Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration

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.

Game Informeradmingi

9/10

On June 27, 1972, Atari, as we know it today, was born. Well, technically, it was born a few months earlier under the name Syzygy Engineering, but the name Atari started life in 1972. I know this and many more interesting facts about the company because of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, Digital Eclipse's love letter to the gaming giant.

Pure NintendoTrevor Gould

9/10

Over 100 games are bundled into Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. Gold is traditional for 50th anniversaries, so does this compilation bring it home? The a

Playstation UniverseJohn-Paul Jones

9/10

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is an absolute masterclass in how to fashion a retro compilation, all the while providing both contemporary and older gamers with an immediately accessible and immaculately produced window into the halcyon days of one of the video game industry's most prolific pioneers. This is the preservation of video game history done right and Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is the best retro compilation ever made, bar none.

Impulse GamerPaul Stuart

It’s not a bold statement to declare Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration (‘Atari 50’) the single greatest historical game complication on modern consoles.

GameBlastCarlos França Jr.

8.5/10

Time to revisit the partnership between Atari and Namco, which yielded important ports for consoles of the time of classics like Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga.

Nintendo LifeOllie Reynolds

8/10

Several of the 19 new games — specifically those not found on the 2600 — are sadly not included in the new timeline and will need to be located within Atari 50’s game library. It’s no dealbreaker, but it would’ve been nice to get a bit of background information on their creation. We also feel like the exclusion of the original games created for the Intellivison to be a bit of a missed opportunity, but understandable given that this is Atari 50, not Intellivision 50. Fingers crossed Digital Eclipse will create something specific to that console's history now that the brand and associated IP are...

Push SquareSammy Barker

8/10

Atari 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 – appreciated inclusions, yes, but pretty much unplayable. It’s the way the package is presented, then, that sets it apart.

GameSpewRichard Seagrave

8/10

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.

KeenGamerWilliam Lowery

7.5/10

Atari 50 provides players the chance to play several generations of Atari on one disc. In addition to its whopping 103 games, an entire interactive museum chronicles Atari's history from their rise in the 70's, their fall in the 80's, and their return in the 90's. Packed with games, interviews, and loads of memorabilia, this is one anniversary celebration you should not skip out on.

Worth PlayingCody Medellin

7/10

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration takes players on an interactive journey through Atari’s rich and colorful history through more than 100 classic games.

VGChartzEvan Norris

Unscored

Celebrate good times, come on!Back in 2015, Digital Eclipse's first Head of Restoration, Frank Cifaldi, participated in an interview with Vice. While [...]