What is the deal with all of the rereleasing of past hits? I'm not talking about PS2 best sellers, I'm talking about the Atari classics collections!

I'll tell you what is up with that. Game publishers realized self-styled, classic-video-game aficianados (such as myself) have fond memories about the games of yore and they have more money than the core market of 13-to-21-year-old males.

Now they have wrapped these classic packages into one large package, put a new price point on it--for a new platform--and set it loose within the marketplace. Because the product has reached the mullet decline in the product life cycle, the relative price is lower than when it debuted:

That means you can get more of the games for your money than you would for a brand new game. This appeals to budget conscious consumers (including parents), and gives you the sense that you can have more games for your shiny new console than you did before.

This strategy has not only been strategically delivered in game collections, but also in the overnight sensation known as Xbox Live Arcade. Don't call it a come-back that service has been here for years. Only now has it gained momentum because the scores actually accrue you online accomplishment points!

Now Joust not only nets you a high score on the Live Leaderboards, but also provides accomplishment points for added bragging rights. When I heard J Allard talk about the accomplishments being posted on Live, I thought he had taken one too many mountainbiking spills, now I think he has brought games in a full circle.

When I listen to the Hotspot and I hear Jeff trash talking with Carrie, or Rorie throwing out his smack I know scoring is back. Can you believe this? What happened to finishing the game? What happened to level cap attainment? I thought we were making progress. But in the end, it all comes back down to Clear/Reliable Accomplishment Proof (CRAP) units.

How retro.

"Isn't that nice. . . like Miami Vice?"