Software:Activision Anthology

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Activision Anthology
Cover art for the PlayStation 2 version
Developer(s)Barking Lizards (PS2)
Contraband Entertainment (PS2)
MumboJumbo (Windows)
MacPlay (Mac)
Aspyr (GBA)
Nikkō Europe (digiBLAST)
Digital Eclipse (PSP)
Code Mystics (mobile)
Publisher(s)Activision
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Windows, Macintosh, Game Boy Advance, digiBlast, PlayStation Portable, iOS, Android
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: November 25, 2002[1]
  • EU: March 6, 2003
Windows/Mac
  • NA: October 6, 2003
GBA
  • NA: December 8, 2003
DigiBlast
  • EU: December 31, 2005
PSP
  • NA: November 8, 2006
  • EU: February 9, 2007
  • AU: February 14, 2007
iOS/Android
  • NA: August 30, 2012
Genre(s)Various
Mode(s)Single player, two player

Activision Anthology is a compilation of most of the Atari 2600 games by Activision for various game systems. It also includes games that were originally released by Absolute Entertainment and Imagic, as well as various homebrew games. The Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X versions are titled Activision Anthology: Remix Edition, and include the most games. The PlayStation Portable version is titled Activision Hits Remixed.

The game features the original gameplay of the Atari 2600 emulated on modern systems. After achieving high scores in some of the games, the player can unlock special modes[2] where the colors are distorted, or the game is projected on a rotating cube as added difficulty.

Activision Anthology uses a virtual child's bedroom as the main menu.[2] The player can select several viewpoints to check high scores, choose a video game cartridge from a rotating stand, change the background music on a virtual tape deck, or change game settings while being zoomed in on a virtual Atari 2600. The virtual tape deck features several licensed 1980s music tracks. The music from the virtual tape deck can be mixed with the Atari 2600 game audio so both are audible to simulate playing the game on TV while having the tape running in the background.

Six Activision-produced Atari 2600 titles were not included in Activision Anthology, likely due to outside ownership of their respective licenses. The excluded games are Commando, Double Dragon, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, Kung Fu Master, and Rampage, although Capcom did give Activision rights to put Commando in the PlayStation 2, Windows, and Mac OS X versions of Activision Anthology. Ghostbusters II was cancelled before Activision could release it, but Salu released it in Europe under their name in 1992. The Absolute Entertainment title Pete Rose Baseball was renamed Baseball.

Portable versions

The Game Boy Advance version has the most games out of the portable versions, including seven homebrew games that do not appear in any of the other versions. It does not include the 19 Imagic games or Commando, nor does it play music during gameplay. It does have four custom 1980s-style music tracks that play in the menu screens, however.

The PlayStation Portable version includes three of the Imagic games, Atlantis, Demon Attack, and Moonsweeper, nearly all of the Activision games, full-speed emulation, and the 1980s songs featured in the PlayStation 2 and computer versions, but does not include Commando, the four Absolute Entertainment games, games exclusive to the other releases, or the homebrew titles. The PSP version also lacked the possibility to save high scores and unlocked extras, so when the player quits out of the game, all progress would be lost.

There was also a version released on mobile phones with three titles. It included H.E.R.O., Pitfall!, and River Raid.

A version for the digiBlast was released on December 31, 2005, which included 5 titles. These titles are H.E.R.O., Tennis, Megamania, Grand Prix, and Demon Attack.

Activision Anthology was released for Android and iOS devices on August 30, 2012. The game Kaboom! is offered as an initial free game, while the rest of the games were offered as an in-app purchase. These versions include the Imagic game Dragonfire, but do not include the homebrew games, the games by Absolute Entertainment, or Commando. These versions also do not contain any of the licensed 1980s music.

Game list

There are a total of 76 games in each version combined. Certain games do not appear in some versions and are mentioned accordingly.

Titles included in the respective versions
TITLE Original Release Windows Mac PS2 GBA digiBlast Android iOS PSP Producer Comments
Activision prototype #1 N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Activision Unknown prototype
Atlantis 1982 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Imagic
Atlantis II N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Barnstorming 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Baseball 1988 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Absolute Entertainment Originally titled Pete Rose Baseball
Beamrider 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Bloody Human Freeway N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Activision Originally unreleased version of Freeway
Boxing 1980 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
'Bridge 1980[3] Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Checkers 1980[4] Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Chopper Command 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Climber 5 N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Commando 1988[5] Yes Yes Yes No No No No No Activision
Cosmic Ark 1982 Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Cosmic Commuter 1984 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Crackpots 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Decathlon 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Demon Attack 1982 Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Imagic
Dolphin 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Dragonfire 1982 Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No Imagic
Dragster 1980 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Enduro 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Fathom N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Fire Fighter N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Fishing Derby 1980 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Freeway 1981 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Frostbite 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Grand Prix 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Activision
H.E.R.O. 1984 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Activision
Hard Head N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Activision Unreleased prototype[6]
Ice Hockey 1981 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Kabobber N/A Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision Previously unreleased
Kaboom! 1981 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Keystone Kapers 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Laser Blast 1981 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Laser Gates N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Megamania 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Activision
Moonsweeper 1982 Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Imagic
No Escape! N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Oink! 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Okie Dokie N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Oystron N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Pitfall! 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Pitfall II 1984 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Plaque Attack 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Pressure Cooker 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Private Eye 1984 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Quick Step N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Riddle of the Sphinx N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
River Raid 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
River Raid II 1988 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Robot Tank 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Seaquest 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Shootin' Gallery N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Skate Boardin' 1987 Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Absolute Entertainment
Skeleton+ N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Skiing 1980 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Sky Jinks 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Sky Patrol N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Solar Storm N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Space Shuttle 1983 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Space Treat Deluxe[7] N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Spider Fighter 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Stampede 1981 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Starmaster 1982 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision
Star Voyager N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Subterranea N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Tennis 1981 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Activision
Thwocker N/A Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Activision Previously unreleased
Title Match Pro Wrestling 1987 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Absolute Entertainment
Tomcat F14 1988 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Absolute Entertainment
Trick Shot 1982 Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
Vault Assault N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Venetian Blinds N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Activision Unreleased technology demo
Video Euchre N/A Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Homebrew
Wing War N/A Yes Yes No No No No No No Imagic
TITLE Original Release Windows Mac PS2 GBA DigiBlast Android iOS PSP Producer Comments


Reviews

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameSpot7.3/10[8]
GameSpy80/100
IGN8.5/10[9]

The game received generally positive reviews and was mainly praised on the Internet because of its spirited homage to the Atari 2600. [citation needed]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Activision : Corporate Info : Press Releases : ACTIVISION ANTHOLOGY FOR THE PS2 SHIPS". 2003-02-07. http://www.activision.com/investor/pressreleases/630.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "All Together then: Activision Anthology". 14 December 2018. https://retronauts.com/article/1049/all-together-then-activision-anthology. 
  3. ↑ Atari 2600 Bridge release
  4. ↑ Atari 2600 Checkers release
  5. ↑ "Atari 2600 Commando release". http://www.elisoftware.org/index.php?title=Commando_(Atari_2600,_Cartridge)_Activision_-_1988_USA,_Canada_Release. 
  6. ↑ Reichert, Matt. "Hard Head". AtariAge. http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/unknown2/unknown2.htm. Retrieved 13 April 2019. 
  7. ↑ This is incorrectly listed as SpaceThreat Deluxe in some sources. Space Treat Deluxe is the correct title. Picture of cartridge label
  8. ↑ "Activision Anthology Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/activision-anthology-review/1900-2897989/. 
  9. ↑ "Activision Anthology". 11 December 2003. https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/12/11/activision-anthology. 

References

  • Carless, Simon (2005). Gaming Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools. O'Reilly Media. p. 22. ISBN 0-596-00917-8. 
  • Kohler, Chris (2005). Retro Gaming Hacks: Tips & Tools for Playing the Classics. O'Reilly Media. p. 378. ISBN 0-596-00917-8. 
  • Official PSP version website
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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