REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 30, 2012 — Before casual games like “Bejeweled” and “Text Twist” came along, there were Atari classics such as “Pong,” “Combat,” “Centipede” and “Asteroids.” Many Gen Xers spent Saturday afternoons at the arcade blowing their week’s allowance on the latest game, all for the thrill of seeing their initials on the top score list.

The Atari Arcade brings more “experienced” Gen Xers a chance to relive those Saturday afternoons, without blowing their monthly mortgage payment or grocery budget. And Millennials can discover the joys of old-school gaming firsthand, while using the touch-first browsing capabilities that are part of Internet Explorer 10. Whether using a Windows 8 touch device or mouse and keyboard, Atari Arcade could redefine the casual gaming experience.

Today, eight Atari classics are available for play on Internet Explorer 9 and Internet Explorer 10, with more scheduled for release in the next few months. And with the available SDK, developers can use the Atari Arcade platform to create modern-day classics all their own.

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Centipede

August 30, 2012

Centipede, one of Atari’s greatest hits, was known for using a trackball for its controller. Originally released in 1980, Centipede is notable for being one of the first games developed by a woman and was one of the first games that women liked to play.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Asteroids

August 30, 2012

Asteroids was first released in 1979 and became one of the most popular and influential arcade video games.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Combat

August 30, 2012

Originally released in 1977, Combat was known for its color graphics and its many combat scenarios.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Lunar Lander

August 30, 2012

Atari “landed” the Lunar Lander game in 1979. It was known for its vector monitor and vector graphics, which meant that the game image was composed of drawn lines rather than a grid of glowing pixels.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Missile Command

August 30, 2012

Originally released in 1980, Missile Command is a game where the player has to protect six cities from missile attacks.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Pong

August 30, 2012

Made to emulate playing tennis, Pong was one of the first sports-themed video games. It was introduced by Atari in 1972.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Super Breakout

August 30, 2012

Super Breakout, originally released in 1976, has players use a bouncing ball to break through a brick wall.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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Yars Revenge

August 30, 2012

Players of Yars Revenge, which was originally released in 1981, try to fight through a series of shields to get at and destroy a hidden cannon.

Image: Web

See also: Atari Arcade

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