Atari Flashback 2 Review

Retro gaming is the rage nowadays. The old classic games which were a big hit in the 70s and 80s are in Xbox Live and they are turning into a big hit with the gamers. So in order to tap into this market Atari has come out in true original retro style. Not only are the games classic, but the console is also the video game of our old days. And that console is the Atari Flashback series. Atari Flashback 2 is preprogrammed with classic Atari 2600 and 7800 console games from the 70’s and the 80’s that do not use ROM cartridges. The games are in-built in the console. The Atari flashback 2 is the successor of the original Atari flashback console released in 2005. Although the console is a simple video game with minimal graphics and sound, it is still a seventh generation video game console like the PS3 and the Xbox-360.

BODY DESIGN
The Atari Flashback 2 looks like the 1977 Atari 2600. It even has the same distinctive fake wood-grain trim in the front. Size wise, it is roughly two-third of the original model and much lighter in weight. The Flashback 2 measures about 5 x 8 inches. The console has five buttons (power, reset and select along with left and right difficulty toggles). There is a color/ black & white slider switch on the back and two ports for the included joystick. The joysticks are similar in looks and also compatible with the original Atari 2600 made in 1977. It is a near-replica of the original Atari game and Atari fans would love it.

Compared with the joystick of today like Xbox and PS3, the eight way joystick and a single action button of the Flashback 2 is a breath of fresh air.

MULTIMEDIA
Though this console is made in 2010, it does not have any multimedia features. If you have selected a game, the only way to change the game is to switch off power and start again. The Flashback 2 has 40 in built games instead of the old cartridge slot. The games are divided into four genres: adventure, arcade, skill and space. Some of the in built games included are Asteroids, Combat, Space War, Pong and others. But it is still a wonder why Pac man and Space Invaders – the two most popular games are not there. There are also games which had never been released like Aquaventure, Combat 2 and Frog Pond.

PERFORMANCE
The Flashback has a very simple and repetitive gameplay. It is powered by a single chip version of circuitry which is a reproduction of the original circuitry of the original Atari 2600.

Sometimes there are bugs in the game that hampers the gameplay. The graphics can’t be compared with today’s world. It is grainy, blocky and downright primitive. But the Flashback is not a video game console made to compete with the PS3s and the XBoxes. It was created as a homage to the original Atari 2600 which was a rage in the 70’s. It is for all the people who wanted to revive those days and play the games they played when they were kids. The gunslinging cowboys of Outlaw and the dueling biplanes in Combat will never fail to bring back those happy memories, something which Grand Theft Auto or God Of War cannot do. The plain graphics and simple gameplays are in itself the charm of such games.

VERDICT
Atari Flashback 2 delivers a nice collection of classic games and provides the much needed pure simple fun. Retro gamers are in for a treat with this old console in a new model. For the simplicity, pure fun and nostalgia it brings us the Atari Flashback 2. Also, priced at $49.99, this gaming console is a must buy. In short, it delivers the genuine Atari 2600 gaming experience at a price that wouldn’t burn a hole in our pockets.

REVIEWER’S RATING: 3.5/5