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Nov 1, 2021 · Here are ten innovations and ideas that Atari pioneered. Each one made a unique impact on the 21st century video game universe. 1. Atari made console design matter. Take a moment and soak in the ...
- Scott Bernberg
Oct 11, 2024 · Arcade games surged in popularity during the 1980s, becoming a cornerstone of entertainment for a generation. This era is often considered the golden age of arcade gaming, with iconic titles like Pac-Man and Space Invaders captivating players. The technological advancements of the time, including improved graphics and sound, helped create ...
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Mar 3, 2021 · It was a driving force in the creation and evolution of the video game industry as we know it today. From introducing the first commercially successful video game to bringing arcade-quality entertainment into homes, Atari's innovations laid the groundwork for the multi-billion dollar gaming industry we see today.
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Long before the Nintendo Switch or the PlayStation 5, video games took a much simpler form. Atari was a pioneer in American gaming that shaped childhood memories and future gaming consoles alike.
While it may not necessarily have been the “golden age” of gaming, the Atari days helped make what the gaming world is today, experts and former Atari diehards say.
"I don’t know if I’d say it was the golden age, and I might reserve that for when the Nintendo Entertainment System came out and took gaming to the next level, but I‘d definitely say that the Atari days kicked it off," said Chris Spear, the host of the podcast, Chefs Without Restaurants, in an email interview with Lifewire.
The original Atari was founded in 1972 and was known for arcade coin-op games and home video game consoles like the Atari 2600: a console where you could swap out different games to play (an entirely new concept at the time).
Asteroids, Combat (which technically had 27 games in one), Crystal Castles, and Space Invaders all were Atari staples in its hey-day. The people behind these games were always trying to experiment with new ideas and new concepts.
Michael Albaugh worked in the coin-op division at Atari from 1976-2000, where he was involved with games like Pool Shark, Ultra Tank, and Atari Football.
"It was interesting because there were a whole lot of things that we were trying there," he told Lifewire in a phone interview. "We would put games out on a field test to watch players react to gaming."
"I did a bit of work on a game I think should have been produced that was a game called Beat Head that I took over from Bonnie Smithson," he said. "Someone described [the game] as head-to-head Q*bert."
Beat Head was a multiplayer prototype game where players had to jump on all of their specific colored tiles before their opponent did. Ultimately, Atari’s field tests didn’t work out with the game.
For those who only know Atari from the games they played, the mention of “Atari” conjures up memories of playing video games with friends at a young age.
"I have fond memories of sitting on the floor in friends' basements playing Real Sports Baseball," John Frigo, the digital marketing lead at My Supplement Store, wrote to Lifewire in an email. "I enjoyed the simplicity of Atari being able to pick up a controller and instantly know how to play a game and pick it up right away."
Even today, the Atari ways of gaming are still very much alive for some.
I‘d definitely say that the Atari days kicked it off.
"To this day, Raiders of the Lost Ark for the [Atari] 2600 is probably the hardest game to beat," Spear said.
What players miss about Atari games was the old-school gaming style and memories of playing a game surrounded by friends.
- Craig Grannell
- Breakout (1976) Designed by Steve Wozniak (later of Apple fame), who was duly ripped off by Steve Jobs (also later of Apple fame) over development bonuses, Breakout is one-player Pong.
- Asteroids (1979) Arriving a year after Space Invaders, Asteroids made Taito’s title look archaic. In place of doddering and chunky foes was a field of asteroids you blasted to smithereens – and a sneaky saucer determined to turn you into so much space dust.
- Battlezone (1980) One of the earliest first-person shooters, Battlezone plonked you in a tank and had you roam the landscape looking for other tanks to destroy.
- Centipede (1980) Another title that reimagined Space Invaders, Centipede’s wormy foes sped across the screen, inconveniently breaking in two when you shot them.
Nov 29, 2023 · Published on Nov. 29, 2023. Follow Atari. Atari has been considered a retro brand for decades now, but it hasn't always leaned into that designation. While licensed T-shirts and plug-and-play ...
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Jun 1, 2021 · Game developers flocked to the pioneering platform, churning out new titles. But most games developed for Atari were not Pac-Man-level quality, and that ultimately led to the platform’s demise. New research from Maryland Smith pinpoints the best strategies for today’s platforms to curate lots of high-quality content and avoid Atari’s fate.
