Atari 50

[m.sniffles.esq]

Has anyone grabbed??
The word has been good and 90 games for $40 may be the bargain of the year (including some very-missed Jaguar titles since mine hit ebay a few years ago. And some old strange-oid titles that have never seen a home release like I, Robot).

But... It's 8gb and my Switch can't handle even one more gig without (more) deletions. Unfortunately, the store near my work not only didn't have a physical copy in stock, but they didn't even seem to know what I was talking about (and kept trying to sell me one those gray-market emulation 'consoles' -- "No, this plays Atari games. Nintendo too").

[Mischief Maker]

I am very tempted by the enhanced version of Star Raiders with analog controls and no slowdown...

[XtraSmiley]

It's over a 100 games, but to be honest, even as a 2600 fan, they are mostly shit. I'm getting it for the awesome presentation, but it must been selling really well, Amazon has pushed my order out 2 weeks for the PS5 version.

[BrianC]

Frustrating thing is that some games that an Atari twitter account claimed were in it like Warbirds aren't in it. Not sure why the heck the Atari 800 Food Fight is there. It's a poor port of the 7800 version, which isn't included (though at least the AC version is there). Also, I found the lack of mention of Atari's Superman pinball to be odd. Their most popular pin and it isn't as much as referenced.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

I found the lack of mention of Atari's Superman pinball to be odd. Their most popular pin and it isn't as much as referenced.

I guess they omitted it due to licensing reasons. Something similar could be said for Blue Lightning due to the use of the Hornet.

[m.sniffles.esq]

but it must been selling really well, Amazon has pushed my order out 2 weeks for the PS5 version.


I was actually thinking that there may have been a delay with the physical version, with the store not even knowing what I was talking about (although, they could just be poorly informed, wouldn't be the first time), and the fact Amazon still hasn't shipped my Switch copy either, even though I ordered it the day it was released.

That said, if it doesn't ship today, I may just cancel it and get the digital version for Xbox (for whatever reason, I mistakenly thought it was a Switch exclusive)

[BrianC]

I am very tempted by the enhanced version of Star Raiders with analog controls and no slowdown...

Pretty sure that's just the 5200 version. Definitely has less slowdown, but I'm not sure if the analog controls are an improvement, especially on the stock 5200 controller. Also, the inclusion of Millipede as an unreleased prototype is a slight bit misleading because the near identical Atari 800 version was released. Too bad Atari SA went for "ooooOOOO Prototype" instead of 5200's awesome version of Centipede with support for 5200s excellent trackball controller with true analog.

[bigbadboaz]

It sounds like they did a really nice job on the package, but $40 will always be WAY too high for something like this. Not surprising, though, considering new "Atari" has been much too.. optimistic.. regarding the value of their properties.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Thought about getting it just for Tempest 2000. Too bad there isn’t more Lynx stuff.

[XtraSmiley]

It sounds like they did a really nice job on the package, but $40 will always be WAY too high for something like this. Not surprising, though, considering new "Atari" has been much too.. optimistic.. regarding the value of their properties.

I agree and wanted to wait until it was $10 or even $20, but since I feel the extra way they handled the history, while not perfect, nor all inclusive (the 50 year history stops in 1997, so about 30 years short), they needed my extra $ so they can hopefully do this again with another company.

Part of me now wished M2 could do something like this. I mean, I LOVE the attention to emulation and gadgets, but there is something very cool here.

I buy $75 shmups from Japan all the time, so $40 to support the big daddy of them all, seems like a no-brainer.

[BrianC]

While game selection could be better, it's still solid (especially on the AC side) and there's a good amount of new content that is surprisingly good. History has some disappointing gaps. It's possible there could be licensing issues, but the Pinball section feels empty without even a subtle reference to their most successful pinball machine.

[Fingolfin]

Although there are at least a few/several/many odd and debatable choices in games selections to represent Atari arcade, 2600, 400/800, 5200, 7800, Lynx and Jaguar games, the games are as fun and innovative as they ever were (same as it ever was, same as it ever was), and though the emulation is solid (it’d better be, right?), the real joy here is the video content and how solid/well conceived and creatively and deftly executed the overall Atari 50 package is.

Really enjoying this: have been glued to PS4 Atari 50th Anniversary for 2-3 hours each evening since last Friday, watching all the videos and soaking up the unadulterated Atari joy put into this collections’ interviews and interactive layout/design. Atari freaks beware: this’ll likely consume a great deal of your time in the next weeks. From my house, I have at least temporarily been forced to put aside Sophstar and Mecha Ritz Steel Rondo plus mainstay M2 Shottriggers and ACA Arcade STGs as the Atari 50th has come to command/demand my undivided attention.

The interview videos — shot and presented as 1-5 minute internal Atari insiders revelations, mostly from programmers — will probably not be for everyone (even those who love Atari games); it’s heavy on history and a fair amount of the overview history of the rise and fall of Atari is fairly well known and presented in more linear and succinct fashion elsewhere. If these videos were re-edited and made as one continuous documentary, it wouldn’t make as much sense as a great deal of essential context(s) would be lost/missing.


Many of the game selections made are certainly debatable; it seems relevant to consider how the still recent Atari Flashback Classics match up, perhaps especially the Switch Atari Flashback Classics, with Atari 50’s game selection. I was happy to see 400/800, 7800, Lynx and Jaguar games added.

In addition to an Atari XE 130 (w/ a CX80 trackball), a refurbed 5200 w/ trackball, a refurbed & modded 7800, Lynx II and Jaguar, I own PS4 Flashback Classics vol 1 & 2 and Switch Flashback Classics: there’s a great deal of Atari arcade and 2600 overlap and some 5200 overlap as well between the Flashback Vlassics and Atari 50, yet Atari 50 has lots of new games — even if the Lynx fare offers a sub par representation (not one AA Lynx title let alone AAA Lynx titles) and both 7800 and Jaguar games could be much better, higher quality games that’d offer a better sense of the systems.

Not sure I’d say Lynx failed as it had a good healthy life perhaps especially considering the number of batteries required for Lynx gaming on the go (tons of AAs or Ds if you had the battery pack accessory); 5200, 7800 and Jaguar all are considered to have failed or at the very least had extremely brief windows of success/viability. Intended point being that there were many good games for 5200 and 7800 and Jaguar even though most/many of the best or better games from these systems are missing from Atari 50.

Among others
5200 Missile Command*, Xari Arena, Centipede, Millepede*, Star Raiders*, Space Dungeon, Robotron 2084
7800 Joust, Ikari Warriors, Commando, Ms. Pac Man, Donkey Kong (aside from terrible sound a very solid port), Centipede, Robotron 2084, Ninja Golf*, Midnight Mutants
Lynx Todd’s Adventures In Slime World, Chips Challenge, Desert Strike, Robosquash, Rampart, Zarlon Mercenary, Warbirds, A.P.B.
Jaguar Iron Soldier, Tempest 2000*, Alien vs Predator, Doom (no simultaneous BGM and SFX but very fast, crisp — best non PC version of Doom for several years)

* these games are included in Atari 50; it was my intent to identify some/many of the games NOT included in Atari 50 and wound up presenting this very poorly and in a way most confusing. There are a few really good and highly esteemed 5200 games, really only 1 7800, no Lynx and only 1 Jaguar game that are considered really good/highly esteemed (going by video game magazine reviews BITD and internet reviews since the late 1990s/early 2000s).


Mischief Maker and BrianC brought up the 5200 version of Star Raiders the default for which is Enhanced and Overclocked. It plays very well and fast needless to say. Gonna take a while getting used to 5200 controls: when I do on occasion boot up Star Raiders it’s usually on 130 XE via cart; never thought of that as being slow or laggy but now need to compare/contrast as best I am able the original hardware vs emulation for both Switch via Flashback Classics and PS4 via Atari 50 emulation.


Haven’t touched issue of cost; I waited until Flashback Classics on Switch was half price @ $19.99 on eShop. Atari 50 seems worth the full $40 but will be just as good, solid and fun when on sale.

Lots of great Atari history via interviews and Atari 50’s presentation and many, many fun Atari games.

Edits/region for clarity and a mistake or 3

[XtraSmiley]

Great write-up!

One mistake, it DOES include Tempest 2000!!!!!!!

[Fingolfin]

Great write-up!

One mistake, it DOES include Tempest 2000!!!!!!!

Thanks for reading!

Yes it does include Tempest 2000: I am going to make a last edit/addition to hopefully clear up the confusion concerning Atari 50 games included vs what are generally considered to be some of the better/best games on each system.

As it was that was poorly written/communicated and very confusing.

[m.sniffles.esq]

Amazon dropped the price for black friday, so it's now $30

(should have waited a week )

[davyK]

For me it's worth it for Tempest 2000. Some of the modern remix games look very good too - particularly the vector style game and the 4 player combat/tank game.

It's nice to have those Atari arcade ports (nice to see Food Fight and Sprint 8 there - though Super Sprint would have been better esp. on Switch) and I really like the 7800 ports of Asteroids and Centipede which are included - they include versus and coop 2 player modes. Yars' Revenge Enhanced looks great too and that was one of my favourite 2600 games. I love that classic era of Atari so the videos and info will be enjoyable. So overall ...well worth picking up for me.

[XtraSmiley]

Amazon dropped the price for black friday, so it's now $30

(should have waited a week )

Dang, me too!

[Marc]

I've played for 15 minutes of the two hours I've been on it tonight. It's a fucking astonishing package, the corpse of Atari have produced the must wonderful retrospective I've ever seen, to the point of slating the way things went and decisions made. It's an essential documentary.

[Herr Schatten]

I finally ordered this the moment I found out it has Ninja Golf.

I was pretty amused by some of the customer reviews on Amazon, though: „The collection called Atari 50 only includes games from Atari! A huge disappointment!! *“
What is wrong with people?

[SavagePencil]

I think the argument being that there was no Imagic, Activision, etc.

[Fingolfin]

Holy shit!

Atari 50th has added Warbirds!!!!



Plays great: very responsive.

12 total new games added a couple of days ago

Adventure II (homebrew) – 2600
Bowling – 2600
Double Dunk – 2600
Maze Craze – 2600
Miniature Golf – 2600
MotoRodeo – 2600
Aquaventure (prototype) – 2600
Save Mary (prototype) – 2600
Super Football – 2600
Return to Haunted House (homebrew) – 2600
Circus Atari – 2600
Warbirds – Lynx

Trailer for update https://youtu.be/NEEJYhbGb8g?si=zP8RhXZukn4paBHa

Also want to add Warbirds looks great: the Lynx emulation is really good and now there’s something beyond Turbo Sub and Super Asteroids Missile Command to show that. Makes a huge difference for the weakest link of 50th before this update.

Great to see lots of good 2600 games added with 2 homebrews and prototypes each: well done Atari 2023 and Digital Eclipse!

[BrianC]

Warbirds was going to be in the collection but was removed when Atari found out (at the time) that they didn't have the rights to it. It's actually on the Switch cart but was blocked out (and now unblocked) in an update.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It would've been cool if some Imagic games such as Demon Attack & Moonsweeper were included in the Atari 50 release -- stellar gameplay.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~