I’m trying to get my collection together based on my Top 40 list. I’m working on the Taito collections and related games right now, but what about number 2, Stampede. I looked up some stuff, and I’m glad to say, I still have several of the collections the game is included on.
One is Activision Anthology for PS2. It never game to Xbox or GameCube in 2002. Thankfully I still have it.
Another is Activision Hits Remixed for PSP (2006). I also have that.
What I just discovered though is there is a GBA version (2003) with a few extra prototype games on it. I’ll have to get that.
Digitally I have Stampede on Xbox 360’s Game Room. I suppose I could also download it on my phone but that was released in 2012 and who knows what apps still work after so long a time. 8 years is like 80 in the mobile space.
Then there’s always PC, but I’m not doing PC games right now. Maybe it’s not even available anymore anyway since that came out in 2003.
Console copies are the best. Nice cartidges, CDs or UMDs on systems that never become bricks due to outdated operating systems. Something for the shelf too.
Anyway, the PS2 Activision Anthology is very cool. It has a virtual 80s bedroom where you can play 80s songs over the game play and choose virtual cartridges and put them in a virtual Atari 2600. Also, there are new modes you can unlock to make the games harder or more interesting.
I wouldn't mind an Activision collection on Switch or PS4. My favorites were River Raid, Starmaster, and Pitfall II. I'd really like to have the 8-bit version of Pitfall II, which had a whole second cavern to explore with new treasures and enemies after you finished the first cavern.
It's too bad because there are so many great Activision games for 2600. Whenever I get one of Atari's collections it always seems missing half the library.
Solaris is one game that frequently gets left out of Atari collections, though it does appear in some Flashback models, it's not in any of the Atari Flashback collections for Switch/PS4/X1. Solaris's designer, Doug Neubauer (who also designed Star Raiders, Solaris's prequel, as well as Atari's 8-bit POKEY processor), turned out to be more savvy about copyrights than most other designers and made it so that he personally holds the license for Solaris and can decide whether Atari can include it or not.
I guess he's just going to hold on to it and not let anyone play it again. Seems short sighted to me. I'd love to play it.
They have released it in some of the recent Flashback models. I'd just rather have it on the Switch collection.
The Battlezone franchise was sold to Rebellion during another of Atari's periods where they were trying to get out of bankruptcy. Rebellion turned it into some online F2P game, I think.
Weird that they would put it on their console but not on the collection, but maybe as an incentive to get the console.
Activision Anthology is one of the best game collections out there. It even rivals the Namco Museums!
I'm glad I still have it. After all my trading and whatnot, I usually keep my collections.
There's something about having a tangible object. I love that digital only occupies a hard drive but being able to pick something up and look at it adds extra enjoyment.
You never really feel like you own it when it's digital and, in fact, I think you don't own it according to the small print. It's more like licenced to you.