That Atari isn't really Atari anymore, and hasn't been since the mid-80s, is no big deal. How this great name was passed down from pillar to post over the ensuing decades could be the subject of a book, but in a nutshell, it was as if it had fallen to the ground.

The current owners, however, seem to know and value what they have, at least in terms of their game catalog and in terms of understanding Atari's unique and important role in video game history. The latest evidence of this is "Atari 50: An Anniversary Celebration" (opens in new tab).

I should note here that I am a gaming history and Atari geek, so this is targeted to my interests. The collection is organized around an "interactive timeline" that presents trivia about the games, various contemporary images, documentary footage, and in some cases, new interviews with the people involved.

Atari 50 also allows users to jump into a game, play it lightly, and then jump back to where they were on the timeline. The package contains over 100 games, which is perfect, because honestly, most games only take a couple of minutes to play to see what it was all about. The interface design is top-notch as well.

However, that is not to say that there is no real quality here. Of particular note is the presence of Jeff Minter's Tempest 2000, which was an outstanding Atari Jaguar shooter and still is. In fact, the inclusion of Jaguar and Lynx games (Atari's last full-fledged console and short-lived handheld, respectively) marks the first time these catalogs have returned again.

This is more the game equivalent of a museum tour than anything else. But the history of Atari is fascinating. Looking back at what the pioneers accomplished and why they did it makes for a great story.

Also included in Atari 50 are six new games. SwordQuest: AirWorld is a sequel to an old classic by developer Digital Eclipse; Haunted Houses (which Atari optimistically calls a "survival horror") is a 3D voxel remake; Quadratank features multiplayer VCTR-SCTR combines various vector graphics shooters (Asteroids, Tempest, etc.) into one; Neo Breakout is a combination of Breakout and Pong; Yars' Revenge Reimagined puts a new spin on one of Atari's masterpieces.

I have been cynical about Atari's various transitions over the years. At times, the company seemed like a zombie that just sold t-shirts, and it has been a long time since it has had any relevance to the broader industry. Atari 50 will not change that on its own. But it does show that the current custodians of this great name and lineage are serious about it and want the Atari name to be meaningful to people again.

Fair warning: these are (mostly) old games, and no matter how well presented, you get what you put in. If you're interested in Atari's history and how home video games really took off, the Atari 50 is a well-preserved treasure chest, and some of them can still really shine if you come across them halfway through.