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Atari Lynx appreciation thread: Left-Handed Players Welcome!
- Thread starter Barrett2
- Start date
Apart from briefly playing California Games and Chip's Challenge at a friend's house, I have no experience with the system... was always more of a Game Boy and Game Gear (Defenders of Oasis!) fan. As a fan of classic gaming, are there any games worth bothering with on the system?
LamerDeluxe
Member
I just received my copy of Zaku an hour ago. Great packaging and full color manual. The cartridge is an exact replica of the real thing, minus the Atari logo 
Can't wait to try it when I get home.
Can't wait to try it when I get home.
FormallyFamicom
Member
When I was a kid I remember seeing one of these in a display case at a JC Penny outlet store. I begged for it for months and actually got it! Only ever got three games for it, but I played the hell out of them.
California Games: Probably my most played game. My favorite version of the three I played too (Genesis/NES/Lynx). I got some pretty awesome scores in Surfing, Footbag and BMX. BMX was probably my favorite, if only because of the hilarious crashes when you're going full speed. :lol
Basketbrawl: If not CG, then this was my most played game. I never beat the game from start to finish (used a password to skip to the last match), but I got pretty far any time I felt like it. I had more fun beating the shit out of opponents than actually playing basketball.
Rampage: Least played game. Super long, way too much game for my attention span at the time. Had fun with it though.
It's been over 10 years since I last played the system...It stopped turning on and I ended up throwing it out. I still have the carry bag and a few cables...the games might still be around somewhere too. Funny thing too...I owned a Lynx and Game Gear years before I ever bought a Game Boy of any kind.
California Games: Probably my most played game. My favorite version of the three I played too (Genesis/NES/Lynx). I got some pretty awesome scores in Surfing, Footbag and BMX. BMX was probably my favorite, if only because of the hilarious crashes when you're going full speed. :lol
Basketbrawl: If not CG, then this was my most played game. I never beat the game from start to finish (used a password to skip to the last match), but I got pretty far any time I felt like it. I had more fun beating the shit out of opponents than actually playing basketball.
Rampage: Least played game. Super long, way too much game for my attention span at the time. Had fun with it though.
It's been over 10 years since I last played the system...It stopped turning on and I ended up throwing it out. I still have the carry bag and a few cables...the games might still be around somewhere too. Funny thing too...I owned a Lynx and Game Gear years before I ever bought a Game Boy of any kind.
megashock5
Member
Man, this thread is bringing back some memories. I had one in college, along with Blue Thunder, Todd's Adventures in Slime World and another I can't remember.
I do remember playing it plugged in most of the time though. The thing ate batteries like crazy (and like the GameGear).
Sold mine to pay for some Genesis games, part of the problem with being in college at the time - no money.
I do remember playing it plugged in most of the time though. The thing ate batteries like crazy (and like the GameGear).
Sold mine to pay for some Genesis games, part of the problem with being in college at the time - no money.
Blue Submarine No. 6
Member
Atari Lynx?!? I love the Lynx!! California Games, Blue Lightning, Zarlor Mercenary, Stun Runner, Rygar... These were great games! I still own several Model 1 and 2 Lynx systems, but here's a NiB Model 1 I picked up a couple years ago:
So, do I win the biggest fanboy geek award? :lol
So, do I win the biggest fanboy geek award? :lol
Bought the original Lynx when it was introduced. Sold that off and bought the Lynx II when that came out. Not sure if it broke or I sold it but I remember buying it again off eBay for $25 including a load of games, system, case, aux battery pack (holds 4 or 6 D batteries (omg) everything. Still have it. Last winter I was screwing around with it, noticed that the system was in and out so I cleaned all my carts with rubbing alcohol using a qtip. Everyone works perfect except for one. Going to work in those days via the Staen Island ferry I have fond memories of Checkered Flag and Shadow of the Beast.
LamerDeluxe
Member
SmokyDave said:
Same here. Playing it vertically doesn't work very well either with the viewing angles getting messed up.
I seem to be the only one who likes Hard Drivin' on the Lynx, it is hard indeed, but fun when you finally get it right. Plus a 3D filled-vector game on a handheld from 1989 is pretty cool.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
Aside from the other games people have listed, I always liked Warbirds. WW1 arcadey flight sim (though it had sliders in the event you wanted it to play more realistically) full 360 movement, hiding in clouds to hide from enemy fliers, attacking with the sun behind you to blind enemies...djtiesto said:
thehillissilent
Member
I loved my Lynx. I had version 2. I think I got most of my games when they were on clearance though. I loved Roadblasters! I also tended to play Toki alot.
Agent X
Member
lawblob said:
RJ Mical (one of the designers of the Lynx system) confirmed it a few years ago in this 1UP interview:
http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3133762
RJ Mical said:
He also mentioned in that interview how the multiplayer aspect of a system was one of its strong points.
Fourth Storm
Member
lawblob said:
I can't believe other people had that game! That was the ONLY game I ever had for the Lynx. I got it after my 3rd grade teacher let me play her system as a reward for finishing all my work (she was a bit unconventional, but that's another story). I did beat the game, but never the second quest. Toys R Us stopped carrying Lynx games shortly after I got it, so that was the end of that. I really wish I knew where mine was - probably lost forever in one of my family's moves.
I also remember Pac Land being pretty cool. My teacher had that game, and it seemed like a solid platformer. At the time, I was just blown away by the graphics, however, so I may be wearing the rose-tint glasses.
Version 3.0
Member
lawblob said:
Every system post-Atari 2600 has had left-handed controls. Nobody thinks about it, but I remember how hard it was to adapt to using my left hand for the important part of the controls (the joystick/d-pad).
Agent X said:
Interesting interview. Damn focus group. :lol
After my Lynx broke as a kid I took it apart with a screwdriver, I do remember there being a lot of open space in there. I was also too nervous to tell my parents I broke my system and ripped it apart.
I think im' finally motivated to actually buy another one. This thread convinced me. To Ebay!!
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
I wonder if they were behind the design of that Xbox giant controller.lawblob said:
Freshmaker said:
Probably. I know the belief that 'Americans prefer bigger things' was the reason behind the Turbografx-16 (US PC Engine) being twice the size of the Japanese version, even though the actual hardware was identical. Not sure whether a focus group was involved in that one, though, or if it was just some (totally off-base) 'folk wisdom' at work.
A Black Falcon
Member
Tellaerin said:
Eh, sometimes I like the bigger US systems and stuff, it's not all bad...
US SNES > JP SNES (slightly bigger, sure, but I like the style better)
Original Xbox controller > Controller S (I think it is more comfortable and better designed)
As for the NES I'm not sure, they all look good, but nostalgia definitely helps the toaster NES for sure... the Famicom and model 2 NES both look okay too but the first US model is special.
It would have been nice if NES carts had been a little smaller, though, what with how they're more than half air. Those things are a bit annoyingly large.
TG16: Not sure, the Japanese one probably looks a little better, but the US one isn't THAT bad. Yeah it's bigger, but part of the reason is because of the needed RF shielding. (At least NEC didn't replace the HuCards with giant empty carts or something, to go further with the "Americans want bigger things" thinking...
)Really though, considering how many systems were pretty big here, I don't think that "Americans like larger things" was THAT far off... the problem with the Lynx was that it's supposed to be portable, and they just made it too big to really be portable. The Game Gear won't fit in most pockets, it's barely portable... but the Lynx is even larger. That is, the problem wasn't just that it was big, without the other concerns I bet overall Americans would like the bigger thing. Problem is, that size hurt functionality, so the size hurt it more overall than it helped... and somehow Atari didn't realize that before releasing the system.
LCfiner said:
What do you mean, that he shouldn't have opened the box or something? That's not how you show that you're a fan of a system... you need to actually be able to play the thing.
Or is that not what you meant?
DigitalDevil
Member
just played some chip's challenge because of this thread 
I love my lynx... soooooooo glad I bought one last year.
I love my lynx... soooooooo glad I bought one last year.
LamerDeluxe
Member
Man, Zaku is a hard game, even on the easy difficulty level. I guess I need to learn the patterns of the enemies. The graphics look really good, lots of parallax scrolling, huge sprites, transparency effects and a smooth framerate.
A Black Falcon said:What do you mean, that he shouldn't have opened the box or something? That's not how you show that you're a fan of a system... you need to actually be able to play the thing.
Or is that not what you meant?
that's exactly what I meant. (although I was saying it tongue-in-cheek)
and please note that he said he already had several other Lynx systems around the house for playing with.
Wait a minute, that's not Ninja Gaiden! That's 'Shadow Warriors'!
I had it for the Commodore 64... I didn't like it much, but it could be the c64 version to blame.
Dash Kappei
Not actually that important
dock said:
Released last month on Wii's VC Arcade games.
Awesome, btw.
Also, Super Famicom > Super Nintendo >>>>>>>> Super NES by a fuckin' country mile.
Still have my boxed copy... I burnt a ton of batteries with this gameZonar said:The most under rated game of all time!
Gates of Fucking Zendocon!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcmmfOfeN6k
A Black Falcon
Member
LCfiner said:
Games and systems are meant to be used, not kept sealed in their boxes forever.
Shig said:
The slightly smaller Japanese carts look nice, except for their lack of end labels (which probably makes them worse anyway), but the systems... yeah, the US system definitely looks better, no question. The angular style looks great. It's got a really nice style.
I do like the colored buttons though, having all four main buttons each be a different color was a good idea. Though even there it's not 100% better, the US controller's design of having the upper two buttons be indented helps differentiate them by feel a little better... but still, it's too bad that they got rid of the colors.
I don't always like the largest model best though, for instance stylistically, despite the coolness/humor factor of the giant "16-Bit" label, I like the Genesis 2 more than the Genesis 1. It looks a little more 'modern" somehow, and looks great attached to a Sega CD 2.
And the model 2 Lynx is definitely better... less excessive size, better battery life...
FrostuTheNinja
Member
I loved S.T.U.N. Runner and California Games on the Lynx.
Cool little system.
Cool little system.
FrostuTheNinja said:
The BMX game in California Games was awesome. I'd seriously still play that if I still had my Lynx.
Note to those going to college: if you can afford a temperature controlled storage unit while you live in the dorms, get it and stash your shit in there. Your mom will throw your shit away. Your shit will get stolen in the dorms.
Barkley's Justice
Member
lawblob said:California Games was a great pack-in game. I remember opening the system two weeks before Christmas in my parent's attic because I was so hyped to play California Games surfing and BMX.
I remember staring at that woman's ting-ting on that box.
Agent X
Member
djtiesto said:
lawblob said:
I would generally agree with this, except that sadly many of the Lynx's platformers don't hold up that well. The Lynx generally wasn't a standout system for platform games even back when it was on the market (one of the few genres that it was really deficient in, another being RPGs). Toki is one that's still pretty good today.
As I said earlier, the arcade classics on the Lynx are really interesting, because the quality of the conversions tends to range from "very good" to "flat-out magnificent". Many of them have worthwhile features not found in other versions (extra levels, alterations to gameplay, etc.), and a few of them even surpass the arcade games they're based on.
BTW, with regard to arcade conversions, surprised there's been very little mention of Rampart. It's still my favorite version outside of the actual arcade cabinet, as I explained in this old thread from nearly 5 years ago. All of the conversions/emulations done by Digital Eclipse/Backbone in recent years have botched controls, and simply cannot compare to the Lynx version for pure playability.
Zonar said:
I'm not even a big shooters fan, but I loved this game so much, when I ran out of places to write stage codes, I wrote them ON MY WALL. It was soooo easy to zone out in a corner and just play!
I still hum Gates Of Zendocom and Blue Lightning music to this day. Lynx Robotron is the entire reason why I have XBLA Robotron. This is also the only system where I ever gave Shadow of the Beast and Rygar any serious attention.
I compare any version of California games I play to the Lynx version. "This music isn't as good as Lynx..." it's pretty sad. I spent heaps of time trying to improve on all of those games, Skateboarding and Surfing where favs. It even game me a passing fancy for hackey-sac, which I don't think I would have paid any attention to otherwise.
I always wanted a Turbo Duo, but since I never got one, Lynx and Neo Geo Pocket Color still probably will be my most loved portable systems. They just seemed more special and unique, for some reason.
And I for one liked the Lynx monstrosity, lol. I even had a carrying case for it. It just felt cool!
Question for Lynx appreciators; did you continue to play handheld games throughout the 90s? Although I got the Gameboy, Lynx and GameGear all when they launched, I quickly lost interest in handhelds after the GameGear and Lynx failed. Gameboy never interested me. I couldn't handle the poor graphics / monochrome screen.