Inside the Atari Booth PAX West 2026 : Nostalgia, Remasters, and a Whole Lot of Retro Round-Ups
September 2026- Seattle /PAX West - There so many booths at PAX, it is almost impossible to stop by each and everyone, but we surely gave it a try. However some might get a cursory glance whilst other just draw you in. Atari's booth was definitely one of the latter. For fall 2026, Atari was back and while their nostalgia laden hardware area was a little lacking this year, there was a surprisingly broad collection of upcoming games on display, We were lucky enough to get a personal tour of the booth with our guide, David Polansky. David had a ton of knowledge on what is happening with Atari's current and upcoming lineup, from classic stealth and first-person shooters to giant monsters, Toy Story nostalgia, Barbie, and a brand-new RollerCoaster Tycoon. Visitiors of the booth soaked themselves into the nostalgia while for some this was their first time with these games. Everyone had a good time regardless their experience with these francises.
RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks
Our tour started with a new announced game, RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks. Wonderworks is a brand-new entry in the legendary theme park simulation series and is being developed by Springloaded, the studio behind "Let's Build a Zoo". Atari describes it as a reimagining of the classic RollerCoaster Tycoon experience, and from what we saw, the developers are clearly aiming for that familiar combination of colorful presentation, detailed management and just enough chaos to make running an amusement park considerably more dangerous than it probably should be.
"It's a brand new Rollercoaster Tycoon game that aims to do right by the brand. Going back to that kind of more deep simulation... rides will literally fall apart if you don't properly maintain them." -Jason, Atari
But this is not simply a prettier version of the original game. Wonderworks is leaning into some wonderfully chaotic physics. Rides can malfunction and break apart, potentially causing destruction and injuries, and players can customize ride settings such as speed, acceleration and duration. The coaster builder is also being redesigned to make it easier to create and fine-tune your rides.
The game is currently planned to soon enter Early Access on Steam, with the developers intending to use that period to expand the game and take community feedback. Early Access is expected to include two parks, Hollow Creek and Forest Frontiers, with additional parks, rides and systems planned during development.
What I really liked about what we saw was that Wonderworks seems to understand one of the most important things about RollerCoaster Tycoon. The game should make you feel like a genius when your park is working and a complete idiot when you accidentally create a roller coaster that launches itself into the parking lot. That balance between management and mayhem looks like it is going to be a big part of Wonderworks.
SiN: Reloaded
From amusement parks we moved to a workd with genetically engineered mutants, with Nightdive Studio's SiN: Reloaded.
Originally released in 1998, SiN was one of those late-'90s first-person shooters that existed in the shadow of the biggest names in the genre such as half-life, but over the years it developed its own following. Nightdive's approach to this release, is to preserve that original identity while modernizing the presentation, controls and overall experience. I did find the controller hard to pick up for this one, and would like to play it with mouse and keyboard again, but perhaps the settings needed some personalization, and night dive does give you a lot of options in their games.
SiN: Reloaded will included the original game and the Wages of SiN expansion, both optimized through Nightdive's KEX Engine. It will feature improved textures and models, modernized controls and UI, improved maps, and support for resolutions up to 4K and high frame rates. It will also be the first time the game is officially available on consoles.
Playing it at PAX was particularly interesting because this is very much a game that reminds you of its PC roots. The controller works, and the modern options are there, but you can still feel the DNA of a late-'90s PC shooter underneath everything. For anyone who grew up with games from this era, that is part of the appeal. And the timing is not far away. SiN: Reloaded is currently scheduled for September 24, 2026.
"Night Dive doesn't miss. - With the exception of the System Shock remake, all of their games leverage the original engine."- Jason, Atari
Toy Story: Retro Roundup!
From mutans and bullets we took a hard turn back to some family friendly content. Toy Story: Retro Roundup! is exactly the kind of project that feels tailor-made for Digital Eclipse. Rather than simply taking a collection of old games, putting them on a modern platform and calling it a day, Digital Eclipse has built an entire historical experience around them with footage from Pixar, behind the scenes interviews and more.
First off, the collection is huge and includes multiple versions of classic Toy Story games, spanning consoles and handhelds, along with A Bug's Life. Atari currently lists 11 versions of the games across the collection, including Toy Story, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!, Toy Story 2, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Toy Story Racer and A Bug's Life.
On top of all that huge collection, Digital Eclipse included the sort of archival material that has become one of the studio's trademarks. There are design documents, development material, interviews and behind-the-scenes content that turn the collection into something resembling a playable museum.
On notable feature that Jason really wanted to point out is the built in Practice Mode.
Imagine finding a particular level in an old game that you always loved, but you cannot quite remember how to get there. Instead of simply loading the level and hoping for the best and possibly getting stuck for hours, Practice Mode allows you to watch a section of gameplay and then jump directly into playing it at that moment. It is a wonderfully clever way of making older games more approachable.
There are also modern conveniences such as rewind functionality, cheat options and other quality-of-life features designed to make these older games easier for modern players to enjoy.
These options add some useful features to the collection as some older licensed games can be difficult to return to. From bad controls, to difficulty spikes and a lack of tutorials can make them feel much harder than we remember.
And if you want the complete Toy Story package, the upcoming physical double pack also includes Toy Story 3 Complete Edition. The collection is currently scheduled for October 15, 2026.
Thief: The Dark Project Remastered
Now it was time to start a little sneaking in the dark shadows.
"Thief: The Dark Project Remastered" is yet another Nightdive project. Thief is an interesting game to revisit because stealth games have changed dramatically since its original release. The entire concept was built around avoiding combat, staying in the shadows and paying attention to light and sound. The original game was groundbreaking in using those elements as actual gameplay mechanics rather than simply visual effects.
During the short hands-on at the booth, I will admit that playing a classic PC stealth game with a controller takes a little adjustment. And after years of modern gaming, my instincts wanted to run around and start hitting things, which is pretty much the opposite of what Garrett wants you to do.
Once you settle into the rhythm however, the game still has that wonderful feeling of sneaking through a world where you are not supposed to be, listening in on the guards and luring them into traps.
Nightdive is including both Thief: The Dark Project and the expanded content from Thief Gold. and the remaster also adds improved textures, models and animations, along with quality-of-life features such as an updated weapons and items wheel, a mission selector and custom campaign support on PC.
The light meter is still there, the shadows still matter, and the basic philosophy remains intact. You are Garrett. You are a thief. You are probably better off not being noticed.That authenticity is exactly what I want from a remaster like this.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered
From being stealthy we went big and loud with a giant monster standing in the middle of the city. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered might have been the most immediately fun game we played at the Atari booth.
Originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 during a time where there a few monster bashing game, Atari is bringing this one back with the original developer, Pipeworks, involved in the remaster. Even more interestingly, members of the original development team are returning to help make sure the game retains what made the original so enjoyable.
The basic concept remains gloriously simple. Pick a giant monster, enter an arena and start destroying everything around you. The remaster includes 12 playable monsters, each with its own attacks, energy abilities and Rage Mode strikes. The environments are also more than just scenery. Buildings and landmarks can be used as weapons, which is exactly the sort of thing you expect when Godzilla and friends are having an argument in downtown Tokyo.
"It's actually being developed by the original developer at Pipe Works, who's the developer of the Gamecube original... they know why the certain decisions were in the game." - Jason, Atari
The game comes with some meaningful additions. Single-player progression includes an experience system that allows monsters to become more powerful as players complete objectives. The remaster also improves the unlock system and adds online multiplayer alongside local play.
The original game supported four-player multiplayer, and that remains one of the reasons this particular remaster has so much potential for families and groups of friends. The important distinction is that the game supports online multiplayer, but cross-play is not currently supported, so players will need to be on the same platform ecosystem to play together online.
Visually the game looked really polished, where the difference between the original and the remaster is most immediately obvious. The updated visuals look fantastic while still retaining the spirit of the GameCube original.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is currently scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Barbie Rewind
And lastly there was Barbie Rewind, another Digital Eclipse project that takes the idea of a retro collection and turns it into something considerably larger. Barbie Rewind combines a collection of classic Barbie games with an entirely new DreamHouse experience.
There are 16 Barbie games spanning 1991 through 2007, including games from NES, Game Boy, Genesis, Super Nintendo, PlayStation, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. On top of that, Digital Eclipse added a new feature, the DreamHouse and is the part that makes Barbie Rewind different from a simple retro compilation.
We personally did not really get hands on , but players can choose to decorate the house with more than 250 pieces of furniture, decorations and accessories inspired by Barbie playsets from different decades. Completing quests earns XP and unlocks additional items, giving the collection a new progression layer on top of the classic games.
Barbie Rewind is currently scheduled for November 12, 2026.
Atari's Bigger Picture
There was a time when Atari's presence at gaming events could feel heavily centered around its history, hardware and merchandise. The Atari booth still had plenty of shirts, hats, bags and other merchandise. But the games are becoming the star again.
Atari's current strategy of working with studios that understand how to preserve the identity of older games while making them more accessible to modern audiences is what makes them currently a unique section in the market. Nightdive is doing that with games such as SiN and Thief. Digital Eclipse is doing it with collections like Toy Story: Retro Roundup! and Barbie Rewind. Pipeworks is returning to its own Godzilla game. And Springloaded is taking the reigns of RollerCoaster Tycoon and attempting to build something new on top of the foundations of the original.
I look forward how they all turn out and what else is coming in the future. You can find more info at the Atari website And do not forget to watch the YouTube video of our tour.
DadGeek (Rob) is the co-founder of GeeksVsGeeks. He is a product of the eighties and never let go of his geek interest and hobbies no matter how often someone told him to stop. His love for gaming and all things geek has been part of his parenting style and permeates throughout the whole family. A family of GeeksvsGeeks
