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[GreekWolf]

Trash console. Objectively worse than 3D0, and that's saying something.

Worst official controller in the history of the video games industry.

C'mon man, the 3DO was a legitimately good system. It just suffered from a comically high price tag and a televangelist like Trip Hawkins.

I liked the Jaguar as a novelty item, but it was a technical monstrosity that took a Herculean effort to squeeze any juice from.

 

[Krelian]

I was intrigued by it when it was still on the shelves but only got one much later. Only had two games: Tempest 2000 and Cybermorph. Cybermorph was really bad, but I liked Tempest. Ultimately I sold it because I hardly used it. I did like the console itself, felt really solid. The controller not so much. I sometimes wonder if I should get another Jaguar but prices seem higher now and it would probably just collect dust. Also, the amount of good games is really limited.

 

[Flintty]

In the mid-late 90s a friend of mine gave me one in exchange for 4 cans of Fosters and 40 Sovereign (I'd recently been on a duty free trip to France with my parents). Seemed like a good deal at the time. I had a couple of games for it but can't remember what they were. I remember being fascinated by the controllers but never bought any more games. I have no idea where it is now. My Megedrive was way better (them life like Mortal Kombat 2 graphics!!).

 

[bounchfx]

i played the fuck out of Theme Park on it. Also did some Doom and Tempest 2000

that's pretty much it

 

[AbandonedTrolley]

Had one with quite a few games on, ended up trading in for a PS1

Have since purchased Tempest 2000 again even though I don't have the console.

 

[EdwardTivrusky]

Mine is stored under my bed next to my Atari Falcon
Bought it at launch and played AvP, Doom, Iron Soldier, Wolf 3D and Tempest 2k for the next few years. I still dig it out now and then for a quick blast. I dread to think how much time we spent while at uni playing Doom, AvP & Tempest in the evenings. Good times.

 

[coughlanio]

But it was badly marketed, badly timed, and not a very good value in comparison to the PlayStation.

Sounds like Dreamcast vs PS2.

I remember back in the late 90s or very early 2000s when Game in Ireland were dumping systems for £5 and games for £1. Always regretted not biting.

 

[Muskieratboi]

The Jaguar in a nutshell:

 

[Freshmaker]

The Atari Jaguar was released one month after the 3DO Multiplayer in November of 1993. The 3DO had a much better line-up of games overall, but it was far more expensive at launch when compared to the Jaguar. The Jaguar was a weirdly stuck in between the 16bit generation and the 32bit generation. Very few developers ever got the full potential out of the machine because it was hard to program for.

It had more to do with Atari having no money and being unable to attract developers. Amiga ports were easy tho.

 

[petran79]

Sounds like Dreamcast vs PS2.

No, even wider gap. Jaguar was for players of mid-late 80s who grew with Atari consoles and computers. Same with Lynx (developed by Commodore engineers).

Playstation was for console players who grew with 8/16 bit Nintendo and Sega consoles.

 

[statham]

I owned one, didn't like it much, now the the 3DO on the other hand... but thats for another thread(it rocked)

 

[DonMigs85]

Lol, great vid
"The Jag-oo-wah"

 

[Celine]

The '90's was a crazy time for game consoles.

1990 - SNK Neo Geo
1990 - Super Nintendo Entertainment System
1990 - NEC Turbo Express
1991 - Sega Game Gear
1991 - Mega CD/ Sega CD add-on
1991 - Phillips CDi
1992 - NEC Turbo Duo
1993 - 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
1993 - Amiga CD32
1993 - Atari Jaguar
1994 - NEC PC-FX
1994 - Neo-Geo CD
1994 - Sega 32x
1994 - Sega Saturn
1994 - Sony PlayStation
1995 - Nintendo Virtual Boy
1995 - Atari Jaguar CD add-on
1995 - Sega Nomad handhend (US)
1996 - Nintendo 64
1998 - Game Boy Color
1998 - Sega Dreamcast
1998 - Neo Geo Pocket
1999 - Neo Geo Pocket Color

Also Marty (1993), Super A'Can (1995) and WonderSwan (1999).
The funniest (or saddest) part is that all those companies except Nintendo and Sony exited the console hardware business in second half '90 or early 2000.

 

[kmag]

The Jaguar in a nutshell:

Nah, it was

"What on earth got a hold of this guy?"

 

[IrishNinja]

dave halverson convinced me to try acid & cybermorph, i just need a jaguar now

 

[Possumowner]

Yep got one from launch day,yes i was an idiot.Still boxed i even picked up the bog seat cd drive.Only decent games were Tempest and AvP.The controller is truly terrible

 

[kqedequalsvolvo]

That video <3.

 

[JoeBoy101]

One of the first consoles I saved up money for to buy. Loved AvP and Tempest 2000. Maybe it was not having an Intellivision in the early days, but I loved the templates that fit over the controller buttons. That shit was dope.

But, growing up I had an Atari 2600, then NES, then Genesis, then a Dreamcast (Crazy Taxi!), and finally a Jaguar. That was my last console owned until the Xbox 360.

 

[Vitacat]

I used to own an Atari Jaguar. I sold it about 10 years ago, as well as a bunch of other stuff (I sometimes regret selling a lot of it, but eh).

Tempest 2000 was amazing. Iron Soldier was pretty good for its time along with Alien Vs Predator. I also actually enjoyed Cybermorph as a sort of 3D abstract Defender-ish game. There wasn't much else worth playing really. Maybe the original Rayman, but you could get that on easily on other systems.

Overall, an admittedly bad system with bad controls, an unimpressive library, and a very tiny handful of gems.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Awful console. Never owned one but I worked an electronics department in retail back then and we never sold a single unit.

I did get to go to a buyers conference where some vendor was telling me the Jaguar's games looked better then the Saturn's.

 

[Tonyx]

Wish I could have afforded one at the time. Unlucky console. Could have fared decently.

Amazing Dad, by the way!

 

[AbandonedTrolley]

Awful console. Never owned one but I worked an electronics department in retail back then and we never sold a single unit.

I did get to go to a buyers conference where some vendor was telling me the Jaguar's games looked better then the Saturn's.

I purchased mine on credit from a high street electronics store called Rumbelows but didn't know anyone else with one at the time.

 

[Naked Snake]

The Jaguar was the worst gaming purchase of my life. I sold my NES and Genesis consoles and games to be able to afford it, and it sucked balls. I was suckered by the 64-bit marketing... what a tool I was.

 

[SmokedMeat]

No, even wider gap. Jaguar was for players of mid-late 80s who grew with Atari consoles and computers. Same with Lynx (developed by Commodore engineers).

Playstation was for console players who grew with 8/16 bit Nintendo and Sega consoles.

You realize NES and Nintendo's arcade games were early to mid '80s right?

 

[SiegfriedFM]

I wanted to get one a few years back, but took a look at the game list and realized that it pretty much only has Tempest, AvP and Rayman. I ended up getting the CD32, which has a much better library (admittedly 95% Amiga ports), but I was very disappointed in the build. Shitty controllers, poor video connectors and being prone to sound glitches.

I still think it was the better choice .

 

[SmokedMeat]

I'll never understand why people think the 3do daisy chaining controller scheme was BAD. It was like including a multitap! At the time 2 controller ports was standard so having the ability to have 4-player multiplayer was AWESOME. Plus the cords were very long so there was no trouble at all with the other player jerking you around. It was a feature not a problem.

I would imagine having your controller connected to another player's controller would be annoying. Other systems offered a hub like the Turbografx's Turbotap. I'd imagine that would be nicer versus daisy chaining, but you are saving a couple bucks with the 3DO method.

 

[EmiPrime]

AvP on Jaguar was only impressive for a short window of time and even then only on consoles. I don't know why its mystique has persisted.

 

[petran79]

You realize NES and Nintendo's arcade games were early to mid '80s right?

Nintendo arcades were already popular and NES kicked in the West after 1986,at a time when Atari2600 was still popular.
But Atari had also an important playerbase in 8 and 16bit computers around that time.

 

[Manmademan]

But it was badly marketed, badly timed, and not a very good value in comparison to the PlayStation.

Yep. This and the 3D0 badly underestimated how important 3D gaming would be when the ps1 took off. Sega was nearly caught off guard just as badly.

 

[thelatestmodel]

Do you have any memories with one?

Yup, I owned one for a little while. Had AvP, Doom, Rayman, Raiden, Iron Soldier, Cannon Fodder, and a couple of others I think.

To sum up - everything that is available on Jaguar is better on some other platform. Even AvP is only mediocre at best when you get down to it, it was just impressive tech at the time.

The pad is possibly the worst ever designed. I only kept the system for a few months before trading it in. It was complete shit.

 

[Flintty]

I wish my Dad was into gaming and recorded stuff like that. I'd love to see my Christmas morning opening a NES reaction Thanks Dad!

 

[Amory]

My cousin had one that his parents got him for christmas.

We played Lemmings for a while, and that flight game where the lady keeps asking where you learned to fly.

Then we hooked up the NES again and played SMB3

 

[Indelible]

Never played the Jaguar or even saw it in stores as a kid, it didn't have any games that would've taken my attention away from Nintendo or Sega.

 

[dcx4610]

I got mine a little after launch. Keep in mind, there wasn't internet and it was pretty rare to get to play consoles before buying them unless you lucked out and a store had a demo set up so all I had to go by were magazines.

I was a huge Atari fan and the Atari 2600 JR was my first console ever when I was very young. When I saw all of the screenshots and ads, I thought Atari was back to kick ass and win the industry back. SNES and Genesis were getting old and nothing else was really going and since we were in the middle of the bit wars, hearing about a 64-bit (or so we thought) console coming out, I was super excited.

When I finally got the system, it did feel a little clunky but it did feel next gen in some ways. The graphics were nice and I was really impressed with DOOM and Tempest 3D at the time. After a few months and no good games coming out, I became disillusioned and you started seeing negative reviews and talk in the magazines. I eventually traded it in at a Pawn Shop for a guitar of all things.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Which has the most interesting library today:

Jaguar v 3DO v Amiga CD32

3DO for sure

 

[coljae]

I was given one last year by someone because they "know I like video games and it's just sitting in my loft" Came boxed with an extra pad, multitap and quite a few games, couple of them are still sealed, all but 2 in the original boxes with instructions.

I was super curious and super excited but past the first few week I've hardly played with it. Was considering getting rid but as I was given it I'd feel a bit of a scumbag.

One thing that always makes me smile is when you switch it on and get that roar!

Of the games I gave I'd say Brütal football is the one I spent most time with.

 

[jaypah]

I begged my father for one the Christmas after it launched. Mainly because I just loved videogames and it looked semi-decent in mags. I'd had the SNES since it launched and the PS/Saturn wasn't around yet so why not? Man, even on Christmas day I could tell in my mind that it sucked. I showed it off to my cousins and family, trying to talk it up and hype it up, but I knew. I went to EB and bought AvP a few weeks later and that was kind of cool. I played that for a bit then wound up letting a friend borrow the console and games and never asked for it back.

I don't miss it. It's the only console I've ever owned that I have zero attachment for. If I ever take collecting more serious I'll cop one but that's about it.

 

[Freshmaker]

3DO for sure

Nah. 3D0 had nothing worthwhile. Just a bafflingly smug userbase.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Nah. 3D0 had nothing worthwhile. Just a bafflingly smug userbase.

Road Rash was legit.

 

[Shin Johnpv]

I have one and I hate it. Terrible console.

You should sell it the console gets a decent price now adays.

 

[Freshmaker]

Road Rash was legit.

I never got Skitchin 2. I will forever resent Road Rash.

(But really I really never liked EA games, which made the 3DO kinda a no go for me.)

 

[Moofers]

Nah. 3D0 had nothing worthwhile. Just a bafflingly smug userbase.

I owned one about 5 years ago and I enjoyed it for a while.

Way of the Warrior
Road Rash
Space Hulk
D&D Slayer
Gex

Those were what I had and I thought they were all fun. It certainly had its charms, but I always thought the Jaguar was the more endearing of the two consoles.

 

[Mihos]

Which has the most interesting library today:

Jaguar v 3DO v Amiga CD32

3DO... I still play mine at least every other week

Nah. 3D0 had nothing worthwhile. Just a bafflingly smug userbase.

I have never met a 'smug' 3DO user. I do remember some Atari fans that were as rabid as Nintendo fans today.

Road Rash
Star Control 2
the best version of Street Fighter2
Best version of FIFA in it's time
The Need for Speed
Gex
Great port of Samaria Showdown
edit: Forgot Return Fire!

All great. I have a longer list of personal favorites also.
Way of the Warrior, though. Probably the worst game of all time. So bad that I put it in all the time to win arguments. Hard to believe that was made by Naughty Dog.

I have most of the Jaguar games, Tempest (if you have the controller) and Alien vs Predator are the only ones I would recommend. I am still trying to get a hold of the toilet looking CD drive. It does get bonus points for having RGB out.

 

[UpUpDownDown]

Road Rash was legit.

Return Fire, now that was beyond legit.

Very little else that was great though.

Return Fire though....My god what an incredible little title.

 

[Beartruck]

Saw it at my local college gamestore years ago next to a saturn. Bought the saturn instead (wise decision as it was before the saturn market exploded).

 

[clevbrowns94]

Never played it. Controller looks awful.

 

[MicroByter]

I remember trying to save up for one and drooling over it every time I went to Electronic Boutique. I wanted AvP so badly, but ultimately never got either.

I remember an Atari rep had come into the store and was demoing some unreleased games, I think it was Club Drive and he had some bare eproms still. I was mad because he wouldn't let me try it out.

Those are my Jaguar memories...

 

[Pejo]

My friend was lined up to get one of these. We had a hell of a time playing Iron Soldier and Aliens Vs. Predator, and some spaceship shooter game that came with the system. The controller was really really weird.

A few months after release, my friend traded me his jaguar and all his games for a carton of cigarettes.

I still have it somewhere in storage.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I have a weird spot for 3D0 since I borrowed it from a friend for a summer and it was really my first exposure to a multimedia gsmes console. Never played a SegaCD or TurboCD extensively and my parents refused to let us game on the household PC. Road Rash was great. A relatively arcade perfect (by SNES standards at the time) Super Turbo port was kind of mind blowing even if the controller sucked for it. Even stuff like that Hell game with Dennis Hopper or Way of the Warrior was sort of compelling to me as a child. I guess ultimately Jag vs 3DO comes down to Road Rash vs AvP.

 

[Parallax]

I'll never understand why people think the 3do daisy chaining controller scheme was BAD. It was like including a multitap! At the time 2 controller ports was standard so having the ability to have 4-player multiplayer was AWESOME. Plus the cords were very long so there was no trouble at all with the other player jerking you around. It was a feature not a problem.

your controller should never be at the mercy of another player. if thats a feature, its a busted to hell one thats never been seen on a successful console again