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I've been waiting for a new way to play Commodore Amiga games for what feels like aeons, and the solution is camping out at Gamescom. It turns out that Retro Games Ltd has a new full-size "A1200" machine hiding at its booth, and I'm hoping it'll be a cheaper way to run the microcomputer's games.
First teased via a rather lengthy X announcement, Retro Games Ltd revealed that a "mystery machine" would be making its debut at Gamescom. The retro console makers haven't technically announced that it's an Amiga 1200 yet, but you can go to the company's booth and feast your eyes on a prototype of the full-scale remake.
Technically, Retro Games Ltd. already revealed plans for a full-size Amiga 1200 remake via a previous roadmap, and it was expected to arrive last year. However, legal trouble inevitably pushed back the system's release, also leading the company to rename the remake to the "A1200" rather than using the original brand.
It's worth highlighting that this isn't Retro Games Ltd's first crack at a full-size microcomputer remake, as it released a large version of the C64 back in 2019. That machine also serves as a follow-up to the C64 Mini - the same plug-and-play system that's coming "back in black" later this year.
As for games, signage at the Gamescom booth reveals that The Settlers 2: Gold Edition will be included with the A1200. While Retro Games Ltd hasn't revealed any technical specs for the microcomputer yet, it should come armed with an authentic full-size keyboard, and while I'd assume it won't run physical games, the prototype does have a floppy drive slot on the side.
If it's a system that functions exactly like a real Amiga you're after, you'll probably need to wait for Commodore itself to release an FPGA remake. That's right, the microcomputer giant is back in the ring, and there's even a C64 Ultimate machine available to pre-order right now.
Of course, if you go down the route of FPGA hardware replication, it's going to cost you. I've already struggled to justify picking up a real Amiga since prices are pretty lofty, so I'm personally seeking something authentic and affordable. Yes, the A1200 will be purely emulation-based, but if it sticks with similar pricing to THEC64 (around $119.99), it'll be a cheaper alternative that feels almost like a real Amiga 1200 machine.
Other safe assumptions we can make based on the existing A500 Mini are that the A1200 will include HDMI output, USB ports, and the ability to run your own ROM backups. It'll naturally come with some of the best Amiga games, and the signage already reveals you'll get a gamepad and mouse in the box.
I'll be here patiently waiting for more A1200 details, and Retro Games Ltd says it'll be sharing full details this October. That's a much longer wait than I'd like, but it will save me from depressively scrolling through monstrously priced Amiga eBay listings. My mom keeps reminding me I've got an Atari ST at home, but we all know it's not the same.
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