Play old Atari games at the new Atari.com
by Randy Nelson 
{ Nov 24th 2009 at 5:00AM } 
Atari has a new website. We know -- big deal, right? Actually, in this case it's worth checking out if you're a fan of the company's classic arcade and console games. That's because the site is offering up free-to-play browser-based versions of Adventure and Yar's Revenge for the Atari 2600 and the legendary coin-ops Battlezone, Crystal Castles and Lunar Lander.
The site's Arcade page is at this link, should you not want to risk an encounter with dreaded marketing materials on your way to the good stuff. Remember: If your boss catches you blowing up vector tanks and space rocks while you're on the clock, you didn't hear about the site from us.
The site's Arcade page is at this link, should you not want to risk an encounter with dreaded marketing materials on your way to the good stuff. Remember: If your boss catches you blowing up vector tanks and space rocks while you're on the clock, you didn't hear about the site from us.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Taren @ Nov 24th 2009 5:21AM
Ice Hockey for the 2600 was epic. I burned so many hours of my life playing that.
captainprotonx @ Nov 24th 2009 9:02AM
"Epic" wasn't around back then.
I think you mean "rad".
Ben @ Nov 24th 2009 1:32PM
Technically “epic” is used in the past tense, therefore making his statement true. “Ice hockey for the 2600 IS epic,” would have made your statement correct.
Spike (GT: SitriStahl) @ Nov 24th 2009 6:08AM
when do we get to play E.T.? i missed out on that game, since i wasn't alive yet, but i heard great things about it, and that title screen looks great
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 24th 2009 9:15AM
Why not just
Step 1: Buy a shovel
Step 2: Go to New Mexico
Step 3: Start digging at site of old landfill
Step 4: Find buried, new copy of ET
Step 5: ????
Step 6: Play ET for five minutes, then return it to the pit from whence it came...
You won't like this game. People thought it was crap in the 80's...
Spike (GT: SitriStahl) @ Nov 24th 2009 2:48PM
the thing is, my atari isn't functioning, it is more a decoration in my room
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Nov 24th 2009 3:13PM
*sigh* I assure you, you would enjoy punching yourself in the dick for an hour straight while staring at a screen shot of the game more than playing it.
Spike (GT: SitriStahl) @ Nov 24th 2009 4:34PM
i'm surprised nobody noticed that i wasn't being at all serious
GreeD @ Nov 24th 2009 7:23AM
Why would you wanna play old atari games,.......earnestly?
You'd play for like 5minutes and get bored.
Chilly Willy @ Nov 24th 2009 7:45AM
It's called nostalgia. I grew up with the 2600 and Adventure and Yar's Revenge were two of my absolute favorite games growing up.
GreeD @ Nov 24th 2009 9:09AM
I dunno , if you really want that nostalgia why not re-buy the system(if you can).
An emulator can't come close to the feeling of playing the game on the actual hardware.
Foetoid @ Nov 24th 2009 9:27AM
Its going to be near impossible to find and buy a working Atari 2600 with games. And this way its free. The Atari 2600 was my first gaming console, i was 2 yrs old. Yars Revenge was a favourite as was some game about a Sphinx (probably called Sphinx lol). Fond memories!
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 24th 2009 9:32AM
Hard to find, yes, but not impossible. I picked mine up at a thrift store with no controllers for 10 bucks.
But considering it uses the same Mini-DIN 9 ports as Genesis controllers...
Just get rid of the switchbox and it's good times.
killdash9 @ Nov 24th 2009 3:24PM
Not just nostalgia. Some of us actually like the classics. I can't really claim nostalgia, as the first time I played Adventure was only a few years ago, and I thought it was incredibly primitive . . . but then I played it more and decided, "You know what? Primitive as it is, it has all the basic elements for a fun adventure game." And now, it's probably my favorite 2600 game. I don't have a classic Vader or woodgrain, but I have an Atari Flashback 2, whose sticks are near-replicas (but better!) of the originals, and I have the Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! CD-ROM, along with a newly acquired USB replica Atari 2600 joystick. As for Atari's arcade classics, not only do I have them on that CD-ROM collection, but I also have a multi-game arcade cabinet (not a MAME cab, but it has dozens of *licensed* classic titles on it), complete with arcade-quality sticks, buttons, spinner, and trackball. So . . . I'd say I don't really need to use the new Atari.com. But, I'm happy to see it keeping the faith.
killdash9 @ Nov 24th 2009 3:22PM
Not just nostalgia. Some of us actually like the classics. I can't really claim nostalgia, as the first time I played Adventure was only a few years ago, and I thought it was incredibly primitive . . . but then I played it more and decided, "You know what? Primitive as it is, it has all the basic elements for a fun adventure game." And now, it's probably my favorite 2600 game. I don't have a classic Vader or woodgrain, but I have an Atari Flashback 2, whose sticks are near-replicas (but better!) of the originals, and I have the Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! CD-ROM, along with a newly acquired USB replica Atari 2600 joystick. As for Atari's arcade classics, not only do I have them on that CD-ROM collection, but I also have a multi-game arcade cabinet (not a MAME cab, but it has dozens of *licensed* classic titles on it), complete with arcade-quality sticks, buttons, spinner, and trackball. So . . . I'd say I don't really need to use the new Atari.com. But, I'm happy to see it keeping the faith.
horngreen @ Nov 24th 2009 5:04PM
I never understood why they never made a collection that could be played in multiplayer over LIVE or PSN. Combat, Space War etc would have been great online. Sure it wouldn't knock COD out of the top spot but since most of the people who remember these games are older we don't tend to have friends over to play video games. Combat by yourself is lame as hell, believe me I tried as a kid!
Anti-Villian @ Nov 24th 2009 8:24AM
because my boss loves it when I'm browsing joystiq, productivity and moral increase 100%
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith-ATDF Co-Founder @ Nov 24th 2009 8:35AM
I think I'll just stick to using the real hardware.
Elranzer @ Nov 24th 2009 10:43AM
I'll stick to emulators.
Katana Master @ Nov 24th 2009 3:19PM
I'll stick to... I have nothing =[
+SAM+ @ Nov 24th 2009 10:02AM
Sweet, if they add some more games and 2 player I know what site some friends and I will have bookmarked.
Deathlizard @ Nov 24th 2009 10:10AM
Hmm. I wonder if they will get worlords on this. that was an awesome game.
Rhamsey @ Nov 24th 2009 10:58AM
I have posted something 20mins ago, but I got held up playing Battlezone. God I love that game.
whylekat @ Nov 24th 2009 11:04AM
Yess ! Retro gaming!
Speaking of.. Anyone living in NYC/Long Island should check out Barcade in Williamsburg. Best bar everr!! 3 player Rampage! 720! Marble Madness! So many good classic! All only a quarter! Love that place hahaha.
BananaBoat @ Nov 24th 2009 12:27PM
I used to play the hell out of the PC version of Battlezone. I'll have to go see if it holds up.
Ralph @ Nov 24th 2009 12:45PM
My family had E.T. when I was growing and we actually liked the game.
I always fell into a pit.
Marco le Polo @ Nov 24th 2009 1:35PM
The pic was an Atari game!? I had Battlezone for Windows 3.1 and does anybody remember Wing Commander?
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Nov 24th 2009 3:15PM
MARCO!
Marco le Polo @ Nov 24th 2009 3:20PM
For some reason I think this is Jeremy...I can't think of anyone else who I know that would be on Joystiq.
But how the crap?
Marco le Polo @ Nov 24th 2009 3:28PM
Never mind, I can see you've posted 141 times in Joystiq Xbox and only 5 times in Joystiq PlayStation. The Jeremy I know would have it opposite. In fact I don't know anyone who would have posted that many times in Joystiq Xbox.
killdash9 @ Nov 24th 2009 3:29PM
I don't know either of you, but in college, I used to have "Dalek Supreme" as a handle. EXTERMINATE!
Daniel @ Nov 24th 2009 1:35PM
Battlezone! I used to play that all the time!
ChuckBartowski (ATDF Technical Consultant) @ Nov 24th 2009 3:57PM
Pshhh... ive still got my atari.
NeoX360 @ Nov 24th 2009 4:40PM
Is it just my ISP or is the atari.com site slow an taking for ever to load and or timing out? I guess maybe they need better hosting or servers/internet connection to keep up with the demand...
Powerlord @ Nov 24th 2009 5:34PM
I was hoping for Gauntlet to be on there.
...now that I think about it, did Gauntlet ever make it to an Atari console? If not, there's a certain humor there... an Atari game that never made it to an Atari console.
Curt @ Nov 28th 2009 8:37AM
You want to enjoy these in the best possible way? Try picking up one of these USB joysticks here:
http://www.legacyengineer.com/storefront
Then go into the Support Link and download the joy2key utility and it will allow you to map the joystick to work like a keyboard, set it up to use the arrow keys and spacebar as a fire button and now you can play everything from Adventure to Battlezone with an authentic feeling Atari type USB joystick to play those Atari classic games - what a perfect combination!!!