Critics praised the compilation's use of emulation to exactly recreate the games' arcade versions,[6][7][9][10] the menu system,[7][9] and the documentary FMVs.

[6][7][9] A reviewer for Next Generation elaborated that "Unlike the Williams disc ... the history is narrated over a slideshow of memorabilia, and the insightful clips run longer, dispelling ancient rumors and relating anecdotes of Atari coin-op's golden age.

[6][7] Tom Ham summarized in GameSpot, "Bringing together six classic games that launched entire video game genres (and stole countless quarters from gamers), The Atari Collection 1 is a wonderful trip down memory lane.

"[7] Electronic Gaming Monthly's review team focused more on the controller issues, and had a less enthusiastic reaction overall.

[6] GamePro similarly concluded, "Even though the authentic graphics and gameplay rate high, the limitations in control and sound bring down the overall enjoyment.