Atari's latest stab at nostalgia is a minigame called Atari Mania, which comes to Atari VCS, Nintendo Switch, and the PC this summer.
Atari Mania features a selection of 150 microgames, each of which incorporate beloved Atari classics from the 1970s and 80s. Players serve as caretakers of the Atari Vault, a storehouse of retro titles. When a dead pixel appears in the vault and threatens to destroy the collection, players must save the vault and the history it contains. "Save the past from becoming history," reads a tagline in the trailer. "Be the hero, save Atari history."
The game's WarioWare-style collection of “microgames” span the 50-year history of Atari video games, from Asteroids to Yars’ Revenge. Players embody a number of Atari characters, using their abilities to progress as the microgames increase in difficulty. The company also promises plenty of "classically inspired Atari Easter Eggs."
Atari Mania is developed by Montreal-based game design studio Illogika, which also helped in the development of Cuphead.
“As we celebrate Atari’s 50th Anniversary, Atari Mania gives fans a way to re-engage with their favorite Atari games and characters,” said Atari CEO Wade Rosen. “Atari Mania takes the elements of an Atari classic—incredibly fun, fast-twitch gameplay—and mixes them with the self-referential humor and over-the-top joy of a company celebrating five decades of amazing experiences.”