100 Atari games are headed to PS4 & Xbox One via “Atari Flashback Classics Vol 1” and Vol.2
With an eclectic mix of 2600 and arcade titles, these 2 compilations add some much needed retro gaming to Gen 8's console offering.
As gamers are readying to join the ranks of Virtual Reality With the new PlayStation VR, I'm dying to play old Atari games on my PS4. I own most of these Atari games on the original cartridges, but these game discs are loaded with extras. You'll find leader boards, online play options, box art and more.
In addition to all the games, there's a nice bit of gaming preservation packaged into a slick history lesson - the fun kind. You'll see some original arcade art and get to play these games on a modern TV with HDMI. They've also bundled the 2600 home versions with many of the arcade versions. That will be a fun comparison!
The Benefits of Physical Media
Too often retro games are bundled up and made available for download from the various online stores accessible via game consoles. Both volumes of these Atari gems come in full retail releases and will sit alongside the vast array of AAA titles we all fawn over. Having a physical release gives the games a higher sense of value, rather that being only downloads. It gives gamers of all genres & styles the chance to see the Atari name among all the other titles.
This may seem trivial to some, but the prominence given to games on a store shelf is much greater than downloads. Retro gamers are also very accustomed to owning physical copies of games. Many of us collect games and love having complete-in-box games on display. Thus an actual copy of thee new games is much more appealing to those of us who played these same games on the Atari VCS!
The PS4 versions have been released and the Xbox One games will follow in a few weeks.
If you're considering purchasing these games for either platform, be aware a majority of websites have the incorrect game lists (as of October 22). There is nothing wrong with the games and we highly recommend both of these releases. The confusion is with retailers posting the wrong games lists for each of the 2 releases. Therefore, if you only buy one of the volumes based on the games it contains, double check the AtGames Flashback site to ensure you order the correct volume.
I"m looking forward to Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe on Vol. 1 (the arcade versions). I now live very close to the arcade I hung out in during summers as a teenager. I came to love Asteroids and when Deluxe came along, I was in haven. My son and I go to this same arcade to play Outrunners and Donkey Kong, among others.
Back in those teen years, the local pizza place had a cocktail style Tempest game, that occupied many lunches. In my opinion - any opportunity to play the arcade version of Tempest should be taken. A homebrew version of Tempest for the Atari 5200 came to market, but this gem is best in it's true arcade format. Although we also love Jeff Minter's updated version, T2K for the Jaguar.
Having both the 2600 and arcade versions of Missile Command is awesome. I loved playing at home because I was so terrible at the arcade. But all these decades later I've never again seen Missile Command in the wild. I tend to forget you had 3 independent bases and how great that trackball was. I didn't like that control on Centipede, but the trackball on Missile Command was spot-on.
Finally, I have to admit to adoring any form of horse racing game and Steeplechase is right up my alley - and it's 4-player! If you like getting 4 friends into one game, Warlords comes in both home and arcade variations too.
One change I'd love to see in the packaging - in light of the confusion about games contained on each - is a listing of all the games. When browsing at GameStop, each game case only lists a few of the fifty titles. They mention some of the more prominent games, but there's no mention of Tempest which is the ONE game I really want to play! I think it would benefit sales to list them all and reduce the screenshots to make room.
One change I'd love to see in the packaging - in light of the confusion about games contained on each - is a listing of all the games. When browsing at GameStop, each game case only lists a few of the fifty titles. They mention some of the more prominent games, but there's no mention of Tempest which is the ONE game I really want to play! I think it would benefit sales to list them all and reduce the screenshots to make room.
