The Atari Flashback 2.0 delivers the classic gaming sights, sounds and action that introduced so many people to the world of video games. It features the same wood grain paneling and look of the Atari 2600, and will capture the feel through two classic joysticks for multi-player competition and vintage controls. The system comes pre-loaded with over 30 classic games -- no new purchases are required, just connect it to your TV and play! The system that brought you hits like Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Lunar Lander, Millipede, Missile Command, Combat and Pong now has them all collected on one handy system. Expereince the start of the gaming revolution!
REVIEW
Incredible little device Ah, the things they do with technology these days. The Flashback 2.0 isn't just an emulator - these aren't half-hearted recreations of the games you remember. Inside this device is an actual miniaturized Atari 2600 - the entire hunk of circuitry from 1977, squeezed onto a single chip. So when you plug in the Flashback 2.0, you're playing the actual games on actual hardware. Incredible, no?
I love this thing. For half the cost of a modern console game you get an entire game system,42 games, and two controllers for some serious head-to-head action. Never mind that the graphics and sounds are 30 years old. This system delivers pure, unadultered, score-driven 1980s nostalgia.
Unfortunately, I don't remember most of these games. That's because the library is about half classics, and half unreleased/homebrew/prototype games. Too bad, because I'm really missing out on my favorite Atari games here: where's my Pole Position? I would have much preferred to see more classics and less novelties. (The included secret Paddle Games are a nice touch, though.) On this basis I'll give 4 stars for Fun.
The real reason I love the Flashback 2.0, though, and why I give it 5 stars: Crack it open, and you'll notice a silkscreened table showing pin connections to solder pads. These are handy instructions on how to add a cartridge slot to your game system! Now, the circuitry isn't perfect, so there are some 2600 games that won't run, but compatibility lists are available online. It's a great way to play all your games again without fiddling with crusty old technology and RF hookups.
In short: Buy one! The old classics never die, and what better way to experience them again than by playing them on real hardware? For under $30, 40+ games is a steal. And if you're handy with a soldering iron (or know someone who is), it's a great and inexpensive way to add a new game system to your collection.
Atari's 80 Classic Games is a compilation of unforgettable and authentic Atari titles. Each one is faithfully reproduced with all the great sights, sounds and fast action that made them so popular. Whether you played these games in their original arcade cabinets or on an Atari 2600 console, you're sure to find a favorite. It's the largest collection of classic games ever assembled on one disk! Games include: Crystal Castles Gravitar Major Havoc Black Widow Battlezone Pong Space Duel Tempest Warlords 3D Tic-Tac-Toe A Game of Concentration Adventure Missile Command Super Breakout Liberator Red Baron. and many more!
REVIEW
This Game Dosen't Work The jewel case was cracked on bothsides, to begin with. The game seemed to install fine but either locked up immediately or was so choppy I tried to exit it, then it locked up. A few times I had to reboot. I am running XP Home. I tried running it in compatibility mode with all win versions down to Win '95, set the video graphics to a very low level, and increased the memory allowance to max. Same results. I know how to install & run software, been doing it since '81. This program sucks! Don't buy it.
As we live in a world where video games look as real as live television, who would have thought that it all originated from Pong? Classic games like Pong, Centipede, and Asteroids began a video gaming revolution. Atari, the video game pioneer, is bringing back these and 8 other 2-dimensional classic games, giving it an updated look for the 21st Century and introducing a new way to play them - and no need to dust off your Atari 2600! These classic games are now available for you to take everywhere you go on the PSP system. Whether you're looking for that classic, retro experience, or you're looking for new-age graphics, each game will be playable in both classic and evolved forms to satisfy your itch. As an added bonus, you'll be able to unlock over 50 Atari 2600 titles giving you non-stop gaming action.
REVIEW
Asteriods Rocks I Gave this Game 4 stars because The controls are awkward with Centipede, Millipede, Pong and Breakout. It's hard to zero in on a position. I found that to be the case with Missile Command as well. However, I must say, Asteriods and Asteriods Deluxe Rock and I'll tell you why. This is the only emulation of Asteriods I have ever found to have that rapid fire you remember from the arcade when you hit rocks. Further more the X button is fire and the O button is thrust much like the positioning of the original arcade buttons. Other emulations have you press up for thrust, and that changes the gameplay considerably. The Asteriods games here are better even than the PC version of Atari's Anniversary edition soley because of the respose of the fire button. I found Warlords very enjoyable and quite satisfing. Lunar lander is fun too. As for Tempest, Centipede, Breakout, Millipede you have to turn your PSP longways to play. Furthermore, if your hoping for Tempest 2000 it's not here. The enhancements have a nice touch to old style gamplay.
The Atari Flashback Console takes you back in time with a retro-style game console with classic Atari games. No extra game systems needed, no additional software, no worries. Just plug it in and start playing the best of the old Atari 2600 and 7800 games!
REVIEW
A "flashback" that could've gone over better... Like most plug-&-play systems that have as many games as this one has, the games on the Atari Flashback console range from a-little-too-easy-to-beat, to frustratingly-difficult-to-play. Thankfully, there are enough games on this unit ("Centipede", "Millipede", "Warlords", "Breakout", "Planet Smashers", and "Yar's Revenge" are the vanguard of the Flashback's fun-and-reasonably-challenging fare) that fall between the two extremes to almost make it worth it.
Sadly, the controls, based on the Atari 7800 joysticks, leave a little something to be desired. They are a bit too small, and the fire buttons aren't placed in a very comfy spot. Also, the joystick doesn't have the kind of "give" that I prefer when moving in whatever direction I need to. Fortunately, with the exception of "Skydivers" and "Asteroids", all the games have pretty good response to the directional controls. Speaking of "Asteroids": thanks to the funky arrangement of the joystick controls for it, the Flashback's rendition of "Asteroids" is absolutely unplayable.
Bottom line: if you can hack the funky joystick, you'll likely get more than your fair share of fun outta the Atari Flashback plug-&-play console.
BTW I checked to see if the Atari Flashback 2 console's () 2600-style joystick controls would be compatible with its predecessor, and vice-versa; unfortunately, it's a no-go. The AC adapters for each unit are also incompatible; they have different milliamp (mA) outputs.
Atari Anthology collects the games that invented a new industry! Take a step back in time to the earliest days of gaming, with faithful reproductions of classic Atari titles.
REVIEW
Great value for nostalgia freaks Atari Anthology offers up 85 (yes, 85) games from the console glory days of Atari. There's plenty of games you'll no doubt remember like Pong, Missle Command, Centipede, Asteroids, Yars' Revenge, and plenty of others to boot. There's also some games you may not remember like Double Dunk, Backgammon, and Atari Adventure; so for this compilation's price tag alone, you are getting a great value. That being said though, not all the games are perfect emulations. There are noticible differences in terms of sound effects and graphical glitches that occur now and then that were never prevelant before, but besides that and some control issues, most of the games play like they did back then. Other than that, if you weren't around back in Atari's glory days, there's really no reason to give Atari Anthology a look unless you want to check out some video game heritage, but for those who have fond memories of these games, this is an awesome pickup.
Editorial ReviewToday’s video games with all their bells and whistles had to begin somewhere, and that somewhere was your living room, in, say,1982. Remember Asteroids, Missile Command, and Breakout? How about Centipede, Adventure and Gravitar? This TV Games Video System--just a "smart" joystick and nothing else--delivers 10 classic games in all. The joystick has the typical up-down-left-right movements, and single functions to select, start, and reset games. Front-and-center is a big, red fire button ("fire" being the only way to propel or kill things back then). The unit hooks up to your TV via those yellow and white AV output jacks (which should already be on your TV or VCR), and requires 4 "AA" batteries. --Diane Beall
REVIEW
SNOOZ-A-THON 3000 I bought this toy for my littlebro for Christmas thinking it would be a blast. It was so boring even my little bro who loves video games didn't want to play with it anymore after trying each of the games once for about five seconds each. It is hard to move around with the joystick thingy (the game doesn't respond to it very well) and with all the Playstation and Nindento's out you would think that they could come up with some better graphics than the old, bla, two demintional ones. I mean, at least make it all 3D and upgrade the games a little bit to make it more fun. Needless to say, we went right to the store and returned it.
The Atari 7800 is a video game console released by Atari in June 1986(a test market release occurred two years earlier). The 7800 was designed to replace the unsuccessful Atari 5200, and re-establish Atari's market supremacy against Nintendo and Sega. With this system, Atari addressed all the shortcomings of the Atari 5200: it had simple digital joysticks; it was almost fully backward-compatible with the Atari 2600; and it was affordable (it was originally priced at US$140).
REVIEW
What the Hey? It feels a tad strange to be writing this review now. But I suppose stranger things have happened. I actually felt that this was a pretty good system. Turning the clock (WAY BACK), the Atari 2600 was the system everyone had for a while. In the mid 80s, people were starting to lean towards computers, and Atari wasn't so sure the video game market was still viable. To make a long story short, the Atari 5200 had some success, but the 2600 proved to be the better seller. When Nintendo came along, Nintendo and Atari were suppose to be partners, but to make another long story short, Nintendo wasn't quite honest with Atari, and negotiations broke down. Nintendo decided to go on their own, and they took over the market almost overnight. The Atari 7800 was a great system, but by the time it had come out, Nintendo had already taken over. To be sure, the 7800 did help offer Atari a brief but significant resurrection, but it was just too late.
All of that said, to this day, I still think the Atari 7800 was a great system that would have done better if it had established itself before Nintendo. Its strongest element was probably improved arcade classics such as 'Double Dragon,' 'Crossbow,' and 'Pole Position.'
Another great thing about the Atari 7800 was that it was for the most part backwards compatible with Atari 2600 games. (Imagic did not seem to work in it.) I also feel if the 7800 had been around longer, the games would have improved. To this day, I still feel it was a sad day when the 7800 went out of production. Perhaps one day, this system will be re released. (Stranger things have happened.) To this day, I still dig out my 7800 now and then. Overall, it was a great system that didn't get the recognition it deserved.
The start of Atari's downfall Atari fans had big hopes when Atari scored the home console rights for Pac-Man. Pac-Man debuted on the Atari 2600 in late 1981. Sales were very strong, but fans were disappointed in the overall product with its VERY poor graphics, constantly flickering ghosts, the "wonk" sound Pac-Man made when he ate a "video wafer", the bleeps and bloops when Paccy ate a ghost/power pellet/special treat, the weird layout of the maze, and the notorious and infamous Pac-Man "death scene" sound effect. Atari proved that the 2600 could have a good Pac-Man game the next year with Ms. Pac-Man, but Pac-Man on the Atari 2600 was the beginning of the end of Atari's reign as the Video Game Kings.
Amazon.com At last, find 80 of the classic Atari arcade and Atari 2600 games on one disk, including titles never before seen on CD-ROM.
From the classic arcade games: Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Black Widow, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Liberator, Lunar Lander, Major Havoc, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, Red Baron, Super Breakout, Space Duel, Tempest, and Warlords.
Atari 2600 titles: 3D Tic-Tac-Toe, A Game of Concentration, Adventure, Air/Sea Battle, Asteroids, Basic Programming, Battlezone, Bowling, Breakout, Canyon Bomber, Casino, Centipede, Circus Atari, Codebreaker, Combat, Crystal Castles, Demon to Diamonds, Dodge ‘em, Double Dunk, Flag Capture, Football, Fun With Numbers, Golf, Gravitar, Haunted House, Home Run, Human Cannonball, Math Gran Prix, Maze Craze, Millipede, Miniature Golf, Missile Command, Night Driver, Outlaw, Quadrun, Radar Lock, Realsports Baseball, Realsports Football, Realsports Tennis, Realsports Volleyball, Sky Diver, Slot Machine, Slot Racers, Space War, Star Raiders, Star Ship, Stellar Track, Street Racer, Submarine Commander, Super Baseball, Super Breakout, Super Football, Surround, Swordquest: Earthworld, Swordquest: Fireworld, Swordquest: Waterworld, Video Checkers, Video Chess, Video Olympics, Video Pinball, Warlords, and Yar's Revenge.
REVIEW
No Better Way To Drop Eighteen Bucks These games are presented in a manner befitting the Smithsonian. This is the electronic equivalent of Hollywood's silent films. Classics of design, where gameplay reigned supreme. It is hard to emphasize the legacy to which these titles have conditioned us. From the quirky Canyon Bomber to the supreme Tempest ( S video recommended ) the nostalgia will flow like a good Sauvignon. Anyone aged 30+ who ever used their lunch or laundry money as an expense account at the local arcade should be legally required to make this purchase.
Amazon.com Atari celebrates its 30th anniversary by presenting the ultimate arcade collection. Twelve of the best classic games are authentically recreated here, including Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, Super Breakout, Tempest, and Warlords. Each Atari title is faithfully reproduced down to the last detail, and each one is just as easy and fun to play. Atari Anniversary Edition includes a multimedia supplement of video interviews with original game designers, images of noteworthy memorabilia, original press releases, and more. Desktop themes such as screen savers and even an old-school Atari sticker are included.
REVIEW
A computerarcade at the touch of a button! These are great classic arcade games yet I only give it 4-stars because the games wear off in fun easily. It comes back to you every once in awhile which is good because you don't want to buy something you hate! The timeless Asteroids and Pong make this a great PC collection, but I think Atari 2600 Jewel Case has to be the best series! Get it if you want a home arcade!
