The Switch edition of Atari Flashback Classics compiles the three separate volumes previously released on Xbox One and PS4 into one gigantic 150-game package. Something to be aware of is that this is a compilation of games made by Atari rather than games that made their name on Atari consoles, so there’s no Pac Man, Space Invaders or Galaxian, probably the three best-remembered games of the era). What we do get though, is 150 weird and occasionally wonderful titles from the dawn of gaming – 32 ported from arcades, and the rest taken from the Atari 2600/5200’s vast library. We’d go way over our word count if we listed them all, but let’s just say there’s something for everyone!
Each of the arcade and 5200 titles have a range of options – extra lives can be added, and difficulty and even colour scheme can be changed. Sadly this doesn’t extend to the 2600 games which form the bulk of the collection, but all 150 games do include display options – borders can be removed, and old-school flicker and scanlines can be adjusted. Vertical games can even be rotated 90 degrees if you fancy holding your Switch sideways to get a larger field of vision.
A variety of control options are included; either dual joycons, a single con, or, in some cases, touch screen controls – which work wonderfully – can be used. The joycons’ thumbstick is a good substitute for the original Atari joystick, and controls generally feel tight and responsive (or as tight and responsive as you could expect 35+ year old games to be).
Flashback Classics brings these retro titles up to date with world and friends leaderboards for each game. Online multiplayer is also available, although the servers have been empty every time we’ve looked for a game and a “communication error” has stopped us from setting up our own matches. Fingers crossed this resolves itself, because the option to play with others is a really nice inclusion. Local two player works like a charm though.
Younger players will wonder how on earth anyone was entertained by the Atari’s huge blocky graphics and audio that consists of little more than bleeps and bloops, but keep in mind this was cutting edge stuff back in the 1970s! Another downside to these older titles is that they often look so strange, and there’s very little in the way of direction, that it isn’t always easy to figure out what you’re supposed to do. The inclusion of full scans of the original instruction manuals for each game is a welcome touch indeed, as well as making fascinating reading for those with an interest in retro games.
How much longevity you’ll get from each individual game is debatable – things weren’t too involved back in the day, after all – but if you look at this as a time capsule of a bygone era, it’s easily one of the best compilations around.
ATARI FLASHBACK CLASSICS / DEVELOPER & PUBLISHER: ATARI / PLATFORM: SWITCH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
