Mini Review: PS2 Atari Anthology

[jamcat]

Just picked up the PS2 version of Atari Anthology, and I must say I am very pleased.

I love the interface, which is cool and unique. You have a galaxy screen, and each of the game categories has it's own constellation. Once in a constellation, you pick a game by selecting it's solar system. The solar system lets you select various modes, options, and bonus features related to that game.

Now for the emulation.

For the coin-op arcade games, some of the sounds in the games are off tone a bit, but it's not that big of a deal. Strange that the games in the PS1 Atari collection has better sound. But the gameplay is spot on, and that's what really matters.

For the 2600 games, from the games I've played so far, the emulation in sound and gameplay is perfect. The games play and sound exactly as I remember them.

One feature I do like is the zoom feature, which lets you enlarge or shrink the screen to your liking. This is available in both the arcade & home games.

Over all, this collection is worth the $20. Digital Eclipse has done a good job. Now if they'd only come out with a Imagic collection. :)

[Rhetrynyl]

One would hope they would emulate 2600 sound correctly. :p

[WorknMan]

I am interested in the Xbox version. The review for the Xbox version on Gamespot says that the sound in the vector arcade games are seriously off - does the PS2 version have this issue? (They don't have a review of the PS2 version).
Also, how is the arcade version of Cenipede? Is it playable with an analog controller? Is the sound off in this game or is it arcade perfect?

[Shane R. Monroe]

There are at LEAST a dozen problems with this title on PS2. I don't want to spill everything before the review, but since MOST of the titles are vector games, they ALL suffer from that vector2raster conversion degregation where the title doesn't look crisp anymore (you, know, like vector games should). Black Widow plays at LEAST 3x too fast. Major Havok - 2-3x too fast. What's more - MOST games on here are designed for SPECIFIC analog controls like spinners and trackballs - and MOST of them play HORRIBLE with the analog sticks. The games all default with the game art ON - and it requires you to turn off each and every one manually.

That's it for now .. suffice to say, it pisses me off.

[jamcat]

I don't have a problem with the vector issue. I mean, you're using a TV not a vector monitor, so there is no way to get the original vector effect.

The only vector game I don't care for is Gravitar. Problem is the graphics are way too small, even when you enlarge the screen size to max. But I LOVE the 2600 version of Gravitar.

Centipede/Millipede can be played with analog control, but I like using the DPAD instead.

Though the control options let you adjust the sensitivity of the analog sticks. I had to turn the analog sensitivity all the way down with Red Baron to make it playable. Red Baron is one game that does not play well with the DPAD.

Yeah, I turned off all the screen and background art as well. Not that it isn't cool, but having the cab art on just makes the playfield screen smaller.

[JayP]

Is Blackwidow/Havoc that much faster? It's been a while since I've played the arcade.

[jamcat]

Hmm, strange. The speed of Black Widow & Major Havoc seem fine to me.

[Shane R. Monroe]

The speed is AT LEAST 2-3x faster. Its basically unplayable

Play'em in MAME. I played Black Widow on an ACTUAL CAB less than a year ago - and MAME is accurate with speed. This horrid port isn't.