Play Atari Greatest Hits - Volume 2 Online

Atari Greatest Hits Volume 2 came out on the Nintendo DS in 2011, published by Atari, Inc. It was part of a wave of retro compilations that tried to bring arcade and console classics to handhelds, fitting right in with the DS's eclectic library. The collection includes fifty games, a mix of well known titles and some deeper cuts that feel like they were pulled straight from the archives.

You control a variety of characters and vehicles across these games, from steering a tank in Combat to guiding a frog across a busy road. The main objective changes with each title, but generally involves achieving a high score, surviving waves of enemies, or completing specific stages. Signature mechanics include maneuvering through maze like environments while avoiding ghosts, firing projectiles at descending aliens, or timing jumps precisely to avoid obstacles. The pacing is fast in the arcade titles, demanding quick reflexes, while some of the older console games feel more methodical. It feels like having a pocket sized arcade, complete with the occasional frustration of adapting touch controls to games designed for a joystick.