Like fine wine, great games get better with age ... see Atari Masterpieces Vol. I for proof.

Compiling eight all-time Atari arcade favorites -- Asteroids, Battlezone, Black Widow, Millipede, Missile Command, Red Baron, Lunar Lander and Super Breakout -- into one cool package, it's both must-have anthology and tribute to forward-thinking software design.

Over 20 years since their original release, each title (plus four unlockable Atari 2600 games, consisting of Adventure, Surround, Video Chess and Yar's Revenge) remains as enchanting as the day it debuted. Better yet: no quarters necessary.

Producer Andy Mazurek explains why it'll keep N-Gage owners happily preoccupied until Vol. II ships this December.

Q: Oddly enough, the games featured here were made more than two decades ago. Is any additional work necessary to make them ready for another retail debut?
A: Yes. These are classic titles made to be played on arcade machines. Digital Eclipse, the developer, had to make some changes so that they could be played on the Nokia N-Gage platform. Our device uses a different operating system then the original arcade machines, so a custom emulator had to be created in addition to other changes like increasing the size of the text and adding a small image of a craft so the player can see what direction they're facing.

Q: Given the size of Atari's catalogue, how did you pick which titles would be featured here?
A: Great question. We tried to pick the games that were not only the most popular, but also the ones that would look and, more importantly, play well on the N-Gage game deck.

Some of the titles were no-brainers. I wanted to have the usual games like Asteroids, Missile Command and Millipede, but I also wanted to add some of my favorites as well like Lunar Lander and Red Baron.

Q: Choosy, eh? Which of the games in the compilation is your favorite?
A: I really like them all, but if I had to pick one or two, I'd have to say Lunar Lander and Red Baron. Lunar Lander is an all-time favorite of mine. My best friend Dave and I would race to the bowling alley to play the game for what seemed like hours on end. We were and still are big fans of and believers in the space program. Playing Lunar Lander allowed us to escape for a bit, I suppose.

As for Red Baron, well, I've always loved flight simulators. Red Baron was one of the very first flight sim arcade games and I was instantly drawn to it. I put many a quarter into that game so I got pretty darn good at it. When I went to work at MicroProse, they actually had a sit-down version of the arcade game set on free play in the cafeteria. I was in heaven. And I can honestly say that I spent many, many work breaks playing that game. So, when I had the chance to incorporate the game into a collection, I jumped at it!


Q: What makes all the titles hold up so well over such a long time span since their original release?
A: For me, it's all about gameplay. They aren't over designed over over-complicated with super detailed instructions on how to play. Most of the games had a joystick or other controller and a button or two in their original form. They're all easy to learn, but hard to master. You could get good at the game way back when, but to truly master it required many quarters and some dedicated one-on-one time with the machine.

Q: How, in many ways, are they superior to many of the products we see today?
A: These games weren't convoluted. You could walk up to a game, read a few sentences and then play it. You could even get good at the game in three or four attempts. Most of the games today have manuals an inch thick and they barely scratch the surface on how to play.

Q: Why is Atari so synonymous with all things game-related?
A: Atari was one of the first companies to not only create arcade machines, but also break into the home market. For me and my friends, a phone call to come over and play on the Atari 2600 meant to come over and play some cool games.  Eventually the word Atari became part of our vernacular like Kleenex and Coke.

Q: Who do you think will most be drawn to this package: nostalgic adults or younger gamers yearning to try the titles they've heard others rave about for so long?
A: I really think that it will be the nostalgic adults at first, but the games will then win over the younger gamers as they are exposed to the titles. I think that the adults will show the games to their kids, nieces and nephews, and they will be hooked by the simplicity of design and addictiveness of gameplay.

Q: Good point. It is about more than just sound and graphics here, isn't it…
A: These games are classics. They've been around for years. The gameplay is tried and true. The directions are easy to understand. For me, these games are like Dominos, Checkers, Chess, and Solitaire. They are so simple to learn and yet so difficult to truly master. And you could play them every day for your entire life and never get bored with them. That's the hallmark of a great game.   

Q: How true to the original games are your conversions?
A: [Laughs] Well, the game deck doesn't have a trackball or a control paddle, but all in all, they are very true with a few minor tweaks to allow for the best gaming experience possible.

Q: Masterpieces Vol. I also features interviews with Nolan Bushnell, Atari's founder. Any interesting details or surprising facts from his conversations you'd care to share?
A: I think it's just incredible to hear Mr. Bushnell talk about Atari. You can hear it in his voice and imagine just how fun and exciting it was, 'flying at the seat of your pants' all the while creating these games. I think that one of the funniest comments dealt with the workers and braces. You need to hear Nolan tell it to really appreciate the anecdote.

Q: What exclusive N-Gage Arena features does the title sport?
A: We allow players to upload their high scores to Arena and compete for bragging rights on the various games. I can't wait to see how I rank against the rest of the world.

Q: Anything truly important we can learn about gaming history from the package?
A: That even years back, we had really great games that were not only fun to play, but kicked serious butt as well! Yes, they may not have been the best-looking games, but they were some of the best playing games ever made. I also think we can learn how far we have come technologically.

What once took several huge arcade machines with many circuit boards can now be put into something as small as a cell phone. When I really think about it, my brain hurts! It really makes we wonder what the next 25 years will hold for all of us gamers. Who knows … maybe we will just put on a set of HUD glasses and control the games with eye movements and thoughts.

Q: Secret to avoiding hand-cramping while playing?
A: I haven't figured that one out yet. I'm so addicted to these games that I am playing them almost around the clock.

Q: And finally, care to share any of the surprises we can expect from upcoming sequel Atari Masterpieces Vol. II?
A: Wow… If I told you that, I think my marketing people would hunt me down.
So, for the sake of my well being, I need to say no comment.

-- Scott Steinberg