Turn back the video-game clock to the crazy '80s

By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service

Video-gamers old enough to remember "Space Invaders," "Defender" or "Asteroids" can take a trip down memory lane with three new budget compilations: "Midway Arcade Treasures," "Intellivision Lives!" and "Atari: 80 Classic Games in One."

Each collection includes dozens of arcade and console classics from the early 1980s, complete with their crude 2-D graphics, silly bleeps and chirps and simple controls.

The following is a brief look at each. All titles are under $20 and are appropriate for players of all ages.

'Midway Arcade Treasures'

(Midway; for Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube; www.midway.com; stars out of five)

Included are arcade hits such as "Joust," a game that requires players to ride on the back of a flying bird while dueling with enemy creatures, and "Paperboy," where players ride a bike down an obstacle-laden street and throw newspapers to the doors of subscribers.

These and other titles are in Midway's arcade game compilation, now available for all consoles.

Other well-known arcade games on the disc include "SpyHunter," "Defender," "Robotron 2084" and one of the first ever multiplayer arcade games, "Gauntlet."

While all the games look exactly as you remember them from your local arcade, some do not feel quite as good, unfortunately. This is because the arcade versions used specific controllers, such as a trackball for "Rampart" and "Marble Madness." These two titles are more difficult to control with current video game controllers.

Along with the games are bonus sections such as game histories, interviews with the original game makers and other extras.

'Intellivision Lives!'

(Crave Entertainment; for PlayStation 2 and Xbox; www.intellivisionlives.com; )

The aptly named "Intellivision Lives!" disc resurrects 60 classic console games from Mattel Electronics' Intellivision platform.

This product drops the player into Hal's Pizza, a 3-D arcade housing machines with different themes such as "sports," "battle" or "kids" games. Each has a unique graphical interface that launches the original Intellivision game, be it "Astrosmash," an intense shoot-em-up space game, "Intellivision Baseball," an entertaining sports simulation, or "Utopia," a smart strategy game.

Each game can be paused to review instructions and controller layout. Some games also let players save their high scores.

Adding to the nostalgia is a jukebox that plays original Intellivision-themed music. Other goodies include video interviews with game designers, a small handful of unreleased games, production history and game credits, a classic Intellivision television commercial, original box art and access to an authentic Intellivision in-store demo cartridge.

'Atari: 80 Classic Games in One'

(Atari; for PC; www.atari.com; )

If names such as "Missile Command" or "Super Breakout" strike a sentimental chord with you, then imagine carrying around 80 vintage Atari games on your laptop computer.

This new compilation of old favorites includes 60-odd Atari 2600 titles, including once-popular "Combat" and "Adventure," as well as 18 diversions from the arcade such as "Tempest" and "Crystal Castles."

Even "Pong" is here — the hypnotizing black and white electronic table tennis simulation for one or two players.

One of the most enjoyable titles is "Centipede," an addictive action game where you must shoot down an ever-growing centipede, along with the mushrooms and spiders that surround it.

Pick up an inexpensive game pad — the keyboard just doesn't cut it with many of these titles.