Over the course of the last few years, the Atari name has slowly and surely regained prominence. First there was the release of the Atari VCS and then a whole host of proper old-school Atari titles got Recharged – the likes of Centipede and Breakout. Now though Atari are proving they really have what it takes to become a force in modern gaming, with the release of a new IP – Kombinera.
Kombinera is out today on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam and Epic), mobile devices AND that Atari VCS. Honestly, if you like a bit of puzzle action, this neon-lit affair is going to be for you.
We’ve been hands-on with Kombinera for a little while already; long enough in fact to be able to deliver a full review of Kombinera on Xbox Series X|S. Give it a read and you’ll discover exactly what Atari have mustered up here.
Simply put though, this is classic Atari, redefined for a modern gaming audience. It’s a game that will have you putting your mental skills to the ultimate test, as you’re left to combine and merge multiple coloured orbs. Simple enough you may think, but the thing is you’re in control of these orbs, as they move in unison around the puzzling stages.
Your ultimate goal is to combine them all as one, utilising pinch points, jumps, gravity-bending moments and more in order to ensure that all orbs join as one. Do so, and you’ll be thrust on your way through the next set of ever-increasingly tricky puzzles.
There are 300 of these included in Kombinera from launch, each building on the difficulty of the last to ensure that this pad-biting, pad-throwing, pad-breaking puzzler will keep you enthralled.
“The Atari brand was built by creating games that brought excitement and joy to a generation of players — and that is our focus now. We are working with creative studios like Graphite Lab, who are helping us build a bridge between our past and present,” said Atari CEO Wade Rosen. “With its simple visual style and approachable gameplay, Kombinera is not only a great modern game, it fits naturally within our portfolio of retro and retro-inspired games.”
As our review points, we’ve been massively impressed by what Atari has created here, with the key game features sitting as follows…
- Progress through 300 increasingly complex puzzles and challenge yourself to achieve best times on each
- Identify each colored ball’s special ability and utilize each (or a combination of balls) to complete each puzzle and level
- Encounter new hazards and abilities that’ll keep you on your toes level after level
- An in-depth, complex, and heart-tugging storyline complements traditionally simplistic gameplay
- Accessible controls optimized on each platform
Should you be sold then you’ll find a download of Kombinera for £11.99 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S over at the Xbox Store. You’ll find it on the other formats too – PlayStation, Switch, mobile, VCS and PC.
Let us know in the comments if you decide to give this one a whirl. And if you want to know more about Atari’s resurgence into the gaming space, our exclusive interview with Atari’s CEO, Wade Rosen, is well worth a read.
Oh, and seriously consider a play of Breakout Recharged, Black Widow Recharged, Centipede Recharged or Asteroids Recharged too.
Game Description:
Formidable puzzles. Precise navigation. Balls. Simultaneous control. A fallen king… Control multiple colored balls simultaneously in this brain-bending puzzle platformer. It’s up to you to combine every ball and complete each perilous level. Can you solve them all? Can you save King Kombine from the Kave of Kaos?