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A.P.I Review:	ACTIVISION CLASSICS
Developer:	Activision	OPTIONS:	SCREENSHOTS: No.1   No.2   No.3
Distributor:	Activision	1-2 Player
Game Type:	Various	Memory Card
Review Date:	September 1998	Standard Joypad

Setting the Scene

With all the latest and greatest games with their snappy, flashy
graphics on their way for the Holiday Season, it sometimes makes the
serious gamer somewhat nostalgic for the games of yesteryear.  What
happened to the days of the old ATARI 2600 with its simple graphics and
sounds, but riveting gameplay?  

Well, Activision brings us back in time with its new Activision
Classics, a collection of thirty (30) memorable ATARI 2600 games.  Let's
take a trip back in time and see where this whole gaming craze started.

Genre

Nostalgic (ATARI 2600)

Graphics

Activision Classics reminded me just how far we have come with video
game graphics in the past fifteen years.  Graphics like these would be
laughed out of the industry today, but somehow Activision makes it work.


Back in their day these simple, single color sprite graphics were state
of the art!  And even though they aren't very good by today's standards,
they really do fit the games well and keep things exciting.  Plain and
simple graphics with great gameplay will always work in my book.  I grew
up on the ATARI 2600 and I still love these games, graphics and all,
today.

Sounds and Effects

These fall into the same bucket as the graphics.  By today's standards
they are definitely sub-par, but back then they were considered amazing.
Just look at the difference in Pitfalls.  The old ATARI version has a
computer generated Tarzan yell when you swing on the vines, today's
version has Harry talking to you and making smart ass comments
throughout the game!  But just like the graphics, these sounds really do
fit the game, and you older gamers that use to play the ATARI a lot will
appreciate what Activision has done here.  Bleep...bleep...

Playability

Activision Classics is a compilation of thirty (30) memorable Activision
games for the ATARI 2600.

Atlantis, Barnstorming,	Boxing, Chopper Command,	Cosmic Commuter,		
Crackpots, Dolphin,		Dragster,	Enduro,	Fishing Derby,	Freeway,			
Frostbite,	Grand Prix,	H.E.R.O. Ice Hockey, 	Kaboom!		Keystone Kapers,
Laserblast 	Megamania,		Pitfall! Plaque Attack, 	River Raid,
River Raid 2,	Sea Quest, 	Skiing,	Sky Jinx,	Spider Fighter'
Stampede,		Starmaster,		Tennis.

This is the first time that these games have been brought together for
the PlayStation with emulation technology that allows the games to look,
sound and play just like they did on the ATARI 2600.  That means you
really only need the D-Pad and one button for almost all of the games.
Controls just don't get much easier than this these days. 
 
This is a great way to sit back and remember the good old days of
gaming.  I forgot how much fun the ATARI 2600 was to play.  

Value for Money

With thirty (30) different games to choose from, how can you go wrong.
Activision is asking a very modest price for such a great compilation of
classics.  In my opinion this game is definitely worth the price, just
to experience history, not to mention the fact that it is really a lot
of fun to play them!