Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection
Genre: Compilation / Arcade
Players: 1-4 Competitive (Local)
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Review:
Atari 50 is a Compilation containing mostly classic Arcade games that was released in 2022 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This is far from the first Atari collection that these platforms have received, and the Nintendo Switch received a sizable collection in the form of Atari Flashback Classics in 2018. However, this collection stretches over a larger span of time, including everything from ye olden days’ Arcade games to the Atari PC and even Atari Lynx and Atari Jaguar platforms in the 1990s. In addition, this package contains a half dozen or so “Atari Reimagined” games that range from faithful remasters to reimagined sequels to tribute games. In total, there are 115 games in this Compilation… and I played all of them for this review.
To be clear, this package (including the recent holiday update that added 12 more games) contains 26 Arcade games originally released from 1972 to 1984 (with a few previously-unreleased prototypes), 50 Atari 2600 games originally released from 1977 to 1990 (with a few previously-unreleased prototypes), 5 Atari 5200 games originally released from 1982 to 1985 (plus one previously unreleased prototype), 7 Atari 7800 games originally released from 1986 to 1991, 5 Atari 800 Home Computer games originally released from 1981 to 2007, 6 Atari Lynx games originally released from 1991 to 1995, 10 Atari Jaguar games originally released from 1993 to 1996, and 7 Atari Reimagined games created specifically for this collection.
I should note that since I already reviewed many of the games featured here in the Atari Flashback Classics Compilation, much of this info was copied from there, though I also noted where I felt like this version seemed different (notably, in its controls). Also, once again, I should note that while I tried to get the multiplayer details right for everything, I did not test out most of these games in multiplayer, only those games that either required multiplayer or seemed like they would benefit greatly from multiplayer play. so I apologize if I made a mistake somewhere there.
Okay, with all of that out of the way, here is what I thought of the games in this Compilation, sorted by Platform:
Arcade Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akka Arrh | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis previously-unreleased Arcade defensive shooter is a little too complicated for its own good, forcing players to zoom in and out to two different screens while attacking fast enemies. It doesn’t quite work, but it’s still an interesting look at a pretty unique game. | |||
| Asteroids | Arcade / 2D Space Shooter | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis is a solid Arcade classic that’s a bit repetitive by today’s standards, but still a fun time-waster. The controls in this version take a bit of getting used to, but once you do I think you’ll find them superior to the Atari Flashback version of the game. | |||
| Asteroids Deluxe | Arcade / 2D Space Shooter | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis follow-up to Asteroids adds a few small improvements, but it’s mostly the same core experience, which is to say it’s good, albeit somewhat repetitive. And once again, the controls feel better in this version than in the Atari Flashback version. | |||
| Black Widow | 2-Stick Shooter | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis game has nothing to do with the Marvel Comics character. Rather, this is an early example of a 2-Stick Shooter, and a pretty good one. It’s not especially deep or novel by today’s standards, but its’ still perfectly playable. | |||
| Breakout | Arcade Brick Breaker | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis game may be the originator of the Arcade Brick Breaker genre, but the hit detection is lousy. At the very least the controls work much better here than in any of the versions of the game in Atari Flashback. | |||
| Centipede | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis classic Arcade game with Shmup elements is still considered a classic for a reason – it’s still really enjoyable even to this day. | |||
| Cloak and Dagger | 2-Stick Shooter | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis movie tie-in game has aged much better than E.T. (even if the movie is mostly forgotten these days). However, it does suffer from its rushed pace that forces you to run from each room to the next after only a short time. | |||
| Crystal Castles | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drIt’s awkward to control without the original game’s trackball (and honestly it was awkward to control even in the original), and this version is even worse in this regard than the Atari Flashback version. It’s a shame, because this was a creative Isometric take on the Maze Game. | |||
| Fire Truck | Top-Down Racing | 1-2 Co-Op (Local) | D |
tl;drSometimes going by the name Smokey Joe, this Top-Down Racing Game is deliberately awkward to control, but the controls here are much better than in the Atari Flashback version. Still, this is a pretty shallow game beyond its odd 2-player co-op mechanic. | |||
| Food Fight | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis is a simple but amusing Arcade-style game that has you flinging food at chefs to clear a path to an ice cream cone. This is a pretty fun time-waster. | |||
| Gravitar | Arcade / 2D Space Shooter | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D+ |
tl;drThis game combines the basic mechanics of games like Asteroids and Space War with wonky gravity, and the result… doesn’t really work as it’s far too difficult to control your ship. | |||
| I, Robot | Arcade / Art Creation Application | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis early foray into polygonal graphics is a bit odd, and more interesting for what it represents than the actual gameplay. It also comes with Doodle City, an Application that can use polygonal objects to design art, though this is more of a toy than anything genuinely useful. Overall, this is a fascinating title, but not one you’re likely to play for long. | |||
| Liberator | Arcade / Shooting Gallery Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis game takes Missile Command’s game mechanics and reworks them into a different sort of Shooting Gallery game. It’s not as good as Missile Command, but it’s still enjoyable in short sessions. | |||
| Lunar Lander | Arcade / Simulation | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drA historical landmark of a game, but it’s far too difficult to change your momentum. More interesting as a piece of history than as a game. | |||
| Major Havoc | Arcade / Misc. | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis game is a mash-up of three different types of gameplay, including absolutely terrible Platformer gameplay, an Arcade Brick Breaker that’s little more than an afterthought, and a Shmup that’s okay, but the way your limited shots leave you vulnerable is frustrating. Overall, I would have much rather seen them perfect one style of gameplay than give us three incomplete or outright terrible ones. | |||
| Maze Invaders | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drA surprisingly good, albeit frenetic, take on the Maze Game genre. | |||
| Millipede | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis follow-up to Centipede has exploding targets and a few other additions, but mostly this is a pretty similar game, meaning it’s pretty good! | |||
| Missile Command | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis game about aiming and timing explosive defenses to fend off missiles raining down is a classic that still works well today, though it’s a bit repetitive. | |||
| Pong | Sports (Pong) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drWhile not technically the first videogame ever made (that honor likely goes to the awkwardly-named Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device), Pong is the game that springs to mind for most people when they think of the first videogame ever made. It still more or less works by today’s standards, but is pretty simple and not especially exciting by today’s standards. This version ends up being worse than the Atari Flashback version due to its lack of single-player. | |||
| Quantum | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis game challenges players to draw lines around bouncing particles, being loosely similar to the later game Qix. It’s enjoyable, if a bit simple and repetitive. | |||
| Space Duel | Arcade / 2D Space Shooter | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B |
tl;drThis game combines elements of Asteroids and Space War, and the result is a solid game, particularly in multiplayer. | |||
| Sprint 8 | Top-Down Racing | 1-4 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drA primitive, but still enjoyable, expansion of Atari’s earlier Sprint 2 and Sprint 4 to include 8 players (though only 4 in this release). The controls in this version are highly simplified and much easier to use, making for a much better game overall. | |||
| Super Breakout | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drJust as with the other versions of the game, this version of the classic has poor hit detection. Plus, the paddle size is abysmally small. | |||
| Tempest | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis game’s well-based Action-focused gameplay is iconic, and thankfully this version’s controls are improved over the Atari Flashback version of the game. It’s still dreadfully difficult, though. | |||
| Warlords | Arcade | 1-4 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis game is a classic with a fun competitive spin on the Arcade Brick Breaker, and the controls work much better here than in Atari Flashback. It’s still really challenging, but it should be a fun game to play against friends. | |||
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Atari 2600 Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis expanded version of the classic pen-and-paper game is a decent time-waster. On harder difficulty levels the AI takes far too long, but this version at least has better controls than the Atari Flashback version. | |||
| Adventure | Action-RPG | 1 | D+ |
tl;drA beloved classic, but one that has aged poorly. This is about as basic as you can get in this genre. While this game is a major historical landmark in videogames, the frustrating 1-item system and loose gameplay are far too frustrating by today’s standards. | |||
| Adventure II | Action-RPG | 1 | D |
tl;drVery similar to Adventure, which is to say it’s not nearly as iconic as Adventure, but it has all the same problems. | |||
| Air-Sea Battle | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis is a decent multiplayer time-waster, but it’s not deep or varied enough that you’re likely to play it for long. | |||
| Aquaventure | Arcade | 1 | C- |
tl;drPreviously unreleased, this is a decent Arcade-style game, save for problems with poor hit detection. | |||
| Asteroids | Arcade / 2D Space Shooter | 1-2 Co-Op (Local) | D |
tl;drThe home version of one of the absolute classics of the era, but it’s marred by sluggish movement and instant deaths when new levels cause asteroids to appear right on top of you. | |||
| Bowling | Sports (Bowling) | 1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating) | D |
tl;drA very rudimentary take on the sport with very little nuance or personality. | |||
| Breakout (Note: Needs to be Unlocked) | Arcade Brick Breaker | 1-4 Competitive (Local Alternating) | C- |
tl;drThe original Arcade-style Brick Breaker doesn’t work quite as well without its analog paddle, but the touchscreen controls are at least decent. Otherwise, this is a pretty basic entry in the genre by today’s standards. | |||
| Canyon Bomber | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis 1v1 competitive Arcade Game doesn’t have much nuance, and will get old pretty quickly. | |||
| Centipede | Arcade | 1 | B- |
tl;drThis fast-paced shooter is still pretty unique and enjoyable today, and the controls in this version are much better than in the Atari Flashback version of the game. | |||
| Circus Atari | Arcade Brick Breaker | 1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating) | D+ |
tl;drThis is an interesting attempt at doing something unique in this genre, but neither the standard controls or touchscreen controls work very well here. | |||
| Combat | Arcade | 2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis is a simple but solid 2-player competitive game, and the controls are slightly better here than in the Atari Flashback version. | |||
| Combat Two (Note: Needs to be Unlocked) | Arcade | 2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drThe ability to place your own obstacles is compelling, but the core gameplay just doesn’t work as well as the original Combat. | |||
| Crystal Castles | Arcade | 1 | C |
tl;drIt’s probably a sign of just how old I am that this is one of my first videogames as a kid. It hasn’t aged well – while it’s an interesting take on the Pac-Man formula, and the theming is wonderfully imaginative, it’s far too difficult to move your character exactly where you need to be (though it’s improved over the Atari Flashback version). | |||
| Dark Chambers | Top-Down Action-RPG | 1 | C- |
tl;drBy today’s standards, this is a pretty plain, slow-paced and mediocre entry in the genre, though it fares better than many other attempts at this sort of game from its time. | |||
| Demons to Diamonds | Arcade | 1-2 Co-Op (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis is a pretty decent and somewhat unique Arcade-style game with Shmup elements that’s vaguely similar to Space Invaders. The controls in this version are improved over the Atari Flashback version’s controls. | |||
| Dodge ‘Em | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local / Local Alternating) | C- |
tl;drThis is a fun concept of going through a simple Maze Game level while trying to avoid an enemy going the opposite direction trying to collide with you. Unfortunately, the controls ruin this concept, as the game is far too finicky in when it will let you change “lanes” | |||
| Double Dunk | Sports (Basketball) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis Basketball game is clunky, has confusing gameplay, and simply is not fun. | |||
| Fatal Run | Racing / Action | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis faux 3D Racing Game features some solid gameplay, but is too repetitive. | |||
| Gravitar (Note: Needs to be Unlocked) | Arcade / Space Shooter | 1 | D+ |
tl;drThis game combines the basic mechanics of games like Asteroids and Space War with wonky gravity, and the result… doesn’t really work as it’s far too difficult to control your ship. | |||
| Haunted House | Misc. | 1 | D |
tl;drThis game has players running around a repetitive “house” looking for objects to pick up while avoiding enemies. It’s repetitive and not at all compelling. | |||
| Maze Craze | Puzzle | 1 | D |
tl;drThis is little more than guiding your character through a maze. Nothing particularly compelling. | |||
| Millipede | Arcade | 1 | B- |
tl;drThis sequel to Centipede adds more enemies, exploding obstacles, and stages that gradually scroll. This is a solid improvement over the prior game, and still fun even by today’s standards. | |||
| Miner 2049er | Arcade / Platformer | 1 | C- |
tl;drThis early Arcade-style Platformer is a little similar to classics like Lode Runner, but its poor controls make it hard to appreciate. | |||
| Miniature Golf | Sports (Miniature Golf) | 1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating) | C |
tl;drThis is an extremely simple take on the sport, but not a terrible one. However, this isn’t likely to be much more than a time-waster. | |||
| Missile Command | Arcade | 1-2 (Local Alternating) | B- |
tl;drThis game about aiming and timing explosive defenses to fend off missiles raining down is a classic that still works well today, though it’s a bit repetitive. | |||
| MotoRodeo | 2D Stunt Racing | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drThis is a decent early take on the genre, though it’s not especially clear how you’re meant to tackle all of the obstacles. By today’s standards it’s nothing really worth playing. | |||
| Outlaw | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drThe gameplay here largely boils down to just timing your shots. This game is pretty pointless in single-player and only mildly entertaining in multiplayer. | |||
| Quadrun | Arcade | 1 | C- |
tl;drThis game’s odd concept that has you shooting enemies and then catching your shot is at least unique, but it’s tedious and not very fun. | |||
| Race 500 (Note: Needs to be Unlocked) | Top-Down Racing | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drAlso known as Indy 500, as well as going simply by the name Race, this is a decent but simple Top-Down Racing game, and the controls here are much better than the Atari Flashback version of Race. | |||
| Realsports Baseball | Sports (Baseball) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis Baseball game is ruined by pitching and batting controls that just do not make sense. | |||
| Realsports Basketball | Sports (Basketball) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis game is ruined by limited, unclear controls. | |||
| Realsports Boxing | Sports (Boxing) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D- |
tl;drThis is graphically pretty good for an Atari 2600 game, but the gameplay is terrible, jumping from wild movement around the ring to button-mashing up-close. Don’t bother. | |||
| Realsports Football | Sports (Football) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D- |
tl;drThis football game is ruined by terrible passing controls. Also, I’m not sure why a missed pass suddenly means that offense and defense swap. Odd. In any case, this game is not worth your time. | |||
| Realsports Soccer | Sports (Soccer) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D- |
tl;drThis Soccer game features atrocious hit detection, and having the same button for shooting, passing, and swapping your player is a terrible idea. | |||
| Realsports Tennis | Sports (Tennis) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drThis is mostly a decent, though extremely simple, take on Tennis. The only real issue is the inability to aim your shots. | |||
| Realsports Volleyball | Sports (Volleyball) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | F |
tl;drMovement in this game simply does not work right – your players will sometimes act as if blocked by an invisible wall. As a result, this game feels broken. Do not play it. | |||
| Return to Haunted House | Misc. | 1 | D |
tl;drOnce again, the unclear gameplay makes it difficult to enjoy this one. Don’t bother. | |||
| Saboteur | Arcade | 1 | C |
tl;drThis previously unreleased game has three phases that play completely differently. The game has an interesting experimental feel to it, but nothing here is especially compelling. Still may be worth a look to see a previously lost piece of history. | |||
| Save Mary | Puzzle | 1 | C+ |
tl;drThis surprisingly clever Puzzle game was previously unreleased. In this game, players drop down blocks for a girl to jump on so she can climb away from rising water. It would work better if it were clearer how your drops line up, but even as-is this is pretty decent. | |||
| Secret Quest | Action-RPG | 1 | C |
tl;drThis game seems like an extremely rudimentary take on the same sort of gameplay as the Zelda franchise. It’s sloppy and repetitive, but not terrible. | |||
| Solaris | Arcade | 1 | C+ |
tl;drBe sure to read the instruction manual before playing this game or you’ll be very confused. Once you get an idea of what you’re meant to do here, this is a decent, but fairly simple Space Shooter. | |||
| Super Breakout | Arcade Brick Breaker | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThe hit detection in this classic Arcade Brick Breaker is all kinds of broken. Skip it. | |||
| Super Football | Sports (Football) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThe controls for passing are terrible in this Football game, and overall this is just not a fun take on the sport. | |||
| Surround | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis competitive take on Snake/Tron Bikes works, but is pretty simple. | |||
| Swordquest: Earthworld | Action-RPG / Misc. | 1 | D+ |
tl;drThis early attempt at a mixed-media game was highly-ambitious for its time, but the way that playing it absolutely requires that you keep both the instruction book and included comic on hand as reference to be able to play the game makes this far too tedious to be enjoyable by most players. | |||
| Swordquest: Fireworld | Action-RPG / Misc. | 1 | D+ |
tl;drAs with Swordquest: Earthworld, this early attempt at a mixed-media game was highly-ambitious for its time, but the way that playing it absolutely requires that you keep both the instruction book and included comic on hand as reference to be able to play the game makes this far too tedious to be enjoyable by most players. | |||
| Swordquest: Waterworld | Action-RPG / Misc. | 1 | D+ |
tl;drAs with Swordquest: Earthworld and Swordquest: Fireworld, this early attempt at a mixed-media game was highly-ambitious for its time, but the way that playing it absolutely requires that you keep both the instruction book and included comic on hand as reference to be able to play the game makes this far too tedious to be enjoyable by most players. | |||
| Warlords | Arcade | 1-4 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis game is a classic with a fun competitive spin on the Arcade Brick Breaker, and the controls are much better here than in the Atari Flashback version. | |||
| Yars’ Revenge | Arcade | 1-2 (Local Alternating) | C+ |
tl;drThis is an interesting game that’s a little like a Shmup and has elements of an Arcade Brick-Breaker, but isn’t really either of those things. It can get a bit repetitive, but it’s enjoyable in short bursts. | |||
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Atari 5200 Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bounty Bob Strikes Back | Platformer / Arcade | 1-2 (Local Alternating) | D |
tl;drThis sequel to Miner 2049er features unforgiving game design that’s far too frustrating by today’s standards. | |||
| Millipede | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThe animation is a bit rough here, but otherwise this is a pretty good, albeit highly challenging and frenetic, take on the formula established in Centipede. | |||
| Missile Command | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating) | B- |
tl;drAs with the 2600 version, this is a decent take on a classic that still works well today, although it is a tad repetitive. | |||
| Star Raiders | Combat Flight Simulator | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis faux 3D Space Flight Combat game is tedious, dull, and repetitive. Skip it. | |||
| Super Breakout | Arcade Brick Breaker | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drJust as with the Atari 2600 version of the game, this version of the classic has poor hit detection. | |||
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Atari 7800 Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asteroids | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drA much better port of the Arcade classic than the 2600 version. It’s a bit repetitive, but otherwise a fun time-waster. | |||
| Basketbrawl | Sports (Basketball) | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drThis chaotic take on Basketball has a focus on combat to interfere with opponents, but it’s far from the only Basketball game to try this, and the core gameplay isn’t enough to make it stand out either. | |||
| Centipede | Arcade | 1-2 Co-Op / Competitive (Local) | B- |
tl;drThis may well be the best version of Centipede that Atari has ever released, with refined gameplay and a new co-op mode. If you’re looking to play this Arcade classic, this is probably the version to play. | |||
| Dark Chambers | Top-Down Arcade / Action-RPG | 1-2 Co-Op (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis game is extremely similar to the classic Arcade game Gauntlet (which makes sense – both games were inspired by the earlier Atari game, Dandy). Gauntlet has much better sound and visuals, and is overall a more iconic game, but the gameplay in Dandy is more accessible and forgiving. In short, if you enjoy Gauntlet, this game will be worth checking out. | |||
| Fatal Run | Racing / Action | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C |
tl;drThis faux 3D Racing Game features some solid gameplay, but is too repetitive. | |||
| Ninja Golf | Arcade | 1 | C- |
tl;drAside from its odd theming, this is a pretty simple and not especially interesting Arcade-style game that only uses Golf as a framing device of sorts, allowing players to set their course through areas that will spawn enemies. | |||
| Scrapyard Dog | Arcade | 1 | F |
tl;drThe controls in this Platformer are absolutely atrocious. Skip it. | |||
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Atari Lynx Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basketbrawl | Sports (Basketball) | 1 | D |
tl;drThe framerates in this Basketball game are so low, it’s almost unplayable by today’s standards. In fact, was this ever acceptable? | |||
| Malibu Bikini Volleyball | Sports (Volleyball) | 1 | C+ |
tl;drThis is a surprisingly decent game of Volleyball, though it has two noteworthy problems. First, the lowest difficulty level is painfully inept – start with one of the higher difficulty settings. And second – no multiplayer in this version. | |||
| Scrapyard Dog | Platformer | 1 | D |
tl;drThis version of Junkyard Dog is better than the 7800 version, but that isn’t saying much. Slow and tedious movement makes this game dull and frustrating to play. The description says this is often cited as the best Platformer game on the Lynx, which seems to indicate why the Lynx failed so miserably. | |||
| Super Asteroids & Missile Command | Compilation / Arcade | 1 | C |
tl;drThis combination cartridge contains competent but highly limited versions of these two classics. Neither is terrible, but there’s also little reason to play these when better versions exist within this Compilation. | |||
| Turbo Sub | Arcade | 1 | B |
tl;drThis game takes the sort of gameplay you tend to find in faux 3D Combat Flight Sims and adds another dimension to it by having you fight both above and below the water. Highly creative within its genre, this is by far the best Lynx game in this Compilation. | |||
| Warbirds | Combat Flight Simulator / Arcade | 1 | C |
tl;drThis WWI-era Combat Flight Sim has the basic gameplay and controls down well enough, but does little to build on them, and your inability to even change your air speed makes this a pretty dull take on the genre. | |||
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Atari 800 (Home Computer):
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bounty Bob Strikes Back | Arcade | 1-2 (Local Alternating) | D |
tl;drThis sequel to Miner 2049er features unforgiving game design that’s far too frustrating by today’s standards. | |||
| Caverns of Mars | Arcade | 1 | C+ |
tl;drA decent, but simple and repetitive, game with Shmup elements that also tasks you with managing a fuel supply. Not bad, but nothing special. | |||
| Food Fight | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D- |
tl;drThe terrible framerates of this game make it nearly unplayable by today’s standards, and far inferior to the Arcade version in this collection. Stick to that version instead. | |||
| Miner 2049er | Platformer / Arcade | 1-2 (Local Alternating) | C- |
tl;drThis is the best of the “Bounty Bob” games, which isn’t saying much. This version of the Arcade-style Platformer would actually be decent if it wasn’t both extremely unforgiving and also made players restart each level from the beginning if they make a mistake. | |||
| Yoomp! | Platformer / Arcade / Music-Rhythm | 1-2 (Local Alternating) | B |
tl;drThis great little combination of multiple genres has simple gameplay that takes on added depth thanks to excellent level design. Update the visuals and music and add an endless mode and you could release this today as an excellent mobile-style time-waster. Even as-is, this is still without a doubt one of the biggest hidden gems in this bundle. | |||
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Atari Jaguar Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atari Karts | Kart Racing | 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen) | C+ |
tl;drThis game is clearly trying to copy the original Super Mario Kart, and while it does add a few elements like slight changes in elevation, it lacks almost all of the nuance found in Nintendo’s franchise. In addition, apart from Crystal Castles’ Bentley Bear, none of the characters in this game are recognizable or even memorable. | |||
| Club Drive | Arcade Racing | 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen) | C |
tl;drThis is a primitive 3D Racing game, with small and mostly untextured levels, simple controls, and unimpressive framerates… though certainly better than 16-bit contemporaries like Nintendo’s Stunt Race FX. Oh, wait, this also came out one year after the original Ridge Racer released? And the Jaguar was fashioning itself as a “64-bit”system that was purportedly more powerful than 32-bit consoles like PlayStation? Um… maybe not so impressive, then. In any case, the variety of different game modes here should still make this game fun in multiplayer. | |||
| Cybermorph | Combat Flight Sim | 1 | C- |
tl;drThe controls in this Combat Flight Sim require fiddling to be tolerable, and even then they’re terribly fiddly, the draw distance is pretty awful, and just overall this game isn’t very fun. | |||
| Evolution: Dino Dudes | Puzzle-Platformer | 1 | C |
tl;drOn other platforms known by the title The Humans, this version of the game benefits not only from improved visuals, but also improved controls over other versions. Even so, this is still a pretty mediocre Puzzle-Platformer. | |||
| Fight for Life | Fighting Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | D |
tl;drThis 3D Fighting Game has primitive controls that are extremely sluggish to respond, and the game itself is overall far too slow and not especially interesting or compelling in any way. | |||
| Missile Command 3D | Compilation / Arcade/ Shooting Gallery Game | 1 | C+ |
tl;drThis game tries a few different ways to modernize the original Arcade game with polygonal 3D visuals, and while they’re all a bit clunky, they’re also all still reasonably enjoyable as time-wasters. | |||
| Ruiner Pinball | Pinball | 1-4 Competitive (Local Alternating) | C |
tl;drBoth the physics and board design of this game’s two tables are overly difficult. This isn’t a terrible Pinball game, but it’s far from a great one. | |||
| Tempest 2000 | Arcade | 1-2 Co-Op (Local) | B |
tl;drThis update to the classic Arcade game adds eye-catching visuals, power-ups, and more balanced gameplay. The result is a much-improved sequel that far surpasses the original. Definitely a highlight of this bundle! | |||
| Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy | Shmup | 1 | D |
tl;drA tedious, repetitive Shmup where your fire rate is tied to how fast you tap the button. Skip it. | |||
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Atari Reimagined Games:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haunted Houses | Survival Horror | 1-2 Co-Op (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis is an adorable spin on the Survival Horror genre inspired by the original game, but using a different perspective. For a Horror game it’s not very scary, and the one-item system is a bit irritating, but there’s some old-school fun to be had here. | |||
| Neo Breakout | Arcade Brick Breaker | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | B |
tl;drThis is a superb modernization of the classic Arcade Brick Breaker, but the real star here is Battle Breakout, a new 2-player competitive mode. Definitely worth a look! | |||
| Quadratank | Arcade | 1-4 Competitive (Local) | C- |
tl;drThis game could have had the potential to be a fun competitive arena-based Action game, but the awkward controls really hold it back. | |||
| Swordquest: Airworld | Action-RPG / Misc. | 1 | C- |
tl;drThe final planned chapter of the Swordquest saga that was never originally released, but has been recreated here using the notes of the original creators. Despite how long it has taken to release, Airworld is less-ambitious than the prior games in the series, foregoing the tie-in comic and instead having players deciphering cryptic clues in the game’s digital instruction manual. This makes it a bit more playable than its predecessors, but unfortunately this still means you’ll be flipping back and forth between menus and the gameplay just to figure out how to even play this game. Ultimately, those who remember the original series fondly may find this to be a delightful long-awaited conclusion to the series, but to everyone else this is too tedious to bother with. | |||
| Touch Me | Arcade | 1 | C |
tl;drThis digital recreation of a 1979 physical handheld game is basically Atari’s version of the electronic toy, Simon. It works, but it’s pretty plain and not particularly compelling. | |||
| VCTR-SCTR | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis game is a fun mash-up of Asteroids, Lunar Lander, and Tempest (as well as one more I can’t identify) that makes for a loving tribute to these classic games. However, it suffers somewhat from being “Jack of all trades, master of none”, with none of the game types sticking around long enough to become interesting before you move on. Still, this may be worth a look. | |||
| Yars’ Revenge Enhanced | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local) | C+ |
tl;drThis is little more than a graphical update to the original Yars’ Revenge, and while the core gameplay is still enjoyable, it’s also just as repetitive as the original was. | |||
As with the Atari Flashback Compilation, the “wheat to chaff” ratio is pretty poor here, though I think this collection fares better for multiple reasons – the controls in many games are improved here, the collection is spread to more recent generations, and just overall I think the selection of games is better this time around, though this package lacks a few of the better games that were in Atari Flashback – namely, Space War and Super Challenge Football on the Atari 2600, Realsports Football on the Atari 5200, and Soccer in the Arcade game selections were all good games that were cut in this selection of releases.
However, while this collection may lack a few good titles that were in Atari Flashback, it gains multiple other excellent games in their stead – the Arcade game Quantum, the Atari 7800 game Dark Chambers, as well as that console’s excellent version of Centipede, the Atari Lynx game Turbo Sub, the Atari 800 Home Computer game Yoomp!, the Atari Jaguar game Tempest 2000, and the Atari Reimagined game Neo Breakout are all excellent games well worth playing, and these games in addition to the returning games Millipede, Missile Command, Combat, Black Widow, Maze Invaders, and Space Duel make for a decent mix of 13 games with playing in this package.
13 games… for those counting… that’s the same number of games that I said was worth playing in the Atari Flashback collection. However, while it’s a comparable number, I think the worthwhile games here are stronger, and even the middling games in this Compilation tend to perform better than their Atari Flashback counterparts, particularly when using traditional gamepad controls (though touchscreen controls are still available for those who desire them).
That said, 13 games out of 115 games is still quite a low success rate, and none of these are games that I think are truly must-play games by today’s standards, unless what you’re looking for is a history lesson.
However, if it is a history lesson you desire, this is where Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection absolutely shines. The sheer wealth of bonus content here is not only admirable, it is arranged like a tour through the entire first three decades of the company’s history. It’s not a complete tour, and it suffers somewhat from not diving deeper into the most fascinating chapter of this history, the Atari Crash (it is certainly detailed, but I felt they could have gone more in-depth). It also suffers because many third-party and licensed games that were important to the company’s history are only mentioned here and not shown (no doubt because of that license). Such huge milestones (both good and bad) like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Pitfall, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, and the Jaguar version of Aliens Vs. Predator, are at most only mentioned in interviews here, if they’re mentioned at all.
Still, it’s not like Atari is whitewashing their at times questionable past, or refusing to mention third parties. Interviews and encyclopedia entries note that Atari staff was refused credit for their work until well after game designer Warren Robinett snuck his name into the game Adventure as the medium’s first Easter egg, how a sizable portion of Atari staff disgusted with this lack of credit and profit-sharing left the company to form Activision, and how drug use was apparently not uncommon in Atari’s offices, among other less-than-pristine parts of Atari’s past.
These interviews and encyclopedia entries are joined by plenty of box art, promotional art, copies of instruction manuals for every game (that are in much higher-resolution and recreated in pristine shape, unlike the Atari Flashback versions). In addition, you can adjust game modes and settings, change button assignments, and change display options. As extras go, this is pretty solid.
Okay, so… taking allllll of that in… is this Compilation worth the $40 asking price? Well, if I look at this only in terms of the 13 games I felt were most worthwhile, that works out to a little over $3 per game. However, on average these games are newer than those in the Atari Flashback collection, feature better controls, and in some cases have been created specifically for this package. With this being the case, this is already pretty decently-priced. Add in the absolute wealth of bonus content here, and I think it pushes this collection over the top.
As a museum piece, Atari 50 is really tough to beat, and then you add in 115 games, including some created just for this package, and just over a dozen still worth dusting off and playing today, and you have a solid package that is worth picking up for any fans of Arcade games, and an absolute necessity for those wanting a tour through some of the earliest days of videogame history.
tl;dr – Atari 50 is a Compilation of 115 Atari games dating back over 50 years, with classic Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari 800 PC, Atari Lynx, and Atari Jaguar games, along with a few games created just for this collection. Most of these games are complete garbage and not worth playing, but a select few have managed to withstand the test of time, and overall the quality here is higher than what we saw in the Atari Flashback collection, in part thanks to improved controls.What’s more, this game contains an absolute treasure trove of extra features guiding players on a tour through Atari’s first 30 or so years of history, making this game invaluable for those with an interest in the origins of the videogame medium. As a result, this is a solid pickup for fans of retro Arcade games, and an absolute must-have for those wanting to learn about the medium.
Grade: B+
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