- 11 Classic Atari Games in their original and evolved designs
- Over 50 unlockable Atari 2600 titles
- Battle it out via wireless multiplayer in “Warlords” and “Battlezone”
Product Description
Atari Classics Evolved PSP… More >>
Atari Classics Evolved
Filed in: PSP
The idea for this game is fantastic. Take a bunch of classic arcade games we’ve all played a million times before and update them with newly improved, “evolved,” graphics. And they rock! The graphics are great, the sound effects are sufficiently retro without sounding silly, and the games retained their same heart. Overall, a really fun PSP game.
Having said that, however, there are two distinct problems. First, if you have XBox Live Arcade, you’ll recognize all these games as the same ports that have been trickling onto XBLA for the past year or so. This UMD is a much better deal, though, getting them all in one package instead of $5-$10 each through XBLA. However, the PSP controls are just a little too wonky for the games that require more precision, such as Missile Command or Battlezone, especially when you compare them to the X360 controls (which, granted, weren’t that precise to begin with, but they are better).
Second, the game makes a big deal about containing over 50 Atari 2600 games available to be unlocked. However, instead of unlocking them a few at a time as you make incremental progress through the new-and-improved games, the developers decided to make them ALL unlockable once you achieve EVERY goal in EACH evolved game. So basically, the unlockable Atari 2600 games are an all-or-nothing deal. Stuck on the last achievement? Tough! You’ll NEVER play ANY of the 2600 games until you get that last achievement. And that makes getting any of the achievements that much less of an accomplishment than it should be.
If the unlockable games had NOT been included in this package, it would be a sweet deal all on its own. If you want to play these classic games, get this UMD. Just be prepared to be playing ONLY these 12 games until you unlock all 48 achievements.
Rating: 4 / 5
I bought this game to play the 2600 classics. That’s really the only reason I bought it. I think their reskins of the classics are bad. To make matters worse, they make you play them in ridiculous amounts to unlock the 2600 classic games, which is probably why everyone is buying this to begin with. I had to go through the dicey process of downloading the one and only save game where someone had gone through the nightmare of unlocking the 2600 games. So if you buy this, go to GameFaqs and download the save game where someone did all the tedious work for you.
Rating: 1 / 5
I have the Atari collection for the Nintendo DS and boy, was that a disappointment. I wish I could have gotten my money back. This on the other hand is so much better (and cheaper) that I was not expecting it to be this good. The 11 games come in two versions, classic and Modern (evolved). The controls take getting used to since games like Millipede and Centipede had a control ball, this you have to use joystick or direction buttons. There is also unlockable versions of Atari 2600 games too, over 50 according to the box but I haven’t gotten there yet. Highly recommended games. Remember back in the 80s when these were top? An arcade game cost a few thousand and you get all these for $20 with better graphics (but not better controls).
Rating: 5 / 5
Its great seeing the classic games having cooler graphics. Would be nice to see more games done that way especially Gauntlet I and II. But for now, its a nice start to see it happening and done much better than “Retro Atari Classics” for the DS. This package for the PSP includes evolved graphics:
1. Centipede
2. Millipede
3. Pong
4. Missile Command
5. Super Breakout
6. Pong
7. Asteroids
8. Asteroids Deluxe
9. Warlords
10 Lunar Lander
11 Battle Zone
12 Atari 2600 Games [need to unlock]
Rating: 5 / 5
I think this game is most enjoyed by people who appreciate classic Atari games. You get 11 games to start and have to unlock 50 more. The evolved versions play exactly the same way but with beefed up graphics. There are 2 drawbacks to this game: 1. The play control for roller ball/paddle games is sub-par with the psp controls.(pong, centipede, etc) 2. Its entirely too difficult to unlock all 50 games. They should have made it where you gradually unlock the games. Other than that, its a fun game and I recommend it for the price.
Rating: 4 / 5