Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Reviews
As an interactive timeline and a virtual exhibit, Atari 50 is unparalleled. No other historical collection comes close to how awesome this is as a context-rich story (the only ones that do are also from the same developer). I hope that this style of giving historical context and not just presenting a list of 40-year-old games without any explanation is the trend going forward for packages like this. Even if I'm not chomping at the bit to play some RealSports Football, I'm thrilled that I now know its place in the grand history of Atari.
Like any retro game collection, how much you get out of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is largely limited by your appreciation of its games. There are a lot here, and it’s safe to say that the majority of them didn’t really hold our interest. There are some classics that remain very playable though, and some were worth returning to just for a hit of nostalgia. The real reason to pick this up, though, is its wealth of museum-like content, as well as its new, reimagined takes on some popular titles. They make this a retro collection like no other.
This is not a collection of fantastic games, but a fantastic history lesson about gaming's most important company. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is a journey that begins from the distant '70s, with Pong and the 2600, goes through the 7800 and Jaguar eras, and actually concludes… today, as besides all the classic titles, small documentary-like videos, and so on, this even includes reimagined titles, plus unreleased prototypes - and more. Digital Eclipse crafted a rightful tribute to a legendary pioneer.
Can you imagine a company like Nintendo being so open and honest as we see the participants in this project being? I somehow doubt it, as fascinating as a Nintendo equivalent of Atari 50 would surely be. So for now we’ll have to enjoy Atari 50 as a standout, exemplary title that shows everyone else how interactive video game history and preservation should be done. Perhaps one day some other big players in the space will be open to letting us into their archives in the same way.
Not every Atari game stands up today as a playable masterpiece, and that’s just fine. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration provides just about the best contextually driven system for playing and appreciating classic retro games that I’ve ever hit, and it’s an absolute must-have for any gamer of any age. I mean, Tempest 2000 is worth the price of admission alone, but along the way, you’ll learn a lot about gaming history, gaming development and even the weird and wonderful deals and dodgy antics that Atari got up to in its golden age.
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration sets a new bar of quality for both game collections and documentary series. This is not only the history of Atari, but also of games as media, entertainment and business.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is one of the best game compilations of all-time as Digital Eclipse proves they are one of the best at what they do once again. It isn’t just the fact that you get 100+ Atari games but that you get them presented to you in such a well thought out way. You get to hear from the people who worked on these games and get the learn the backstory on them before jumping in and playing a game for yourself. This is a must-own for any Atari fan and anyone who is mildly curious about the company’s heritage.
Your outlook on Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is going to depend on your perspective. As a historical document, it chronicles Atari as a company but still seems focused on the 2600 and old arcade stuff above all else. As a game compilation, it still feels lacking in the latter half of the company's game history, as some of the more interesting titles from the 7800 era onward aren't here; one can argue that the company's output at the time doesn't make the job any easier, though. There are certainly enough curios to keep existing owners of Atari Vault interested thanks to the presence of new titles here, but it could've used more curation to make it an item that's worth celebrating.
As a long-time gamer who's stuck in the past, I must say that Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is one of the best compilations ever produced. From its expansive museums to its wide variety of classic games and hidden gems, it really is the cat's pajamas.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
An interactive history lesson, packaged with a multi-system retro collection, which makes for an interestingly nostalgic celebration.
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
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.
Outside of the unavoidable roadblock of no Warner Bros titles, Atari 50 is a godly compilation that couldn’t have been more lovingly curated, and just like how I sung the praises of SNK 40th for years to come, I’ll no doubt be doing this for Atari 50 and hoping this is a template for future compilations, from all over the world.
I know I’ve said time and time again that “game x” is a love letter to “franchise y”, to a nearly exhaustive degree, but Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is just something else. It’s a worthy celebration of one of the most important companies not in gaming’s history, but technology history in general. Hell, maybe even the 20th century as a whole. The sheer amount of games included in it, both old and new, would already make this collection worth checking out for a retro enthusiast, but the tons of extras, namely footage from the 70s and modern interviews with Atari alumni and celebrity fans, result in this almost becoming a playable documentary.