Activision Anthology

aka: The Activision Classics from the Atari® 2600 are back!
Moby ID: 7831
Note: We may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made via eBay or Amazon links (prices updated 3/24 10:38 AM )
This Compilation Includes See Also

Description official descriptions

Activision Anthology is a collection of classic Atari 2600 titles as well as extra items including new gameplay modes for each game, trivia, originally released patches/updates, 3D views of the cartridges, the original manuals and much more. The game comes with licensed eighties music tracks. It contains 45 games.

The content is quite similar to Activision Hits Remixed (PSP), but unlike the GBA version and Activision Anthology: Remix Edition (PC/Mac), it doesn't include the homebrew titles. The following games are included:

Groups +

Screenshots

Credits (PlayStation 2 version)

265 People (134 developers, 131 thanks) · View all

Lead Programmer
Additional Programming
Emulator Programming
Internal Producer
Lead Designer
Render-Monkey
Lead Modeler
Artist
Additional Art
Original Music
Special Thanks
Producer
Associate Producer
Senior Producer
Executive Producer
VP, North American Studios
Exec. VP, Worldwide Studios
Associate Brand Manager
Brand Manager
Director, Global Brand Management
VP, Global Brand Management
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 73% (based on 17 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 18 ratings with 1 reviews)

This IS The '80's.

The Good
There have been a lot of classic game compilations released in the past few years, but this particular title captures the essence of its time period. From the game's layout and interface, truly well-emulated games (MUCH better than the emulation set up on the PSOne), collectibles and bonus videos, and a great soundtrack that is rivaled only by "GTA: Vice City" in the nostalgia department. There are a lot of great titles on this compilation pack, so it's very hard to get bored with this title. If one game doesn't provide some enjoyment, there are 40+ other titles to choose from. And while extremely dated in looks by today's standards, games like "Pitfall!" and "River Raid" never lose their replay value. The strongest feature of this entire compilation is that it proves exactly why Activision produced some of the best games for the Atari 2600. Few companies could match the level of quality in terms of graphics and gameplay.

The Bad
With subsequent releases of this title, there have been more games added to the the compilation. The PC, Macintosh, and Game Boy Advance versions have a handful of more titles to choose from, mostly home-brew games, and technical demos. Even though there is a significant number of titles to choose from, some titles did not stand the test of time, and are now viewed as more of a passing curiosity than an interesting game. The overall control is good, but some titles (such as Kaboom!) simply were designed for a paddle controller.

The Bottom Line
For a compilation package, there are few that can compare. The games are good, the presentation is actually fun and keeps the mood of the era, and the unlockable bonuses are actually worth the time to get, and show off a gamer's skillset. Again, while these games look absolutely prehistoric by today's standards, there is still a certain amount of charm in the graphics, and with the strong emulation, the gameplay remains as addictive and fun as it did 20 years ago. Recommended for Atari 2600 fans, Activision fans, classic gamers, or anyone from the casual to hardcore gamer.

PlayStation 2 · by Guy Chapman (1748) · 2004

Trivia

Cover Art

Although this compilation contains games that were published by Activision, the cartridge casing and cartridge label style that are depicted on the front cover of the package more closely resembles that of games published by Atari, not Activision.

German Index

When Activision was going to sell the PS2 version in Europe, they had a slight problem.

The German BPjS (Federal Examination Office for Youth-Endangering Publications) indexed the game River Raid back in 1984. Therefore was a retail distribution of the compilation in Germany out of the question (a side effect of the indexing).

So, the only solution was for Activision to file an application for verification of that particularly title at the BPjS. And since the reason for the index was out of date (assuming it was up do date in 1984 at all - see River Raid trivia), the game was de-indexed on January 2003.

But the really interesting fact here is that without the application, the Activision Anthology would be adult only in Germany. And now, after the de-indexing of River Raid and a normal rating with the USK (the German age rating organization) for this compilation here, the Activision Anthology is available without restrictions in Germany.

Online Feature

The PlayStation 2 version of this game was originally going to have an online feature that would have let you downloaded new games into Activision Anthology. However, this was scrapped due to expenses and time constraints.

Information also contributed by Alexander Michel and Xoleras

Analytics

MobyPro Early Access

Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!

Related Games

Activision Anthology: Remix Edition
Released 2003 on Macintosh, Windows
Activision's Atari 2600 Action Pack
Released 1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x, Macintosh
Activision's Atari 2600 Action Pack 3
Released 1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x
Activision's Atari 2600 Action Pack 2
Released 1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x, Macintosh
Amiga Classics
Released 2002 on Windows, Linux, Macintosh
Retro
Released 2004 on PlayStation 2, 2005 on Windows
Olympian 2600
Released 1978 on Dedicated console
Gamer Pack
Released 2001 on Windows

Related Sites +

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 7831
  • [ Please login / register to view all identifiers ]

Contribute

Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.

Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kartanym.

Additional contributors: Servo, Indra was here, DreinIX, Patrick Bregger.

Game added November 28, 2002. Last modified February 9, 2024.