Classic Atari Game Tempest Coming This Year As A Miniature Arcade Machine

The classic arcade game Tempest is coming back in the form of a miniature cabinet via Kickstarter through New Wave Toys. This 1/6th-scale machine, called the Replicade X Tempest, surpassed the funding goal ($20,000) by more than three times in its first day. Now with just over two weeks left for the campaign, it is nearly at $100,000 in total pledges from its backers.

This doesn't come as a surprise since New Wave Toys had success with its previous Kickstarter campaign in the Replicade X Centipede, which was the first product in the Replicade Amusements product line. These downscaled retro arcade cabinets run on a closed system and use the original ROMs, fully licensed by Atari, with a scaled version of the original control schemes. The cabinets themselves are constructed with a wooden frame and feature the artwork from the original cabinets.

Like the Centipede rendition, the Replicade X Tempest has a 3.5-inch LCD screen and LED backlighting. These run on micro USB-charged lithium-ion batteries and are said to last between three to four hours on a full charge. The coin return button functions as players' in-game credit.

In previous talks with New Wave Toys founder Shilo Prychak, he stated that the Replicade machines are intended to be collectors' items produced in limited quantities that also serve as faithful recreations of games. He plans to expand the collection of Replicade machines for other retro arcade games beyond Centipede and Tempest, but hasn't stated which ones are planned for the future.

Those who pledged at least $90 USD for the campaign will receive the Replicade X Tempest, but higher tiers offer multiple machines in one shipment. Units are planned to ship out to eligible backers by August of this year. Backers of the previous Centipede campaign are scheduled to receive their miniature cabinets in April.