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 Atari
Classics Evolved (PSP)
Featuring eleven classic and remixed arcade
games, Atari Classics Evolved for the PSP is a decent compilation for the
retro gaming fan. While some of the remakes, like Warlords and Lunar
Lander do a decent, if underwhelming job in updating their ancestors,
other updates are more impressive, with Missile Command's radical makeover
and the new hyper Asteroids making immediately positive impacts. Players
can also unlock a variety of extras by completing achievements, including
more than 50 classic Atari 2600 games. Decent emulations of the originals
and some interesting updates makes for a solid package for classic gamers
on the go. |
There have been several classic gaming
compilations released for the PSP with the likes of Midway, Sega, Capcom
and Namco all delivering solid sets for the handheld. You can now add
Atari to the list with Atari Classics Evolved. While this volume only
includes 11 original arcade games, this is a misleading statistic since
all the games are genuine classics with only the best included, so there
isn't much in the way of filler here. The big names you remember like
Battlezone and Missile Command are present and each game features decent
emulated versions of the original arcade roms as well as sometimes
impressive 'evolved' versions with completely new visuals and sounds.
These remakes for the most-part stay true to the solid gameplay that made
the original games so enduring, but add some graphical flourish to make
them feel more contemporary. These games strike a very good balance
between staying faithful to the original games and look and play as you'd
expect - which is a very important thing to achieve since those who played
many of the ill-fated remakes will recall some fairly awful updates, such
as the PS1 Hasbro titles or the DS hip-hop versions of a couple years ago.
Atari has thankfully learned from these mistakes and keeps each title
within the parameters of the originals while offering enough modern flash
to make them appeal to current gamers. Most of the 'evolved' games share a
similar elegant outer-space background, and this neon-on-black motif feels
like a natural extension of the original games and makes a nice tribute to
the classic Atari art style seen on the arcade marquees and catalogs. One
of the prime examples of this approach is the new Super Breakout doesn't
really need much in the way of improvement; it's cool to play it again
with some slightly updated visuals that don't detract from the overall
feel of the original game. The controls in this version of Super Breakout
are fairly decent, though the paddle seems a little bit over-responsive
and requires a subtle touch. It gets easier as you become accustomed to
its controls.
 It's
not as elaborate as Jeff Minter's remakes, the tubes in ACE's evolved
Tempest look crystalline blue instead of their original wire-frame look
that updates the look of the original while keeping to the feel of the
classic arcade game. The intense shooting action looks sharp on the PSP's
screen, but the only problem here is that the game forces you to play
sideways, which can be annoying with the PSP's button configuration
ill-suited. It plays fairly well with the d-pad, but the analog stick
really delivers the feel of the arcade game on the handheld, and the game
plays just as smoothly and intensely as you remember. On the other hand,
Atari's bug-blasting duo Centipede and Millipede have to make do with
minor updates, though the increased resolution of their sprites and more
vibrant backdrops actually makes things a bit more confusing in some ways.
Warlords keeps essentially the same layout as the original arcade game,
but the new version adds some slicker visuals to make the game more
interesting. The best remake on the disc is Atari's new version of
Asteroids, which changes the visual look of the original game with more
detailed rocks to shoot along with massive particle effects and
screen-filling explosions that recalls Geometry Wars in a strange case of
the master learning from the student. Asteroids Deluxe is also included
and while its more complex gameplay made it a sleeper when it came out
originally, its refined formula and better visuals make it an excellent
choice for inclusion this time around.
The original video game, Pong is another
obvious choice for inclusion and while the new ping-pong table design in
the evolved mode is a fairly obvious evolution, the game's other modes
such as a pinball theme give the game a refreshingly new feel. Another
solid example is Battlezone, which also updates the vector wire frame of
the original for a somewhat cool cybernetic, virtual world feel. The most
radical change is most apparent in the new version of Missile Command,
that features fully rendered cities and environments along with redesigned
missiles and weapons to give the game an almost completely new look. The
controls in the new Missile Command are just as they were in the original,
though it seems to be a bit harder to move the target around the screen
with as much accuracy as you'd expect. It's a bit disappointing in this
regard, but isn't enough to ruin the experience. Overall, the quality of
the evolved games is fairly solid, keeping the basic mechanics intact.
Most players shouldn't find much to complain about in these new versions,
and if the changes are too much, you can always fall back on the
originals.
 These
eleven games offer a fairly good taste of classic gaming, but the real
heart of the package lies in its inclusion of more than 50 classic Atari
2600 games. Unfortunately, you need to unlock all four awards for each
game, which means you'll have to accomplish more than 44 goals to access
these titles. Unless of course, you can find a save file at one of the
cheat sites, then it's not much of a problem. The emulation of these games
is quite good and the selection isn't half bad. With games ranging from
expected titles like Combat, and Air-Sea Battle to more obscure games like
Quadrun and Radar Lock, there's an excellent selection of titles for the
seminal console included in this disc. Despite a few flaws in its
execution and the occasional awkwardness of having to play the games with
the PSP on its side, Atari Classics Evolved delivers a solid dose of retro
gaming with a decent selection of classic games. The emulated versions are
fairly good, though a bit Spartan in the extras department and the use of
achievements to unlock the 2600 games feels a bit excessive in terms of
difficulty. However, the sleek remakes more than compensate for these
problems and update the originals with a contemporary look that stays
faithful to the original style without becoming overbearing. The games
themselves have held up well over the years and remain as challenging and
enjoyable as you remember with solid controls and a decent selection of
titles that makes this a worthwhile purchase for classic gaming
fans.
- Michael Palisano
Grade:
B-
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