Task: Play Atari 2600 Games in Your Browser
Needed: Web browser and Atari 2600 ROMs
Time: 10-15 mins
Introduction
Emulation has been a lifesaver for bringing Atari goodness to the masses without the need for original hardware. The Stella emulator for the Atari 2600 is an amazing piece of software that when combined with an original Atari joystick through a USB connector brings hundreds of 2600 games right to your PC or Mac. However, there is an easier way to play Atari 2600 games without installing software on your computer. The goal of this task is to learn how to play Atari 2600 games right in your browser.
Instructions
Step 1
Download an Atari 2600 binary file (aka ROM)
Atari Age provides ROMs that you can download. Atarimania is another great source.
Step 2
Navigate to the Javatari website in your browser
Step 3
Load a binary file.
You can load them through a dialog box or drag and drop them right into the virtual cartridge slot!
Step 4
Play the game!
Comments
Javatari, as the name implies, is programmed in Javascript/HTML5 and will run on any browser including on your smart device. If you would like more information about it I recommend visiting their Github project where they of course have the source code. One of the really neat features of Javatari is the ability for multiple players to connect to the same virtual console for multiplayer games. Also, I have confirmed that it does work with an original joystick plugged in via USB. Enjoy!