Atari’s imminent Adventure reboot proves we’re in the summer of the retro platformer

Atari and Ilex Games have revealed the release date for Adventure of Samsara, a 2D Metroidvania set within the universe of the Atari 2600 classic. It’ll be out in early September.

By coming out this summer, Adventure of Samsara is part of a wider trend hitting the game industry right now. We’re currently in a renaissance for 2D platformers inspired by retro games?

When will Adventure of Samsara be released?

And why this is the summer of the retro platformer

Atari has slated Adventure of Samsara for release across PC, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch on September 4. If you haven’t heard of the game, it’s an 2D platformer about exploring a mysterious alien planet. I played it at Summer Game Fest Play Days in June and found it to be an atmospheric throwback platform that reminded me of the first Metroid and Prince of Persia games.

I also learned that this started as an original game, not connected to any Atari IP. When Atari decided to publish the game, it enabled Ilex Games to infuse Adventure of Samsara with references to Adventure, the Atari 2600 game famous for containing the first video game Easter egg.

The result is a tribute to a famous retro game that also independently stands on its own as a worthwhile 2D platformer. Shockingly, Adventure of Samsara is not the only game launching this summer that fits that description.

Adventure of Samsara feels similar to Shadow Labyrinth. Released in July, that game reimagined Pac-Man as a twisted, dark Metroidvania and was full of references to lots of other Bandai Namco games. While Shadow Labyrinth didn’t use pixel art, I did enjoy playing the game because it felt like a tribute to an older era of gaming.

Then, there are the action platformers Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (out now) and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (out later this month). These both reboot classic 2D platformers starring ninjas, pushing their respective series forward with new stories, tight gameplay, and beautiful animation. That sounds like Adventures of Samsara, doesn’t it?

I’m not making these connections to call Adventure of Samsara unoriginal. I’m just spotlighting a current trend in the platformer game space that I’m a fan of. There are so many classic games that feel ripe for a revival, and developers are finally starting to realize the potential in that.

Companies like Atari, Sega, and Koei Tecmo can offer their beloved franchises to studios that adore them and create experiences that remind us of why we came to love these series in the first place. In such a stressful time for the video game industry, we need positive trends like this.