New GBA game to feature 55 (!) Activision 2600 games!!

[Charlie]

Aspyr, best known as a publisher for the Mac, has announced that it will release Activision Anthology, a GBA game that includes more than 55 Atari 2600 games from Activision. The compilation will include key Activision games such as Pitfall and Pitfall 2, Freeway, Keystone Kapers, Seaquest, River Raid and River Raid II, Spider Fighter, Fishing Derby, and more. Some of the games have not been featured in any previous Activision compilation.
-Gamespot.com

Wicked fucking cool. My only question is WTF took them so long !

I'm stunned that they're going full out and bringing 55 games to the GBA of all systems. Which Activision 2600 games weren't released on any other comp?

[zektor]

That is excellent news! Activision has always been my favorite VCS developer (well, I like their working on many platforms actually) and it'll really be a treat to play Fishing Derby or River Raid (amongst others) on the GBA! Wonder how Kaboom will play...

[digitalpress]

Which Activision 2600 games weren't released on any other comp?

I don't think they've been able to produce the later titles like Ghostbusters, Double Dragon, and Rampage on a compilation; and remember also that some Imagic titles were re-released under the Activision label in the late 80's.

Is there a complete list floating around yet?

This is cool and I'd surely buy it. But I've been playing Atari 2600 on my GP32 for quite some time now. What I'd really like to see is a 200-game compilation including many developers but it doesn't seem like that will ever happen outside of the emulation routes.

[Sniderman]

Just as interesting is that several 2600 homebrews will also be featured on the handheld compilation. Those mentioned for inclusion include:
- Climber 5
- Euchre
- Okie Dokie
- Oystron
- Skeleton+
- Space Treat Deluxe
- Vault Assault
I believe Thomas' "Thrust" is also gonna be on there. Finally, the hobbyists are getting their due!

[Oobgarm]

Just as interesting is that several 2600 homebrews will also be featured on the handheld compilation. Those mentioned for inclusion include:
- Climber 5
- Euchre
- Okie Dokie
- Oystron
- Skeleton+
- Space Treat Deluxe
- Vault Assault
I believe Thomas' "Thrust" is also gonna be on there. Finally, the hobbyists are getting their due!

Wow, that's excellent news. It makes me glad to see that they're making the game worthwhile for the fans.

[kainemaxwell]

Excellent news! Nice to see other publishers making games like these for the old-school fans considering AA's success.

[Drexel923]

Awesome...I was going to buy the comp that came out for PS2 but now I'll wait for this one. Can play on the go and on the tv (GameBoy Player)...Sweet

[Sniderman]

Excellent news! Nice to see other publishers making games like these for the old-school fans considering AA's success.

Hmmm....something to ponder. When Activision Anthology was released, AA was instructed to remove all the ROMs they freely distributed because there would be a conflict with the publisher. AA complied, of course, and no problems.

However....

Does this new compilation with homebrews included mean that AA will be instructed to stop distributing the ROMs and carts of these homebrews seeing as how Aspyr is now the "professional" distributor for these games? Anyone know the answer?

[DEBRO]

Hi Tim,

Does this new compilation with homebrews included mean that AA will be instructed to stop distributing the ROMs and carts of these homebrews seeing as how Aspyr is now the "professional" distributor for these games? Anyone know the answer?

I was assured that would not be the case and I also have it in writing.

The homebrew authors will still have the rights to their games to do whatever they please. I would have never signed if I ended up signing away the rights. As you know, it can take a lot to get something running on Stella.

[Charlie]

My god, this just keeps getting better and better. Homebrews on a fucking nationally distributed official release? Incredible. Congrads to all the authors of games that are getting the national treatment. KUDOS!

So... if Activision owns all the Imagic games and Infogrames (now known as Atari, oddly enough) owns all the Atari games... then we're closer then ever to having an officially released all-in-one comp disc/cart. Hopefully the two will come together for such a project, realizing that it would cost hardly anything to program the game and would surely make a ton of money. Of course, some games like pronography games wouldn't make it on to the cart.

Does anyone know who currently owns the rights to Coleco and Xonox's games?

Oh, and how about Prototypes? Any news on if Protos will be on the GBA game?

[kainemaxwell]

Excellent news! Nice to see other publishers making games like these for the old-school fans considering AA's success.

Hmmm....something to ponder. When Activision Anthology was released, AA was instructed to remove all the ROMs they freely distributed because there would be a conflict with the publisher. AA complied, of course, and no problems.

However....

Does this new compilation with homebrews included mean that AA will be instructed to stop distributing the ROMs and carts of these homebrews seeing as how Aspyr is now the "professional" distributor for these games? Anyone know the answer?

Actually by AA I meant Activision Antholofy but that is very intresting seeing Atari Age had to remove their roms of said titles.

[Charlie]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASPYR MEDIA INC. TO DEVELOP AND PUBLISH ACTIVISION®
ANTHOLOGY FOR GAME BOY ADVANCE®

August 20, 2003

Austin, TX- Aspyr Media Inc. announced today that it will develop and publish Activision® Anthology, a compilation of Atari® 2600 games, for Game Boy Advance®. The game marks Aspyr’s second Game Boy Advance release and its first internally developed game.

This compilation includes many Activision favorites from the original Atari® 2600 console, as well as games previously unreleased on any Activision compilation. With more than 55 games to choose from, players can be a flying ace, a racecar champion, a tennis star, and a space pioneer all in one afternoon.

Compiled into one game are many of the old favorites, including Pitfall® 1 & 2, Freeway®, Keystone Kapers, Seaquest, River Raid® 1 & 2, Spider Fighter and Fishing Derby. These and many other games featured are sure to make this Game Boy Advance collection a must have this fall.

Aspyr Media Inc. licensed the game from Activision. It is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is expected to be available at retailers nationwide in October.

About Aspyr Media Inc.

Based in Austin, Texas, Aspyr Media Inc. is a leading publisher of Macintosh interactive entertainment software, committed to offering high-quality interactive entertainment products and services, with a smile, to gamers worldwide.

More information on Aspyr and their line of products can be found on the Internet at http://www.aspyr.com.

About Activision, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $864 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Scandinavia and the Netherlands. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at www.activision.com.

The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Activision's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. These important factors, and other factors that could affect Activision, are described in Activision's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003, which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers of this press release are referred to such filings.

Contact Information:
Aspyr Media, Inc.
voice: 512-708-8100
emailr@aspyr.com
Amy Torres

[kainemaxwell]

Wow, very cool and I love the screenshots thus far!

[Drexel923]

IGN just posted a list of the games in the comp:

Barnstorming
Boxing
Checkers
Chopper Command
Cosmic Commuter
Crackpots
Dolphin
Dragster
Enduro
Fishing Derby
Freeway
Frostbite
Grand Prix
H.E.R.O.
Ice Hockey
Kaboom!
Keystone Kapers
Laser Blast
Megamania
Oink!
Pitfall!
Plaque Attack
Pressure Cooker
Private Eye
River Raid
River Raid 2
Seaquest
Skiing
Sky Jinks
Spider Fighter
Stampede
Starmaster
Tennis
Title Match
Baseball
Beamrider
Bloody Human Freeway
Bridge
Decathlon
Pitfall 2
Robot Tank
Skateboardin'
Space Shuttle
Tomcat F14
Venetian Blinds
Kabobber
Thwocker

Homebrew's:
Climber 5
Okie Dokie
Oystron
Skeleton+
SpaceThreat Deluxe
Vault Assault
Video Euchre

Did I mention before that this is sweet.

[Slipdeath]

www.streetassault.com (<----- i work there) is going to be working with activision, along with theere owners many magazines including egm, there asking us to distribut 2.5 million magazines, and were getting alot of free shit, and the top three teamers get a ps2 with ten games, so its free to join

[Charlie]

www.streetassault.com (<----- i work there) is going to be working with activision, along with theere owners many magazines including egm, there asking us to distribut 2.5 million magazines, and were getting alot of free shit, and the top three teamers get a ps2 with ten games, so its free to join

Can someone please translate that for me? Good luck. You might need the Rosetta Stone.

[Sylentwulf]

THAT, is the sweetest goddamn thing I've ever seen.

[Charlie]

THAT, is the sweetest goddamn thing I've ever seen.

Then obviously you haven't seen an everlasting gobstopper. Those things are so sweet they'll pucker your butthole.

OH, sweetest video game thing you ever saw.

Yep, I'm getting it for sure. Classic games + Activision Patches + Homebrews + Portable on the most popular system ever made = Pretty damn impressive.

[Slipdeath]

www.streetassault.com (<----- i work there) is going to be working with activision, along with theere owners many magazines including egm, there asking us to distribut 2.5 million magazines, and were getting alot of free shit, and the top three teamers get a ps2 with ten games, so its free to join

alright ill try to correct myself:

www.streetassault.com is currentlyfinishing a contract with the owner of activison, which also happens to own about 20 magazines which includes egm, what they want streetassault do is to litterally hand out around 2.5 million magazines to diffrent locations, the top 10 teamers wil win a ps2 with ten games, and alot of runner ups will get some activison games. So later on where going to be promoting some of activisons games, streetassault is free to join (slipdeath@mail.com as your refferal) and make sure to join the message boards

is that any better??

[Slipdeath]

www.streetassault.com (<----- i work there) is going to be working with activision, along with theere owners many magazines including egm, there asking us to distribut 2.5 million magazines, and were getting alot of free shit, and the top three teamers get a ps2 with ten games, so its free to join

alright ill try to correct myself:

www.streetassault.com is currentlyfinishing a contract with the owner of activison, which also happens to own about 20 magazines including egm, what they want streetassault do is to litterally hand out around 2.5 million magazines to diffrent locations, the top 10 teamers wil win a ps2 with ten games, and alot of runner ups will get some activison games. So later on where going to be promoting some of activisons games, streetassault is free to join (slipdeath@mail.com as your refferal) and make sure to join the message boards

is that any better?? oops i posted twice