Customer Reviews

Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a wonderful collection of games from the creative heyday of the video game industry. These are bit-perfect ports of the original games; the Playstation is emulating the 1980-era hardware and the original game code is running on the emulator. All the original gameplay is there, including the bugs! Because some of the games, Tempest and Asteroid in particular, had touchy hardware, owning these games on CD is better than owning the coin-ops for most folks. If you grew up with these games, you will enjoy the blast of nostalgia you'll get from playing them again. Today's games have better graphics, but they are not better games!

In this collection: Asteroids, Battlezone, Centipede, Missile Command, Super Breakout, Tempest.

Also included are short video interviews with the creators of Tempest, Battlezone and Centipede.

I really wanted to like this collection- I'm a huge fan of Atari's arcade games, and want to support commercial porting/emulating of classic games to modern systems. Unfortunately, AGH1 falls prey to problems inherent with emulation on the PSX and the games lose much of their charm and playability.

3 of the games are vector graphic based- Asteroids, Tempest, and Battlezone. Digital Eclipse tried hard, but the PSX- and TV sets in general- aren't suited for vector graphic display.

All 6 games originally used novel and differing controls. Asteroids had a multi-button layout, and is perhaps best suited for the PSX controller. Battlezone had dual joysticks, which work fine with the original Dual Analog joysticks which are no longer available for PSX, but the mapping to the standard PSX controller is awkward. Centipede and Missile Command both used trackballs, and if you have a PSX trackball, then control should be good. The PSX mouse is a viable second option, but joystick control isn't very good (perhaps more tolerable on Centipede.)

Hurt worst of all are Super Breakout and Tempest, both of which were originally paddle controlled. No game system since the NES has had a paddle available for it (not counting steering wheels), which is a shame because there are certain games that demand the precise 2-directional control a paddle brings. And, unfortunately, Tempest and Super Breakout are two of those games.

If you are an owner of one of the specialty controls listed above (Dual Analog sticks, trackball/mouse), and love classic games, this collection isn't a bad idea. But if, like most of us, you're stuck with a digital or Dual Shock controller, this game isn't likely to be played for very long. The Williams, Midway 2, Atari 2 AGHs and Arcade Party Pack are all much better compilations.

What can you say folks? The 80's video game revolution started it all, so here we are playing them again 20 years later with the same vigor we had back then! Only, without the pocket full of quarters.

Personally, I bought this CD for the sole purpose of playing MY favorite game "BATTLE ZONE"! Yes, the other games are great fun, and perfectly translated for the playstation console! With games like Centipede, Battle Zone, Super Breakout, Missle Command, Tempest and Asteroids.....You just CAN"T go wrong!

The conversions were great with many options that could be set by the original arcade machines. Two of my favorite Atari games are here (Asteroids and Tempest). My only complaint is that Asteroids Deluxe is missing. Then it would be perfect.

I purchased this collection when it was first released and was thoroughly pleased with the depth and care exercised in the translations of some of the defining video games of the 1980s. If you have a trinitron and S-video cable, then you're playing Tempest as you were back in the day. Included are interviews with the original programming crew which provide insights and trivia for any Atari archivist/fan. The bigger TV the better, but you can't spend ... on a more faithfully produced nostalgia collection for the Playstation.

6 classics on one jampacked disc.
missle command,super breakout,centepiede,asteroids,battlefield,tempest.
takes me back to the 80s of classic decades past.
you will love this oldschool games.

Story problem: Classic games+neat designers+very nice narrator+cool grapics & sound=a very excellent game!

This collection brings back so many memories of the early 80's I feel like I'm back at the arcade with all my friends. Centipede just captured the moment. I think I played it for six hours straight. I would like to thank ATARI personally for letting me re-live some of my teenage years. I can't seem to get enough now It's back to AMAZON.com for more.

This is an OK Game, But i would prefer to have a few more arcade games on it!!

I found this game very boring and stupid. It does have the best classic games ever made on it. but i didn't find them that enjoyable, but centapide was fun the best on there. All in all it was okay i wouldn't buy it.