Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration

 PlayStation 5
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Image
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

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  • Summary: It has been five decades since a small team in Silicon Valley first combined their creativity, curiosity and passion into making video games and hardware. The result of their efforts was Atari, one of the most recognizable and enduring entertainment and pop culture brands in the world.It has been five decades since a small team in Silicon Valley first combined their creativity, curiosity and passion into making video games and hardware. The result of their efforts was Atari, one of the most recognizable and enduring entertainment and pop culture brands in the world.

    Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration takes players on an interactive journey through 50 years of video games via interviews with designers, developers and industry leaders, documentary footage, product design documents, high-resolution original artwork, and a specially-curated list of more than 90 playable games.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Digital Chumps
    Nov 17, 2022
    90
    Atari 50 from developer Digital Eclipse provides a proper path down memory lane with video interviews, old commercials, and a cornucopia of information to dig into about Atari’s history, the good and the bad. The inclusion of early Atari games, arcade experiences, the Atari computing systems, Lynx, and Jaguar are just icing on a well-baked, delicious cake.
  2. Gamers' Temple
    Dec 5, 2022
    90
    I’ve played plenty of retro collections that either just give you a library of games alone, or accompany the games with a bunch of box shots and manuals that you often have to unlock through play, all thrown together under a menu almost as an afterthought. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is nothing like those game collections. I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through each chapter - the videos are fascinating and playing the games after learning about the story behind them made me see some old favorites in an entirely new light. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is a game-changer – it’s the way all future retro game collections should be made.
  3. GamingTrend
    Dec 8, 2022
    90
    Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is both a game collection and an interactive documentary, and excels in each aspect. There may be a few hits missing, but the 90 games available are perfectly emulated and serve as an incredible time capsule of a bygone era. The unexpected star of the show is the interactive documentary, filled to the brim with interviews, documents, pictures, and interesting stories all told by pioneers of the era. If you have any nostalgia for this era or just enjoy learning about the history of gaming, check out this collection.
  4. Gaming Nexus
    Nov 23, 2022
    88
    50 years of memories. 50 years of being the king. I love how the 50th Anniversary Collection shows the ups and downs, and exposes the vulnerabilities, of one of the greatest companies of all time. Although some games could go, and I would love to see some DLC. Digital Eclipse deserves a round of applause for this as well. You love documentaries, and you love games, so here's both. And you're going to love it.
  5. Video Chums
    Nov 11, 2022
    87
    As a long-time gamer who's stuck in the past, I must say that Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is one of the best compilations ever produced. From its expansive museums to its wide variety of classic games and hidden gems, it really is the cat's pajamas.
  6. GameSpew
    Nov 11, 2022
    80
    Like any retro game collection, how much you get out of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is largely limited by your appreciation of its games. There are a lot here, and it’s safe to say that the majority of them didn’t really hold our interest. There are some classics that remain very playable though, and some were worth returning to just for a hit of nostalgia. The real reason to pick this up, though, is its wealth of museum-like content, as well as its new, reimagined takes on some popular titles. They make this a retro collection like no other.
  7. PlayStation Country
    Nov 14, 2022
    80
    If you're an Atari fan, it's hard to imagine a compilation put together with as much attention to detail and love for the subject. Sure, the games aren't always that good but even for us as UK gamers who never much cared for Atari, there are some gems on here to play and plenty of extra material to check out. This is retro done right.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. Lance293
    Nov 14, 2022
    8
    A really good compilation of many games, from classics to hidden gems and a lot of attention to detail.
  2. TangenteKeks
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    A lovely mix of a video game collection and a virtual museum tour that guides through the history of one of the most important video game andA lovely mix of a video game collection and a virtual museum tour that guides through the history of one of the most important video game and console publisher of the history of this medium.

    Carried by wonderful menu designs, interesting interviews and charming side materials, these games and especially this company gets presented in a light worthy of its accomplishments.

    Though some areas lack the love and attention other eras got. Long stretches of featured video games, that aren't always as notable as others, drag down the pacing of the wonderful timeline. As well as huge stretches without video content.

    But I also would like to emphasize how much I appreciate the inclusion of content around the Lynx and Jaguar as well as the Atari computers. Even if they suffer from the lack of content compared to the arcade and 2600 era.

    Overall, a fantastic lovely package that made me on one hand wish for much more, but on the other hand really helped me understand Atari as a company and video game behemoth thanks to its amazing quality.    … Expand
  4. OnlyOneHere
    Dec 3, 2022
    6
    This game has a neat collection of Atari classics. There are over 100 games. So many classics from the Atari 2600 and other Atari consoles andThis game has a neat collection of Atari classics. There are over 100 games. So many classics from the Atari 2600 and other Atari consoles and handhelds. There are also the arcade games and they even added reimagined Atari games. I enjoyed the virtual museum aesthetic of this game. Man, those were the days. However, I will not fully praise a game purely on nostalgia. That "re-imagined" Haunted Houses game looks like it was a made by a 12 year old with Dreams. I expect better for $40. Speaking of $40, I saw the PS4 version for $30. Why exactly does the PS5 version cost more than the PS4? I'm getting real sick and tired of greedy developers charging $10 extra to PS5 owners for absolutely no reason. Add extra features or something to justify that $10 tax.

    These developers are so cheap, they didn't even bother to add online multiplayer. There is only local multiplayer. Atari Flashback Classics vol 1 and 2 had online multiplayer and those were $20 each. Although this game has the better collection and history than those two, it's inexcusable to charge me more money without online. These lazy developers couldn't even add global leaderboards. I recommend this game until it is $30 or cheaper.    … Expand
  5. KrillerBomb
    Nov 28, 2022
    0
    It's not that good of a game in all honesty, but I guess the premise is pretty cool.

Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2022