Atari Vault

Atari Vault is a collection of one hundred video games that Atari had produced for arcade cabinets and its Atari 2600 home console system, dating from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The collection was developed by Code Mystics, who had helmed similar collections of Atari games to other platforms, to work on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux via the Steam client. The games, where possible, have been updated to include modern-day features such as local and online multiplayer and online leaderboards.

Atari Vault
Developer(s)Code Mystics
Publisher(s)Atari
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
  • NA: March 24, 2016
Linux
  • NA: May 26, 2016
macOS
  • NA: March 16, 2017

Games and updates

The games included in the collection include Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Tempest, and Warlords.[1][2] The collection includes a mix of arcade and Atari 2600 titles, including several titles released in both formats.[3] The list of games also includes a number of titles that had been in development for the Atari 2600 but never were formally released as Atari 2600 but were found and distributed later in other Atari game collections such as the Atari Flashback.

The full list of games included is:

Game Original System Year of Release
3-D Tic-Tac-ToeAtari 26001979
AdventureAtari 26001979
Air-Sea BattleAtari 26001977
AsteroidsAtari 26001981
AsteroidsArcade1979
Asteroids DeluxeArcade1981
BackgammonAtari 26001979
Basic MathAtari 26001977
BasketballAtari 26001978
Black WidowArcade1982
BlackjackAtari 26001977
BowlingAtari 26001979
Brain GamesAtari 26001978
BreakoutAtari 26001978
Canyon BomberAtari 26001978
CasinoAtari 26001978
CentipedeAtari 26001982
CentipedeArcade1980
Championship Soccer[lower-alpha 1]Atari 26001980
CheckersAtari 26001980
ChessAtari 26001979
Circus AtariAtari 26001980
CodebreakerAtari 26001978
CombatAtari 26001977
Combat 2Atari 2600N/A[lower-alpha 2]
ConcentrationAtari 26001978
Crystal CastlesAtari 26001983
Crystal CastlesArcade1983
Demons to DiamondsAtari 26001982
Desert FalconAtari 26001987
Dodge 'EmAtari 26001980
Double DunkAtari 26001989
Fatal RunAtari 26001990
Flag CaptureAtari 26001978
FootballAtari 26001978
GolfAtari 26001980
GravitarAtari 26001983
GravitarArcade1982
HangmanAtari 26001978
Haunted HouseAtari 26001982
HomerunAtari 26001978
Human CannonballAtari 26001979
LiberatorArcade1982
Lunar LanderArcade1979
Major HavocArcade1983
Maze CrazeAtari 26001978
MillipedeAtari 26001984
MillipedeArcade1982
Miniature GolfAtari 26001979
Missile CommandAtari 26001981
Missile CommandArcade1980
Night DriverAtari 26001978
Off the WallAtari 26001989
Outlaw (video game)Atari 26001978
PongArcade1972
QuadrunAtari 26001983
RaceAtari 26001977
Radar LockAtari 26001989
RealSports BaseballAtari 26001982
RealSports BasketballAtari 2600N/A[lower-alpha 3]
RealSports BoxingAtari 26001987
RealSports FootballAtari 26001982
RealSports SoccerAtari 26001983
RealSports TennisAtari 26001983
RealSports VolleyballAtari 26001982
Red BaronArcade1980
Return to Haunted HouseAtari 2600N/A[lower-alpha 4]
Save MaryAtari 2600N/A[lower-alpha 5]
Secret QuestAtari 26001989
SentinelAtari 26001990
Sky DiverAtari 26001978
Slot MachineAtari 26001979
Slot RacersAtari 26001978
Space DuelArcade1982
Space WarAtari 26001978
Sprint 2Arcade1976
Sprint MasterAtari 26001988
Star RaidersAtari 26001982
Star ShipAtari 26001977
SteeplechaseAtari 26001980
Stellar TrackAtari 26001981
Street RacerAtari 26001977
Stunt CycleArcade1976
Submarine CommanderAtari 26001982
Super BaseballAtari 26001988
Super BreakoutArcade1982
Super BreakoutAtari 26001978
Super FootballAtari 26001988
SurroundAtari 26001977
Sword Quest EarthworldAtari 26001982
Sword Quest FireworldAtari 26001983
Sword Quest WaterworldAtari 26001983
TempestAtari 2600N/A[lower-alpha 6]
TempestArcade1981
Video CubeAtari 26001982
Video OlympicsAtari 26001977
Video PinballAtari 26001980
WarlordsAtari 26001981
WarlordsArcade1980
Yars' RevengeAtari 26001982

Code Mystics handled the port, previously having developed the Atari Greatest Hits series for the Nintendo DS, a similar collection of games updated for a modern system.[4] For Atari Vault, they have worked to ensure that the games in this title would be considered the definitive modern versions, according to developer Matthew Labunka. They spent time to obtain fine details on the look and presentation, such as getting digital imagery of the arcade cabinet art to present alongside the game screen.[3] The updated versions will be running the original games' ROM image, wrapped into an emulator made in the Unity 5 game engine.[3] In addition to original settings that were normally available to arcade players, the player can access options that were limited to the arcade cabinet operator, such as difficulty and length of a single play session.[3] Art and related materials are also available for each game for the player to review.[3]

Where possible, the games have been updated to include both local and online multiplayer, and games use Steam-based score leaderboards. The games have been tuned to use the Steam controller, enabling precise controls for the games, particularly for games that used trackball input devices, like Centipede.[1] Code Mystics worked with Valve to fine-tune controller profiles for various games before release.[3]

Notes

  1. Originally released as Pele's Soccer
  2. The original game though announced in 1982 was cancelled, but its code had existed and was formally released on the Atari Flashback 2 console in 2005 and other collections since.
  3. RealSports Basketball was developed but never released for the Atari 2600, though would be included in future Atari collections.
  4. An unofficial sequel to Haunted House first included on the Atari Flashback
  5. Save Mary was developed but never released for the Atari 2600, but would be included in Atari collections in the future.
  6. Tempest had been in development for the Atari 2600 but was not released on the system; the unfinished port was discovered much later and completed, and released as part of other Atari game collections from 2013.
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References

  1. Kohler, Chris (January 21, 2016). "Steam's Atari Vault Package Brings Back 100 Classic Games". Wired. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  2. Petty, Jared (March 22, 2016). "ATARI VAULT REVEALS 100 GAME COLLECTION". IGN. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  3. Muncy, Jake (February 3, 2016). "ATARI VAULT BRINGS BACK THE CLASSICS FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME". Wired. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  4. Cork, Jeff (January 22, 2016). "Atari Bringing More Than 100 Classics To Steam In New Vault Collection". Game Informer. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
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