Oblivion has arisen! The Flesh Eaters have come to terrorize the world and let chaos reign! This cannot stand. The finale to one of gaming’s most iconic trilogies is here.

From video game remaster studio and Atari subsidiary Nightdive Studios, in collaboration with Universal Games and Digital Platforms, Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is a faithful restoration of the classic first-person shooter initially released in 2000 for the Nintendo 64, upgraded through Nightdive Studios’ proprietary KEX Engine for play on modern gaming devices with up to a 4K resolution at 120FPS.

It joins Nightdive Studios’ popular remasters of Turok and Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, capping off the trilogy.

The title features upgraded gameplay, high-resolution textures, enhanced lighting and rendering, and support for console gamepads with platform-specific features. It is also the first game from Nightdive Studios built on the latest version of the KEX engine, which utilizes an improved renderer to achieve a higher tier of visual fidelity across 3D models, textures, and graphical effects.

In Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion, players choose between dual protagonists Joseph and Danielle Fireseed, siblings of Turok 2: Seeds of Evil protagonist Joshua Fireseed. Together, they must defeat the titular antagonist Oblivion and its followers, the Flesh Eaters, after the supposed demise of their brother at its hands.

Turok 3: Shadow Oblivion is now available on PC and PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles.

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PLAION and Atari, one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers, are proud to announce the Atari 2600+.

A modern day faithful recreation of the pioneering console that first appeared in 1977, will be launching worldwide in 2023.

Launching with ten of some of the most important video games in Atari’s history, including Adventure and Missile Command, the Atari 2600+ has been created using modern technology to authentically replicate the original 4-switch Atari 2600 Video Game System.

For those looking to relive the gameplay experiences of the ‘70s and ’80s, included with the Atari 2600+ is the CX40+ Joystick Controller, recreated with the same size and layout as the original 2600 Joystick Controller for that added touch of nostalgia.

“Making classic games accessible to everyone is a priority for Atari, and the release of the Atari 2600+ is a big step towards the preservation of 2600 and 7800 games,” said Atari Chairman and CEO, Wade Rosen. “In our mission in giving retro enthusiasts more ways to play iconic games, PLAION’s approach to a quality recreation of iconic Atari hardware made them a perfect partner when choosing to bring the 2600+ to market.”

“We’re excited to be working with Atari to bring back the Atari 2600 and help meet the growing consumer demand for retro hardware,” said Commercial Director of Retro at PLAION, Ben Jones. “For gamers who remember the thrill of playing arcade games at home for the very first time, the Atari 2600+ will take you right back. For everyone else, the offer is one of timeless fun and the chance to experience a golden age of video games in a way that could only come from Atari.”

PLAION and Atari also announce the availability of The CX-30 Paddle Controller with 4-in-1 multi game cartridge, and additional launch titles including Bezerk Enhanced Edition and Mr. Run and Jump will also be available on The Atari 2600+, as well as a standalone CX-40 Joystick.

The Atari 2600+ will be available from 17th November 2023.

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The rise and fall of the pioneering video games company Atari reads like a modern myth.

It’s a surreal tale of how a few enterprising computer engineers saw the future of interactive entertainment and laid the foundations for what is now a billion-dollar industry.

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is an incredibly well-presented digital museum of video gaming heritage. It follows the timeline from Atari’s first Computer Space cabinet right up to the ill-fated Atari Jaguar console.

Curated by Digital Eclipse, recently responsible for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection, Atari 50 is a warts-and-all interactive experience that covers the highs and lows of the various iterations of the Atari brand.

Via archive videos, new interviews, and reproductions of the games, packaging, and brochures this collection takes you through a unique journey from the arcades of the 70s to the humble start of modern home computers and console gaming.

Whilst you can just jump in and sample the 100 or so games included in the package, at least for the first look, they are best viewed in context within the collection’s chronological timelines. Going on a journey through the early history of Atari offers a better understanding and appreciation of the included video games.

The documentary-style video interviews offer insight into how Atari functioned back in the day. Tales of drug-taking debauchery are both denied and confirmed (playing some of the included games, I’d say there were plenty of illicit substances involved). There are also TV spots, brochures for the original arcade cabinets, photos and the amazing (and not-so-amazing) box art all carefully reproduced like a museum exhibit.

I remember gazing through shop windows at the amazing box art of the Atari 2600 games. Titles like Haunted Mansion had movie poster-style covers that thrilled me with the potential adventure within. With many boxes boasting multiple games (which were mostly only different game modes), I was envious of anyone that owned an Atari console.

In truth, though, the imaginative box art was usually far superior than the game inside. The images often bore little resemblance to the games, serving only to set the scene for what would otherwise be a collection of indecipherable pixels moving about the screen.

The above is made painfully clear in Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. A handful of timeless classics and a few remakes, aside, I found a majority of the games, especially the early console titles, unplayable now. Whilst the story of the infamous E.T. game is well documented, most Atari fayre during the 80s was similarly shonky.

But none of that detracts from the value of this collection. What is presented is a unique and comprehensive interactive archive of modern video gaming’s origin story.

What you get out of Atari 50 very much depends on your age and your familiarity with some of the games. Whilst I’ll never get tired of playing Lunar Lander, Asteroids, and Breakout, apart from a little bit of nostalgia for Centipede and a few of the other arcade games, I thank my lucky stars I “missed out” on playing most of Atari’s early back catalogue.

Even the Lynx games, which I remember being quite good at the time, are not really that much fun.

Experiencing the games chronologically, and in context, alongside the interviews with the original programmers affords you a better appreciation if you are unfamiliar with their legacy. This is the best way to sample the games rather than jumping straight into a horrific-looking Atari 2600 game that was programmed in three weeks. It’s only as the collection marches on into the 90s that the console games start to resemble anything close to a modern video gaming experience.

It’s difficult to impart just how important this collection is, and I’m not much of a retro gamer. I spent most of my early teens guiding vampiric exclamation marks around black-and-white mazes, whilst avoiding monstrous asterisks on a Sinclair ZX81. So, it’s not that I don’t hold these pioneering games in high regard, it’s just I played a lot of them and their ilk the first time around. Nowadays, I’d sooner be playing Uncharted than Yars’ Revenge.

For many, the novelty will be the big draw. My 11-year-old lad recognised Adventure from the Ready Player One movie- another bit of media that capitalises on the same nostalgia.

The huge number of games that can be played in their original format (complete with arcade cabinet border art in some cases) with or without TV screen filters, in full screen, or stretched into a widescreen aspect. Many of the console games also include the different game modes.

Games like Breakout, Pong, Centipede, and Missile Command are all essential games that everyone should play at least once. But for me, it’s the inclusion of vector graphics games like Asteroids, Lunar Lander, and Tempest that I got the most out of. Digital Eclipse’s reimagined version of classic Atari games are also diamonds in the rough.

VCTR-SCTR is a new game inspired by ground-breaking vector graphics classics such as Asteroids and Lunar lander. Yars’ Revenge Enhanced takes the original and gives it a bit more polish, although I’m not sure it is a better game for it.

Neo Breakout is a fun remaster that’s just as tricky as the original. The reimagined Haunted House finally gives me the game that was promised by the packaging back in that shop window 40 years ago.

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is a fantastic interactive archive of video gaming’s humble beginning. It’s an essential purchase for those with any interest in the history of video games. It will also fuel the nostalgia for those of us that remember these games the first time around.

The reimagined games are just enough to cover the price of admission for everyone else. As someone that’s been playing video games since the 1970s, I found the collection to be a fascinating time capsule that ensures that these ground-breaking, if dated, games remain playable, warts and all.

The post Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration (Switch) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ziggurat Interactive is reviving a lost Atari Jaguar project with American Hero, a ground-breaking Full Motion Video (FMV) game inspired by the action movies of the era.

American Hero was originally developed for the Atari Jaguar CD in the ‘90s, but it remained unpublished and incomplete.

For nearly 30 years, the game was thought to have been lost to time, but thanks to Ziggurat Interactive and developer Empty Clip Studios, the high-octane action, diabolic plots, and steamy romances will soon be available to modern gamers.

In American Hero, players guide Jack, a former American intelligence officer pulled out of retirement and charged with a mission to stop the malicious virologist Krueger from unleashing a sinister virus in the Los Angeles water supply. Players face split-second decisions as Jack that will help or hinder our hero as he tries to save LA and protect the girl who got away.

This ‘playable movie’ features the talents of professional actors, including Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show, Elephant), Daniel Roebuck (The Fugitive, Final Destination), and Musetta Vander (O Brother, Where Art Thou, Wild Wild West), including newly recorded voiceover by Timothy Bottoms to complete the original script.

American Hero will release on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Atari VCS, and exclusively on GOG for PC on November 11, 2021.

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Atari brings back the hunt for the high score starting today as the long-standing game publisher announces three new entries in the Recharged series.

A line of revivals of arcade classics for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC for Steam and Epic Games Store, and Atari VCS.

The action kicks off with Centipede: Recharged available today, followed by Black Widow: Recharged on Thursday, October 28th, 2021, with Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged arriving in Q4 2021.

Black Widow: Recharged tangles a web of high-intensity, twin-stick arcade-style action as it hearkens back to 1982’s Black Widow with a modern-day neon refresh paying tribute to the original vector graphics. Defend the nest with a friend in couch co-op mode or solo with online leaderboards. New powerups introduce an added level of depth and strategy on top of classic gameplay.

Centipede: Recharged, the neon-fueled re-imagining of the arcade classic, crawls back into the spotlight. Blast and zap through tough enemies while tackling more than 20 challenges across a widescreen-optimized field of play. Meanwhile, the Atari VCS version features support for the system’s Atari Wireless Classic Joystick and includes exclusive Challenges.

Sharp neon visuals with high refresh rate support on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X provide a visually stunning experience, complete with an 80’s-style original soundtrack by award-winning composer Megan McDuffee. She will also provide the soundtrack for the other three upcoming Recharged titles, with the soundtrack album available on Bandcamp.

Bringing the full retro gaming experience of the 1970’s and 80’s to the modern world, Atari classics Asteroids and Breakout are both set to receive the “Recharged” treatment. Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged will reimagine the asteroid-annihilating and brick-breaking classics with many of the same modern flourishes in Centipede: Recharged and Black Widow: Recharged, and are expected to release starting in Q4 2021.

“Our goal with the Recharged series is to both honor these arcade classics and make them feel fresh and modern,” said Wade Rosen, CEO, Atari. “We want to revisit the pick-up-and-play, high-intensity arcade action that everyone loves, but with fresh surprises.”

Centipede: Recharged is available now, Black Widow: Recharged releases Thursday October 28th, 2021, and Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged are coming soon. All titles will be available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam and Epic Games Store for Windows PC, and the Atari VCS.

The Atari VCS versions each feature exclusive content and are optimized to work with the new Atari Wireless Classic Joystick.

The Recharged series is made in collaboration with developers Adamvision Studios and SneakyBox Studios.

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Bluemouth Interactive has revealed to us here at STG that 10 June 2021 as the Australia and New Zealand retail on sale date for the Atari VCS, Atari’s modern video computer system that blends the best of PCs and consoles.

The Atari VCS is the company’s first new hardware product in 25 years.

“We’re so excited to bring this reimagined ‘80s icon back in a completely modern way to everyone’s living rooms with the Atari VCS,” said Bluemouth Co-Founder and Managing Director David Provan. “The system brings a hit of nostalgia to fans with its classic arcade titles, but also complete versatility to play newer games and stream all in the same place.”

“June 10th is a day that eager Atari fans have been waiting for. The Atari VCS has been well-received by our early-adopter community and we are thrilled that more people will have an opportunity to enjoy Atari’s Video Computer System in their homes.” said Michael Arzt, COO of Atari VCS and Connected Devices.

The Atari VCS offers something for every gamer, starting with over a dozen titles from popular independent game developers — including Boulder Dash Deluxe, Danger Scavenger, Guntech, Jetboard Joust, Sir Lovelot, Something Ate My Alien, Tailgunner, Atari’s Missile Command: Recharged, and more — with new titles to launch on the Atari VCS store through the year.

The Atari VCS also comes preinstalled with the Atari VCS Vault, an exclusive collection of over 100 arcade and Atari 2600 classics, fully optimised for use with the Wireless Classic Joystick, with its rumble and LED light effects that give retro favourites new life.

To coincide with the launch of Atari in Australia and New Zealand, Antstream Arcade is launching for Australian gamers, giving players access to a massive library of classic arcade games. Dubbed as the Netflix of retro games, Antstream opens up a catalogue of over a thousand carefully curated games to choose from, providing Atari users in Australia an expansive gaming experience. Antstream is currently live in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

The Atari VCS includes Chrome as its built-in browser, allowing full access to Google’s Workspace apps for productivity use such as checking emails and social media, catching up on work, or streaming content.

The Atari VCS’s unique PC Mode is compatible with Linux, Windows and Chrome OS operating systems, among others, making the system a versatile two-in-one device. The Atari VCS is compatible with most PC peripherals including keyboards, mice and game controllers to create a flexible home game system.

The Atari VCS PC / console hybrid is designed as a multimedia PC and home game system to delight a whole new generation of gamers and creators.

The Atari VCS is powered by an AMD Raven Ridge 2 APU and Ryzen GPU and comes equipped with 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 32GB hard drive with the option to customise and upgrade both RAM and storage.

Atari VCS All-In system bundles also include a Wireless Classic Joystick and the all-new Wireless Modern Controller designed for both retro gameplay and the latest PC game titles.

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Atari, one of the world’s most iconic brands and developer Hello There Games are thrilled to announce the publisher’s first rhythm-action game and interactive music platform, Beat Legend: AVICII, inspired by the fantastical musical experiences of the late producer, performer and songwriter Tim “Avicii” Bergling.

Soar through vocal melodies, sweep each fade, and attack every beat in 15 of Avicii’s biggest hits in a newly designed, touch-screen optimized mobile game from the developers of the acclaimed Avicii Invector; Beat Legend: AVICII is available now on the App Store and Google Play.

Music Royalties from the game goes to Tim Bergling Foundation, in a collaboration with the estate of the late superstar DJ and featuring mega-hits like Without You, Wake Me Up, and Levels, Beat Legend: AVICII takes the very best of Avicii and brings the beats right to your fingertips. Vibrant, kinetic visuals laid over Avcii’s world-famous catalog of sensational tunes invoke the festival experience with a hefty dose of fast-paced, exhilarating gameplay.

Beat Legend: AVICII brings a frenetic rhythm-action experience and an interactive take on Avicii’s music to mobile devices unlike ever before.

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Evercade, the brand new handheld retro gaming console, today announced the next cartridge in its library – a new Atari Lynx cartridge with 8 games including: California Games, Chips Challenge, Checkered Flag, Todd’s Adventures in Slimeworld, Electro Cop, Gates of Zendocon, Zarlor Mercenary and Blue Lightning.

With 8 officially licensed games, this cartridge offers some of the best ever Lynx titles to the Evercade handheld, which also connects to your TV via HDMI.

These games are incredibly hard to play in any way currently (shy of owning the original console and cartridges) and shows Evercade’s continued mission to bring quality retro games to a single platform.

The cartridge joins a library of 11 other cartridges which includes content from publishers Atari, Data East, Interplay, Mega Cat Studios, Namco Museum, Piko Interactive, Songbird Interactive and Technos, taking the total to over 145 officially licensed games!

For those unaware, Evercade is a brand new console which uses its own retro style game cartridges – giving you a super simple, instant gaming experience – like the good old days. It features a 4.3” screen (the same size as the PSP) and TV output, so you can enjoy retro gaming at home or on the go.

Evercade have confirmed another (yet announced) cartridge is also in the pipeline and they plan to launch 3-5 cartridges this year alongside the 10 cartridges that will be available from launch.

They also recently announced that arcade games would be introduced to the console, expanding the potential library for this device even more.

The new cartridge will launch in Q3.

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Atari and developer Chequered Ink, announced today that PONG Quest, a humorous new RPG reimagining of the flagship arcade classic PONG, is coming soon to Windows PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

It’s PONG like you’ve never thought it could be! Immerse yourself in a whole new world of PONG-inspired fun where you’ll adventure as a brave young paddle traversing a variety of treacherous dungeons, all loosely based on classic Atari hits, including Asteroids, Centipede, and more. Your journey will dictate the fate of PONG World as you reveal the mysteries of… the Spooky Door!

“PONG as an RPG is something completely unexpected, but wonderful in execution,” said Atari COO Jean-Marcel Nicolai. “We are thrilled to bring PONG Quest to life to honor the classic IP and bring the beloved gameplay to a new generation of players and RPG fans. Atari has a rich portfolio of titles and exploring new ways to breathe new life into those franchises yields exciting results.”

In PONG Quest, you’ll explore a fantasy world as you encounter a variety of paddle opponents in energetic, RPG-esque battles! Special unlockable PONG balls add new depths and strategy to the classic gameplay putting a fresh and modern spin on the original.

Classic, competitive, and online battle modes round out the fun, complementing a fantastical story-mode — it’s PONG like you’ve never seen it before.

PONG Quest will be released this coming spring (U.S.).

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