Atari app takes the iPhone to old school

… Back to the days when video arcades were actually cool.

Because Atari has just released Atari Greatest Hits for the iTunes App Store. The name is a bit misleading, since the download itself will only get you a playable version of the ultimate classic, Pong.

It is indeed possible to get more of the publisher’s “Greatest Hits,” but that’s a separate transaction. You can either pick-and-choose pre-selected four-game packs for 99 cents each. Or if you’re feeling splurgey, you can download all 100 of the emulated classics for $14.99.

The app is presented with a menu screen, filled in with all the games you’ve purchased as selectable arcade machines. There are some enhancements, like the addition of Bluetooth multiplayer and refined graphical fidelity, but for the most part their presentation is identical to the old-school gaming days.

There is the issue of touchscreen-exclusive controls, which might be very uncomfortable for some of the vintage multi-button arcade titles.

Nevertheless, where else are you going to find professionally created games for a net effective price of 15 cents a pop? Seems like a pretty good deal to us.