Activision, the first third party game publisher, has been selected as the feature of an upcoming Evercade collection. Titled the Activision Collection 1, this release will feature 15 Atari 2600 era games on one cartridge. The interesting thing is, there are plans for two more Activision Collections for the Evercade, due in 2026. Activision Collection 1 is due in November 2025.
Seemingly pulling from the Fairchild Channel F console, Evercade took on a numbering system early on. This upcoming Activision Collection 1 will be numbered 47 in the red-colored home console line of cartridges. It will carry a price point of about $30, cheaper than buying all 15 games on eBay, unless you get lucky (and have the console to play on already).
The titles included in Activision Collection 1 are:
Beamrider
Crackpots
Demon Attack
Enduro
Fishing Derby
Freeway
Grand Prix
Megamania
Pitfall!
Private Eye
River Raid
Sky Jinks
Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space
Starmaster
Tennis
From the press release, "Activision’s early library helped define home console gaming, and we’re excited to bring these iconic titles to Evercade players," said Blaze Entertainment Ltd’s CEO, Andrew Byatt."This collection captures the creativity and excitement of the 2600 era, allowing both long-time fans and new players to experience these classics. It’s something our fans have been asking for since we started and we’re delighted we can finally bring them to retro gaming fans everywhere."
The range of gaming that is represented in this collection is wide and deep. From racing to simulations to action, other than a few categories, you are likely to find something to enjoy here. For many, this could be the first time they get to play some of these releases.
For instance, I never heard of Beamrider or Sky Jinks and Starmaster. I was born in 1976 so growing up with this generation, most of my exposure was buying the games new which meant not having a lot until the dust settled and a new generation of consoles was released. By then, the obscure stuff was simply not in yard sales or other places I was likely to be buying used games.
What games speak to you when you think of Activision during the Atari 2600 era? What do you think the next two Activision Collections will feature? Maybe one focused on NES games?
Let me know in the comments.
