I completely love the idea behind Atari Mania, a brand new microgame mash-up that turns the corporate’s well-liked titles into Warioware-style chaos. I’m a bit cooler on the execution. That is maybe as a result of I skilled many of those video games first-hand, and may subsequently see what they might have achieved with this idea.
I’ll allow you to determine if I’m being truthful. Atari Mania begins with you taking part in because the caretaker of the Atari Recreation Vault.
One night time you uncover a lifeless pixel that rapidly grows to suck in components from basic Atari video games. Though your job description seems to focus solely on sweeping, you soar into the warp zone to avoid wasting the video games and return normalcy to the office.
Every zone you enter mashes up the gameplay of the titles sucked into it. An earlier stage that must be acquainted to everybody, for instance, sees you making an attempt to remove a Centipede with a Pong paddle. Get it? However you’ve bought to do it rapidly. Every process requires fast considering and faster execution as you’re at all times going through down a timer. You’ll must filter a string of those microgames, culminating in a boss battle of types, with out failing too many instances. If that occurs, you’re kicked again to the Vault and must enter once more from the beginning.
Whereas we’re on the market, let’s discuss concerning the Vault for a minute. There’s extra to do than simply transfer between lifeless pixel areas. You’ll have to resolve puzzles to entry numerous areas, lots of which require you to be carrying/utilizing the right software, additionally from well-liked Atari video games (I acknowledge that magnet, thanks). You may also entry extra problem ranges, discover hidden recreation field artwork and manuals, and so forth. It’s a retro fan’s 8-bit dream, actually, even when a lot of the gadgets you uncover don’t contribute to the gameplay. Taking the time to learn them simply slows issues down.
Anyway, shifting via the Vault is a enjoyable diversion from the frantic gameplay, and I appreciated the puzzles that should be solved to push ahead. A few them stumped me for a bit, however by no means so lengthy that I had to surrender in frustration. It’s additionally enjoyable to see the characters react to what’s occurring and to anticipate how they’ll be used as soon as contained in the lifeless zone.
However that’s the place I used to be let down a bit. Too usually, the duties offered by the mash-up are merely to maneuver from right here to there with out being hit or to maintain one thing in play for a set time frame. The advantage of this method is the duties are simple to know and fast to play. The downside is that there’s a whole lot of repetition regardless of there being over 150 microgames.
That drawback is exacerbated by a shocking diploma of problem. The targets themselves aren’t terribly troublesome, however they’re unforgiving; you’ll fail in case you make even the slightest error. This implies you’ll find yourself taking part in the identical stage many instances earlier than progressing. That’s a drag, contemplating the true pleasure of Atari Mania is seeing what video games will seem subsequent.
Each from time to time, nonetheless, you’ll get a stage or sequence of microgames which can be an entire pleasure to play, particularly you probably have a historical past with them. Video games I’d lengthy since forgotten make appearances, inflicting the nostalgia waves to crash exhausting towards the breakwaters of my youth. And though the microgame method will get uneven, I favor that over taking part in trustworthy updates to most of those video games, most of which don’t stand the take a look at of time. Video video games within the early ’80s weren’t meant to be performed individually for hours at a time. You performed one recreation for 10 minutes, bought bored, and put in one other one. Whenever you labored via your complete library, you went exterior or turned on Spectreman. Atari Mania understands that.
It additionally understands the visuals, for essentially the most half conserving the blocky visuals of the unique video games. The characters and gameplay components look the best way you need them to, and Atari did a pleasant job of integrating video games from completely different eras.
They did even higher with the chiptune audio, which has been remixed as effectively.
The entire package deal comes collectively properly, however I’m undecided how a lot enjoyable it’ll be for many who didn’t play the unique variations of those video games. Atari Mania is carried by nostalgia, and it doesn’t have the legs to make it via with out it. I ponder if the corrupt vault idea would’ve labored higher as impetus for a straight journey via Atari’s historical past versus a option to serve up microgames—one thing extra akin to Pong Quest. That recreation didn’t work as a result of Pong’s gameplay is simply too fundamental to construct an journey round it. With the multitude of video games right here, that wouldn’t have been a problem.
An even bigger disadvantage is that Atari Mania is single-player solely. Anybody who has performed a Warioware recreation is aware of that microgames are extra enjoyable with two folks.
You maybe shouldn’t let these faults (or my evaluate) dissuade from taking part in Atari Mania, nonetheless. For those who spent your childhood huddled in entrance of a 2600 and your wealthy pal’s 25″ TV, this recreation could have you wanting up that pal on Fb. These with out that connection, nonetheless, will possible have extra enjoyable working via Atari’s sequence of “Recharged” video games.
Me? I’m going to give up my job on the Vault and see if I can discover work throughout the road at Intellivision. Appears to me they’re in sore want of a high quality caretaker.
