A few years ago Retro Games Ltd brought to market a functional miniature replica of the classic Commodore 64 computer. The company followed up a year alter with a full-sized C64 clone.
So what’s next? An Amiga 500 replica. It’s called THEA500 Mini, and it’s basically a scale model of the Amiga’s 34-year-old computer, complete with accessories including a mouse, and gamepad. It also comes with 25 Amiga games pre-installed.
Some of those games are classics, like, Another World, Battle Chess, Simon The Sorcerer, and Worms. Not all of the games have been announced yet, but unlike some retro consoles, THEA500 Mini lets you load your own games.
THEA500 Mini is designed to look like an Amiga 500 computer, but it can emulate the A500, A600, and A1200. It also has some modern features: it’s powered by a USB-C power adapter and the device has an HDMI port and support for 720p displays (as well as a CRT filter and scaling options for games that don’t look right on modern displays without them).
That said, THEA500 may look like a classic Amiga 500 computer, but it’s not one. It’s basically a modern device running emulation software. The keyboard on the device? It doesn’t work. Instead, you can use an on-screen virtual keyboard or plug in a USB keyboard for games or other activities that require typing.
Retro Games says THEA500 Mini will be available in select markets early next year. Here’s a preliminary list of regions and suggested retail prices:
- UK – £120
- Europe – €130
- US – $140
- Australia – $200
THEA500 Mini is already available for pre-order from two UK retailers: Game and Smyths Toys.
It will probably a cheap plastic toy with an underpowered ARM computer inside, running an open source emulator with horrible lag and glitches galore. Might as well buy a real, 2nd hand Amiga, at that price you can get one in very good condition – and have the real deal.
Only if you’re in the UK/Europe.
A500s in the US commonly go for $350+, A1200s even higher. I got my 1200 at a bargain and it was still >$400
The Pi400 works well as an Amiga emulation system, PLENTY of power there, plus a working keyboard 🙂
This device MUST HAVE the possibility to give out a video signal with 50 Hz, because most of the games are in PAL Format.
While this is certainly nice, you can install this emulator on a Raspberry Pi 400 (with a bunch of others) for similar price, have a working keyboard and, well, a RPi 400. I consider that system the spiritual successor to all keyboard-computers.
…and showing up in a Goodwill store in 2023 for $15.
For $140 I prefer to buy Raspberry pi 400. Much better
It’s not better, it’s different. Although I agree with the premise, what is best is to pay 20-30€ more and get a real Amiga500 with the nice feature of being able to use ACTUAL Amiga games from floppies.
Otherwise, it’s just a random SoC with an emulator and a case that can be made, we need to stop seeing these “mini” devices as something different from that.
Yeah that’s great if you’re in Europe/UK, but the US the prices are more like double or even triple the cost of a Pi400 setup.
It’s absurd here for Amiga fans, if we didn’t get one during the great NTSC purge of the late 90s/early 00s we basically missed out unless we get super lucky and someone dumps their collection for cheap (which LOL not likely)