The word "legacy" is perhaps thrown around far too much in the world of computing, but when it comes to Atari's 8-bit range of computers it couldn't be more relevant. Fresh from designing the best-selling 2600 VCS, Atari's engineers set to work on the follow up - a powerful computer that was equally adept at playing games. This might seem normal today but back then computers really weren't seen as games machines. Starting with the release of the Atari 400 and 800 in 1979 and continuing on with the XL and XE models, the Atari 8-bit series, as it would become known, was the very first home computer to feature custom graphics and sound chips. In fact its design would very much become the template that all home micros would follow.

In this book we take you through the life of the Atari 8-bit computers looking at a varied cross section of the 8000+ games available with a review and screenshot of each one. From classics released in the late 1970s to modern homebrew titles, there are games of all genres and styles. With ten entries for each letter of the alphabet, this is not supposed to be a list of the best or the worst games; neither is it a complete guide to all that's available. It is simply a meandering journey through the decades of home computing history, designed to interest both the dedicated fan and the casual reader alike.

A Compendium of Atari 8-bit Games is a celebration of the historic home micro filled with nostalgic memories, new opinions, interesting stories, developer interviews and so much more besides.