I
can sum up Retro Atari Classic for you in one word:
Pong.
What
game would include a version of Pong as part of its
compilation? That has to tell you something. I can
live with Breakout - but Pong? That's digging to the
bottom of the barrel.
For
a game that features the word "Retro" in
the title, the games included here don't look anything
like they did back in the arcade days. They've all
been modernized with graffiti tags and hip-hop beats.
But the biggest problem is that most of the games
just don't play the way I remember them.
The
DS has the touch screen going for it. Some of these
games originally used different controlling devices
in the arcade, most notably the trackball and the
large metal dial for Tempest. The touch screen is
able to replicate the feel of these devices but it
doesn't work for all of the games. At least you can
use the D-pad to play them but at that point you may
as well just play these classics on the GBA.
The
list of games is as follows: Asteroids, Breakout,
Centipede, Gravitar, Lunar Lander, Missile Command,
Pong, Sprint, Tempest, and Warlords. Not what I would
call the best of the bunch. Where the hell is Space
Invaders?
There
are three methods of control used for the games including
touch, where you place your finger on a hot spot,
the stylus, which traces a path, and the buttons on
the game system. Some of these methods of control
just don't do the trick. In Missile Command you touch
the screen to where you want the missiles to launch
but it's not an exact science. The control system
is arbitrary and often you'll end up launching missiles
you didn't intend to. On the other hand, Breakout
is now too easy to play because you don't have to
line up the controller with the big knob you just
have to put your finger where you want the ball to
rebound. How challenging is that?
Other
games are hindered by bad design. Warlords only uses
one fireball at a time instead of three. Centipede's
play area has been reduced and if you can imagine,
the graphics on Asteroids are positively dreadful.
How can you screw up the graphics on Asteroids when
I'm loath to even refer to them as graphics in the
first place? Speaking of which, some of the games
that have been desecrated by graffiti actually look
worse than they did in the arcades. These new colors
and character upgrades actually obscure some parts
of the games.
If
you want to share in the misery with your friends
they're all going to need a copy of this game. Make
sure you're fine with these games before you entice
anyone else to make this purchase. You might be able
to play these games as they're presented especially
if you haven't played the arcade version and have
no preconceived idea of how they should be controlled.
I can't help but compare these games to their original
counterparts - and let me tell you there is no comparison.
I
really don't see the point of this game. It seems
totally rushed. The controls don't always work and
when they do they don't work as good as they should.
For a game system that's based on a new form of control
I hope that Retro Atari Classics is just an anomaly.
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