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The Last True Atari


Sabertooth

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I have always liked the Atari Jaguar since its inception and release. Even though it wasn't a commercial success, I know that it could have been so much more. I own two Jaguars and two CD units. They are my dream machines, even though they are retro. But, that's OK. I think that, in time, the home-brew community will create some dynamite games. In many instances, they already have. :)

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The big problem of both Atari Jaguar and Commodores Amiga CD32 was...

That both consoles was their last attempt to keep their heads over the surface. Atari didn't had the money for developing games or market Jaguar properly. All Atari's money was spent on developing the hardware.

Commodore bragged about the worlds first 32 bit games console using old technology. In fact, CD32 was just an repacked Amiga 1200 as a games console and a long was from true 32 bit gaming. Commodore made fun of Sega in their adverts and less then a year later Commodore went bankrupt and CD32 was practically crushed when both Sony and Sega released brand new technology in Playstation and Sega Saturn. A bit later Nintendo released Nintendo 64.

Jaguar was perhaps not in the same legaue as the new japanese consoles but at least Atari tried to present something new.

Edited by RetroX
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In a weird sense, you could argue that actually the 5200 was the last true Atari system, since the 7800 was made by GCC, the lynx by EPYX and the Jag was after the Tramiels cleaned house. :D  

The No Swear Gamer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtJuo040EOCTVziObIgVcg

Host of The Atari 7800 Game by Game Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and YouTube

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Happy to find atari.io. I am an avid collector of all things Atari, and founder of Run PC Inc., which started out as an Atari Dealer. I thought some members may enjoy reading an Atari press release from one of our last ventures with Atari and the Jag. We had lots of success with concept, and big plans for the future.

Welcome RunPC! I have read your article previously on another website - good stuff!  :thumb:

Brian Matherne - owner/curator of "The MOST comprehensive list of Atari VCS/2600 homebrews ever compiled." http://tiny.cc/Atari2600Homebrew

author of "The Atari 2600 Homebrew Companion" book series available on Amazon! www.amazon.com/author/brianmatherne

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Hello everyone! New member here! So far I am loving this forum and the people in it. Many of you know me, but I've been tired of my old handle for quite a while and have decided to move on with a new handle with new forums I've been joining (Jag and DC so far). I'm not running from my past at all (see my introduction in introduction thread), just tired of the old, and am starting all new in my new forum homes. Saying good-bye to Atariage forever (at least the Jag scene there, I'll still frequent the 8-bit forums) and decided on a new name to boot. Baker is my last name, hence Bakerman.

 

Now, to the topic at hand.

 

I've been a true Atari fan (though I started with Pong and the VCS in my youth) since '85 when I got my first real computer, the 130XE (I did own a Sinclair ZX-81, the U.S. Timex 1000 model before that though). The Jaguar holds a special place in my heart for several reasons, including it being Atari's last console, if the Jaguar 2 had ever come out the story might be different. I too, was hoping for a re-emergence from Atari with the Jaguar, and my early experiences with it was almost all good, as I picked it up in early '95 and it had a decent sized library with some good games by then, and I chose well for the most part (except for Checkered Flag) in the early days and through most of it's first life (commercial life).

 

But it's not just because it was the last console by Atari, I like hardware that isn't off-the-shelf, run-of-the-mill stuff, which is also why I love the Atari 8-bit line; both have unique custom silicon that screams "test me out, see what I am really capable of, think out-of-the-box!" Most of the other reasons have already been mentioned, so I'm not going to repeat. But I am not just an Atari fan-boy, even though the 8-bits and Jaguar are at the top of my all-time favorites, I'm also a fan of other failed systems, including the 3DO and Dreamcast (I can really pick successes as my favorites, can't I?).

 

For consoles, my top three in order are; Jaguar, 3DO and Dreamcast. I like other Sega and Atari systems, but those are my all-time favorites. I like underdogs I guess, but they have to have games I like too, and those three do. Yes, some of my favorite Jag games are considered by many as not it's best, but then all that matters to me is if I like them.

 

Like the Dreamcast, the Jaguar is getting a second life in home-brews and I too, think one day we will see some more 3D stuff and not just 2D remakes of old 8-bit stuff and ST ports. But I am still waiting, hopefully. So far, in the home-brew department the only game that has kept my attention for more than 10 minutes is Dr. Typos Fallen Angels. I was a huge fan of Rescue on Fractalus from the Atari 8-bit, and I still hope to see updates of the other great Lucasfilm games. of course I consider the Telegames and Songbird releases to be commercial, not home-brew, as well as Battlesphere, Impulse X, etc. Most of the rest I consider home-brew 'mini-games" and am still hopeful of some truly full-scale games in the future.

 

I'll be adding a real picture of myself soon, in the avatar and completing any profile soon.

Edited by Bakerman

"Slugs, he created slugs?...Is this not the work of a complete incompetent? I would have started with Lasers, 8 o'clock, day one."-Evil (Time Bandits)

"...burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me..."-theme song (Firefly)

"I try to respect him, I really, really do, but he's just such a Smeg-head."-Lister (about Rimmer, Red Dwarf)

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I stuck with my 8-bit Atari until I bought a Jaguar (playing friend's Genesis and SNES stuff), I never got into the ST line of computers in their heyday, and when I did finally pick up an ST, STE and Falcon in the early part of the 21st century, I just couldn't get into them like with the 8-bit and Jag (maybe the Falcon, if it had had more software and it wasn't worth so much that I ended up selling it for a badly needed cash influx). I still have a couple of non-working ST's in storage that I plan on fixing some day, but I just have no real love for them like A8 and Jag. The Lynx is cool, with lots of cool games, I enjoyed it for a while, then gave it to my nephew in the late 90's. I will get it again one day. But yeah, I like the 3DO and DC a lot more than anything but the Jag. With the DC, it's the racing games mostly, plus Half-life and then all the PC FPS ports like Hexen and Heretic. The 3DO love is due to NFS, Spacechulk, Po'ed, Starfighter, Wing commander mostly, but all three (Jag, 3DO, DC) just have such uniqueness to them and their libraries in general that I guess makes me love them, even if many people frown on them. I am definitely not a me-to mainstream guy, I like what I like and don't give a damn if people think I'm stupid for it. Of course I like some of the top-rated industry stuff too, I love GTA games, Elder Scrolls RPG's, Halo, Call of Duty, and most modern racing games, etc., but still like the odd-ball games and systems more and to this day, my all-time favorite games are still on the Jaguar, 3DO and Dreamcast. 

Edited by Bakerman

"Slugs, he created slugs?...Is this not the work of a complete incompetent? I would have started with Lasers, 8 o'clock, day one."-Evil (Time Bandits)

"...burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me..."-theme song (Firefly)

"I try to respect him, I really, really do, but he's just such a Smeg-head."-Lister (about Rimmer, Red Dwarf)

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If you loved Starfighter on the PS1, you really should get a 3DO, or if you have one, get Starfighter on it. the 3DO version is superior to the PS1 and Saturn ports by a good margin. The same is true for Need For Speed 1, more of a sim on the 3DO, they ruined it on the Saturn and PS1 by making it more arcade like. Most of the 3DO titles (original exclusives) that were later ported to the Saturn and PS1 are superior on the 3DO and certainly it's not that those systems couldn't have handled better versions. Spacehulk is another example of terrible Saturn and PS1 ports compared to the 3DO.

 

I forgot to mention Starlancer on the DC, love that game too. Of course I like/love a lot more games on all three (DC, 3DO, Jag) then I have mentioned here.

 

As far as Gunlord goes, I don't seem to recall that DC title, I'll have to look into it. What genre is it? Sounds like a shmup to me. And Sturmwind is a shmup too isn't it? I like a lot of those on the DC, but I don't think I've tried those ones yet. Sturmwind is a recent release, right? I'm still catching up on recent DC releases, I just burned a copy of Volgarr the Viking platformer, very Rygar-like so far, which is a good thing.

 

The problem I have with what CyranoJones has ported so far ST-wise to the jag is the game choices, most seem very strange to be the first, with such a huge library of much better games to choose from, for the most part. Like what the hell is up with that shitty Buggy Boy racing game when there is goodness like Vroom!, No Second Place, Lotus Turbo Challenge and Crazy Cars 2 to choose from, just for starters? And stuff like Rick Dangerous and Rainbow Island dizzy (pretty good games), when there is stuff like G.O.D.S into the wonderful (I think I got the name right) and Shadow of the Beast, and many, many much better platformers. To me, he has very strange taste in games, at least as first choices to port to the Jag.

Edited by Bakerman

"Slugs, he created slugs?...Is this not the work of a complete incompetent? I would have started with Lasers, 8 o'clock, day one."-Evil (Time Bandits)

"...burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me..."-theme song (Firefly)

"I try to respect him, I really, really do, but he's just such a Smeg-head."-Lister (about Rimmer, Red Dwarf)

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Oh, Starglider II was definitely one of his better choices, agreed, and IK+. I'm generally a fan of CORE, including for the ST, and Rick Dangerous is a fun game, no doubt. though I'm a bigger fan of CORE's work with the Sega CD, Battlecorps, Soul Star, Thunderhawk(?) (is that the same on the ST? 360 degree helicopter shooter?) I didn't know it was out for the ST if it is...but maybe I got the name wrong from the Sega CD game? Also BC Racers, though I don't recall if that was on Sega CD or not, I thought the 32X version was good, far better than the 3DO version! But, yeah, CORE DESIGN rocks. I'd really hoped those games had made it to the Jaguar, at least we got a corrupted version of Soul Star...still hoping for a release of the fixed version someday.

Edited by Bakerman

"Slugs, he created slugs?...Is this not the work of a complete incompetent? I would have started with Lasers, 8 o'clock, day one."-Evil (Time Bandits)

"...burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me..."-theme song (Firefly)

"I try to respect him, I really, really do, but he's just such a Smeg-head."-Lister (about Rimmer, Red Dwarf)

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Why did I get a Jaguar?  It is a very stylish system, games are unique and most exclusive to the Jaguar, and I actually like the controllers.  I don't like how they fit to the console because I feel that could be a bit more snug.  More gaming power for the money.  $225 got me a system with two games, an extra controller (since I was the only one that played it served as a spare should something go wrong with the first one), and the A/V cable.  No other console at that time offered that much for that kind of price.  I spent $200 on the Genesis and barely got a game although Altered Beast would not have been my first choice.  

 

Most of all, I grabbed a Jaguar because it was Atari.  Atari had been a huge part of my childhood so I was surprised to see the Jaguar flyer I got in the mail and I already knew I wanted one.  I just couldn't afford it at the time.  And if it hadn't been for my dear Grandmother I might not have every had one.  

 

Great gaming memories that can only be played on the Jaguar and Jaguar CD.  I mean, a perfect port of Myst and Baldies (never found the PC version of Baldies), Tempest 2000 absolutely blows away the competition...and your mind, Iron Soldier is an awesome blast-the-he**-out-of-everything mech game, Syndicate will entertain for hours if not make you laugh by setting your enemies on fire, Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and Alien VS Predator fill the need for much needed first-person shooters.  If that's not enough try Power Drive Rally, a top-down racer in a similar fashion to R.C. Pro-Am...on steroids!  Think your an expert at Defender???  Defender 2000 will retrain you or hand your butt back to you.  I*War and Cybermorph are easily the starts into the 3D gaming perspective we take for granted on modern consoles as is Hover Strike.

 

The Jaguar played an important part in gaming history.  16-bit consoles were delivering good 2D and 2.5D games.  No doubt about it.  And just before the popular 32-bit consoles hit the market the Jaguar was setting standards.  Games that were true 3D and hardware that could handle it.  The Jaguar's specs were unheard of when it was released and are still impressive.  It will always remain a remarkable console in my book.  Now I just need to find Tempest!  

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Oh man...Baldies on the CD is the Jaguar's version of Populous.  You build houses and other buildings, breed four different types of Baldies which I can't remember what they are now, and blast your enemy to oblivion.  I believe it had 100 levels and I did manage to beat all of them back in the day.  Just for that game alone I would have a Jag CD...but those things are way too costly and hard to find used without costing an arm and leg.  

 

Power Drive Rally was easily the Jag's better racing game compared to Checkered Flag and Club Drive.  I had Hover Strike on both cart and disc and I must say that both formats are good games even if the CD build has a few extras.  Cybermorph is my favorite sit down and enjoy shooter.  You don't have a time limit and can explore the various environments.  Iron Soldier I could spend days on end without even thinking about it.  And don't get me started on Tempest 2000...I'd need to take vacation time off for that game.

 

I honestly believe that the Jaguar was very much a misunderstood and overlooked console, not much different than the 5200 as far as reviews go.  It did feel like an underground console and I am glad to have been able to experience it while that Atari was still around.  It truly is a remarkable part of gaming history.

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Here is one of the most decent Jaguar video reviews I have come across. It's from a guy named Dan Wood from the site kookytech.net. Despite one or two inaccuracies, on the whole this is a good overview and his assessment of the Last True Atari is right on.

 

Edited by atarilbc
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