Atari’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 for DS

It’s the Nintendo DS game that no self-respecting, video-gaming parent would deny their child.

Kids today? They don’t know how hard we first-generation video gamers had it. We had to play our video games uphill both ways in the snow. These kids? They have it cushy, what with a whole series of Super Mario games to pick from. They don’t even have to use a joystick anymore.

Atari has gone back to its gaming vault and pulled out some of its classics in creating Atari’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 for the Nintendo DS.

No child should move to adulthood without having experienced the joy of Centipede, Mission Command, Pong, or Asteroids. Oh, the hours I whiled away. Is there a better tradition to pass on to my 7 year-old son? That he can play these video game classics while on the road, waiting at the doctor’s office, or under his blankets with a flashlight after bedtime is even better.

Atari’s Greatest Hits, Vol 1. includes the above-mentioned titles, plus Tempest, Lunar Lander, Space Duel, Battlezone and Adventure. There are dozens of Atari 2600 titles included as well.

Bonus content includes a memorabilia showcase, a trivia game, and copies of the original manuals for all of the titles.

I love seeing these classics come back. Can you tell? The real question is whether they really have staying power. Are the children of today patient enough to endure such simplistic games? Or will this just be a cute piece of retro gaming for their aging parents?

Either way, it’s great to harken back to the day when Atari was THE gaming company. Atari’s Greatest Hits. Vol. 1 for DS is widely available for about $27.99. You can get it at Amazon: