Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1
From Sega Retro
Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1 is a compilation of various classic arcade games created by Atari, Inc. It was brought to the Sega Saturn by Digital Eclipse and Midway Games.
Contents
Gameplay
From the game select menu, pressing loads the selected game, pressing
opens its extras, and pressing
opens its options. The game includes multiple videos about the history of Atari and about every game except Super Breakout.
After loading a game, pressing START at any point raises a menu allowing the players to exit back to the main menu, reset the emulator, switch to another game without returning to the menu, or save the high scores to the Saturn's internal memory.
The game has analog controls in Centipede, Missile Command, and Super Breakout when played with a Mission Stick. This analog mode does not work on the 3D Control Pad.
Missile Command (1980) | |
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The player controls a targeting crosshair that aims friendly missiles from the ground, while enemy missiles continually rain from the sky. Friendly missiles are fired from three turrets at the bottom of the screen. The player can move the cursor using the D-Pad and fire missiles with ![]() ![]() ![]() The player has four cities that must be defended from the falling missiles. A level ends when all of the enemy's missiles are destroyed or hit their targets. At most three cities can be lost during a single level, and the player is given bonus cities every 10,000 points, which can be used to replace destroyed ones (or kept in reserve and automatically deployed as needed). The player is awarded points based on how many cities were successfully defended and how many enemy targets were shot down. There are options to change the number of starting cities (4, 5, 6, or 7) and how often bonus cities are awarded (8,000, 10,000, 12,000, 14,000, 15,000, 18,000, or 20,000 points or never). | |
Tempest (1981) | |
The game takes place staring down a three-dimensional surface (rendered with vector graphics), divided into multiple lanes. The player controls a blaster that can move along the surface on its edge by pressing ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The blaster is destroyed if it is hit by an enemy. The player starts the game with three lives, and extra lives are awarded at certain score intervals. The player can choose the starting level (1, 3, 5, 7, or 9). There are options to change the number of starting lives (2, 3, 4, or 5), how often extra lives are awarded (between 10,000 and 70,000 points in intervals of 10,000 points or never), the difficulty level (Easy, Medium, or Hard), and the minimum rating range (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or variable and tied to high score). | |
Asteroids (1979) | |
The player controls a spaceship in an asteroid field. The object of the game is to shoot and destroy the asteroids and flying saucers that fly by while avoiding being hit by either. The spaceship starts the level fixed to the center of the screen but can rotate around with ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The spaceship shoots by pressing The spaceship is destroyed if it is hit by an asteroid or a flying saucer. The player starts the game with three ships, and extra ships are awarded every 10,000 points earned. There is an option to change the number of starting ships (3 or 4). | |
Battlezone (1980) | |
The player controls a tank in a 3D environment (rendered with vector graphics). The player can move the tank around the landscape to locate enemies, which include other tanks and missiles. The object of each level is to eliminate all enemies. A radar on the top of the screen scans the area and marks nearby enemies with dots. In the original arcade game, the left tread and the right tread are controlled separately with two levers, as in a real tank. In this port, there are two control schemes, one-handed and two-handed.
The one-handed scheme (used by default) has simplified movement controls where the tank turns with In the two-handed scheme, the left tread moves forward by holding The tank is destroyed if it is hit by an enemy. The player starts the game with three tanks, and extra tanks are awarded at 15,000 and 100,000 points earned. There are options to change the number of starting tanks (2, 3, 4, or 5), how often extra lives are awarded (5,000, 10,000, 20,000, or 30,000 points), and the difficulty level (Easy or Hard). | |
Centipede (1981) | |
The player controls a spaceship that must destroy a centipede made up of several ball-shaped pieces crawling down from the top of the screen. The spaceship can move anywhere horizontally but only within a limited area vertically. The player moves using the D-Pad and shoots with ![]() ![]() ![]() Spiders occasionally appear. The player loses a life and the centipede reforms if the spaceship is hit by either a centipede or a spider. The spider can be destroyed for bonus points. There are options to change the number of starting lives (2, 3, 4, or 5), the score required for the first extra tank (15,000, 25,000, 50,000 points or never), and the score at which missiles first appear (10,000, 12,000, 15,000, or 20,000 points). | |
Super Breakout (1978) | |
The player controls a paddle that can move with ![]() ![]() ![]() At the start of the game, the player can cycle between three different game modes by pressing
There is an option to change the number of starting balls (3 or 5). |
History
Even though this compilation was produced by Midway, who owned Atari Games at this point, the games were licensed from Atari Corporation which retained ownership of Atari, Inc.'s games after it had split into two companies in 1984. This was one of the few times the two Ataris associated with each other.
Production credits
- Developed by Digital Eclipse Software, Inc.
- Programming: Dan Filner
- Executive Producer: Andrew Ayre
- Arcade Hardware Gurus: Jeff Vavasour, Tod Frye
- Game Sound Processing: Doug Jefferys, John Kowalski, Dave Larson
- Cinematics and Animation: Midnight Design
- History and Video Interviews: Chris Charla
- Additional Artwork: Image Impressions, Sue Ayre
- Video Editing: Flying Rhino Productions
- Audio Editing: Earwax Productions
- History Narration: Sandy Mahoney
- Archivist: Sean Kelly
- Extra Special Thanks: Ed Logg, Dave Theurer, Ed Rotberg, George and Peter Phillips, Sue Urbanski, John Delaplaine, Boyd Burggrabe, Larry DeMar, Mike Albaugh, Keith Feinstein, Gregg Woodcock, David Borlo
- Vice President of Development: Bill Hindorff
- Produced by: Wallace Poulter
- Testing Manager: Mike Kruse
- Atari Games Testing Leads: Jesse Meza II, Jose Amparan, Randy Slafsky
- Atari Games Testers: Todd Papy, David Ortiz, Donald Gavino, Kevin Dines, Pablo Buitrago, Matt Gilbert, C.J. Perez, Rob Reininger, Joseph Magome
- Special Thanks to: Debra Heinz, Debbie Austin, Deborah Fulton, Ed Logg, Greg Allen, Brian Fritts
- Game Design and Programming: Ed Logg
- Game Design Contribution: Lyle Rains
- Engineer: Howie Delamn
- Technician: Paul Manucso
- Game Design and Programming: Ed Rotberg
- Project Leader: Morgan Hoff
- Hardware Engineer: Jed Margolin
- Technician: Doug Snyder
- Game Design and Programming: Ed Logg, Donna Bailey
- Game Design Contribution: Dan Van Elderen
- Technician: Dave Wiebenson
- Game Designer and Lead Programmer: Dave Theurer
- Assistant Programmer: Rich Adam
- Project Leader: Steve Calfee
- Hardware Engineer: Dave Sherman
- Technician: Mary Pepper
- Programming: Ed Logg
- Original Concept: Owen Rubin, Nolan Bushnell
- Technician: Steve Ehret
- Game Designer and Programmer: Dave Theurer
- Project Leader: Morgan Hoff
- Hardware Engineer: Sam Lee
- Technician: Doug Snyder
- Mathbox Microcode: Jed Margolin
- Midway is a registered trademark of Williams Electronics Games, Inc.
- Arcade's Greatest Hits is a trademark of Midway Home Entertainment, Inc.
- Asteroids Copyright © 1979, 1996, Battlezone Copyright © 1980, 1996, Centipede Copyright © 1980, 1996, Missile Command Copyright ©1980, 1996, Super Breakout Copyright © 1978, 1996, Tempest Copyright © 1980, 1996 Atari Games Inc. All rights reserved. Used under license.
- Digital Arcade (tm) Emulation Software Copyright 1996 Digital Eclipse Software Inc.
- Digital Eclipse and the Digital Eclipse Logo are trademarks of Digital Eclipse Software, Inc.
- Andrew Ayre: Andrew served as Executive Producer of Arcade's Greatest Hits™: The Atari Collection 1 and is President of Digital Eclipse Software.
- Dan Fliner: Dan was the Lead Programmer on Arcade's Greatest Hits™: The Atari Collection 1. When Dan isn't programming, he's usually on inline skates!
- Doug Jefferys, John Kowalski & Dave Larson: These gentlemen were responsible for reproducing the original game sounds.
- Chris Charla: Chris conducted the interviews in the game history.
- Flying Rhino Productions: Flying Rhino Productions provided digital post-production on the video interviews.
- Earwax Productions: Earwax Productions provided production on the narrative.
- Sandy Mahoney: Narrator
- Midnight Design: Midnight Design provided original computer-generated animation.
- Sue Ayre & Image Impressions: Provided additional still artwork.
- V.P. of Product Development: Bill Hindorff
- Producer: Wallace Poulter
- Testing Manager: Mike Kruse
- Lead Testers: Jose Amparan, Jesse Meza I & Shubrian Butler
- Testers: Todd Papy, David Ortiz, Randy Slafsky, Alex Beran, Matt Gilbert, Pablo Buitrago, C.J. Perez, Donald Gavino, Kevin Dines & Rob Reininger
- Special Thanks: Howard Lehr, Debra Heinz, Greg Allen, Brian Fritts and Finn Jensen - Manager of the Scandia Family Center in Suisun, Ca.
- Special Thanks to the Original Atari Team Members: Ed Rotberg, Ed Logg & Dave Theurer
- Print Design and Production: Debra Austin, Jon Mongelluzzo, Shawn Murphy, Robert Shepherd, Erin Shems & Dave Young
- Special Thanks: Deborah Fulton, Don Knapp & Bruce Adams
Magazine articles
Physical scans
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
62 | |
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Based on 5 reviews |
Technical information
External links
- Sega of America webpage: Saturn
References
- ↑ http://riehlspot.simplenet.com/vgame/new/saturn.html (Wayback Machine: 1999-02-21 17:22)
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "March 1998" (UK; 1998-02-11), page 45
- ↑ Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1998-06-29), page 20
- ↑ http://centromail.es:80/nuevo/consolas/sat.asp (Wayback Machine: 1998-04-30 18:14)
- ↑ File:Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits The Atari Collection 1 Saturn credits.pdf
- ↑ File:AGHACV1 sat us manual.pdf, page 18
- ↑ Game Informer, "October 1997" (US; 1997-xx-xx), page 66
- ↑ MAN!AC, "07/98" (DE; 1998-06-03), page 73
- ↑ Sega Magazin, "September 1998" (DE; 1998-08-05), page 15
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "May 1998" (UK; 1998-04-15), page 62
- ↑ Video Games, "6/98" (DE; 1998-05-27), page 98
Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1 | |
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Main page | Comparisons | Development | Magazine articles | Reception | Technical information |
Midway, Williams and Atari compilations for Sega systems | |
---|---|
Arcade Smash Hits (1992) | |
Arcade Classics (1996) | Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits (1996) | |
Arcade Classics (1996) | |
Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits (1996) | Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1 (1997) | |
Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 1 (2000) | Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 2 (2000) | Atari Anniversary Edition (2001) | Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 3 (unreleased) |
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