Atari 50 is a masterclass of retro gaming preservation work. Its interactive documentary format has been duplicated by Digital Eclipse with Tetris Forever and, most recently, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. The Namco Legendary Pack chronicles the story of Namco and Atari’s partnership, featuring classic titles such as Pac-Man and Dig-Dug. It continues the same high-quality standard that Digital Eclipse’s work has been known for. These games are the definition of the word “classic,” the interviews are insightful and entertaining, and you can get lost for hours looking at the flyers and artwork.
Before I get to the reason why I believe this compilation matters at its most emotional level, let’s take a quick look at the versions of Galaxian, Galaga, Xevious, and Dig-Dug that are included here. These are all classic games that look and play great. You have versions here that were released for the arcade, Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and 8-bit computers. The arcade versions, of course, feature superior graphics and sound, but the console versions are engineering marvels that play just as well. As you play through each version, you get to see the progress made across console generations. Progressing from the 2600 version of Dig-Dug to the 7800 version shows how far gaming technology has advanced in four years.
Now, here’s why I believe this compilation truly matters and is essential to the canon of video gaming history: I’m tired of the myth that Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 was a major contributing factor to the video game crash. The idea that either this game or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial caused the crash is absurd. What happened is more complicated and human, and that’s the whole reason why collections like this matter.
Is Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 bad? No. It’s just the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man. It was never going to look like the arcade version. It has the “make everything sound like explosions or lasers” sound effects that the 2600 was famous for, and the graphics aren’t the best, but they aren’t the worst for the 2600 either.
Most importantly, the game plays and controls well. The fact that Tod Frye got this game working in the first place under such tight technical and time constraints is a miracle. This is a game that deserves to be enjoyed and appreciated for what it is. Watch the interview with him making it, then play the game. Pretend it’s 1982 and have fun. Better yet, get a friend and play two-player because it’s an incredibly technical feat that Frye managed to make this work.
Pac-Man for the Atari 8-bit computer lineup is a much more arcade-accurate port. Gone is the blue background, and now the mazes have that signature black background. The game plays well and is slower than the arcade version, but it’s still very functional. It’s also missing the animated cutscenes. Pac-Man for the Atari 5200 is based on the 8-bit version, but features the cutscenes and is faster than the computer version. This is easily the best version of Pac-Man for an Atari console. They’re all fun to play in their own way. The 2600 version is a testament to clever engineering, and the 8-bit and 5200 versions get you much closer to the arcade.
One important note about the 5200 version is a review from Computer Entertainment newsletter that is featured in this collection. The newsletter criticizes the original 5200 controller for having a joystick that doesn’t snap back to a center position. This isn’t a problem with this collection because you can play with any modern controller — isn’t that great? This is the reason a collection like The Namco Legendary Collection exists: because a great game like Pac-Man on the Atari 5200 doesn’t deserve to be held back by a lesser controller.
Next up are the excellent Atari 5200 and 8-bit ports of Galaxian. These versions are pretty much identical and both play great. Same with the Atari 7800 version of Galaga. If you’ve played either of these games on different systems, you know these are classics that are worth your time. Even if later ports for more advanced consoles may have more features and upgraded graphics and sound, these are still fun because, at their core, they control and play great.
My only criticism is that I just want more. I want Atari 50 to keep going because there’s so much to the legacy of Atari and Namco, and I never want them to stop. I didn’t grow up with Atari, but when I got into retro gaming in the late 90s and early 2000s, I fell deeply in love with their aesthetic, gameplay, and the clear love and passion these pioneers of gaming poured into their work. Atari 50 is the best way to play these games for both young players discovering Atari for the first time and gamers who grew up with these titles. The Namco Legendary Pack is no exception. It makes the base game even more compelling as each of these titles is essential. They show the beginning of some of gaming’s most beloved franchises and will surely inspire us with how far these titles can go in the future.
Atari 50 is a masterclass of retro gaming preservation work. Its interactive documentary format has been duplicated by Digital Eclipse with Tetris Forever and, most recently, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. The Namco Legendary Pack chronicles the story of Namco and Atari’s partnership, featuring classic titles…
Atari 50 is a masterclass of retro gaming preservation work. Its interactive documentary format has been duplicated by Digital Eclipse with Tetris Forever and, most recently, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. The Namco Legendary Pack chronicles the story of Namco and Atari’s partnership, featuring classic titles such as Pac-Man and Dig-Dug. It continues the same high-quality standard that Digital Eclipse’s work has been known for. These games are the definition of the word “classic,” the interviews are insightful and entertaining, and you can get lost for hours looking at the flyers and artwork.
Before I get to the reason why I believe this compilation matters at its most emotional level, let’s take a quick look at the versions of Galaxian, Galaga, Xevious, and Dig-Dug that are included here. These are all classic games that look and play great. You have versions here that were released for the arcade, Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and 8-bit computers. The arcade versions, of course, feature superior graphics and sound, but the console versions are engineering marvels that play just as well. As you play through each version, you get to see the progress made across console generations. Progressing from the 2600 version of Dig-Dug to the 7800 version shows how far gaming technology has advanced in four years.
Now, here’s why I believe this compilation truly matters and is essential to the canon of video gaming history: I’m tired of the myth that Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 was a major contributing factor to the video game crash. The idea that either this game or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial caused the crash is absurd. What happened is more complicated and human, and that’s the whole reason why collections like this matter.
Is Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 bad? No. It’s just the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man. It was never going to look like the arcade version. It has the “make everything sound like explosions or lasers” sound effects that the 2600 was famous for, and the graphics aren’t the best, but they aren’t the worst for the 2600 either.
Most importantly, the game plays and controls well. The fact that Tod Frye got this game working in the first place under such tight technical and time constraints is a miracle. This is a game that deserves to be enjoyed and appreciated for what it is. Watch the interview with him making it, then play the game. Pretend it’s 1982 and have fun. Better yet, get a friend and play two-player because it’s an incredibly technical feat that Frye managed to make this work.
Pac-Man for the Atari 8-bit computer lineup is a much more arcade-accurate port. Gone is the blue background, and now the mazes have that signature black background. The game plays well and is slower than the arcade version, but it’s still very functional. It’s also missing the animated cutscenes. Pac-Man for the Atari 5200 is based on the 8-bit version, but features the cutscenes and is faster than the computer version. This is easily the best version of Pac-Man for an Atari console. They’re all fun to play in their own way. The 2600 version is a testament to clever engineering, and the 8-bit and 5200 versions get you much closer to the arcade.
One important note about the 5200 version is a review from Computer Entertainment newsletter that is featured in this collection. The newsletter criticizes the original 5200 controller for having a joystick that doesn’t snap back to a center position. This isn’t a problem with this collection because you can play with any modern controller — isn’t that great? This is the reason a collection like The Namco Legendary Collection exists: because a great game like Pac-Man on the Atari 5200 doesn’t deserve to be held back by a lesser controller.
Next up are the excellent Atari 5200 and 8-bit ports of Galaxian. These versions are pretty much identical and both play great. Same with the Atari 7800 version of Galaga. If you’ve played either of these games on different systems, you know these are classics that are worth your time. Even if later ports for more advanced consoles may have more features and upgraded graphics and sound, these are still fun because, at their core, they control and play great.
My only criticism is that I just want more. I want Atari 50 to keep going because there’s so much to the legacy of Atari and Namco, and I never want them to stop. I didn’t grow up with Atari, but when I got into retro gaming in the late 90s and early 2000s, I fell deeply in love with their aesthetic, gameplay, and the clear love and passion these pioneers of gaming poured into their work. Atari 50 is the best way to play these games for both young players discovering Atari for the first time and gamers who grew up with these titles. The Namco Legendary Pack is no exception. It makes the base game even more compelling as each of these titles is essential. They show the beginning of some of gaming’s most beloved franchises and will surely inspire us with how far these titles can go in the future.
by Kayla Merritt
