Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! is a 2003 video game compilation developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari, Inc. for Microsoft Windows; it was also released as Atari Anthology for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The title is a compilation of 80 video games previously published by Atari, Inc. and Atari Corporation from the 1970s and 1980s, reproducing Atari's games from its arcade and Atari 2600 game console platforms. Many games permit one to play each title at varying speeds, with time limits, or with a shifting color palette.
Extra contents include original arcade artwork and scans of the instruction manuals for the Atari 2600 games, video interviews with Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, Windows desktop themes, DirectX 9 runtime, and Adobe Reader 5.1 English version. Support for Stelladaptor 2600 to USB interface, and 24-bit color wallpapers for Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Pong, Super Breakout, and Tempest themes are available as patches. The Xbox version had online multiplayer and leaderboard support through Xbox Live which was shut down on April 15, 2010. Atari Anthology is now playable online using replacement online servers for the Xbox called Insignia.
Games The following is a list of games included in the releases. + Title Arcade2600Note 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe Adventure Air-Sea Battle Asteroids Asteroids Deluxe Atari Video Cube Console version only Backgammon Console version only BASIC Programming PC version only Battlezone Blackjack Black Widow Bowling Breakout Canyon Bomber Casino Centipede Circus Atari Codebreaker PC version only Combat Crystal Castles Demons to Diamonds Desert Falcon Dodge 'Em Double Dunk Flag Capture Football Fun With Numbers PC version only Golf Gravitar Hangman Console version only Haunted House Home Run Human Cannonball Liberator Lunar Lander Major Havoc Math Gran Prix Maze Craze Millipede Miniature Golf Missile Command Night Driver Off the Wall Outlaw Pong Quadrun Radar Lock Red Baron RealSports Baseball RealSports Football RealSports Tennis RealSports Volleyball Sky Diver Slot Machine Slot Racers Space Duel Space War Sprintmaster Star Raiders Star Ship Steeplechase Stellar Track Street Racer Submarine Commander Super Baseball Super Breakout Super Football Surround Swordquest: Earthworld Swordquest: Fireworld Swordquest: Waterworld Tempest Video Checkers Video Chess Video Olympics Video Pinball Warlords Yars' Revenge
Marketing As part of Atari's 40th anniversary, free download of Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! was also available in packs of General Mills boxed cereal products, including Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheerios and Cocoa Puffs.
A free Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! CD could also be found inside General Mills boxed cereals in Canada.Atari Games in General Mills Cereals
Atari Anthology includes the following changes: The Windows desktop themes, DirectX 9 runtime, and Adobe Reader 5.1 English version have been removed. The Atari 2600 titles Atari Video Cube, Backgammon, and Hangman have been added. The Atari 2600 titles A Game of Concentration, BASIC Programming, and Codebreaker have been removed. Unlockable game challenges, which add challenges by reaching predetermined goals in specific games.
Atari Classics Evolved Atari Classics Evolved was published for PlayStation Portable in 2007 and includes 11 arcade classics from Atari Anthology (such as Asteroids and Super Breakout) and also 50 unlockable Atari 2600 titles. Also, every arcade title has an "evolved" version with new graphics and sounds. To unlock the 2600 games, the player must win all awards in all arcade titles.
Reception
The console versions of the game received "mixed or average" reviews, while the PC version received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Mike Davies of Retro Gamer complimented the release, specifically highlighting the 18 arcade games included, including that "some people have complained that the vector games are not emulated 100% accurately, but we can't find fault." Davies described the navigating through the games as a "real pain" finding the interface good-looking but difficult to use.
References
External links
The 80 Classic Games Atari Inc. Atari 80 Classic Games in One page Digital Eclipse Software, Inc page Digital Eclipse support page for Atari: The 80 Classic Games
Anthology Digital Eclipse Software, Inc page: Playstation 2, Xbox Atari page: Playstation 2, Xbox