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The Gratuitous Rainbow Spectrum

7800 GameDrive Flash Cart Overview

7800 GameDrive Flash Cart Overview

Kris Randazzo
4 minute read

We're giving away an Atari 7800 console with 7800 GameDrive! Enter to Win here: https://stoneagegamer.com/enter-to-win/

The 7800 GameDrive from RetroHQ lets you play your Atari 7800 game backups, homebrew titles, and more on a single cartridge. Here's a closer look.

7800 GameDrive

7800 GameDrive

$159.99

LABEL NOTE: The chromatic color on the product image is simulated. This product's label is printed on a holographic/chromatic material and those areas will change...… read more

Mega7800 Controller Adapter for Atari 7800 - RetroHQ

Mega7800 Controller Adapter for Atari 7800 - RetroHQ

$15.99

Mega 7800 - Controller Adapter for Atari 7800 The RetroHQ Mega 7800 is a controller adapter which allows you to use your Master System and...… read more

Transcript of the video: 

Hi there. Kris from Stone Age Gamer here. Today we’re going to take a closer look at the 7800 GameDrive from Retro HQ. It’s a flash cart for the Atari 7800 that allows you to play your legally obtained game backups, and more, on original hardware from a single cartridge. Let’s take a look. 

This is the 7800 Game Drive Deluxe Edition that we sell at Stone Age Gamer. It comes in this deluxe BitBox game case, which houses the cartridge itself and documentation including the 7800 Game Drive instruction manual, troubleshooting guide, and stickers. 

This is the 7800 GameDrive flash cart, seen here with our exclusive chromatic, reflective label. This plugs into your Atari 7800 cartridge slot just like a regular game would. On the side is the serial debug port for developers to connect directly to their computer, and at the top is the microSD card slot, where you can load the files you’d like to use with the 7800 GameDrive. On the front is the AV out port, shown here with our optional dust cover. Since the Atari 7800 natively uses RF only, this allows users to connect to their TVs via a Sega Genesis 2-style RGB cable for crystal clear visual quality. Note that this port only supports RGB. Standard composite cables will not work. 

The 7800 GameDrive is fully compatible with original Atari 7800 controllers, but has some enhanced capabilities when paired with the Mega7800 adapter, also from RetroHQ. This connector plugs into your system’s controller port and allows you to use Sega Genesis controllers. The extra buttons this provides can be used to access the GameDrive’s in-game menus without the need for complex button combinations. Now let’s see it in action. 

When you first power the unit on, you’ll have the option to check for a firmware update. If you’re using a Sega Genesis controller, just press start and scan the QU code that appears on the screen. Applying the update is as simple as loading it onto your MicroSD card and plugging it back into your GameDrive. Once you;ve got the most recent firmware up and running, you'll be brought to your game menu. These will appear however you have them organized on your MicroSD card, including folders. Simply highlight the game you’d like to play, and you’re off. 

This is the 7800 GameDrive running on a Sony Trinitron CRT via HD Retrovision component cables. I’m controlling it with the Retro-Bit officially licensed 8-button Sega genesis controller through the Mega7800 adapter. The game shown here is Rikki & Vikki, which comes included with the 7800 GameDrive when purchased at Stone Age Gamer. During gameplay, you can press the start button to bring up the in-game menu. Here you can create save states, enable cheats, or return to the game menu. 

The GameDrive is also compatible with Atari 2600 games, but only on the Atari 7800 console. The 7800 GameDrive will not work in an Atari 2600. This is the homebrew Atari 2600 title Catacombs of Chaos, running on the 7800 GameDrive, and it looks great. However it is worth noting that you can not access the in-game menu or save states while running 2600 games. These games will play exactly as they would on a standard Atari 7800 console. And that covers the basics of what the 7800 GameDrive can do. 

The 7800 GameDrive from RetroHQ is available now at Stone Age Gamer, so you can get the most out of your Atari 7800 in style. Thanks for watching everyone, if you liked what you saw here today, please follow, comment, share, like, and subscribe, and let us know in the comments what your favorite Atari 7800 games are. Thanks again, and on behalf of all of us here at Stone Age Gamer, keep playing games. 

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