… We can always hope.

Oh, for those who have asked and will ask, I am bidding on a Gameboy Advance-Opening Screwdriver on eBay. When I get it, I shall open my Advance and find a way to rid the world of non-backlit Gameboys!


As for the mass production of VCSp units, it is still pending and I am working on it. This Playstation thing was just a fun ‘break’ for me…

Also, I have donated a VCSp Rev 5 to Atari Age for the Classic Gaming Relief Auction to benefit the United Way September 11th Fund. Not only is this a great cause, but you could get a VCSp without having to wait! Please visit their site for details.

I wonder if I will win the award for “Most Hyperlinks In A Single Sentence” for that…

Playstation and all related indicia are the trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment. This project was done for educational purposes, experimentation and fun, there is no intention to mass produce this ‘portable Playstation’.

Mass Production?

I’m taking a poll of sorts. What I’m wondering is if we had thousands of VCSp’s for sale, would there be enough demand to sell them all? I certainly don’t have thousands of pre-orders yet, but what if I could promise that every buyer could get a unit right away? The units would be smaller, more power efficient and probably cost less as well. Would that ‘open the floodgates’, so to speak?

Phoenix features / main changes from past units:

  • Most likely will run off 6 AA batteries rather than a rechargeable camcorder battery
  • Smaller than current units
  • Cartridge will slide down the back (a la Gameboy Advance)
  • Link ability for 2 player games
  • Sleeker styling & more rounded than past units

I’d really like to hear from all of you on this. Please send me an email (subject- ‘support’) and tell me what you think. Your support CAN make a difference. Include all the suggestions you wish! (Note: units running off cold fusion are not feasible – yet)

Don’t forget, you can have your name on the pre-order list for when things start shipping! Any pre-orders sent now will be for a future “Phoenix” unit.

Lastly, if you have a hard time deciding between a Phoenix and a Gameboy Advance, READ THIS!

VCSp Gold Revealed, Report From Classic Gaming Expo 2001

Hello there, portable classic gaming fans! The Expo was a lot of fun, it was great to meet so many of you! To see some photos I took from the event, please click here.

Also for the first time at the show  people were able to see the new VCSp Gold! The new feature I mentioned is the ability to link 2 VCSp’s together for 2 player games! (Sorry to all the people at the show whom I smoked at “Combat”…he he he) For details on the VCSp Gold and the linking feature, please visit VCSp Models.

All in all, a great show! And who knows what wonders await the classic gaming world before next year’s show…

I will be at the 2001 Classic Gaming Expo, come Heck or High Water!

After pointless procrastination, I have decided to attend the Classic Gaming Expo in Vegas the weekend of August 11 & 12th.  Why I even had to think twice about it is beyond me…

I shall bring the following:

  • A VCSp Rev 5. Available for sale.
  • (Hopefully) The VCSp Gold, the latest & greatest model. Available for sale.
  • The Original VCSp, the one that Started It All. Not for sale!

I will also take pre-orders at the show. Hope to see you all there!