If you are unfamiliar with MovieCart for the Atari 2600 then you are in for a wild ride. This is basically movies on your Atari 2600. I know, take a minute to think about that and gather your senses. It should not work. It does and it is much better than you probably can imagine. There are limitations of course but for the fun and wacky nostalgia this provides, it is just off the charts cool.
Who Needs Netflix When You Have MovieCart?
Okay, MovieCart may not replace having a streaming service such as Netflix but it will certainly be the center of discussion at your next get together. MovieCart is unique in it is literally running your movie through your Atari 2600, or compatible clone.
All of it runs through your Atari. Sound, video. All. Of. It.
This is magic in its electronic form, at least I think so. I have a basic idea how this works and I still cannot believe it.
All About Preparation
Okay, your Atari is not going to be decoding anything on the fly – it simply cannot do that with video or the audio. This is where the preparation comes in.
The creator of the MovieCart has created a plugin that uses Touch Designer. Getting everything setup is not as easy as you might hope but it is far from complicated. If you have setup a modern cell phone then you are already more than skilled enough to set this up.
Refer to the YouTube tutorial series and start wit the first episode and follow the instructions. You will be on your way in no time, watching movies, music videos, video content in general, on your Atari 2600.
Imagine with some editing beforehand, you could prank your friends into thinking you got YouTube, or Netflix, running on your Atari 2600.
Special thanks to Dan Manning in the AtariAge Facebook group for the heads up.
▶️ 3Speak
I knew I shouldn't have sold my Atari when I was wee boy. Super Mario on the NES was so tantalizing the first time I saw it.
I was stuck in the Atari days up to around 1989 or so when my brother got me a NES for Christmas. I must admit, once I got that, my Atari didn't get much playtime outside Missile Command and Asteroids (two titles I looked for on the NES but never saw).
Nintendo certainly marketed their NES right, and even illegally behind the scenes, to take advantage of the market.
Combat and Ms. Pacman were my faves on the Atari.
Combat was another game my father played with me after work - though it could not replace Maze Craze as our favorite two player game to play.
Ms. Pac-Man is a classic, gamers are either fans or they hate it, no real in between with it. I love it myself, that and Jr. Pac-Man and all the amazing little things that game did on the Atari 2600 just blew my mind.
I've never heard of Moviekath. I don't know what this thing is or what kind of game it is.
It is not a game, it is more a storage option for movies and other video files you encode for it. No more gameplay than a VHS or DVD honestly.
Ohh thanks 😊
It's wonderful to see how retro console innovation continues in this era in different areas. I've seen crazy things like "turn your Wii into a Mac OS," haha. I was just talking with a friend today about the new NES games coming out from independent developers.
I agree, it is wonderful seeing what retro loving creators are able to do with all this classic hardware. Someone created a graphic based Operating System for the Sega Genesis. I absolutely loved the fun vibes in Sam's Journey and marveled at the sheer amount of animation it included on the Commodore 64, then the NES.
Just so many amazing games/pieces of software that it is almost a second chance for mnay of these platforms. A wonderful time to be a gamer.
I didn't know about the operating system. How interesting! Do you know how to find it? I was familiar with the STEAM operating system, but I haven't tried it.
Absolutely, and I'm sure that in the next few years, everything Wii U and below will have a second big boom.
Thanks for the reply.
Here is a link to an article talking about the Sega Genesis OS, I have not been able to get it working myself or I would have been covering the heck out of it already. Lol
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/04/the-genesis-mega-drive-gets-its-own-operating-system
Thanks for the info! i'm going to check it!
You are welcome. It is at least an interesting way to mess with friends. 😂
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:t2ors7vzjibcu6lgnay5c2un/post/3lpfdrv32as2s
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:t2ors7vzjibcu6lgnay5c2un/post/3lpfdrv32as2s
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