Decades ago, Atari was a bulwark of innovation in the video-game industry, churning out dozens of creative-but-simple games that hooked a generation of kids. With the announcement of HOT PXL, an oh-so-hip compilation of minigames in the vein of Nintendo's WarioWare games, the company could be going back to its roots.

Above: We don't know what this is, but we want it. It looks neat

Promising to throw more than 200 quick, easy-to-play twitch games at you in rapid succession this winter, HOT PXL will feature bizarre graphics and "hip urban and street culture designs," according to Atari. The screens we've seen so far show record-scratching and some sort of weird elevator panel/calculator minigame, although Atari says the finished product will feature space-shooting and extreme-sports tricks, as well as games based around more mundane things like crossing a street or stage-diving. We also know HOT PXL will feature a story mode, unlockable alternate versions of each minigame, 10 boss fights and "Smart Playlists" to let you weed out the games you don't like.

More interestingly, you'll be able to download new content for the game through your PC (for an additional fee, apparently, although free downloads are also possible). Also, HOT PXL will adjust its difficulty automatically depending on how well you do; this hasn't always worked well in games that have tried it, but hopefully it'll ensure that the game remains challenging no matter how much you play it. But so long as this brings the fun, we're all for whatever Atari wants to throw in.

April 26, 2006