Atari and Activision team up

By Ellie Gibson Published 13 July, 2005

For Flashback 2 console.

Atari has announced that its new Flashback 2 plug-and-play console will feature classic Activision titles Pitfall! and River Raid.

The new deal is something of a landmark in the history of the two companies - Activision was originally established back in 1979 by a group of ex-Atari developers who were fed up for not receiving credit for the games they created.

With its unique (at the time, obviously) side-scrolling platform action, Pitfall! was an instant hit when it was released in 1982. River Raid, which saw you flying a jet in a race to hit targets and collect fuel, followed two years later and was also a huge success.

The Flashback 2 features more than 40 retro titles, including arcade classics such as Missile Command, Asteroids and Combat, previously unreleased games and rare homebrew programs designed by fans of Atari's early consoles.

It's modelled after the Atari 2600 and comes complete with wood-grain panelling and two controllers for hours of multiplayer retro fun.

The Atari Flashback 2 is due out later this summer, priced at around £30.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • [maven] #1 7 years ago

    I had hoped it would include "Flashback". Meh.

  • potatoes #2 7 years ago

    And i thought we would see "Flashback 2". Pfff.

  • markypants #3 7 years ago

    BASTARDO'S!!!!

    I thought we were getting a bit of news regarding a sequel!!!!!!!!!

    River Raid rocks though.So for £30 I'll be getting it.
    M

  • onyxbox #4 7 years ago

    Do the joysticks have the same plug on the end as the original 2600 ones (you know 9 pin D shaped thing) ?

    (I have a 2600 and I'm sick of buying crapped out joysticks off ebay)

  • symmetry #5 7 years ago

    God I loved Flashback and Another World, Fade to Black just didn't do them justice. I would definitely be interested if they had a current gen sequel.

  • Kon #6 7 years ago

    Definitely. When Prince of Persia first was announced i remember making some comments that i would rather see Flashback be remade for the new gen.

    Hopefully someone will take note and make such a game. Mix in the platform sequences of Sands of Time with RE4's gunplay and set it all on the Flashback universe and i'm sure anyone would have a winner in their hands.

    Blast! And i came in here too thinking i was going to see some news regarding Flashback :'(

  • Kiigan #7 7 years ago

    I also read that as "Flashback 2" for consoles! Wishful thinking...

    I wish these little console thingies would take flash memory so I can stick on lots of ROMs. Legally obtained, obviously.

  • jack_klugman #8 7 years ago

    I had hoped it would include "Flashback"

    And i thought we would see "Flashback 2"

    God I loved Flashback

    Flashback Tooo!!!!!11

  • Hunam85 #9 7 years ago

    its agree, we all want flashback, get to work who ever it is that can do such a thing

  • gamesb*tch #10 7 years ago

    Still got a snapshot of my high score on River Raid that won me a Lone Ranger toy on BBC1's Saturday morning show of the time... LOL. I can't imagine it would be any good now though... you can NEVER go back.

    p.s. Flashback droolers, get an EMU guys, sheesh.

  • Kon #11 7 years ago

    Don't need an EMU. I still play it on my SNES on ocasion.

    What we want is a new Flashback! (the original would make a nice bonus with it though).

  • gizmo #12 7 years ago

    BUY BUY BUY!!

  • gamesb*tch #13 7 years ago

    New Flashback, New Fall Out... but in the styleee of PoP... oh yesh pleashe

  • jack_klugman #14 7 years ago

    its agree, we all want flashback, get to work who ever it is that can do such a thing

    Electronic Arts y'mean? Damn.

  • m2h #15 7 years ago

    I'm glad to see others thought it was going to be a sequel to Flashback. How I miss that game. I should see if I have it kicking around somewhere.

  • OnlyMe #16 7 years ago

    We should all sue Eurogamer for giving us all hope by misleading us to think this was about a sequel to one of the best action/adventure games of all time... :(

  • OnlyMe #17 7 years ago

    ...BUT as a comfort, you can now download a recently ported PC version of the Amigagame of the year '97, OnEscapee right here:

    http://onescapee.invictus.hu/

    It's a perfect mix of both Flashback and Another world with gorgeous 2D graphics, and it's one hell of a game. I know, 'cause I played it on the Amiga. This will make you forget the horrible Fade To Black.

    Best of all, it's FREE.
    Edited by OnlyMe at 15/07/05 @ 00:41