Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Reviews
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, is easily the best retro compilation of games I have ever played. You’re taken on a journey through video game history. Which is not afraid to educate you on both the highs and lows of the company. It raises the bar for compilations being released in the future, it would be great to see this design repeated with other companies or game series. Allowing me to learn more about each game actually made me more interested in playing some of the games I initially wasn’t fond of. This is the museum exhibit experience brought home for you to enjoy alone or with friends at any time. Whether you love Atari or not, this is an essential purchase for anyone interested in gaming history. On a personal level, Atari 50 reminds me why I love video games and I never expected Atari of all companies to remind me of that in such a positive way.
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is not a simple collection, which takes advantage of a commemorative brand to earn a few bucks with old and reheated titles. What we have here is an exhibition that is nothing short of a real museum: we have classic works, testimonials from the creators, curiosities and openings for new interpretations. This is the model of how every celebratory work should be.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An interactive history lesson, packaged with a multi-system retro collection, which makes for an interestingly nostalgic celebration.
The team at Digital Eclipse has done some of their finest work with Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. Creating a collection that could quite easily be translated into a museum exhibit, they’ve set a new standard for the presentation of retro collections, one I hope future collections will follow. While ultimately held back from being the ultimate Atari package, it could have been by holes in the game lineup, Atari 50 is still a fantastic experience. It’s just one that all but the most die-hard Atari faithful will enjoy for a few afternoons before moving on. Still, even those who have never held an Atari joystick could benefit from those few afternoon sessions as they take a crash course through a fascinating history.
As an archival effort, Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is, indeed, a joyous effort. In fact, it's arguable that this is the best that Atari has put out in recent years. The historical timeline alone is a pristine and impressive feature, as only developer Digital Eclipse can make it. And while the game selection has plenty of pitfalls, pun intended, there is enough to go around, both for classics as well as rare items.
This is the closest that gaming has ever been to having a Criterion Collection-type release and is a blueprint that does the pioneering company justice.
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, manages to transcend the aura of a mere compilation, becoming a great "playable documentary". It is a historical test, recommended for everyone who wants to know what the world of games was like in the distant past.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is a compilation that lives up to the Atari legend. 103 games from up to 7 different platforms -plus a few surprises from the developers- that cover the history of the legendary company from its origins to the present, and all with an incredible presentation.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As an interactive museum exhibit, Atari 50 is quite successful. As a labor of love, it’s filled to the brim. Whether it transcends “well-crafted curiosity” status? That’ll depend on your nostalgia.