Too Powerful For Its Own Good, Atari’s Lynx Remains A Favorite 25 Years Later

[Zontar]

Hi guys, I just posted to the Blog about a great article I read on another site. It's by Jeremy Parish about the Atari Lynx, its impact in the portable wars and its legacy today. The article is very well written and touches on all things Atari after Warner Communications sold Atari to Jack Tramiel. I thought Jeremy Parish made a lot of good points and really understood what was going on at that time.

 

More on the Blog: http://www.atari.io/?p=1436

 

Zontar

[Justin]

Interesting article Zontar, thanks for sharing! All these years later the Lynx is still my favorite handheld for all the right reasons.

[DeLorean]

The article was a bit long but right on. Love the Lynx though.

[The Professor]

The Lynx deserves a great deal more credit and more attention in the annals of history than it gets. Imagine if it would have had a larger library of games! Even the small library of games it has now are really good.

[Shark69]

really enjoyed this and the Lynx is still one of my go too handhelds when iam traveling !

[Fire_In_The_Valley]

Me too. Love Road Blasters and The Gates of Zendocon. What are you playing on Lynx Shark69?

[Sabertooth]

Great blog post!

 

I'm just starting to refocus on the Lynx. I had one in the 90s and added it back into the collection last year. It was definitely full of potential and there are some great arcade ports: Joust, Roadblasters, XYBOTS, Pacland, Robotron and Klax come to mind. I love that it's relatively easy and inexpensive to collect for.

 

If you're looking for something interesting, I recommend a homebrew called Zaku from Super Fighter Team. Apparently it came out a few years ago but it's still available. It's a fantastic 16-bit shooter that easily matches any Atari era retail release. Check it out!

[Fire_In_The_Valley]

Hey atarilbc, I just started playing Zaku and I agree that it's both interesting and well-made. It doesn't look like a home-brew effort and it has a better all-around feel than most games that were released on Lynx. I bought it thinking it would be a Sonic clone but it feels much more like Air Zonk mixed with a shump. I wish Zaku were more widely available.

[Sabertooth]

Hey atarilbc, I just started playing Zaku and I agree that it's both interesting and well-made. It doesn't look like a home-brew effort and it has a better all-around feel than most games that were released on Lynx. I bought it thinking it would be a Sonic clone but it feels much more like Air Zonk mixed with a shump. I wish Zaku were more widely available.

That's awesome! I'm glad that you like it. Zaku definitely has a tremendous amount of polish. There is an update on the publisher's website indicating that it is now sold out and that 600 copies were sold. Good Deal Games may still have copies. I hope that more Lynx owners are able to find it and give it a try.

[Zontar]

I'm both happy and sad that Zaku sold out. Happy that people love it, sad that more people won't be able to get their hands on it. Here are two great videos that demonstrate what a great game Zaku is:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bjkg4Lnypw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaplyLUt2dk

[RetroTech]

Very good article. I've only experienced the Lynx in a limited way considering I only ever played it for a few months now since I got one recently. I picked it up for next to nothing with Warbirds, Rampage, and Viking Child. Warbirds is really good considering the hardware. I never realized how graphically powerful the Lynx was. The game has rendered polygons! I was blown way. Rampage is also pretty fun. Simplistic, but addictive and easy to pick up and play. Viking child is interesting, although I haven't played it much so I can't give an accurate opinion yet.

 

The lynx was not working at all when I got it, but luckily it was still fixable. A handful of capacitors, a few resistors, some wire, and some scrubbing/cleaning was all it needed! Works great now, and its all cleaned up and looks absolutely great.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2014 by RetroTech

[Bakerman]

While the Lynx has a bloody great list of games from beginning to end, my favorites for it are some of the "3D" games like  Warbirds, Road Riot 4WD, S.T.U.N Runner, Checkered Flag, Blue Lighting,  Steel Talons,  Battlezone 2000(especially the TRUE hidden easter-egg version) ,Battlewheels, Alien vs, Predator, Alpine Games, Hyperdrome, Hydra, and Songbird's Cybervirus, Remnant and the 2D overhead racer Championship Rally.

 

Probably because I didn't get a Lynx until after I had a Jaguar, and everyone, including me, wanted 3D at that time...in more recent years I have started enjoying a lot more of it's 2D library. But I gave my Lynx to my nephew with all my 30-40 games and the big softcase. I now have a Lynx 2 with a few games, but it's not working.

 

Everyone knows about Songbird Productions Lynx (and ahem, Jaguar) releases, right? And some of those titles were only prototypes (but finished) until B&C computervisions published their "chip on a PCB" versions.

 

Songbird productions: http://www.songbird-productions.com

B&C Computervisions: http://www.myatari.com

Good Deal Games (Alpine games and Avp, etc.): http://www.gooddealgames.com/inventory/Atari%20Lynx.html

 

No other portable could dream of handling games like these until at least the Gameboy Advance, if not even later portables. Lynx was the most powerful portable system for a decade or more.

Edited November 22, 2015 by Bakerman

[Video 61]

Everyone knows about Songbird Productions Lynx (and ahem, Jaguar) releases, right? And some of those titles were only prototypes (but finished) until B&C computervisions published their "chip on a PCB" versions.

 

we also carry lots of new releases for Lynx, including Songbird's Alpine Games, Loopz, Alien Vs. Predator demo, Daemons Gate, Centipede demo, and the Lynx Diagnostic Cart. I also support new releases for Atari 400/800/XL/XE, 2600, 7800, and Jaguar.

 

you can take a look at them on our New Releases page: http://members.tcq.net/video61/whatsnew.html 

 

Lynx is a powerful machine that never reached its full potential. this is a good article about the Lynx: http://www.usgamer.net/articles/too-good-for-its-day-ataris-lynx-remains-a-fan-favorite-25-years-later

[Bakerman]

we also carry lots of new releases for Lynx, including Songbird's Alpine Games, Loopz, Alien Vs. Predator demo, Daemons Gate, Centipede demo, and the Lynx Diagnostic Cart. I also support new releases for Atari 400/800/XL/XE, 2600, 7800, and Jaguar.

 

you can take a look at them on our New Releases page: http://members.tcq.net/video61/whatsnew.html 

 

Lynx is a powerful machine that never reached its full potential. this is a good article about the Lynx: http://www.usgamer.net/articles/too-good-for-its-day-ataris-lynx-remains-a-fan-favorite-25-years-later

Yes, I knew that and forgot. Sorry I didn't remember to mention Video 61, I think I got some Lynx games from you like 15 years ago, didn't you, or don't you carry Road Riot 4WD for instance? I think that's one I got from you. Anyway, as soon as I get my Lynx fixed, I'll probably get some games from you, including Road Riot if you carry it, as I gave away on system to my nephew years ago, and sold another about 10 years ago, so I'm practically starting fresh. I think all I have at the moment is Steel Talons and Jimmy Connor's tennis and one or two other games.

[TeddyGermany]

@ Lost Dragon

 

Very interesting facts!