RetroGames A500 Mini & now TheA1200
Originally published 19 Apr 2022 • Updated 17 Jun 2026
Stop the Press – The A1200 full-sized Amiga
According to Retro Games Limited's announcement, THEA1200 is a full-size Amiga 1200 recreation featuring a working keyboard, HDMI and USB connectivity, Workbench Desktop, and a carousel of 25 classic games with four save slots each. Unlike the earlier A500 Mini, which focused primarily on gaming, THEA1200 appears to place greater emphasis on recreating the complete Amiga computing experience.
Read the Retro Games Limited media announcement: Announcing THEA1200.
The announced launch library includes iconic adventures and action classics such as Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, Ruff 'n' Tumble, Defender of the Crown I & II, and the Turrican trilogy, plus the long-awaited arrival of The Settlers II: Gold Edition.
It's 16-bit perfection.”
Watch: THEA1200 Announcement
Why THEA1200 Matters
The A500 Mini successfully recreated the experience of loading up classic Amiga games on modern hardware, but it was always a games-focused machine. For many Amiga enthusiasts, however, the real appeal of the Amiga was never limited to gaming. The machine was equally famous for its multitasking Workbench desktop, creative software, programming tools, and role as a complete home computer.
THEA1200 moves closer to that original vision. Unlike the Mini, it features a full-size case with a working keyboard and includes Workbench Desktop as part of the standard package. This transforms the experience from simply selecting games on a carousel menu to exploring the Amiga as a personal computer, much as owners did during the 1990s.
As an A500 Mini owner, the inclusion of Workbench is arguably the most significant announcement. One of my earliest disappointments with the Mini was discovering that the familiar Amiga desktop environment was not included out of the box. Projects such as AMiNIMiga later filled that gap, but it always felt like a feature that belonged in the system from day one.
Whether THEA1200 ultimately becomes the definitive modern Amiga recreation remains to be seen, but Retro Games Limited appears to have listened carefully to what enthusiasts have been asking for. If the final product delivers on its promise, this could be the Maxi moment that finally brings the complete Amiga experience back to retail shelves.
The current announced release date is Friday 4 December 2026, although Retro Games Limited has already revised the launch schedule once.
Amiga items for sale on eBay
My own journey with Retro Games hardware began with the A500 Mini, and the observations below reflect several years of ownership and experimentation with the platform.
The A500 Mini photos
AMiNIMiga—Using the Amiga Workbench on the A500 mini
TheC64 set a precedent. You can use the supplied games bundle to jump in an play an excellent selection of games. You also have the ability to launch the system in a desktop mode. The desktop mode allows you to experience using the microcomputer like it is 1986. The is the best of both worlds. Details were thin before the launch of the A500 mini. I assumed that this would also be the case. The A500 mini comes supplied with a beautiful mouse. It seems obvious that Workbench would come installed in the system.
Boy I was wrong. The A500 mini does come with an excellent collection of games. Only a small handful of games use the supplied Amiga tank mouse. I need to express again how nice the supplied USB mouse is. Anyway, I hunted around for an Amiga Workbench style menu or launch option. I am disappointed that this is not available in the machine. There is no mention on the manufacturer's website about Workbench. There is no explanation of why it is not available. There could be a genuine technical (or licensing) reason for this omission. I joined several Facebook user groups that popped up to find a workaround. Nothing but silence.
It's with fortune that the team behind AMiNIMiga has come to the rescue. A-MiNI-Miga is a project to bring a USB bundle that comes with configured Workbench for your A500 Mini. It also comes packaged with a lot of software, games, demos and music. The instructions on the website and installation is very simple. Workbench is now installed like I had imagined it.
I have only started using the AMiNIMiga package. Using Workbench is different to the Windows and MacOS interfaces. It feels like that it is a different branch of GUI development long forgotten. This is experience I am looking for. I want to learn to use legacy software. I want to experience the classic Amiga way. This is the retro-computer experience.
Full software and download instructions are available at the AMiNIMiga Project official website.
