Atari is a name that speaks to everyone. Some grew up with it, others have heard of it, but one thing is certain, the name is no longer in the news. That said, despite a (very) tumultuous life, Atari has chosen to mark the occasion to celebrate its 50th anniversary. And to do this, entrusted the production of a compilation of his hits to the Digital Eclipse studio. A developer recognized for the quality of its adaptations of retro games, having already worked for Capcom, SNK or even Disney. And we can say that for this anniversary, they really outdid themselves! Thereby, Atari 50 : The Anniversary Collection is the ultimate in retro compilation. By the quantity of available titles, videos and images, but above all by its original presentation. If you’re a collector or a history buff, it should be in your library. For others, Digital Eclipse’s onion-making achievement deserves your full attention. I am very happy to have been invited to this birthday party, in which all the parties involved come out definitely grown!
The ABCs of video games
Atari became legendary with the creation of Pong in 1972, the first arcade game, and incidentally a sport in history. The brand of American origin is also the creator of the 2600, a console that made it possible to democratize video games in the early 80s. The decades that followed saw Atari release multiple consoles and computers (including the famous ST 520). And something that maybe few know, but Atari has been a French brand for almost 15 years! All of this info will speak to older people, but this compilation had thegreat idea to also address newcomers…
Digital Eclipse’s brilliance for this title is to present it as a retrospective. Instead of making games accessible in the classic way, through a drop-down menu for example, the developer has chosen another path, and that changes everything! Atari 50 The Anniversary Celebration is traversed as one would visit a museum. The heart of the experience offers a “timeline”, which begins at the launch of Pong, ending in the era of the Jaguar. We find there not only the outstanding games that have made history, but also archive images, interviews, and publicity videos. Ergonomics and design are excellent, and make us dream of the day when all compilations will look the same.
Especially since this collection is far from being stingy in content, with more than 90 games on the program! Unseen footage and interviews from the original developers complement each game, helping to understand the choices, linked to the technical limitations of the time. Because without seeming to, Atari was not confined to games where two pixels fought a duel, the third being the referee. The Lynx, portable that yours truly had the joy of owning, is also part of the selection. Without forgetting the Jaguar, the first 64-bit console in history, but which had a very short destiny, by signing the end of the production of consoles for the brand.
The art, the manner and the tear in the eye
So yes, how much fun most players will have in this compilation will depend on how they approach it. Many titles show their age, but the work of Digital Eclipse to adapt them to our times commands respect. In addition to the very successful cathode TV filter, the screen borders that set the mood, it is above all the general feeling that predominates. No loading, it’s fluid, clean, pleasant and really makes you want to discover everything.
If a defect were to emerge, it would be on a certain lack of iconic titles. I am thinking in particular of Alien vs Predator on Jaguar, or even Blue Lightning et Slime World on Lynx… But this is understandable in the sense that these are titles developed by Atari itself and not by third-party publishers. But with Tempest, Missile Command, Asteroids or Yars Revengewe are at the top of the nostalgia basket. Titles with simple concepts, but of formidable efficiency. And icing on the cake, Digital Eclipse has integrated six brand new games! Mainly updated classics, with “flashy” graphics and thunderous music!
Accessibility criteria
| Visual Impairment | Hearing impairment | |
| ✘ High Contrast (Aiming Reticle) | ✘ Subtitles with mood hints | |
| ✘ Font color size | ✘ Identification of the person speaking | |
| ✘ Marking enemies | ✘ Customizable font | |
| ✘ Interface personnalisable | ✘ Customizable font color | |
| ✘ Customizable minimap color | ✘ Alternative alert options (vibration, flash…) | |
| ✘ Color blindness option | ✘ Reported ambient sounds (notifies about presence) | |
| ✘ Option Text to speech | ||
| ✘ Game Slowdown |
Test conditions
| TV details | 4K | Game provided by the publisher | Non | |
| Console | Xbox Series X | Time spent in game | 3 hours | |
| Difficulty level | normal | Game over | non |