1987 · Atari · US · console
Atari XEGS
Atari's 1979 computer in a console's clothes, chasing the NES eight years too late.
Mixed Trivial to run ▶ Watch on YouTube ↗
Image: Max Mustermann · CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Atari's 1987 repackaging of its ageing 8-bit computer as a games console, dressed up with a detachable keyboard and a light gun to chase the NES. Underneath it was the same 1979 machine, and it ran the entire back catalogue.
The light-gun pack-in Bug Hunt was made for it; most of what people actually played was a decade old already.
What it cost
only about 10% of a month’s pay in 1987 · about $411 today
| US XEGS deluxe bundle ($149 with keyboard, light gun, Flight Simulator II & Bug Hunt) |
$149 (1987)
Atari 65XE computer repackaged as a pastel-button gaming console. |
|---|---|
| Typical street price | — No verified mass-market street price recorded yet. |
| Units sold | ≈500,000 estimate Approximately 500,000 units sold. |
Why it mattered
The XEGS is Atari admitting defeat in computers and hoping to pass the same 1979 hardware off as a console — a repackaging that shows how far behind the NES the old guard had fallen.
Emulating it today
| Emulators | Altirra, Atari800 (libretro) |
|---|---|
| Setup effort | Trivial to run (1.5 on this site's scale) |
| Controls | A standard modern controller covers the ordinary controls, though unusual accessories may need custom mapping. |
| Runs on a handheld | Yes |
The emulator names above are starting points, not a promise that every title or accessory behaves identically. Computer platforms usually add model selection, disk handling and keyboard setup even when CPU emulation itself is mature.
Atari XEGS OS & Game ROM (atarimissile.rom, ATARIXL.ROM)
The Atari XEGS incorporates the Atari XL/XE Operating System ROM alongside a built-in Missile Command game ROM that boots when no cartridge or keyboard is plugged in.
How many files you need: 2. Two files: ATARIXL.ROM (16 KB OS) and the 8 KB built-in Missile Command ROM.
Where it stands legally: Copyrighted by Atari Interactive; dumped from XEGS console hardware.
Firmware details checked 2026-08. Emulator requirements change — see Libretro — Atari800 core documentation for the current list.
Where the software is
Preservation catalogues describe verified dumps; they do not grant permission to download commercial software. A curated, correctly matched set is easier to use than an undifferentiated archive.
Copyright: Commercial software remains copyrighted unless its owner explicitly released or relicensed it. Homebrew, public-domain programs and current reissues should be treated separately from abandoned commercial titles.
This site names preservation projects and explains what they are. It does not link to ROM downloads.
Where to start
- Bug Hunt 1987 light gun
The pack-in shooter for the machine's XG-1 light gun.
- Barnyard Blaster 1988 light gun
- Flight Simulator II 1987 flight sim
- Crossbow 1988 light gun
The verdict
It plays the entire Atari 8-bit library, so treat it as that computer in console clothing.
There is nothing here the Atari 8-bit computers do not do better, keyboard included — emulate those instead.
- Worth it if
- Players curious about atari consoles and willing to learn how the original machine worked.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants a large, instantly accessible library and no model, firmware or control decisions.
Scored 3/5 for fun today and 3/5 for historical importance. Those two scores decide the label at the top — a machine can matter enormously and still be no fun.
Read more & watch
This page is 50% complete against the facts we try to record for every system. Gaps are shown as gaps.