Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 317 reviews
  • story
  • monetization
  • graphics
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Game Cover
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration offers a completely new, very fun way to explore several decades of Atari arcade machines, consoles, handhelds, and PCs.
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"Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration" is a compilation of over 150 classic and modern Atari games. The game features a mix of arcade, console, and home computer titles, as well as new interpretations and collaborations. With history, music, and art sections, players can explore the evolution of Atari and its impact on the video game industry.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 317 reviews
graphics4 positive mentions
monetization14 negative mentions
  • Atari 50 is an excellent interactive documentary that provides a comprehensive look at Atari's history, featuring interviews, archival footage, and a timeline that enhances the gaming experience.
  • The collection includes over 90 playable games from various Atari systems, including the Jaguar and Lynx, with high-quality emulation and some modern reimaginings that add value.
  • The presentation is top-notch, making it feel like a virtual museum, and the attention to detail in the historical context and supplementary materials is commendable.
  • Some notable Atari classics are missing from the collection, such as E.T., Battlezone, and many third-party titles, which may disappoint fans looking for a complete experience.
  • The controls for certain games can be awkward, especially for those that originally used specialized hardware like trackballs or paddles, making them less enjoyable on modern controllers.
  • While the historical content is rich, some players may find the older games dated and less engaging compared to modern titles, which could affect overall enjoyment.
  • story15 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is praised for its compelling narrative that intricately weaves Atari's history through a beautifully crafted timeline, featuring interviews and archival footage that foster a deep emotional connection with the subject matter. While the storytelling effectively highlights Atari's rise and fall in the gaming industry, some critiques note a lack of balance in portraying the company's history, particularly regarding corporate politics and the role of third-party developers. Overall, the narrative enriches the gaming experience by providing context and significance to the games featured.

    • “In terms of 'story', Atari 50's historical timeline is fantastic.”
    • “Each film is expertly crafted, combining archival footage, interviews with key figures, and a rich narrative that captures the essence of the Atari story.”
    • “The storytelling in these films is so compelling that it fosters a deep emotional connection with the subject matter.”
    • “The whole package is worth maybe $20 if you like the interviews and the storylines.”
    • “The only flaws in the presentation come down to corporate politics—the dawn of third party developers is a huge part of the Atari story and while that's covered here, you can't actually play Pitfall or Kaboom or whatever.”
    • “It's all set in a timeline that provides full context to the long story of a company that was at the top of the world and slowly fell apart.”
  • monetization14 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly discussed in the reviews, but the emphasis on a rich collection of historical content, including interviews, advertisements, and design documents, suggests a focus on providing value through extensive archival material rather than traditional monetization strategies. Players appreciate the depth and context offered, indicating that the compilation is seen as a worthwhile investment for gaming history enthusiasts. However, there are hints of community management issues, with reports of negative responses to bug reports, which may affect user perception of the game's support and overall value.

    • “If you try to report a bug, community managers will erase you and call you a liar and will make insane claims which are disproven by their own advertising.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it frustrating for players who just want to enjoy the game.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The game's graphics are a blend of nostalgic and modern elements, featuring a collection of classic vector graphics games that are faithfully represented alongside graphically remastered titles like Yars' Revenge, which allows players to toggle between classic and enhanced visuals. The presentation is visually appealing, with high-resolution artwork, promotional materials, and a well-organized historical timeline that enriches the gaming experience. However, some users noted that the enhanced graphics sometimes overshadow the original low-resolution aesthetics, leading to a mixed perception of the visual quality.

    • “The two biggest treats are the graphically remastered Yars' Revenge built on top of Howard Scott Warshaw's original VCS code (you can toggle between classic and modern graphics on the fly), and the never-before-released Swordquest: Air World, newly programmed from the ground up based on Tod Frye's original notes.”
    • “There's lots of neat interviews, lots of promotional artwork, and even cartridge box recreations (all in a very nice high resolution, save for maybe the video being compressed some).”
    • “Probably uses more graphics processing to make the games look low-res than the original games had at all.”
    • “Yars Revenge enhanced basically just Yars Revenge but with an HD graphics filter option slapped on.”
    • “Despite that, this is a great collection that includes a lot of vector graphics games like Tempest, Major Havoc, Asteroids, and more that faithfully represent the amazing visuals that were present on vector graphics games.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the reviewed games is highlighted through nostalgic elements and amusing cutscenes, particularly in titles like Ninja Golf and Cloak and Dagger, which elicit laughter from players. Additionally, the Atarimania collection offers a blend of funny interviews and nostalgic references that resonate with seasoned gamers, making it a delightful experience filled with humor and fun facts. Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the gameplay and enhances the enjoyment of these classic titles.

    • “Also, Ninja Golf was so very, very funny! I will need to see if I can find a used copy for my 2600. I think my wife would have a good laugh at that one.”
    • “Atari also developed a game called Atarimania, which is a funny nostalgic trip using a large bunch of their old IPs and adding them in dozens of minigames into the new game - nothing stellar but a refreshing action adventure with challenging action sequences that brings a smile to the faces of seasoned players when they meet the heroes (or villains) from the old games.”
    • “There's a lot of funny moments in the interviews, and it's a wonderful peek behind the scenes.”
  • gameplay7 mentions

    The gameplay experience offers a mix of approximately 100 classic Atari games from the 70s to the 00s, alongside six modernized titles that serve as spiritual successors. While the collection provides a nostalgic blend of historical context and retro gameplay, the quality varies, with some enjoyable experiences and others less appealing. Notably, the new games, like the 3D reimagining of "Haunted House," incorporate updated mechanics while retaining the essence of the originals.

    • “Overall, if one were to entirely ignore the documentary aspect of this, you'd still have a good gameplay experience.”
    • “Perfect blend of history lessons and old-school gameplay.”
    • “In terms of gameplay, you have roughly 100 Atari games from the 70s to the 00s, along with 6 new games by Digital Eclipse made as spiritual successors or modernizations of a handful of choice games.”
    • “They are not emulated versions of the originals and look and play a bit more like current games, but keep in mind they are still based on the gameplay of old classics.”
    • “Later, the arcade industry became smaller every year, with consoles being able to offer the same quality of gameplay for use at home.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling storytelling, which fosters a deep connection with the subject matter. Additionally, the significance of Atari 50 in game preservation is emphasized, as it brings previously unreleased titles and prototypes to a modern audience for the first time, enhancing the emotional resonance for fans of the original games.

    • “The storytelling in these films is so compelling that it fosters a deep emotional connection with the subject matter.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Users highlight that the game offers significant replayability, especially for nostalgic players, and surpasses its predecessor in this aspect.

    • “For those who love a trip down memory lane with their collection of games, many offer tons of replay value.”
    • “This update surpasses the recharged title in terms of replayability by a large margin.”
  • music2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while early games like Tempest X3 on the PS1 struggled to capture the right musical feel, the evolution of music in gaming has been significant and rewarding. This progression highlights how foundational elements, such as music, have transformed from groundbreaking features to essential components of the gaming experience.

    • “Even on the Sony PS1 with Tempest X3 (which is a decent game), they didn't quite get the feel right and the music was off.”
    • “Seeing this evolution is rewarding because the absolute bare essentials of gaming are drip-fed, and you get that context when something we take for granted was once absolutely groundbreaking, like music or color sprites.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users express significant frustration with the game's stability, citing wasted time on troubleshooting and a sense of regret over their purchase, particularly as the refund window has closed.

    • “I feel like I've wasted my money; sadly, I spent so much time troubleshooting it that my refund window is gone.”
    • “The game crashes constantly, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I can't believe how often it freezes; it's incredibly frustrating.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

87% average critic score

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