![\"Atari](\"https:\/\/images.pushsquare.com\/screenshots\/129853\/900x.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nAtari 50: The Anniversary Celebration may very well set the standard for retro compilations moving forwards, and not necessarily because of the content it includes. In truth, a significant number of the 100 or so releases included here are borderline impenetrable \u2013 appreciated inclusions, yes, but pretty much unplayable. It\u2019s the way the package is presented, then, that sets it apart.<\/p>\n
While you can jump straight to the games \u2013 organised by release year or platform \u2013 the compilation also features a museum-like interface that takes you from Atari\u2019s origins all the way through to its latter years. This painstakingly presented gallery of the company\u2019s highs and lows is absolutely fascinating, crammed with trivia, archive footage, photographs, and much more.<\/p>\n
Of course, adding context to the array of paraphernalia is the aforementioned selection of playable games. Overall, there\u2019s a real warmth and novelty to this package that\u2019s seldom seen: upon learning about the origins of, say, Pong, you can then actually play it \u2013 complete with beautifully rendered borders, inspired by the original arcade cabinet.<\/p>\n All of the games have instruction manuals, reproduced in their entirety, as well as advertising flyers and other interesting documents. The emulation is also pretty darn good as far as we can tell; you won\u2019t find any online leaderboards, for example, but you can save your progress, and faff about with the various filters available that attempt to replicate classic CRT displays.<\/p>\n It shouldn\u2019t be ignored just how dense this compilation is. While there are obvious inclusions from the Atari 2600 era, like Missile Command<\/strong> and Centipede<\/strong>, developer Digital Extremes has even created a virtual replica of Atari\u2019s ancient 1978 handheld game, Touch Me<\/strong>, which demonstrates the level of commitment on display here.<\/p>\n While the Atari Lynx and Atari Jaguar are represented, there will be disappointment that, presumably due to licensing and legal issues, titles like Klax<\/strong> and Alien vs. Predator<\/strong> are absent. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial<\/strong>, an important cog in the Atari story, is also excluded. But there\u2019s still plenty to appreciate here overall: Tempest 2000<\/strong>, Food Fight<\/strong>, and I, Robot<\/strong> definitely hold up today.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s without even touching upon the reimagined series that\u2019s been created specifically for this package. Airworld<\/strong>, for example, unexpectedly completes the Swordquest<\/strong> series, and accompanies the three 1980s titles that preceded it. Meanwhile, Haunted House<\/strong> reimagines Atari\u2019s iconic survival horror as a light-hearted 3D maze game.<\/p>\n You also get the self-explanatory Neo Breakout<\/strong>, four-player tank title QuadraTank<\/strong>, vector-based mash-up VCTR-SCTR<\/strong>, and the glitzy Yars Revenge: Enhanced<\/strong>, which, confusingly, is a completely different experience to the recently released Yars: Recharged<\/strong>. In addition, you\u2019ll find various unreleased prototypes, which ultimately add to the overall mystique of the package.<\/p>\n To be honest, very few of the games are going to hold your attention, but the presentation is introspective and interesting; it\u2019s a celebration of Atari, yes, but it doesn\u2019t gloss over the companies failing and shortcomings. And in that it gains genuine credence: there\u2019s a clear reverence for the pioneering platform holder here, but it presents a warts and all perspective, which is appreciated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While many of the included games may border on unplayable from a modern perspective, the painstaking attention to detail in Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is extremely easy to appreciate. The museum-like carousel of content, from interviews through to original artwork, is presented so handsomely that you can\u2019t not get swept up in Atari\u2019s dramatic story. And the fact that there over 100 of the company\u2019s most famous titles, emulated excellently with their original instruction manuals available to pore over, adds playable context to a lot of the content. This is just an impressive overall experience that will appeal to those who lived through the rise (and fall) of Atari, as well as younger players eager to learn a little more about one of the industry\u2019s true pioneers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Atari](\"https:\/\/images.pushsquare.com\/screenshots\/129848\/900x.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Atari](\"https:\/\/images.pushsquare.com\/screenshots\/129855\/900x.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nConclusion<\/h2>\n