Atari

Asteroids Gunner blasts onto iPhone

Asteroids Gunner was released by Atari today in the iTunes App Store, taking some cues from the company's arcade classic, Asteroids, and adding contemporary gaming mechanics that might make it a hit for iOS gamers.

When I think of the classic arcade games of old, the titles that pop into my head are games like Pac-Man, Defender, Galaga, and Asteroids, among many others. You can still find many of these games using emulation software on desktops or purchase them in newer iOS collections like Atari's Greatest Hits. But today Atari released a sequel to Asteroids (first released in 1979) called Asteroids Gunner, and it has just the right mix of action and contemporary gameplay elements to make it a must-have for those who like old arcade hits.… Read more

Intel's newest lands in an old standard: Commodore 64

Apple surprised many when it introduced quad-core processors into its MacBook line for the first time in February. But a Commodore 64 packing quad-core?

For the uninitiated, the Commodore 64 Keyboard PC was introduced back in 1982 packing a MOS Technology 6510 1MHz (yes, that's one megahertz) chip running the Commodore kernal accessed via BASIC commands.

That model competed with the Apple II and Atari computers.

Well, a lot has changed in 30 years. After resurrecting the Commodore name in April of 2010, the company came out with an Intel Atom-based design in April of this year. That's … Read more

Wanted: A game controller as diverse as the iPad (the Atari Arcade, reviewed)

We said it before. We'll say it again. Louder, this time.

It's time for an iPad game controller.

And not just a joystick novelty like the Ion iCade or the Atari Arcade, both of them intriguing but incredibly limited ways of going retro. The Atari Arcade Powered by Duo, a joystick accessory made by Discovery Bay Games, has a joystick, four buttons, and a 30-pin connector. However, it only works with the Atari Greatest Hits collection of 100 Atari 2600 and old, old-school arcade games. The iCade, a far larger assemble-yourself cabinet, is compatible with a handful of other motley games plus Atari's app, and that's it.

It's clear something else is needed.

EA and 2K Sports are already experimenting with iPhone-as-controller: both FIFA 12 and NBA 2K12 have downloadable apps that turn a local iPhone or iPod Touch into a multibutton controller. That's hardly a solution: the touch controls are no easier to find and use than the iPad's onscreen virtual buttons--in fact, they're even harder to locate when the iPhone in question is being held in your lap. The solution is simple. … Read more

Crave 56: Midi-chlorians vs. MIDI accordions (podcast)

This week, Donald and Eric discuss the future of mind-controlled televisions, and an iPad joystick that looks like Atari's vision of the future from the '80s. The horror of the MIDI accordion is revealed for what it is. And in Geek News, Donald and Eric sum up the unforgivable digital vandalism George Lucas has wrought on his masterpiece.

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Atari joystick goes all retro on your iPad

The Ion Audio iCade, which came out earlier this year, gives your iPad that good old-fashioned game feel that takes you back to when you skipped class to drop quarters at the local arcade. There's no denying that the iCade is nifty, but the $99 price tag is a bit of a turn-off.

That's why retro gamers are getting excited about the upcoming Atari Arcade Duo Powered Joystick. It's designed to work with the Atari's Greatest Hits iPad app, which features 100 classic Atari and arcade games.

The Atari joystick isn't as fancy as the iCade, but it should be cheaper. The iPad simply docks into a slot at the top, rather than use Bluetooth like the iCade. The controller part of the device has a simple pattern with four buttons and a joystick.

Details are sketchy so far. All we know is that the Atari Arcade Duo Powered Joystick is supposed to be available soon at retailers like Target and Toys "R" Us.

If you haven't been able to tear yourself away from Centipede or Asteroids or simply want to relive the Atari glory days of your childhood, then you can add this gadget to your gaming wish list.… Read more

Hands-on with the iCade, a vintage arcade cabinet for your iPad

It started life as an April Fool's prank on ThinkGeek.com, but overwhelming consumer interest prodded the company to bring the iCade to life (much like the Tauntaun sleeping bag, another ThinkGeek mockup that became a real product). For the uninitiated, the iCade is a pint-size arcade cabinet/stand for Apple's iPad. Slide an iPad in, and it acts as a wireless Bluetooth controller for the Atari iPad app, which offers 100 classic arcade and home console games for $15 (or individual game packs for 99 cents).

Our iCade just arrived this morning, so we quickly assembled it … Read more

Classic arcade games for iOS

Back in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, one of the favorite destinations for kids after school and on weekends was the local video arcade. Many readers will probably remember changing dollars for tokens, stacking up tokens and quarters on machines to indicate you "had next," and how quickly you could blow your money by playing game after game. Sadly, arcades slowly died out as home gaming consoles improved and stand-up arcade cabinets--for the most part--became a thing of the past.

When iOS devices and the iTunes App Store came along years later, the developers of those old games (… Read more

Crave 41: Brew the dark side (podcast)

It's a throwback episode of Crave this week as we reminisce about Lego figurine space helmets, vintage Atari computer keyboards, and Disney's Star Tours merchandise. Also, Darth Vader puts his star power behind a new line of coffee and an adorable coin-operated robot brings panhandling into the 21st century.

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Atari keyboard takes you back to 1979

New gadgets can bring nostalgia for the technology of yesteryear. The Niyari Atari 400 Style Keyboard from Japanese online store GeekStuff4U is a prime example.

With computers these days pushing the boundaries of modern design to its limits, one can sometimes miss the old days when almost every piece of consumer tech was beige. The Atari 400, for example, was a sort of all-in-one BYOD computer targeted at children. Its beige, brown, and orange keyboard was probably designed to make using a computer in 1979 fun.

The Niyari Atari 400 keyboard mimics the design of the computer's membrane keyboard (a spill-proof keyboard with pressure pads for keys), but adds some modern chiclet keys. It also has a numerical keypad, which was not found on the original computer.

Keen on getting one? Well you can't. The online store has discontinued its 11,980 yen ($144) novelty peripheral and recommends that folks look at other keyboards as an alternative.

Old-school arcade classics--on your iPhone!

Atari's Greatest Hits lets you relive the early history of video gaming, giving you tons of old-school arcade and Atari 2600 hits on your iPhone. But it's not without flaws. Games like the original Asteroids, Tempest, Gravitar, Crystal Castles, and many more are available via in-app purchases packaged with their associated Atari 2600 games and some extras. In other words, the Atari Greatest Hits app itself is free, but if you want to play Tempest, for example, you'll need to buy the Tempest pack (99 cents), which comes with Tempest, Tempest for Atari 2600, Outlaw (2600), and … Read more