No game publisher has lived as many lives as Atari. A pioneer in home console gaming, the company was there at the inception of the video game industry, the video game crash of 1983, and, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, has been resold, rebooted, and reborn many times. With more than 50 years under its belt, Atari knows its strength lies in its deep library of retro titles.
Meeting with Atari in New York City, I saw firsthand how dedicated Atari is to keeping the games of the 1980s and 1990s alive, no matter how infamous they might be. That comes through in titles like Adventure of Samsara, a pixel-based Metroidvania with “the spirit of Adventure from the Atari 2600,” and Bubsy 4D, a true sequel to one of the most notorious 3D platformers ever made. I also got a look at the Pac-Man Atari 2600+, a new variant of the iconic console. These are my thoughts on Atari’s latest products.
(Credit: Atari/Bandai Namco Entertainment)Pac to the Future: Checking Out the Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition
I’m too young to have grown up with the Atari 2600 in its heyday, but I appreciate its legacy. After all, the console launched the home console market as we know it, and many popular arcade games were ported to the system—albeit in significantly downgraded forms. A prime example is the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man, which barely resembled the arcade original. Still, it was one of the first times that gamers enjoyed arcade titles at home. The gorgeous Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition retro console, hitting stores on October 31, celebrates that long-standing partnership between Atari and Pac-Man’s owner, publisher Bandai Namco.
The original 2600’s black ridges and wood paneling may evoke the feeling of a thick CRTV sitting in a warm den. But the new Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition’s beautiful, bright yellow body and controller make it difficult to return to the classic model. Although the pack-in controller is Pac-Man yellow, some versions match the ghost colors.
What’s most interesting about the Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition is the pack-in title. Dubbed Pac-Man: Double Feature, the cartridge includes two versions of the original game: Pac-Man 2600 and Pac-Man 7800. The former is the familiar 1982 home port, complete with crunchy sound effects and very, very simple visuals. The latter is a new title that answers a question: What if Pac-Man were ported to the 7800 in 1986?
I played a bit of Pac-Man 7800. Pac-Man controlled with a slight delay, but I’m tempted to chalk that up to a skill issue. As I said, I didn’t grow up with the Atari consoles, so the joystick felt a little stiff in my hand. Still, it’s truer to the arcade version than the 2600 port.
(Credit: Atari/Bandai Namco Entertainment)Three other Bandai Namco classics—Dig Dug 7800, Galaga 7800, and Xevious 7800—are releasing alongside the system. They were launch titles for the original Atari 7800 in 1986. I didn’t get any hands on time with these.
Overall, I was impressed by just how much work was done to preserve these classic games. In a nice touch, the Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition is also compatible with original Atari 2600 and 7800 cartridges. Preorders for the Pac-Man Atari 2600+, the games, and the controllers are available now.
(Credit: Atari/Bandai Namco Entertainment)Adventure of Samsara: A New Game With Classic Vibes
Adventure of Samsara is a new pixel-art Metroidvania that Atari says “shares the spirit of the original Atari 2600 title, Adventure.” However, Atari reps highlighted that Adventures of Samsara is not a remake, remaster, or even a reimagining of that game. It’s very much its own thing, though it has elements of Prince of Persia and other classic, action-adventure titles.
(Credit: Atari)Adventure of Samsara is developed by Brazilian studio Ilex Games. It was revealed in 2016 under the name Tower of Samsara. IIex Games tried to launch a Kickstarter campaign, but it was unsuccessful. Luckily, the game reemerged years later under the title Tower of Samsara: Hidden Treasures in 2021. At some point after, Atari swooped in to help it over the finish line, and that’s when the company made the connection to the original Adventure.
It’s a gorgeous game. 2D, pixel-based side scrollers are commonplace in the indie scene, but there’s a special somberness in Samsara’s environments. The game world blends fantasy and sci-fi in a way that hints at something deeper beneath the surface. There wasn’t much environmental storytelling (at least in my time with the demo), but I found the exploration compelling.
Your character’s animation is highly detailed and gives weight to every movement. That goes for combat, too. Armed with a sword and shield, I had to carefully read enemies to find attack openings, dash away from damage, and nail a satisfying parry strike. After platforming and solving simple gate puzzles, I settled into the controls, which I tested against the first boss, the Fleshless Giant. The game’s checkpoints were forgiving, and I didn’t lose items or experience upon death.
It’s too early to determine how well Adventure of Samsara’s Metroidvania gameplay will land, but it’s clear that there’s a lot of story. After wandering into a village, I learned about abandoned orphans that need finding and ways to upgrade my gear. Although paying attention to the NPC’s hints and directions is important, there was also an objective marker to move toward. It was good to see Adventure of Samsara embrace both classic and new gameplay styles.
(Credit: Atari)So how does Adventure fit into this? An Atari representative explained that Adventure was the first popular game to feature an Easter Egg, so Samsara takes a similar approach by referencing Adventure throughout. I’ve never played Adventure, but I spotted a familiar-looking dragon that was destroyed by an astronaut. Is there a Multiverse of Madness situation happening here? Is Atari downplaying Adventure’s influence?
At any rate, Adventure of Samsara’s demo compelled me to look for it when it releases on September 4 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
(Credit: Atari)Bubsy 4D: Is the Bobcat in a Good Game?!
Turning to something completely different, I was shocked to see a sequel to one of the most notorious games of all time. Bubsy 3D was one of the first 3D platformers ever made when it released alongside Super Mario 64 in 1996. Unlike Mario 64, Bubsy got nearly every aspect of 3D platforming wrong. But that’s not the case for Bubsy 4D.
Developer Fabraz is well aware of Bubsy 3D’s less-than-stellar history; they wear it as a point of pride. A quick history lesson: Bubsy the Bobcat is a mostly forgotten cartoon mascot from the 1990s. He starred in a few 2D platformers before transitioning to 3D and was unemployed until 2017’s Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back. Bubsy 4D wears the Bobcat’s irrelevance on its sleeve, with self-deprecating humor and non-sequiturs that recall Gex, a fellow forgotten 1990s mascot.
But jokes can only get you so far. What does Bubsy 4D do that previous Bubsy games haven’t? Bubsy is fun to control. At first, Bubsy feels unwieldy, even slippery. Bubsy 4D is not quite a precision platformer, but the titular feline comes equipped with such an insane move set that it might not matter. Bubsy’s main move is a forward lunge—think Mario’s long jump combined with Sonic’s homing attack. Bubsy can lock onto yarn balls and quickly bounce off of them. The movement is quick and satisfying. Bubsy can also glide and inflate himself into a large ball to roll across levels.Â
(Credit: Atari)On their own, the moves felt a little clunky. However, once I exited the tutorial and entered the first level, I really started to tap into a flow state. In some ways, Bubsy’s movement reminded me of Penny’s Big Breakaway or even Super Mario Odyssey. It’s as though Fabraz is encouraging you to “break” the game, or at least get to the end of the level as quickly as possible. Figuring out what chains together and what doesn’t was part of the fun, and I can see Bubsy 4D finding an audience in the speedrunning community.
It’s too early to comment definitively on Bubsy’s big comeback. However, even at this point in Bubsy 4D’s development, I can see the seed of a great idea taking root. Bubsy 4D will launch on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2026.Â
Final Thoughts on Atari’s Upcoming Releases
It’s no secret that Atari has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout its storied history. However, if there’s one thing I took away from my sitdown with the company, it was that the staff is dedicated to enshrining the past, both good and bad. As someone who cares about game preservation and ownership (I’m looking at you, Nintendo), I appreciate Atari’s resolve. Keep an eye on PCMag for more about Atari’s upcoming projects.
