The history of Atari in video games is vast and super interesting, and I think for that reason, the company’s representation in this countdown might be a little lacking.
Hey, I can admit my failings.
It’s also never too late to change.
That having been said, we’re still in the “These games deserve an ‘A’ on the report card” range of the retro essentials list (9s and 10s), and I’ve gotta be honest: it might be a stretch to go that far on most of Atari’s classics.
Do I like “Asteroids?” Sure. Do I think it’s an absolute must-play in the same way that “Pong” is? No, I’m not going to go that far with it. Pong might get a historical bonus that elevates it above other games that didn’t matter quite so much (as do many of the games on this list that have an influential streak a mile wide). But a game’s still gotta be a fun time that holds up in some manner.
Table tennis, to me, is pretty much timeless. Shooting asteroids is … kinda boring.
Yeah, I said it.
Anyway, trying to grapple with those kinds of decisions is what this list is all about.
Fortunately, we have a sequel to a game that originally hit during Atari’s heyday that landed on an obscure gaming system in the early 90s, which offers the opportunity to speak to that company’s important history, while simultaneously being an absolute banger of a game that holds up incredibly well today.
Prepare your loins for “Tempest 2000,” a fever dream gaming experience that will scratch the kinds of itches you didn’t even know you had.
Continue reading Tempest 2000 — Retro Gaming Essentials (No. 52)Tempest 2000 at a glance:
Genre: Tunnel shooter
Released: 1994
Platform: Jaguar
No. 17 on GamesMaster’s Top 100 Games of All Time
