Classic Atari games are getting the WarioWare treatment with Atari Mania, a new minigame collection coming to Nintendo Switch PC, and the Atari VCS this summer. It will retail for $20 on all platforms.
Inspired by Nintendo’s long-running “microgame” series, Atari Mania remixes iconic Atari titles and turns them into bite-sized objectives that must be completed in a few seconds. Classic titles like Pong, Centipede, and more will appear in the title, which contains over 200 minigames.
While the game’s minigame concept is similar to WarioWare, Atari Mania goes a bit further than Nintendo’s series. It contains a storyline that links minigames together. In between games, players explore the Atari vault, solving puzzles and discovering Easter eggs. It’s a bit closer in style to indie game Spookware in structure.
The game acts as a historical celebration of Atari’s 50th anniversary. It features retro-inspired art and music from the Atari 2600 era and includes collectibles like vintage game manuals. Players can unlock remastered versions of old Atari games by completing challenges, so it doubles as a retro collection, like Pac-Man Museum+.
“As we celebrate Atari’s 50th Anniversary, Atari Mania will give brand fans a way to re-engage with their favorite Atari games and characters, and will introduce a new generation to the games that launched the industry,” Atari CEO Wade Rosen says. “Atari Mania has all the ingredients of an Atari classic: Incredibly fun, full of moments of surprise, and easy to learn but hard to master.”
Digital Trends went hands-on with an early build of the title prior to the announcement. Its Atari-centric mini-games remind me of WarioWare’s 9-Volt stages, which remix classic Nintendo games and turn them into quick challenges. Atari Mania has a similar energy, though it goes even farther by smashing certain games together for minigames. Rather than just playing a quick volley in Pong, you may find yourself playing a version of it that’s mashed up with Centipede. There’s an unexpected charm to the package, which helps the game find its own playful voice.
Atari Mania launches on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Atari VCS sometime this summer.
