Activision Anthology - PS2 (Atari 2600 Lovers check this out!)
 

I just came across this game, and it looks like something every Atari 2600 lover who has a PS2 should think about getting. On one PS2 disc, for about $30, you can get every (i think) Activision game for the 2600, including 2 that were never even released.

The games:
Boxing, Bridge, Checkers, Dragster, Fishing Derby, Skiing, Freeway, Ice Hockey, Kaboom, Demon Attack, Laser Blast, Tennis, Atlantis, Barnstorming, Chopper Command, Stampede, Grand Prix, Megamania, Pitfall, River Raid, Sky Jinx, Spider Fighter, Star Master, Beamrider, Moonsweeper, Crackpots, Activision Decathlon, Dolphin, Enduro, Frostbite, Keystone Kapers, Oink!, Plaque Attack, Pressure Cooker, Private Eye, Seaquest, Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space, Cosmic Commuter, H.E.R.O., Pitfall II: Lost Caverns, Robot Tank, Title Match Pro Wrestling, Commando, Baseball, Tomcat: The F14 Flight Simulator, River Raid II, and the never before released Kabobber and Thwocker.

I think I'll pick this up. Especially looking forward to Pitfall I and II, River Raid, Kaboom, Laser Blast, Chopper Command, and Megamania.

"We're not kidding. It's the best compilation ever" (IGN)
IGN review here:
http://ps2.ign.com/articles/378/378255p1.html

H.E.R.O.!! I used to play that in my commadore 64 days, must... buy...this..collection.

Stampede!!! I used to love Stampede. Totally forgot about that game... might have to pick this one up for nostalgia's sake.

This will keep me from having to hunt down a 2600, very awesome news! :D

note: activision released a similar set for PS1 called Activision Classics. I have it, and it has all the important games...River Raid, Megamania, Pitfall...about 20 or so i think. should play just fine on your PS2, but it doesn't have all those clever menus which add a lot of value... :rolleyes:

it was a greatest hits title and is about $12 on half.com.

I think it is very dumb that IGN gave them a 1 for graphics, sure they are very primitive and are made up of about 8 colors, but so what they're 20 years old! Meh no biggy, seems like cool stuff though.

This anthology also features some great 80's music (Blondie, Soft Cell and others). There's nothing better than choosing a classic game while listening to Tainted Love. Plus there are a few that were not available before.

I LOVED Kaboom. Hmmm may have to pick this up. But no little wheel controller thingies. damn

Paddle controllers
 

I have played the Activision collection made for the PS1 on my PS2. Kaboom *really* sucks without paddles.

I recently found the 2600 cartridge and plugged it into my 2600. The game still rocks. woo...

Where's the game Joust?

Joust wasn't made by Activision. Try looking for a Midway collection.

Pretty cool--Activision did have some rockin games. That downloadable feature seemed interesting--the two Imagic games they mention, Riddle of the Sphinx and Cosmic Ark, were two of my favorites, but the collection still looks awesome [hey, 80's slang, can't beat that.]
One complaint--Obviously either they or I have been through a time warp: "The primary gaming machine of my parents and grandparents (who are the ones who got me into this crazy hobby in the first place)" ....I am not THAT old, am I? Speak up, I can't hear you....

whoa, dragster one of many games i took a picture of to get those patches they would send you very cool!
best time 5.77 still have the certificate also.

checked my copy this weekend and it has 30 games...all seem to be perfect ports. i mostly just bought it to play pitfall (which wasn't as good as i remember) and river raid (which was).

anyway, i decided to sell mine on half.com after checking the price. if this is the sort of thing you're into, i'd pick up the PS1 version and spend the extra $20 on a greatest hits title like ace combat 4, gran turismo 3, jak and daxter, max payne, or devil may cry...but that's just me.

regards. :)

Notes
 

I just picked this up new for $20.00.

The music is pretty cool, but I wish they had more songs. The songs are:
We're Not Gonna Take It
It's My Life
Mexican Radio
Tainted Love
Walking in LA
The Tide Is High
Always Something There To Remind Me
Puilling Mussels (From A Shell)
Take On Me
Harden My Heart
No More Words
Safety Dance

I guess there are several songs, but they seem to cycle awful fast while playing. Take On Me hath burrowed its way into my brain and won't get out....:)

For me, this is probably the best $20.00 I have spent in a long while.

There are tons of unlockable stuff. I think they have all of the high-score patches (which, thankfully are much easier to earn than the originals), lots o' TV commercials, and weird screen-effect gameplay modes. There might be other stuff that I haven't seen yet. The Activision corporate commerical from '82 was cool. A lot of the quotes had me chuckling. I guess the business *was* positioned well for "the next decade"... hah hah hah.

Does anybody have a list of unlockables and how you get them?

Some random comments:

Dragster is a pain in the 'nads. I never owned this back in the day. After having played it some, I am glad. I don't think I would have enjoyed the level of frustration at the time. It is an addicting challenge now though...

As I suspected, unfortunately Kaboom! DOES SUCK with the PS2 joystick controller. Yuk! Totally unplayable IMO. Why couldn't they have supported a mouse or something for this game?!? Hey, does anybody have a racing wheel and the Anthology? If so, how does Kaboom! play with the wheel? The worst part about the unplayability is that there are two unlockables associated with Kaboom! urgh.

Kabobber (one of the unreleased carts) is *weird*! Interestingly, it was designed by the same guy who did Empire Strikes Back for Parker Brothers.

IMHO this is better than the PS1 Activision Collection. Also, (and I just did a comparison), I think the ports/emulation routines are much better in the Anthology. For example, Stampede on the PS1 had some serious collision detection (i.e. you lassoed a dogie and it wouldn't register) issues whereas it seems absolutely perfect on the PS2. The control response seems smoother/better too, but it could just be me.

Definitely worth my $20.00+tax

where'd you get it for 20?

Yeah, please share the knowledge! :)

Re: Notes
 

Here is a list of unlockables.

I got this for Christmas and it has been in and out of my PS2 ever since. If I didn't also receive NHL 2K3, it would probably stay in my PS2 for a while.

Anthology for the PS2 absolutely mops the floor with Classics for the PSX. No contest. Anthology is a steal at $30; Classics is a rip-off for free. ..

miscellany
 

Regarding the $20.00 cost, I think it might have been dumb luck. I got it at a local Wal-Mart. I was looking through the endcap of $19.82 games and happened to see the Anthology in there. I immediately went to a clerk and asked for the game. It rang up 29.98 or some such, but the clerk got it price corrected (I didn't even have to speak up) to $19.82. I dunno if it was actually supposed to be in there or not (I think not).

Thanks for the list of unlockables. The entry for Boxing is at least a little off. I only scored 58 points (beating the CPU) and unlocked the corporate commerical.

I totally agree with the sentiments of Virex concerning the PSX Classics pack. The ports just aren't right. I have compared some of the original 2600 games (still got one hooked up!!) to the Anthology and Classics. Anthology definitely has the better ports.

This is cool as it will save wear/tear on my 2600. It also helps 'cause I don't have all of the carts included in the Anthology either...hah hah

Are any other Atari games released like this for the ps2? I'd love to see the actual Atari corporate games, and some of the 7800 stuff(Dr. J vs. Bird coming to mind)


And FYI, I found this for 20 bucks at Coconuts, if anyone is still looking.

I want Yar's Revenge!

Wish this would come out for Cube or Box.. :(

No kidding, where's the Xbox version?

Although, I have been thinking about picking up a PS2 also. Would be rather sad if a collection of 20+ year old games was the determining factor... :)

:lol: That would rock.

I've got a few games in mind for PS2.. nothing worth the system alone, but once that game does come out I at least have a few other titles to pick up with it.