Atari Classics Evolved review

Sometimes, a caveman is better than a futurian - especially when it comes to historic video games

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GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

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    Lots of games for $20

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    Some evolved stuff looks good

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    Good on-the-go games

Cons

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    Several games control badly

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    Special effects block your view

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    Bogarts the 2600 games

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Jan 14, 2008

There are eleven mostly beloved arcade games from Atari's golden years: Asteroids, Missile Command, Centipede, Pong, Millipede, Tempest, Asteroids Deluxe, Lunar Lander, Battlezone, Warlords, and Super Breakout. Each appears in both its original version and the titular "evolved" version - the same game with flashier graphics and a tweak here or there, and most of which we've seen on Xbox Live. Beyond that, there are some 40 additional Atari 2600 games. Simply put, Atari Classics Evolved should keep you busy for about six years.

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Why then did we want to heave our PSP into the wall at least once per hour? There are three big reasons. First, because "evolved" apparently means "anytime two things touch, get ready for a flash of light that will obscure what's happening". These are twitchy games, so when you can't see the fragments of a freshly-shot asteroid because of the fireball, or you can't see the actual ball in Breakout because it's glowing so brightly from hitting the wall, it's a problem.