(Note:
A version of this review was posted before our database crash. However,
it's been completely re-written, expanded, and clarified, as the source has been
lost forever!)
The package for the Atari 10-in-1 has the following tagline:
"Experience a blast from your PARENTS' past!" Holy crap.
I'm not that old! We'll just pretend we didn't see that.
The Atari 10-in-1 Joystick looks
like the perfect "all-in-one" system - 10 classic Atari games, a
sturdy joystick base, and only one cable coming out of the unit (to connect to
the TV). The unit is powered by batteries, which seem to last forever.
The 10-in-1 is very portable - it'll give you a chance to show your buddies the wonders of a classic Atari 2600
system (in the comfort of their own home!), with no risk to your collectible system, and no
mess to pack up.
The controller is solidly constructed, and feels almost exactly like the
classic Atari joystick (just a bit thicker). This is the top selling point
of the system - I dare you to look at that controller for more than a minute and
then say "nah, I don't need one of those." The pangs of nostalgia are
almost painful.
But are looks everything? Unfortunately, no - the biggest complaint
that I have about the unit is that there are
only ten games included. Given that Jakk's has released systems with only
5, or even only a few variations on one game, the Atari 10-in-1 seems
downright generous. Still, I have to say that 10 isn't enough here.
In contrast, check out the Intellivision
25 - it's the same price, higher quality games, and more of them.
Admittedly though, nostalgia carries a premium price, as everyone is intimately
aware of Atari's games, but not so much for Intellivision (*cough*get the
Intellivision!*cough*).
The 10 games included with the joystick are good, but reveal some disappointments
and pass over some (I think) more obvious choices. Here's what comes with
the unit: Asteroids, Pong, Circus Atari, Yar's Revenge, Missile Command, Gravitar,
Adventure, Volleyball, Centipede, and Breakout. There are some obvious
losers here, with the biggest disappointment being Breakout. In case
you're not aware, Breakout was really meant to be played with a Paddle
Controller. Without the right controller for Breakout, it feels jerky,
unresponsive, and unfair - the ball moves faster than you can respond at times
(again, because of the joystick). Volleyball is another worthless add-on,
not simply because it's a bad game, but also because Jakk's passed over tons of
great games to include this dog.
The winners of the collection are Yar's Revenge (a GREAT game which needs
more attention), Missile Command, Asteroids, and Adventure. For me, Circus
Atari played really well (despite the lack of a Paddle Controller) and my
friends loved it. Hopefully, you've played these games, but if not, there
are a set of instructions that you can read before you get into the game screen.
Documentation is always a plus, because a quick 'refresher course' is sometimes
needed on games like Gravitar.
When I showed the 10-in-1 to my friend, I swear to you, the first words out
of his mouth were "Sweet - let's play Space Invaders!" Of
course, that's not a game for the system. I can name a ton of games that
should have been included. Among the forgotten many:
- Ms. Pac Man
- Space Invaders
- Enduro
- Pole Position
- Combat
- Warlords
I'm going to stop there, because just looking through my personal collection
reveals at least a dozen games that should have been included. Not to
mention the tons of second and third party titles that are missing from the
list. A bit of cross-licensing work would have done wonders here (Imagic
and Activision especially), even if it meant that the console needed to be sold
for more money. If this system had double or triple the games, and the
right selection of games, I can honestly say that I would have bought more than
one (one for upstairs and one for downstairs), even if the system had cost more.
We'll have to see how that new Atari Classics system fares with its 35 games.
In the end, the Atari 10-in-1 looks like a Shelby Cobra Mustang, but feels
more like a Peugeot. Not bad, it works, but it could have been so much
better. I expect that the system will provide a good distraction, but
won't be actively played in your house after a week or two.
I give the 10-in-1 a 7/10 - form over function, unfortunately.