arcade

Like a lot of people of my generation, I grew up playing with the Atari 2600 and the stack of game cartridges that I acquired in the early 1980s. It was one of my most beloved beloved toys of my youth, and when my 2600 console died sometime in the late 1980s, I thought I'd never play a lot of those games again.

And so that's why this CD-Rom is so great - it's a wonderful nostalgia trip. I was so geeked to play Adventure once again - one of my all-time favorite 2600 games. And it's fun playing games that I never owned, but wanted.

It is such a bargain: back in the day, individual game cartridges cost about $30 each, but now you can buy 80 - 80! - games for just $20. Incredible! Not only does this CD-Rom include exact reproductions of the original games, but you also get tons of bonus materials, an in-depth video interview with the founder of Atari, complete instructions for all of the games, box art, promotional material, even a single-player version of Combat!

I also really like the 18 arcade versions of Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Battlezone and other classic arcade games. I loved playing Centipede in the arcades and now I've got my own version of it on my PC!

The only complaint I have is that not all of the games Atari made for the 2600 are here. Sure, there were a bunch of other companies, like Activision, who made games for the 2600, but I'm talking about games (especially a lot of the latter-day games) like Pole Position, Kangaroo, Dig Dug, etc. versions of which Atari made for the 2600. Those games aren't here. Also missing are games like Raiders of the Lost Ark - a cool role playing game - but I guess there might have been trademark issues involved there.

Anyone born after 1980 probably won't be interested in this. Yeah, these games are mighty primitive by today's standards (I'm amazed that most of these games only take up about 2K of space - so small and simple!), for those of us who grew up with the Atari 2600, this is a great collection and definitely worth picking up.

If you ever played on the old Atari Video Computer System (or 2600), you MUST own this assortment of games. It brings back so many memories! You get 80 games for $20! These games used to cost $20 each! The cartridges would have cost $1600 in the old days.

These are not just 80 EXE files stuck on a CD. There is a slick menu system, on screen instructions for each game, and LOTS of extras. Extras include images of old game booklets, cover art, promotional material, and interviews.

The play is EXACTLY like the old cartridges. Most work well with a keyboard or mouse, but to capture all the fun, you may want to invest in a USB joystick.

I have an old 533 MHz computer with Windows 98, and I have had no problem playing any of the games. After many hours of play and checking the extras, my computer did freeze up 2 times, but I blame Windows.

You cannot lose for $20. I think it would also make a great gift for anyone who remembers the early days of video gaming. And remember, 18 of the games are real arcade games that are beautifully re-created. The arcade games alone are worth double the price.

When I found out this PC CD was out, I just *had* to have it! I remember those great days in the '80s as a child playing Atari 2600 all summer long! It was so cool to put this CD in the computer and play those games of old! Video games have certainly come a LONG way, but nothing will replace these classics! Warlords, Breakout, Super Breakout, Haunted House, and Dodge 'Em are the great ones here! Don't miss out on all of these classic games for such a LOW price!!!