Activision Hits Remixed – Review

g-activisionhits200Activision Hits Remixed

(Activision for PSP)
by Mike Delano

It’s a bad sign when the best part of a compilation disc, one with more than 40 games, is the music. In this case, not the music for the games themselves, but a nostalgia-inducing playlist of ’80s megahits like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “Walking in L.A.” Rocking out to big hair hits while playing some old school games is a recommended experience, especially when the interface is this smooth.

What’s here are all the favorites from the ol’ Atari days you remember (Pitfall, Ice Hockey), or don’t (Megamania), as well as some that are better forgotten (Oink!). For completists, this is a very generous collection of games all on one disc, but I’d imagine that half of the fun of playing these old games is dusting off the old creaky joysticks and cartridges. I mean, there’s retro gaming, the classics from the NES days and beyond that still hold up today, and there’s ancient stuff like this, which is mostly good for a laugh, despite the undeniable charm of the presentation (old-school Atari TV ads are offered as unlockables).

A quick spin of Hits Remixed is recommended for the curious who have no intention of scouring eBay for 20-year-old consoles, and gamers old enough to remember owning these games. For the latter, it might bring back some misty-eyed memories of gaming in the ’80s, with a mixture of pride (for being present at the birth of modern-day gaming) and shame (for wasting your time with these games back in the day).
(www.activision.com)