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The Atari Lynx HandyCast

14 Episodes

102 minutes | a year ago
EPISODE 12: KLAX
Tweet#PA2031, Published by Atari Corp. In this episode (better late than never) I cover one of the best games ever made for the Atari Lynx, KLAX, released in October of 1990. It’s also the second of three original release titles for the Lynx that is played vertically, not horizontally (Gauntlet: The Third Encounter and NFL Football are the other two). In this episode I’ve got vital statistics about KLAX, along with credits, gameplay, reviews and ratings, some fun facts and trivia, and some listener feedback about the game. KLAX VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: October 1990 (originally scheduled for June/July 1990). Initial retail price: In the US: $34.95-$39.99; In the UK: £27.99-£35.00. Cartridge: 256k stereo curved lip-style cartridge. Genre: Falling block puzzle game for one player. Screen/playfield orientation: portrait (vertical). Based On: Coin-op arcade game KLAX, developed by Dave Akers and Mark Stephen Pierce and released by Atari Games Corporation in February of 1990. Other Ports: Amstrad CPC (1990), Atari VCS (2600) (1990; PAL-version only; NTSC-version never finished), Atari 5200 (2003), Atari 7800 (2002), Atari ST (1990), BBC Micro (1990), Commodore Amiga (1990), Commodore 64 (1990), DOS (1990), MSX (1990), Nintendo Entertainment System (1990), Nintendo Game Boy (1990), Nintendo Game Boy Color (1999), PC-88 (1990), PC-98 (1990), SAM Coupé (1990), Sega Game Gear (1991), Sega Genesis (1990), Sega Master System (1991), Sharp X68000 (1990), TurboGrafx-16 (1990), and ZX Spectrum (1990). KLAX was also released together with Marble Madness for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance (2005). Sequels: There were no sequels to this game. Levels: There are 100 levels, or “waves,” in KLAX. There are five different wave objectives for each wave: “KLAX wave,” “Diagonal wave,” “Horizontal wave,” “Points wave,” and “Tile wave.” Carton:  Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″). Also sold were a French version, two different Japanese versions, and a blister pack. Manual: A 12-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. Languages: As far as I can determine, the manual was available in the U.S. in an English version only. KLAX CREDITS Developer: Tengen, Inc. (Atari Games Corporation) Programming:  Greg Omi Art and Animation: Susan G. McBride, Greg Omi, Gary Johnson, K.E. Rudis Music and Sound: LX (Alex) Rudis Original Game Developers: Mark Stephen Pierce, David Akers LYNXED IN Earlier in 2019, James Boulton from RetroHQ, better known as SainT, released the next batch of his highly sought-after Lynx SD multicart to those who pre-ordered it on Atari Age. The firmware in this version includes the new Menu Loader 2, created by Igor Kromin of AtariGamer.com (with help from Alex Thissen of Diary of a Lynx Developer and Karri Kaksonen of White Lynx). The cost of the cased version, which fits into the Lynx II only, or for the uncased version, which fits into either the Lynx I or the Lynx II, is £70, plus £2 shipping inside the UK or £5 shipping outside the UK. To get on the pre-order list for the next batch of multicards, which will be renamed the Lynx GD (for Lynx Game Drive), simply add a post to the RetroHQ posting in the Atari Age Lynx Forums here. Be sure to indicate Lynx I or Lynx II, cased or uncased. Nintendo Game Boy modder BennVenn is currently producing an LCD screen upgrade for the Atari Lynx II model that undercuts the cost of the McWill LCD upgrade (currently around US$125 sans the shipping from Germany) by at least half. BennVenn’s version does not include the VGA output mod, which McWill includes in his kit. Right now, only the drop-in screen for the Lynx II is available; the screen for the Lynx I model will be available later. As of this episode’s recording date, interested Lynxters are able to purchase the Lynx II screen when it is not sold out; check here for availability. The price is US$50 for the Chinese-manufactured screen or US$60 for the Japanese-manufactured screen. For an additional US$5, Lynxters can also purchase the recommended 3D-printed frame bracket for the screen that was created by Igor at AtariGamer. In August of 2019, Songbird Productions announced the acquisition of multiple classic gaming properties, including: the entire HandMade Software library, except for Kasumi Ninja, including games such as Awesome Golf, Jimmy Connors’ Tennis, Loopz, Malibu Beach Volleyball, Power Factor, and a limited license for Battlezone 2000; Battlemorph by ATD; Gordo 106 by Tenth Planet Software; a limited license for Super Skweek by Loriciel; and Othello by Harry Dodgson. Carl from Songbird Productions says on his AtariAge Lynx forums post: “I don’t have imminent plans for most of these games, but thought it was worthwhile to build my IP library when the opportunities came.” Congrats to Karl, and many thanks to him for nearly 30 years of his company’s commitment to the Atari Lynx! LYNX LYNKS Information About KLAX: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for KLAX Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for KLAX Digital Press title info/rarity guide for KLAX Wikipedia article about KLAX Moby Games article about KLAX GameFAQs article for KLAX KLAX Tips, Cheats & Easter Eggs from Atari Age KLAX Cheat Codes from GameSpot Reviews and Ratings for KLAX: Review by Clayton Walnum in STart Magazine (US; Issue #39; December 1990) Ratings and Reviews by The Review Crew in Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine (US; Issue #14; September 1990) Review by Julian Rignall in Computer and Video Games Magazine (UK; Issue #110; January 1991) Review by Richard Monteiro in RAZE Magazine (UK; Issue #5; March 1991) Review by Keita Iita at AtariHQ (1995) Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by JDeLuna at GameFAQs (1999) Review by Gares at DefunctGames (2001) Review by Patrick O’Connor at DefunctGames (2006) Review by Damon Plus at GameFAQs (2007) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube Videos About KLAX: Title Music (Laird’s Lair) Playthrough (That Orangy Bread) Playthrough and Commentary (Steve Benway) Playthrough and Review (BTB/Lynx Lounge) Playthrough and Review (RetroGamerDaz) Playthrough-Last True Boss (Zonelynx Atari) Bill Kendrick’s Lost KLAX Clone for Linux YouTube Video About Tengen: Tengen: Atari vs. Nintendo (2015; Gaming Historian) Retailers Selling KLAX: B & C ComputerVisions: The price lists systems at B &C crashed on August 3, 2018 and they have still not been restored, as of this recording date. Best Electronics (last updated September 29, 2019; check website for availability): US$14.95 (CIB); US9.95 (loose cart). The Gamesmen (Australia): AU$24.95 (NIB). The Goat Store: US14.94 (loose cart). Telegames (UK): £19.98 (including tax; listing does not include whether it’s a loose cart, cart/manual combo, or CIB). Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$49.95 (NIB). After-Market and Homebrew Lynx Titles Now Available: As of the recording date, here are the after-market and homebrew Atari Lynx titles available from Luchs Soft in Germany (prices do not include shipping costs): Alpine Games (€55,92) Ejagfest Slideshow (€49,97) Hanoi (€49,97) Quadromania (€55,92) Retro X-MASsacre (€44,02) Space Battle (€55,92 [single], €74,96 [double]) Unseen (€49,97) Weltenschlächter (€49,97) Yastuna-The Alchemy of Cubes (€49,97) Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Luchs Soft. As of the recording date, here are the after-market and homebrew Atari Lynx titles available from Songbird Productions in the US (prices include tax/shipping costs): Bubble Trouble (backordered; $69.95) Championship Rally ($59.95) Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure ($59.95) CyberVirus ($59.95) Fat Bobby (backordered; $69.95) Hyperdrome (backordered; $69.95) Krazy Ace Miniature Golf (backordered; $69.95) Lexis ($59.95) Loopz ($59.95) Lynx Reloaded Multicart (backordered; $49.95) MegaPak 1  ($59.95) Othello (very limited; $59.95) PokerMania (backordered; $42.95) Ponx ($49.95) Raiden (very limited; $69.95) Remnant: PW3D ($59.95) SFX ($49.95) SIMIS (very limited; $59.95) Sokomania (backordered; $39.95) T-Tris (backordered; $59.95) Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Songbird Productions. As of the recording date, here are the after-market and homebrew Atari Lynx titles available from Telegames in the UK (all prices include tax): Alpine Games (£49.99) Breakout 2000 (£75.00) Bubble Trouble (£49.98) Championship Rally (£49.99) Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure (£49.99) CyberVirus (£49.99) Fat Bobby (£49.99) Hyperdrome (£52.98) Krazy Ace Miniature Golf (£49.99) Lexis (£49.99) Lynx Reloaded (with Othello and MultoPong; £44.99) Ponx (£39.98) Raiden (£52.98) Remnant (£49.98) SFX (£39.86) SIMIS 5 w/Space Invaders (£49.98) Sokomania (£52.98) T-Tris (£49.98) Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Telegames. Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from BuzzandBingosMoonCircus (eBay) Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Resource: BennVenn’s drop-in LCD screen and/or 3D-printed screen bracket frame for the Atari Lynx II. “Thank You’s” and Other Lynks: Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episodes 22 and 26!) Into the Vertical Blank Podcast (Thanks to hosts Jeff and Steve Fulton for “singing” about The HandyCast in Season 1, Episode 10!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 167!) The Retro MacCast Podcast (Thanks to Retro MacCast hosts James Savage and John Leake for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 475!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to Eugenio/TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) PDF of Historical Atari Lynx UK Magazine Advert/Reviews Collection (Thanks to AmigaJay for compiling this compilation, and also to Bobbi Iddod Moore for alerting me about it on Facebook!) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about KLAX for this extremely late episode: davidcalgary29, Kieren Hawken, Curtis Herod (Cujo), Bill Kendrick, Igor Kromin, Jamie Lannoo, Jon McQueen, Luke Meader, William N. Nash, RD Reynolds, Chuck Sommerville, Shinto, taburoto, thisplacemeansdeath, Scott Tirrell, and Bobby Tribble; I really appreciate your feedback, and especially for being so patient! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “Clear Progress,” “Driven to Success,” “Inspirational Outlook,” “Little Idea,” “Origin I,” “Origin II,” and “Upbeat Party,” all by Scott Holmes. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to the Podfather himself, Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. And please don’t forget to visit the official Atari Lynx HandyCast website by clicking here! -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 13: Warbirds” (available March 2020)
99 minutes | 2 years ago
EPISODE 11: Zarlor Mercenary
Tweet#PA2030, Published by Atari Corp. In this episode I cover the very last game originally developed at Epyx, Inc., Zarlor Mercenary, released in October of 1990. Alphabetically, it’s also the very last original-release game for the Lynx. Plus, as far as I know, it’s the only Lynx game that has “Mendicants”…or “Medicants”…or “Merdicants.” I’ve included vital statistics, credits, gameplay, reviews and ratings, some fun facts and trivia, and some listener feedback about the game. ZARLOR MERCENARY VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: October of 1990. Initial retail price: In the US: $34.99; in the UK: £29.99. Cartridge: 128k (likely) stereo curved lip-style cartridge. Genre: Top-down vertically scrolling shooter for one player, or two-to-four players using the ComLynx cable. Screen/playfield orientation: landscape (horizontal). Other Ports: There were no ports of this game to any other systems. Sequels: There were no sequels to this game. Levels: There are six levels, or “Missions,” in both the single and multi-player versions of the game: Level 1-Cadmar Desert; Level 2-Mesort Swamp; Level 3-Docrit Sea; Level 4-Sedimor Domes; Level 5-Mardic Ice; and Level 6-Cedmite City. Carton:  Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″). There were also French and Japanese versions of the carton sold, as well as a blister pack. Manual: A 20-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. Languages: As far as I can determine, the manual was available in the U.S. in an English version only. ZARLOR MERCENARY CREDITS Developer: Epyx, Inc. Programming: Chuck Sommerville  (audio and video of Chuck’s joint interview with LX Rudis in 2018 on The Atari Lynx Handycast) Graphics: Matthew Crysdale Levels, Music, SFX: Christopher Grigg Additional Programming: Stephen Landrum LYNXED IN Ninjabba’s At It Again! Jasper van Turnhout, also known as Ninjabba on Atari Age, and who released his critically acclaimed homebrew game Wyvern Tales back in May of 2018, has now released a new teaser demo that he has developed for what could potentially become another homebrew title for the Lynx. The demo is called Nomad Rally 2018, and anyone interested in viewing the demo in emulation or in downloading it to a multicard can find it here. Luchs Soft Taking Pre-Orders for Space Battle and QuadroMania! Luchs Soft in Germany is now taking pre-orders for two after-market titles, both to be available on April 1, 2019. Space Battle is a Harry Dodgson prototype (from 2000). It will be available as a single cartridge or two cartridges (for 2-player gaming); both versions will come complete with curved lip-style cartridge(s) inside a full-color carton, along with a manual, poster, and collectible lapel pin. The game can be played by up to eight players using the ComLynx cable. The other game, QuadroMania, was discovered in 2013 by Alex Thissen, a.k.a. LX.net (who provided high-res scans of his hand-drawn Slime World maps here) and who released a very limited run of 20 copies of the game in 2017 through Beta Phase Games. Now, Alex has secured permission from RPM Software (Robert Maidorn) to market a new run of the game through Luchs Soft; it will also come complete with a curved lip-style cartridge inside a full-color carton, along with a manual, poster, and collectible lapel pin. Who Doesn’t Want a Funky Xmas? In other homebrew news, Martin Wendt, Xamil Wolnikowsky, and Bruno Moraes, known collectively as PriorArt, have also released a new homebrew demo for the Atari Lynx; this one is entitled Funky Xmas 2018. Rabid Lynxters may recognize Wendt and Wolnikowsky as two of the developers of the eagerly anticipated upcoming homebrew game Lacim’s Legacy. A zip file of this new demo can be downloaded here. LYNX LYNKS Information About Zarlor Mercenary: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Zarlor Mercenary Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for Zarlor Mercenary Digital Press title info/rarity guide for Zarlor Mercenary Wikipedia article about Zarlor Mercenary Moby Games article about Zarlor Mercenary GameFAQs article for Zarlor Mercenary Zarlor Mercenary Fact File in Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine (US; Issue #19; February of 1991) Zarlor Mercenary Tips, Cheats & Easter Eggs from Atari Age Zarlor Mercenary Cheat Codes from GameSpot “Atari Lynx Hint Book”, published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers; tips and hints for Zarlor Mercenary can be found on pages 68 and 69; how to access a port of John Horton Conway’s 1970 classic “The Game of Life” Easter Egg can be found beginning on page 70. Reviews and Ratings for Zarlor Mercenary: Review by Clayton Walnum in STart Magazine (US; Issue #39; December of 1990) Ratings and Reviews by The Review Crew in Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine (US; Issue #19; February of 1991) Review by Paul Glancey in Computer and Video Games Magazine (UK; Issue #111; February of 1991) Review by Les Ellis in RAZE Magazine (UK; Issue #5; March of 1991) Review by Hawanja at Ultimate Console Database Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by JDeLuna at GameFAQs (1999) Review by Govvy at GameSpot (2006) Review by Guuthluhu at GameSpot (2007) Review by 8BitJeff (Jeff D. Fulton) at 8-BitRocket (2012) Review by Kyle Knight at AllGame.com (2013) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube Videos About Zarlor Mercenary: Music (pieness) Playthrough (StaxX28) Playthrough (World of Longplays) Playthrough and Review (CGRUndertow) Playthrough and Review (rampboraph4life) Retailers Selling Zarlor Mercenary: B & C ComputerVisions: The price lists systems at B &C crashed on 8/3/18 and they have still not been restored, as of this recording date. Best Electronics (last updated May 31, 2018; check website for availability): US$28.50 (CIB); US$19.95 (loose cart) The Gamesmen (Australia): AU$28.50 (NIB) The Goat Store: None Available. Telegames (UK): £12.49 (listing does not include whether it’s a loose cart, cart/manual combo, or CIB) Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$49.95 (NIB) After-Market and Homebrew Lynx Titles Now Available: As of the recording date, here are the after-market and homebrew Atari Lynx titles available from Luchs Soft in Germany (prices do not include shipping costs): Alpine Games (€46,99) Ejagfest Slideshow (€41,99) Hanoi (€41,99) Quadromania (pre-order) (€46,99; ship date: 4/1/19) Retro X-MASsacre (pre-order) (€36,99; ship date 2/1/19) Space Battle (pre-order) (€46,99 [single], €62,99 [double]; ship date: 4/1/19) Unseen (€41,99) Weltenschlächter (€41,99) Yastuna-The Alchemy of Cubes (€41,99) Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Luchs Soft. As of the recording date, here are the after-market and homebrew Atari Lynx titles available from Songbird Productions in the US (prices include tax/shipping costs): Alpine Games w/Bonus Multicart (very limited; $69.95) Bubble Trouble (very limited; $69.95) Championship Rally ($59.95) Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure ($59.95) CyberVirus ($59.95) Hyperdrome (very limited; $69.95) Lexis ($59.95) Loopz ($59.95) Lynx Reloaded Multicart (backordered; $49.95) MegaPak 1 (backordered; $59.95) Othello (backordered; $39.95) Ponx ($59.95) PokerMania (backordered; $42.95) Raiden (very limited; $69.95) Remnant: PW3D ($59.95) SFX ($59.95) SIMIS (backordered; $39.95) Sokomania (backordered; $39.95) Songbird 20th Anniversary 3-Pack (Lexis, Ponx, SFX) ($129.95, a savings of $50!) Super Off Road (very limited; $69.95) T-Tris (backordered; $39.95) Zaku (limited; $59.95) Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Songbird Productions. As of the recording date, here are the after-market and homebrew Atari Lynx titles available from Telegames in the UK (all prices include tax): Alpine Games (pre-order) (£49.99) Bubble Trouble (£49.98) Championship Rally (£44.99) Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure (pre-order) (£49.99) CyberVirus (pre-order) (£49.99) Fat Bobby (£49.99) Hyperdrome (£52.98) Krazy Ace Miniature Golf (£49.99) Lexis (£49.99) Ponx (£39.98) Raiden (£52.98) Remnant (pre-order) (£49.98) SFX (£39.86) SIMIS 5 w/Space Invaders (£49.98) Sokomania (pre-order) (£52.98) T-Tris (£49.98) Click here if you’re interested in ordering from Telegames. Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from BuzzandBingosMoonCircus (eBay) Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy “Thank You’s” and Other Lynks: Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episodes 22 and 26!) Into the Vertical Blank Podcast (Thanks to hosts Jeff and Steve Fulton for “singing” about The HandyCast in Season 1, Episode 10!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 167!) The Retro MacCast Podcast (Thanks to Retro MacCast hosts James Savage and John Leake for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 475!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) PDF of Historical Atari Lynx UK Magazine Advert/Reviews Collection (Thanks to AmigaJay for compiling this compilation, and also to Bobbi Iddod Moore for alerting me about it on Facebook!) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about Zarlor Mercenary for this episode: Bobby Tribble, Curtis Herod (Cujo), Eugenio (TrekMD), Scott Tirrell, and Shinto; I really appreciate it! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “Dawn of the Cosmos,” “Howling Down,” “An Innocent Sword,” “Knowing Nothing,” “Lion’s Haven,” and “Waterfalls,” all by Mid-Air Machine. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. And please don’t forget to visit the official Atari Lynx HandyCast website by clicking here! -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 12: KLAX” (available May 2019)
110 minutes | 2 years ago
EPISODE 10: Todd’s Adventures in Slime World
Tweet#PA2029, Published by Atari Corp. In this episode, the longest (and the latest) episode of The HandyCast so far,  I cover one of the last games originally developed at Epyx, Inc., Todd’s Adventures in Slime World, released in October of 1990. I’ve included vital statistics, credits, gameplay, reviews and ratings, some fun facts and trivia, and some listener feedback about the game. And with the ComLynx cable it’s an eight-player game, so grab seven more of your friends for a gooey, messy Slime-O-Rama! TODD’S ADVENTURES IN SLIME WORLD VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: October of 1990 (originally scheduled for July of 1990). Initial retail price: $34.95. Cartridge: 128kb stereo curved lip-style cartridge. Genre: Multi-level platformer for one player, or two-to-eight players using the ComLynx cable. Screen/playfield orientation: landscape (horizontal). Other Ports: The Sega Genesis (1992) and The TurboGrafx 16/PC Engine (1992). Sequels: None. Levels: Twelve single-player or multi-player levels, or “adventures:” #1: Easy, #2: Exploration, #3: Action, #4: Suspense, #5: Logic, and, for #6, either Arcade for single-player games, or Combat for multi-player games. Carton:  Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″). There were also French and Japanese versions of the carton sold, as well as a blister pack. Manual: A 24-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. Languages: As far as I can determine, the manual was available in the U.S. in an English version only. TODD’S ADVENTURES IN SLIME WORLD CREDITS Developer: Epyx, Inc. Game and Code: Peter Engelbrite Art: Matthew Crysdale, Phillip Vaughan, and Peter Engelbrite Sound Design: Christopher Grigg Music: Eric Van Rhee Testing: Secret Underground Labs LYNXED IN “Consolizing” the Lynx (Project 1) There are not one but TWO projects that “consolize” the Atari Lynx. The first one comes from StarForcePilot on the Atari Age Lynx forums, also known as Marcel J. de Haan on Facebook. He installed the McWill screen and the VGA output jack into his Lynx I, then he decided not to stop there. So he created a handy (see what I did there) stand for the Lynx I, and he also installed a DB9 connector on the Lynx to allow an external controller to be used to play games on the static console. More recently, he also replaced the battery compartment with a generic rechargeable lithium-ion battery along with a generic variable step-down converter. It’s really a clever design, and StarForcePilot documented his progress in completing the project beautifully with a pictorial essay on his blogpage. I highly recommend that my listeners check out the blog here. “Consolizing” the Lynx (Project 2) The second Lynx consolization (yes, Monty, that IS a word) is a joint project from YouTube channel Retro Revolutions, Historic Nerd, Extreme Consoles, and Neon Vision, in response to a challenge from the Press Play On Tape podcast. This project involved taking an old 4-switch woody Atari VCS (2600) console, gutting it, and rebuilding it to accept Lynx cartridges, with an HDMI output display. The console has also been trimmed in bright yellow paint, and the result is quite breathtaking. There are three parts to the video of the project, all of which can be found here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Songbird is Restarting Production of After-Market Titles Songbird Productions, a 20-year provider of original and re-release after-market Lynx game cartridges, is re-starting production and distribution of several homebrew and after-market game cartridges, many of which have been out of production for years. Among the titles planned for an re-release, beginning as early as October of 2018, are Championship Rally, Crystal Mines II: Buried Treasure, CyberVirus, Lexis, Loopz, Ponx, Remnant: PW3D, and SFX. Carl at Songbird confirms that the cartridges will be curved lip-style, and they’ll be packaged in CD jewel cases, but with better quality labels and inserts this time around. Also, as of this recording, Songbird still has a limited number of copies available of the SuperFighterTeam classic homebrew title Zaku, considered one of the best games for the Atari Lynx ever. It goes without saying that Carl Forhan at Songbird is definitely helping out a whole new crop of Lynx collectors to add to their game collections, so kudos to him for ramping up production again on titles that would otherwise be unobtainium (yes, Monty, that IS a word, too). Interested Lynxters should check out Songbird Productions website to place their orders; a link to the website can be found here. New Title Space Wars Coming from Luchs Soft AtariGamer.com is reporting that Germany company Luchs Soft, publisher of such classic homebrew titles as Hanoi, Ejagfest Slideshow, Alpine Games, Yastuna-The Alchemy of Cubes, 2017’s Reiko’s Robot Run/Always Winter, Never Christmas cartridge, and the just-released Unseen cartridge, is planning to release a new title, Space Wars, sometime soon. In addition, Luchs apparently plans to move ahead with previously announced plans to re-release the Beta Phase Games title Quadromania. You can check the status of the Luchs Soft releases here. Six More Lynx Homebrews On the Way! The interest in the Atari Lynx continues to climb as the console is being recognized more and more by retro game collectors. Evidence of this growing interest is the continued development and production of new homebrew titles. Several sources (AtariGamer.com, Atari Age and Kieren Hawken) have recently published news about no less than five new homebrew game projects for the Lynx. The first one is a new isometric RPG game called Lacim’s Legacy, in development by Martin Wendt, Kamil Wolnikowski and Dan Thoreson. The second one is a new Joust-Donkey Kong-style platformer called Bentley Bear’s Honey Hunt, currently in development by Benjamin Mewes. The third one is a port of the classic SNES action title Bomberman called BomberCats, now being developed by Alex “LordKraken” Genoud and Turbo Laser Lynx. The fourth one is a horizontal scrolling space action shooter called Captain Harlynx being developed by Albine Marlier. The fifth one is a version of Italian checkers called Dama by Atari Ager MVirtuale that, after a year and a half, is near completion. And the sixth one is an action/shooter called Grime 6502, currently in development by Chibi Akuma. With these six new homebrew games, along with the previously mentioned 8 new and re-released titles from Luchs Soft, and with the distribution of no less than 10 previous after-market and homebrew titles by Songbird Productions, there will have been at least 24 Atari Lynx games planned or in production during the course of 2018. There can be no doubt now that the 29-year-old Atari Lynx console, along with its still-expanding game library, is experiencing a renaissance of popularity. And this Lynxter for one is very happy about that indeed. LYNX LYNKS Information about Todd’s Adventures in Slime World: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Digital Press title info/rarity guide for Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Wikipedia article about Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Moby Games article about Todd’s Adventures in Slime World GameFAQs article for Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Hints from Atari Age Todd’s Adventures in Slime World Low-Res Maps from Diary of an Atari Lynx Developer (Alex Thissen) “Atari Lynx Hint Book”, published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers (the cheat codes for the first five levels, or adventures, of Todd’s Adventures in Slime World can be found on pages 63 and 64). Reviews and ratings for Todd’s Adventures in Slime World: Ratings and Reviews by The Review Crew in Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine (Issue #12; July of 1990) Review by Marshall Rosenthal in RAZE Magazine (November of 1990) Review by Clayton Walnum in STart Magazine (December of 1990) Review by Keita Iida at AtariHQ Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by DanielThomas at GameFAQ (2003) Review by John Harris in his Pixel Journeys column at GameSetWatch (2009) Review by The Video Game Critic (2013) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube videos about Todd’s Adventures in Slime World: Playthrough and Review (CGRundertow) Playthrough and Commentary (NecroVMX) Playthrough and Commentary (VideoWulff) Playthrough (Wasabim) Playthrough/Final Boss (ZoneLynx Atari) Retailers Selling Todd’s Adventures in Slime World: B & C ComputerVisions: The price lists systems at B &C crashed on 8/3/18 and they have still not been restored, as of this recording date. Best Electronics (last updated May 31, 2018; check website for availability): US$14.95 (CIB); US$9.95 (loose cart) The Gamesmen (Australia): Not Available The Goat Store: US$19.94 (loose cart) Telegames (UK): £14.99 or US$19.89 (listing does not include whether it’s a loose cart, cart/manual combo, or CIB) Video 61 & Atari Sales: Not Available (website is down pending owner’s recovery from an accident) Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from BuzzandBingosMoonCircus Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 167!) The Retro MacCast Podcast (Thanks to Retro MacCast hosts James Savage and John Leake for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 475!) PDF of Historical Atari Lynx UK Magazine Advert/Reviews Collection (Thanks to AmigaJay for compiling this compilation, and also to Bobbi Iddod Moore for alerting me to it on Facebook!) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about Todd’s Adventures in Slime World for this episode; I really appreciate it! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “And the Road Goes On“, “Cruisin’“, “Fields and Strings“, “Intermission“, “Intermission II“, and “The Void“, all by Ian Sutherland. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. And please don’t forget to visit the official Atari Lynx HandyCast website by clicking here! -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 11: Zarlor Mercenary” (available January 2019)
75 minutes | 2 years ago
EPISODE 09: Chip’s Challenge
Tweet#PA2028, Published by Atari Here I cover one of the best-known games of all time, Chip’s Challenge, released in September of 1989; it is one of the five launch titles for the original Atari Lynx. In this episode I’ve included a complete survey of the credits, gameplay, music, and sound effects for Chip’s Challenge. Plus, as usual, I have reviews, listener feedback, current prices, some trivia, and some fun facts about the game. So grab a bag of chips and munch down while you listen; this game is a real puzzler! CHIP’S CHALLENGE VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: September of 1989 Initial retail price: $34.95 Cartridge: 128kb stereo cartridge available in all three styles (flat, ridged, and curved lip) Genre: Puzzle/maze game for one player. Screen/playfield orientation: landscape (horizontal). Other Ports: The Amstrad CPC (1990), Atari ST (1990), The Commodore Amiga (1990), The Commodore 64 (1990), DOS (1990), The ZX Spectrum (1990), Windows 3.x (1991) and Windows (2015). Sequels: Chip’s Challenge 2 for Windows (2015), Chuck’s Challenge 3D for Linux (2014), Macintosh (2014), Windows (2014), Android (2016), iPad (2016), and iPhone (2016) Levels: 144, plus 4 undocumented special levels. Carton:  Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″). There were two styles: one with the gray vertical band of Lynx font faux embossed broken x’s along the right side of the carton, and one without the band. Manual: A 24-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. Languages: As far as I can determine, the manual was available in the U.S. in an English version only. CHIP’S CHALLENGE  CREDITS Developer: Epyx, Inc. Original Design: Chuck Sommerville Art: Paul Vernon Sound and Music: Alex (LX) Rudis Level Design: Bill Darrah, James Donald, Peter Engelbrite, Victoria Hanson, R.G. Gowdy, Stephen Jungels, Scott Nelson, Chuck Sommerville, Pete Wierzbicki Testing: Dung Dang, Bob Friesen, John McGowan, Tom Schumacher, Cynthia Sommerville, Glen Yamakawa, Robert Zalot Additional Art: Arthur Koch Special Thanks: Steve Landrum, Robert J. (RJ) Mical, Dave Needle LYNXED IN New Podcast for the Atari 8-Bit Computers! There’s another Atari podcast in town, and that town is actually in New Zealand. The XLXE Podcast covers Atari 8-bit computers and other shenanigans. It is hosted by Adam and Bob, and they’re very informative and a lot of fun to listen to, especially with those funny accents. It really is great to hear a podcast about Atari from someplace other than the USA. Plus they’ve already got two episodes up on the feeds already. But be warned: it’s not NSFW. So plug in your earbuds and give this wonderful podcast a try. You can find the podcast at their Twitter page here. Let’s All Give the Retro Video Gamer Forums Some Love! The administrators of The Retro Video Gamer forums has sent out a call to arms to all of the retro video gaming community: I would like to appeal to those who are real retro supporters. Surely a retro forum is now a rare breed. Unless we continue to use the site [and] strike up convos, then sadly the RVG forums will continue to decline and I want to stop that. Once its gone that will be too late. So please take a moment, as I can’t simply allow constant promo threads of your YouTube channels or podcast feeds (but you’re more than welcome to bump them). Please put your expertise into the site; there are a million and one topics for you all to participate in so please come and keep a retro forum about your retro gaming hobby alive. P.S.: Along with the above we will be performing a zero poster cull, so any new members who have yet to do an intro thread please pop on and post one now to avoid the cull. Cheers all. So to all of my listeners, please consider supporting Eugenio, Jamie, and others at the Retro Video Gamer website at www.retrovideogamer.co.uk. Thank you! LYNX LYNKS Information about Chip’s Challenge: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Chip’s Challenge Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for Chip’s Challenge Digital Press title info/rarity guide for Chip’s Challenge Wikipedia article about Chip’s Challenge Moby Games article about Chip’s Challenge GameFAQs article for Chip’s Challenge Blogpage/map of the Final Level of Chip’s Challenge at Diary of an Atari Lynx Developer Chip’s Challenge Notes, published in 1990 by Jaime Villacorte on Atari Age “Atari Lynx Hint Book”, published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers (the fractal generator program cheat for Chip’s Challenge can be found on pages 18-19; the codes each of the 148 levels can be found on pages 20-23) Reviews and ratings for Chip’s Challenge: Review by Keita Iida at AtariHQ Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by Dorsola at JoseQ’sEmuViews (2000) Review by The Video Game Critic (2004) Review by Avery Score at GameSpot (2004) Review by Josh Dollins at DefunctGames (2007) Review by Dusty Old Games (2013) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube videos about Chip’s Challenge: Lynx Lounge Review (Brian Thomas Barnhart) Playthrough (Atari7800com) Playthrough and Review (Fred Rojas) Playthrough/Easter Egg (Laird’s Lair) Playthrough/Final Level (ZoneLynx Atari) Retailers Selling Chip’s Challenge: B & C ComputerVisions: The price lists systems at B &C crashed on 8/3/18; I will update the info here once they’ve been restored. Best Electronics (last updated May 31, 2018; check website for availability): US$14.95 (CIB); US$9.95 (loose cart) The Gamesmen (Australia): Not Available The Goat Store: US$14.94 (NIB) Telegames (UK): £8.33 or US$10.72 Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$24.95 (NIB) Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 167!) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about Xenophobe for this episode; I really appreciate it! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “Worm War,” by Podington Bear. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. And please don’t forget to visit the official Atari Lynx HandyCast website by clicking here! -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 10: Todd’s Adventures in Slime World” (available November 2018)
53 minutes | 2 years ago
EPISODE IN01: Chuck Sommerville and LX Rudis Interview
TweetTHE ENTIRE INTERVIEW IS NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE! Recorded August 9, 2018 Many, many thanks go to Chuck Sommerville and Alex (LX) Rudis, who both graciously agreed to be interviewed for The HandyCast. The willingness of two such Atari Lynx legends to help flesh out some of their personal and professional experiences with the Lynx console and its games (especially Chip’s Challenge) is a testament to their strong devotion to their craft, to their fans, and to the Atari Lynx community. Cheers to you, Chuck and LX! As usual, I would also like to thank the Free Music Archive for “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus used in this episode under the Creative Commons License as the opening and closing theme music for The HandyCast. I really hope you enjoy this special interview episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. Also, keep an eye (and ear) out for future interview-only episodes coming down the pike in the near future. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 09: Chip’s Challenge” (available August 2018)
73 minutes | 2 years ago
EPISODE 08: Xenophobe
Tweet#PA2026, Published by Atari In this episode , I cover one of the most popular games for the Atari Lynx, Xenophobe, released by Atari in August of 1990. Included is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects for Xenophobe. I also highlight a few reviews of the game, some information about the prices that collectors can expect to pay for a Xenophobe cartridge on eBay and other retailers, some trivia and fun facts about the game, and some very welcome feedback about the game from some of my loyal listeners. So charge up your fists and phazers and lets kick some Xeno butt! XENOPHOBE VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: August of 1990 Initial retail price: $34.95 Cartridge: Stereo curved lip-style cartridge. I think it is 128k, but I cannot find confirmation of that. Genre: Side-scrolling/platform multi-level action shooter for 1 to 4 players using the ComLynx cable. Screen/playfield orientation: landscape (horizontal). Based On: Xenophobe arcade cabinet (1987) by Bally Manufacturing Corp. Other Ports: The Commodore Amiga, the Amstrad CPC, the Atari VCS (2600), the Atari 7800, the Atari ST, the Commodore 64, the Nintendo Entertainment System, and the ZX Spectrum. Levels: 23 single or multi-floor space stations. Carton:  Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) Manual: A 24-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. Languages: As far as I can determine, the manual was available in the U.S. in an English version only. XENOPHOBE  CREDITS Developer: Epyx, Inc. Licensee: Midway Manufacturing Co. Programming: Gil Colgate Art: Phillip Vaughan Sound: Christopher Grigg Testing: Thomas MacDevitt, Tom Schumacher LYNXED IN Collection Tracker Now Available! Igor at Atari Gamer has done a fantastic job at creating and implementing a new tool for us collectors: The Collection Tracker will record, track and complete your Atari Lynx collection. All of the game database entries are available for tracking your carts, boxes, manuals, and posters, or whether you have a given game new in the box (NIB). You can also track the health/condition of the boxes, manuals, and posters. It’s a really cool tool for knowing what you have (or still need to get) in your collection. And it provides a handy (see what I did there?) stats-at-a-glance box. Best of all, it doesn’t require any logins or passwords to use it. Please be sure to check it out here. LYNX LYNKS Information about Xenophobe: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Xenophobe Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for Xenophobe Digital Press title info/rarity guide for Xenophobe Wikipedia article about Xenophobe Moby Games article and hint guide about Xenophobe Giant Bomb article about Xenophobe GameFAQs article for Xenophobe Preview by Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue #10/Atari Adventure insert (March 1990) Preview by Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue #12/Atari Adventure insert (May 1990) Preview by Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue #14/Atari Adventure insert (July 1990) “Atari Lynx Hint Book”, published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers (game strategies for Xenophobe can be found on page 67) Reviews and ratings for Xenophobe: Review by Electronic Gaming Monthly (Issue #14, July 1990) Review by Computer and Video Games Magazine (January 1991) Review by Les Ellis at Raze Magazine (February 1991) Review by Keita Iida at AtariHQ Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by Trixter at MobyGames (2003) Review by Patrick O’Connor at DefunctGames (2005) Review by DANIEL Thomas at Vol. 4 (2006) Review by Darran Jones at RetroGamer (2008) Review by Pluvius at GameFAQs (2008) Review by Brian Thomas Barnhart at Atari.io (2016) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube videos about Xenophobe: Lynx Lounge Review (Brian Thomas Barnhart) Playthrough (187 Productions) Playthrough (StaxX28) Playthrough (TotallyRadicalRetroGames) Playthrough (World of Longplays) Playthrough and Review (Louis Gorenfeld) Playthrough/Final Boss (Zonelynx Atari) Retailers Selling Xenophobe: None Available Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The Atari Lynx HandyCast in Episode 167!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis at The Atari Times (2002) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about Xenophobe for this episode; I really appreciate it! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “Catching Rays,” “Starlight,” “The Dead of Night,” “Sleep Tight, Sweet Dreams (Don’t Have Nightmares),” and “Into the Ether,” all by Psychadelik Pedestrian. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 09: Chip’s Challenge” (available August 2018)
59 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 07: The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge
Tweet#LX101 (L402), Published by Telegames In this episode (which is very late…sorry about that, Chief), I cover the first third-party game in this podcast, The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge, released by publisher Telegames in 1991. Included is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music (what little there is), and sound effects for The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge. I also highlight a few reviews of the game, some information about the prices that collectors can expect to pay for a The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge cartridge on eBay and other retailers, some trivia and fun facts about the game, and some very welcome feedback about the game from some of my loyal listeners. THE FIDELITY ULTIMATE CHESS CHALLENGE VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: By March of 1991 Initial retail price: $39.99 Cartridge: The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge is a stereo curved lip-style cartridge. I think it is 128k, but I cannot find confirmation of that. Genre: Isometric or top-down strategy/tactics game for one or two players; the ComLynx cable is not used in this game. Based On: The classic board game of Chess, utilizing the experience of Fidelity Electronics, makers of various stand-alone chess computers of the day. Screen/playfield orientation: landscape (horizontal) Levels: There are 17 levels of play: Levels 1 through 8 are time-based in which the response time can be set from 5 seconds at Level 1 to 4 minutes at Level 8; Levels 9 through 16 restrict the use of lookahead abilities; and Level 17 is an infinite level. Carton:  Full-color standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) Manual: A 40-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. Languages: Available in an English version only. THE FIDELITY ULTIMATE CHESS CHALLENGE  CREDITS Developer/Licensee: Telegames No other individuals credited or known LYNXED IN The Atari Lynx HandyCast is Now Part of The Throwback Network Thanks to the hosts of The Throwback Review Podcast, (Sean Johnson, also of The Average Runner Podcast, and Rob “Flack” O’Hara, also of the You Don’t Know Flack Podcast), The Atari Lynx HandyCast has been added to The Throwback Network. Many retro-themed podcasts are included on the network (both gaming- and non-gaming-related). I myself subscribe and listen to most of them, and I would highly recommend that you check out all of the great podcasts listed there. You can find the network here. New Podcast: Into the Vertical Blank There is a new Atari podcast in town; it’s called Into the Vertical Blank, and it is hosted by twin brothers, Steve Fulton and Jeff “8BitRocket” Fulton, who grew up “Atari,” or as they call it, in The Vertical Blank. The Vertical Blank is space between the lines; it’s the where work occurs that you never see on screen. In their podcast they discuss Atari computers and systems, new and old, review new games that they collect, talk about all the systems, and the significance they had in their lives and in the lives of others, and they even talk about them in a historical context, and how they are being used now. They do all this in an effort to finally understand the answer to this existential question: what does it mean to have grown up Atari in the generation of the Vertical Blank? I’ve been listening to this podcast lately, and it’s a lot of fun to hear two brothers relate their own experiences “growing up Atari.” Check it out here. LYNX LYNKS Information about The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for The Fidelity  Ultimate Chess Challenge Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge Wikipedia article about The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge Moby Games article about The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge Giant Bomb article about The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge GameFAQs article for The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge Reviews and ratings for The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge: Review by Keita Iida at AtariHQ Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube videos about The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge: Playthrough (janatri73) Playthrough (VGBDbr) Playthrough (last true boss) (ZoneLynx Atari) 1979 TV commercial for Fidelity Electronics Chess Game (Bionic Disco) Retailers Selling The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge: The Gamesmen (Australia): US$18.31 (new in box) The Goat Store: US$59.94 (new) or US$29.99 (used) Telegames (UK): £14.99 or US$19.59 Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$99.99 (new in box) Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The Atari Lynx HandyCast in Episode 167!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis at The Atari Times (2002) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge for this episode; I really appreciate it! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), “To Eris-Social Blast” by To Eris, “The True Entity of Life” by Daniel Birch and Ben Pegley, “Fields and Strings” by Ian Sutherland, “Oui” by Simon Mathewson, and “Elements (Psychadelik Pedestrian-Chillout Edit)” by Marc Burt. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 08: Xenophobe” (available July 2018)
105 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 06: California Games
Tweet#PA2025, Published by Atari Corp. In this extra-length episode, I cover California Games, the pack-in/launch title for the original Lynx console in September of 1989. Included in this major episode is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects for each segment of California Games. I also highlight reviews of the game, and I share feedback about the game from some of my loyal listeners. Plus, I also provide information about the prices that collectors can expect to pay for any of the three variations of an Atari Lynx California Games cartridge on eBay, as well as at other online retailers.        California Games was released in three cartridge variations for the Atari Lynx: flat-style (left), ridged-style (center), and curved lip-style (right). CALIFORNIA GAMES VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: September of 1989 Initial retail price: Originally, a free California Games cartridge/manual was included with the Lynx I console for a retail price of $179.95. By April of 1991, the same Lynx I console/California Games package had been augmented with a mail-in certificate for the free purchase of an additional cartridge, and lowered in price to $149.95. California Games was later sold separately in its own carton at an unknown retail price. Cartridge: 128kb stereo cartridge available in three styles (flat, ridged, and curved lip) Genre: Action/sports title for one player on the console, or for two-to-four players using the ComLynx cable Screen/playfield orientation: landscape (horizontal) Other ports of California Games: Amstrad CPC (1987), Apple II (1987), Commodore 64 (1987), MSX (1987), ZX Spectrum (1987), Apple IIgs (1988), Atari VCS (2600; 1988), Commodore Amiga (1988), DOS (1988), Atari ST (1989), Nintendo Entertainment System (1989), Sega Master System (1989), Sega Genesis (1991), J2ME (2005), and Nintendo Wii (2008) Sequel to: Summer Games (including Summer Games II, The Games: Summer Edition [a.k.a. Summer Games 3]), and Winter Games (including The Games: Winter Edition) Sequels: California Games II for DOS (1990), the Atari ST (1992), the Commodore Amiga (1992), and the Sega Master System (1993); California Games X for the J2ME (2008); and California Pro Golf for the Commodore 64 and DOS (both 1989) Carton:  As a free pack-in, the cartridge (and manual) originally were housed in a plastic bag within the Lynx I console box. Later, the cartridge was sold separately in a standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) in full color. A larger version of the carton was sold overseas in the European and Asian markets. Manual: Stapled 20-page manual (including front and back covers) in monochrome. As a free pack-in for the Lynx I console, the manual was a large-size booklet (6 5/8″ by 4 3/4″). Later on, the same manual was folded in half and included in the carton when the game was sold separately in the regular-size carton. For the international markets, a regular-size booklet manual (4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″) was included with the cartridge. Languages: English only for the large-size booklet manual in the US; English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese for the regular-size booklet manual sold internationally. CALIFORNIA GAMES CREDITS Developer/Licensee: Epyx, Inc. Programmers: Footbag: Pete Wierzbicki; Halfpipe: Stephen Jungels; BMX: James Donald; Surfing: Larry Abel Artwork:  Matt (Matthew) Crysdale, Suzie (Susan) Greene, Jenny Martin, Art Koch, Paul Vernon, and Sheryl Knowles Music: Robert Vieira and LX (Alex) Rudis Came in Real Handy: RJ Mical and Dave Needle Consultant: Chuck Sommerville   LYNXED IN The Atari Lynx HandyCast is Now Part of The Throwback Network Thanks to the hosts of The Throwback Review Podcast, (Sean Johnson, also of The Average Runner Podcast, and Rob “Flack” O’Hara, also of the You Don’t Know Flack Podcast), The Atari Lynx HandyCast has been added to The Throwback Network. Many retro-themed podcasts are included on the network (both gaming- and non-gaming-related). I myself subscribe and listen to most of them, and I would highly recommend that you check out all of the great podcasts listed there. You can find the network here. New Atari Lynx Trading Cards (Series 1) Now Available Marc Oberhaüser on Atari Age is selling copies of his new trading card set for the Atari Lynx. He has already created trading card sets for the Atari 5200, the Atari 7800, and the Mattel Intellivision. The cards look fantastic, and I’ve already ordered the first set, which includes 55 cards: one each for 50 of the first games released by Atari, with the remaining five cards covering the console itself, game rarity scores, and additional information. Cost of the first set is €37.50 (roughly US$44.47), which includes shipping worldwide, and the set has already begun shipping out to those with pre-orders. You can read the Atari Age forum thread about the card set by clicking here. If you’re interested in owning this must-have accessory for Atari Lynx collectors, you can PM Marc Oberhaüser on the Atari Age Lynx forums, and he’ll get you on the purchase list. Interview with Chuck Sommerville Many thanks to Bill Kendrick, curator of the Atari Party in Davis, CA every year, and Shinto of The Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast, both of whom alerted me to a recent Retro Hour podcast interview with Chuck Sommerville, creator of the original California Games, as well as the Lynx game Chip’s Challenge, and with whom I share a birthday (I think I’m a little bit older). He also served as a consultant for the Lynx port of California Games. It’s a very interesting interview with one of the greats in the retro gaming industry, and I highly recommend you all check it out; I have a link for the interview here. And you can be sure that I’ll be exploring Chuck’s biography and career more in-depth in EPISODE 09: Chip’s Challenge, coming up in June. LYNX LYNKS Information about California Games: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for California Games Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for California Games Digital Press title info/rarity guide for California Games Wikipedia article about California Games Moby Games article about California Games Giant Bomb article about California Games Glitch and Easter Egg for California Games on GameFAQs Reviews and ratings for California Games: Review by Jeff at JVGS Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by The Video Game Critic (2003) Review by Cyril Lachel at Defunct Games (2004) Review by Retro Gamer Team (submitted by Alex Holmes) at Retro Gamer (2008) Review by Chris Alaimo at Classic Gaming Quarterly (2009) Review by Roger Barr at I-Mockery (2011) Review by AusRetroGamer on AusRetroGamer(2013) Review by Drew Kenaz at Indie Retro News (2014) Review (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 2) by Justin at Atari.io (2015) Review by Jon Mc at Atari Gamer (2018) YouTube videos about California Games: Playthrough (World of Longplays) Playthrough (Footbag) (StaxX28) Playthrough (BMX) (StaxX28) Playthrough (Halfpipe) (StaxX28) Playthrough (Surfing) (StaxX28) Playthrough and commentary (BTB/Lynx Lounge) Playthrough and commentary (Chris16Bit) Playthrough and commentary (Retro Gaming) Playthrough and commentary (TheUnholyExpert) Music/Soundtrack (Title) (Laird’s Lair) Music/Soundtrack (BMX) (Laird’s Lair) Music/Soundtrack (Footbag) (Laird’s Lair) Music/Soundtrack (Halfpipe) (Laird’s Lair) Music/Soundtrack (Surfing) (Laird’s Lair) TV commercial featuring California Games (Surfing): “In the Can” with Tobey Maguire (Atari7800com) Retailers Selling California Games: B & C ComputerVisions (price list was last updated September 23, 2016; check website for availability): US$89.95-US$99.95 (sealed NIB; on eBay); US$49.95 (CIB); US$14.95 (cart/manual only) Best Electronics (last updated April 2, 2018; check website for availability): US$14.95 (cart/manual only); US$9.95 (loose cart) The Goat Store: US$11.99 (for loose flat-style cart) Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$49.95 (cart/manual only) Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The Atari Lynx HandyCast in Episode 167!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis at The Atari Times (2002) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about California Games for this episode; it is greatly appreciated! Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), “Coast Highway” by A.A. Aalto, “Untitled” by Jesse Spillane, “Breaking Waves” by Psychadelik Pedestrian, “Oh Ford!” by The Cow Goes Moo, and “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” by Josh Woodward. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 07: The Fidelity Ultimate Chess Challenge” (available June 2018)
72 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 05: Gauntlet: The Third Encounter
Tweet#PA2024, Published by Atari Corp. In this episode, I cover Gauntlet: The Third Encounter, which was released in 1990. Included in the episode is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects. I also highlight reviews of the game, and some of my loyal listeners have kindly provided their feedback on Gauntlet, so I share it as well. Plus, I also provide information about the prices that collectors can expect to pay for an Atari Lynx Gauntlet cartridge on eBay.     The carton cover art for the 1990 Atari Lynx game covered in this episode, Gauntlet: The Third Encounter (top), was re-used by Tengen (the home console software licensing arm of Atari) to serve as the carton cover art for the 1993 Sega Genesis game Gauntlet IV (bottom). GAUNTLET: THE THIRD ENCOUNTER VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: By April of 1990 Initial retail price: $39.95 Cartridge: 128kb stereo cartridge available in two styles (ridged and curved lip) Genre: arcade castle maze crawl/shoot-em-up for one player on the console, or two-four players using the ComLynx cable Working Title: Time Quests and Treasure Chests (while under development at Epyx, Inc.) The portrait (vertical) orientation of the screen/playfield in Gauntlet: The Third Encounter for the Lynx was questioned by game players and critics, both at the time of release and in the time since then. Shinto of The Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast came up with a mockup of what a normal landscape (horizontal) orientation would look like for the game, had it been designed that way instead. Both the Action window and the Statistics/Radar/Inventory window remain the same size regardless of the orientation, but each window is repositioned. Do you think it would have made a difference in gameplay, or in the ultimate success of the game? Screen/playfield orientation: portrait (vertical) Other ports: This game was never ported to any other systems Inspired by: Various Gauntlet arcade games released between 1985 and 1988; even though this game is usually included in the Gauntlet franchise that appeared in game consoles and home computers of the day (1985-2005), its inclusion in the franchise was a marketing ploy to capitalize on the Gauntlet name, and as such it is not considered an essential part of the Gauntlet canon Legacy: Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (pseudo-sequel), released in 1991 for the Atari ST, the Commodore 64, the ZX Spectrum, and the Amstrad CPC. Carton:  standard-tab regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) in full color; cover art was used for 1993 game Gauntlet IV for the Sega Genesis Manual: stapled 28-page regular-size booklet (4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″) in monochrome Languages: English only GAUNTLET: THE THIRD ENCOUNTER CREDITS Developer/Licensee: Epyx, Inc. Writer: Jon Leupp Artwork:  Paul Vernon Sounds: Robert Vieira and LX (Alex) Rudis Music: Robert Vieira and LX (Alex) Rudis Majority of Levels: Chuck Sommerville and Charlie Kellner LYNXED IN How to Win a McWill-modded Lynx I Console: Rules and details about how to enter the Retro Man Cave Giveaway Competition can be found here. First Prize is a working Lynx I console, recapped and upgraded with the McWill LCD screen! New Homebrew Title for the Atari Lynx: Wyvern Tales A developer in Amsterdam named Ninjabba on the Atari Age Lynx Forums is getting ready to release his new Atari Lynx JRPG title, Wyvern Tales. Those who responded to his announcement a year ago on Atari Age to reserve a copy (or who subscribed on his website) have already been notified by email that the first batch of games have already been manufactured and are in stock and ready for purchase (full disclosure: I was one of the subscribers). Ninjabba goes further in saying that as soon as the website for Wyvern Tales is updated to accept reservations/purchases, anyone who is interested can log on and do so, depending of course upon availability. The final Wyvern Tales package contains an original looking Lynx box, game manual, and a curved lip style game cartridge (see photo above), and retails for £45 (or US$56) shipped. The developer has been posting updates on the Atari Age Lynx Forums, so check there for the latest information. Displaying My TI-99/4a Collection (and My Atari Lynx Collection) at Vintage Computer Festival 6.0 in Roswell, GA on April 21 and 22 In just a few days, I will be hosting a display booth at the Vintage Computer Festival SouthEast 6.0 at the new Computer Museum of America in Roswell, GA. Along with my large “Experience the TI-99/4a” display, I will also have “A Look at the Lynx,” a smaller display showcasing the Atari Lynx and its library of games. I’ll have two working Atari Lynx II consoles from 1991, one of which sporting the McWill LCD screen upgrade, and both consoles will be available for hands-on gaming. Additionally, I’ll have my collection of over 45 games, all with original manual booklets or posters and most in original cartons, along with various cases and other add-on accessories. Take-one handouts outlining the brief history of the Atari Lynx and its legacy are also available. So if you’re in the Atlanta area that weekend, be sure to stop by my booth and say “hi.” But bring lots of AA batteries if you want to play with the Lynx…just kidding; I will provide the power. LYNX LYNKS Information about Gauntlet: The Third Encounter: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Gauntlet: The Third Encounter Atari Gamer title info/rarity guide for Gauntlet: The Third Encounter Wikipedia article about Gauntlet:The Third Encounter Giant Bomb article about Gauntlet: The Third Encounter Level 40 Cheat for Gauntlet: The Third Encounter in Tricks of the Trade column in Electronic Gaming Monthly #14 (August 1990) Diary of an Atari Lynx Developer article about the similarities between the robot logo for Google’s Android iOS and the Android character in Gauntlet: The Third Encounter (2010) Reviews and ratings for Gauntlet: The Third Encounter: Review by Kurt Olsen at Amigan.1emu.net Review by Keita Iida at Atari HQ Review by Ryan Genno on Down and Dirty Reviews Review  in The Games Machine (UK; August 1990) Review by Review Crew in Electronic Gaming Monthly #11 (May 1990) Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review by Matthias Jaap atThe Atari Times (2001) Review by Dan Loosen at The Atari Times (2003) Review by Patrick O’Connor at Defunct Games (2005) Review  at The Video Game Critic (2005) Review by Atari5200 at Atari Age (2008) Review by Roger Barr at I-Mockery (2011) YouTube videos about Gauntlet: The Third Encounter: Playthrough (GamerBoyGU82) Playthrough (Janatari73) Final Boss Playthrough (Zonelynx Atari) Playthrough and commentary (adwatts1966) Playthrough and commentary (RndStranger) Playthrough and commentary (Game Conclusion) (RndStranger) Music/Soundtrack (Laird’s Lair) UK TV Advert featuring Gauntlet: The Third Encounter (ScottithGames) Unboxing and Review (MALICEDOLL79) Retailers Selling Gauntlet: The Third Encounter: B & C ComputerVisions (price list was last updated September 23, 2016; check website for availability): US$49.95 Best Electronics (last updated March 8, 2018; check website for availability): US$45.95 The Goat Store: US$12.99 (for loose curved lip cart) and US$32.94 (for used CIB) Telegames (UK): £16.66 (US$23.63) Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$49.95 Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into your excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on your wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 151!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The Atari Lynx HandyCast in Episode 167!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis at The Atari Times (2002) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), “No Control” by Jahzzar, “Drifting” by Midival Punditz, “Gracias” by Hicham Chahidi, “E-Musik” by Phillip Gross, and “waiting for it to happen” by Simon Mathewson. I would also like to thank Montague Habersham, or Monty as I know him. He is my podcasting assistant for The Handycast, and he also serves as King of the Under-Appreciated Artificial Podcasting Assistants Union, or the palindromically named  UAPAU. And he graciously agreed to appear with the old man from Scene 24 in the opening vignette of this episode. Thanks, Monty. I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 06: California Games” (available April 2018)
64 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 04: Gates of Zendocon
Tweet#PA2023, Published by Atari Corp. In this episode, I cover Gates of Zendocon, one of five launch titles released for the original Atari Lynx console in 1989. Included is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects. I also highlight reviews of the game, and I have some feedback about Gates of Zendocon from some of my loyal listeners. Plus, I also provide information about the prices that collectors can expect to pay for an Atari Lynx Gates of Zendocon cartridge on eBay. GATES OF ZENDOCON VITAL STATISTICS Release Date: October 1989 Initial retail price: $34.99 Cartridge: 128kb stereo cartridge available in all three styles (flat, ridged, and curved lip) Genre: horizontal-scrolling space action shoot-em-up for one player Screen/playfield orientation: landscape Other ports: Gates of Zendocon was never ported to any other system Carton:  standard-tab carton in full color; available initially in a large carton (7 5/8″ by 5 1/2″ by 7/8″), then later in a regular-size carton (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) with a vertical gray band with faux-embossed X’s on the right of the carton; a regular-sized carton was released even later with larger cover art and no vertical gray band; and as far as is known, Gates of Zendocon was never released in a blister-pack Manual: folded 6-page manual in monochrome; available in large booklet (6 5/8″ by 4 3/4″); available later in regular-size booklet (4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″) Languages: English only (in the United States); Japanese language-version also available Compare the spaceship in the 1977 Atari VCS (2600) Asteroids carton cover art by Chris Kenyon pictured at the top with the spaceship in the 1989 Atari Lynx Gates of Zendocon carton cover art pictured at the bottom. Notice any similarities? GATES OF ZENDOCON CREDITS Developer/Licensee: Epyx, Inc. Programmer: M. Peter Engelbrite Other credits:  Included in a review written by Mike Kosher and posted in the June 1990 issue (Issue 11) of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine is an allusion that R.J. Mical and Dave Needle from Epyx were involved in the production of the game, along with R.G. (unknown), Tom (probably Tom Schumacher), and LX (undoubtedly LX, or Alex, Rudis) LYNX LYNKS How to Win a McWill-modded Lynx I Console: Rules and details about how to enter the Retro Man Cave Giveaway Competition can be found here. First Prize is a working Lynx I console, recapped and upgraded with the McWill LCD screen! Information about Gates of Zendocon: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Gates of Zendocon Wikipedia article about Gates of Zendocon Giant Bomb article about Gates of Zendocon PDF of “Atari Lynx Hint Book,” published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers (hints, level codes/select cheat and Easter Egg for Gates of Zendocon can be found on pages 37-46) Reviews and ratings for Gates of Zendocon: Review by Marshall Rosenthal in The Games Machine (UK) magazine (issue 27; February, 1990) Review in Zero Magazine (Issue 05; March, 1990) Review by Clayton Walner at STart Magazine (Issue 39, December, 1990) Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999) Review on Video Game Critic (2003) Review by Vireo Gilvis on Kalisiin’s (Mostly Old-School) RPG Discussion Board (2012) Review by Steve Fulton in his blog at GamaSutra (2013) Review by Jon Mc of JMac Productions at Atari Gamer (2018) Review by Ryan Genno at Down and Dirty Reviews Review at Illusionware.it User Rating on Moby Games YouTube videos about Gates of Zendocon: Review (Lynx Lounge/Brian Thomas Barnhart) Review (ROM Swamp) Playthrough (Sharky’s Sharkade) Playthrough (Doctor Noob’s Game Bits) Playthrough (Zonelynx) Playthrough (World of Longplays) Playthrough (Atari7800com) Playthrough and commentary (adwatts1966) Playthrough and commentary (All Lives Lost) Playthrough and commentary (Atari Fitness) Playthrough and commentary (live stream) (The Atari Times) Playthrough and commentary (VideoWulff) Music/Soundtrack (levels 1 and 2) (Laird’s Lair) Music/Soundtrack (complete) (Laird’s Lair) Music/Soundtrack (Marc Ripoll) Retailers Selling Gates of Zendocon: B & C ComputerVisions (pricelist last updated September 23, 2016; check website for availability) Best Electronics (last updated March 8, 2018; check website for availability) Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy Other Lynks: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into your excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on your wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 151!) The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 22!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The Atari Lynx HandyCast in Episode 167!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis at The Atari Times (2002) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), “Duck (Squeezed)” by Dee Yan-Kee, “Chiefs” by Jahzzar, “Scuba” by Simon Mathewson, “Sweet Passage” by Frau Holle, and “The 90s” by Los Close. I especially would like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By. Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 05: Gauntlet: The Third Encounter” (available April 2018)
74 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 03: Rampage
Tweet#PA2022, PUBLISHED BY ATARI In this episode, I cover Rampage, released in 1990. Included is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects. I also highlight reviews of the game, and I have some feedback about Rampage from some of my loyal listeners. Plus, I also provide information about the prices that collectors can expect to pay for an Atari Lynx Rampage cartridge on eBay. Additionally, I also speak about my decision to remove Krazy Ace Miniature Golf from my own list of official game titles released for the Atari Lynx during the console’s lifetime. This decision, of course, affects the number and order of planned episodes for the podcast, so be sure to check out the updated Schedule of Episodes here. Finally, I have a special invitation to all of my loyal listeners: If you happen to be in the Atlanta area during the weekend of April 21-22, 2018, please make it a point to attend Vintage Computer Festival SouthEast 6.0 at the Computer Museum of America in its new location in Roswell, GA. I will be there, along with two displays: “Experience the TI-99/4a,” a large setup that I’ve hosted at the show for three years running, and (more importantly to my listeners) “A Look at the Lynx,” a smaller display with two working Lynx II consoles (one with the McWill LCD upgrade), about 45 game cartridges, and several Atari Lynx accessories. Both consoles will be available for game-playing and everyone is welcome to try out their favorite titles. But bring your own AA batteries (just; I’ll provide power for the Lynxes). please stop by and say “Hi.” You can find out more about the festival here. RAMPAGE STATISTICS Release Date: September/October 1990 (based on 2-page Atari Lynx ad in the December 1990 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine; the ad features screen shots of 12 new Lynx games (including Rampage) and states that they are all “now here.” Initial retail price: $34.99 Cartridge: 128kb curved lip-style stereo cartridge Genre: horizontal-scrolling action beat-em-up for one player (two-four players using the ComLynx cable) Screen/playfield orientation: landscape Based on:  Rampage arcade machine released in 1986 by Bally Midway Working titles: Monster Demolition, Rampage Deluxe Other ports: Atari 2600, Atari 7800, Atari Lynx, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Amiga, Nintendo 64, MS-DOS/IBM PC, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, NES (released by Data East), and Sega Master System Carton: regular-size box (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) Manual: regular-size stapled 12-page monochrome booklet (4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″) Languages: English only RAMPAGE CREDITS Developer: Atari Corp. Licensee: Bally Manufacturing Company; licensed through Midway Manufacturing Company, a Subsidiary of WMS Industries, Inc. Programmer: Pete Wierzbicki Art and Animation: Susan G. McBride, Melody Rondeau, and P. Wierzbicki Music: LX (Alex) Rudis and Bob Vieira Sound: LX (Alex) Rudis Special Thanks to All the Links: John Skruch and Julie Wade, Steve Jungels and Greg Omi, Jerome Strach and Eric Ginner, Bruce Coleman and Tom Gillen Starring: George (the Gorilla), and His Menacing Menagerie: Lizzy (the Lizard), Larry (the Lab Rat), and Ralph (the Werewolf) LYNX LYNKS How to Win a McWill-modded Lynx I Console: Rules and details about how to enter the Retro Man Cave Giveaway Competition can be found here. First Prize is a working Lynx I console, recapped and upgraded with the McWill LCD screen! Information about Rampage: Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Rampage Wikipedia article about Rampage Giant Bomb article about Rampage Rampage Wiki website Gamecodes/cheats for Rampage PDF of “Atari Lynx Hint Book,” published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers (select level cheat for Rampage is on page 50) Reviews and ratings for Rampage: Review by Moby Games (1990) Review by Robert Jung at Atari Archives (1991) Review by Robert Jung at IGN (1999) Review by Matthias Jaap at The Atari Times (2001) Review by Cyril Lachel at Defunct Games (2004) Review by Erde Kaiser at The House of Games (2005) Review by Alex V at Giant Bomb (2008) Review by Darran Jones at Retro Gamer Magazine (2008) Review by Ultimate Console Database YouTube videos about Rampage: Review (Lynx Lounge/Brian Thomas Barnhart) Review (RetroGamerDaz) Review (Retro Unlim/Dave’s Nostalgia Trip) Review (UnconBentional) Cross-platform comparison (DarthMarino) Cross-platform comparison (Gaming History Source) Cross-platform comparison (Leftover Culture Review) Playthrough (Doctor Noob’s Game Bits) Playthrough (Funk Star) Playthrough (iN008) Playthrough (Jp4rk) Playthrough (iN008) Playthrough (TotallyRadicalRetroGames) Playthrough (World of Longplays) Playthrough and commentary (Let’s Wing It!/GenTenStation) Playthrough and commentary (lucas boy) Playthrough and commentary (Steve Benway) Music/Soundtrack (Prime VGM 330) Rare pre-1990 footage of Monster Demolition (later Rampage) (thanks, Kiernen!) Resources for Atari Lynx Console/Game-Related Collecting Materials/Tools: Resource: Game Boy Color cases for Atari Lynx cartridges from Joom Resource: 2 1/2″ coin storage sheets from Amazon Resource: Atari Lynx regular-size game carton sleeves from RetroGameFreak Resource: Atari Lynx large-size game carton sleeves from CollectnProtect Resource: Building a custom Atari Lynx game carton shelving unit from AtariGamer Resource: Atari Lynx II display stand from Etsy OTHER LYNKS: AtariGamer.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into your excellent website!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on your wonderful forums!) Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!) The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 151!) Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The  HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!) The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The Atari Lynx HandyCast in Episode 167!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis at The Atari Times (2002) THANKS I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), “SuperBluesBros Banana Blitz” by RoccoW, “Voyage to Pluto (Netlabel Day Mix)” by Prism, “Call for Surrender” by Jesse Spillane, and “5” by Christian Bjoerklund. I especially would like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of this episode’s featured game, Rampage…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, “Please Stand By.” Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 04: Gates of Zendocon” (available March 2018)
60 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 02: Electrocop
Tweet#PA2021 PUBLISHED BY ATARI In this episode, I cover Electrocop, the second game (in part number order) and one of the five launch titles released for the Atari Lynx in September of 1989. Included is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects. I also provide how much collectors can expect to pay for an Atari Lynx Electrocop cartridge on eBay, as well as a few tips and hints. Plus, I have some feedback about Electrocop from some of my loyal listeners. ELECTROCOP STATISTICS Genre: horizontal-scrolling third-person action shooter for one player Screen/playfield orientation: landscape Based on:  Impossible Mission (originally developed as a port of or as a sequel to Impossible Mission). Developer Greg Omi’s recollection: “It’s funny, but I can’t remember if it was supposed to be a sequel to Impossible Mission or not. I remember writing a story and basic game design and pitching it to RJ Mical, but I don’t remember if they were asking for a sequel.” Other ports: Electrocop was never ported to any other system, although there is evidence it was planned for the Atari 7800. Cartridge: 128kb stereo cartridge, available in flat, ridged, and curved lip styles Carton: standard-tab carton in full color; available in large box (7 5/8″ by 5 1/2″ by 7/8″); available later in regular-size box (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) Manual: folded 6-page manual in monochrome; available in large booklet (6 5/8″ by 4 3/4″); available later in regular-size booklet (4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″) Languages: English only ELECTROCOP CREDITS Developer: Epyx Games Producer: Greg Omi Artists: Arthur Koch, Karen Mangum, and Matthew Crysdale Design Assistance: Chuck Sommerville (wrote animation engine for the intro), Charlie Kellner, Tom Schumacher, and RJ Mical Music and Sound: Alex (LX) Rudis and Bob Vieira LYNX LYNKS Information about ELECTROCOP: Atari Age rarity guide for Electrocop Wikipedia article about Electrocop Giant Bomb article about Electrocop Gaming Arcryphon article about porting Electrocop to the Atari 7800 Gamecodes/cheats for Electrocop Interview with Greg Omi by Gregory D. George and C. Forhan for The Atari Times (2003) PDF of “Atari Lynx Hint Book,” published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers (cheats and codes for Electrocop: pages 34-36) Reviews and ratings for ELECTROCOP: Review by Robert Jung at The Atari SIG Historical Archive/AtariMax (1992) Review by JDeLuna at GameFAQs (1999) Review by Moby Games (2005) Review by Ron Alpert at Gamasutra (2010) Review by Ray Hardgrit at Super Adventures in Gaming (2012) Review at Obsolete Gamer (2013) Review by Verzu Chase at 3Wirel! (2017) Rating by IGN Rating by LaunchBox Games Database YouTube videos about ELECTROCOP: Review (Lynx Lounge/Brian Thomas Barnhart) Review (mattymetro/Tavon Lavis) Review (Video Wolff) Playthrough (World of Longplays) Playthrough (Virtua Boys) Playthrough (Takashi Tsukasa) Playthrough (Doctor Noob’s Game Bits) Playthrough and commentary (NecroVMX) Music/Soundtrack (Laird’s Lair) Video of HighScore.com World Record by Swaggers TV Advert for Electrocop (Scottith Games) OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Retro Gamer Magazine article: “The Making of Blue Lightning” by Kieren Hawken, host of the Laird’s Lair YouTube channel (thanks, Kieren!) Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis by The Atari Times AtariGamer.com (thanks, Igor!) Retro Video Gamer Forums (thanks, TrekMD!) THANKS I would like to thank Gamechops for graciously allowing me to use “Spider Dance” by Holder as the opening and closing theme music for The Atari Lynx HandyCast. I would also like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “Suede” by Jon Luc Hefferman, “A Tourist in His Hometown” by Zero V, “Matriculate Yo” by Throcke, and “Eve” by Jahzzar. I especially would like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of the Atari Lynx to this episode…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s excellent Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, “Please Stand By.” Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 03: Rampage” (available March 2018)
44 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 01: Blue Lightning
Tweet#PA2020 PUBLISHED BY ATARI In this episode, I cover Blue Lightning, the first game (in part number order) and one of the five launch titles released for the Atari Lynx in September of 1989. Included is a complete rundown of the gameplay, music, and sound effects. I also provide how much collectors can expect to pay for an Atari Lynx Blue Lightning cartridge on eBay, as well as a few tips and hints. Plus, I have some feedback about Blue Lightning from some of my loyal listeners. GAME STATISTICS First-person flight simulation/aerial shooter for one player Inspired by arcade game After Burner (1987) by Sega Screen/playfield orientation: Landscape Ported to the Atari Jaguar in 1995 (pack-in game for the new Atari Jaguar CD) CARTRIDGE: 128kb stereo cartridge, available in flat, ridged, and curved lip styles; demo cartridge PCB (printed circuit board) with gold label also available CARTON: Standard-tab carton in full color; available in large box (7 5/8″ by 5 1/2″ by 7/8″); available later in regular-size box (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″) MANUAL: Stapled 12-page manual in monochrome; available in large booklet (6 5/8″ by 4 3/4″); available later in regular-size booklet (4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″) Languages: English only GAME CREDITS Developer: Epyx Games, lead by Programmer Brian Bowhay Produced by John Skruch and Sean Patten Designed by RJ Mical, and Stephen H. Landrum Programmed by Stephen  H. Landrum Artwork by Arthur “Ace” Koch Music by Alex (LX) Rudis & Bob Vieira LINKS INFORMATION: Atari Age Rarity Guide for Blue Lightning Wikipedia article about Blue Lightning Retro Gamer Magazine article: “The Making of Blue Lightning” by Kieren Hawken (thanks, Kieren!) REVIEWS: AGH review by Kieta Iida The Atari Times review by Gregory D. George (2002) IGN review by Robert A. Jung (1999) Atari.io review by Brian Thomas Barnhart YOUTUBE VIDEOS: Review of Blue Lightning (Lynx Lounge/Brian Thomas Barnhart) Review of Blue Lightning (Classic Game Room Undertow) Review of Blue Lightning (VideoWulff) Blue Lightning playthrough (World of Longplays) Blue Lightning playthrough (StaxX28) Blue Lightning playthrough and commentary (TechZonk) Blue Lightning playthrough (NintendoComplete) Blue Lightning playthrough (RetroGamerVX) Blue Lightning playthrough (Atari7800.com) Music of Blue Lightning (Laird’s Lair) Atari Lynx Adverts and Commercials (Laird’s Lair) OTHER LINKS: Interview with LX (Alex) Rudis by The Atari Times Retro Video Gamer Forums THANKS I would like to thank Gamechops for graciously allowing me to use “Spider Dance” by Holder as the opening and closing theme music for The Atari Lynx HandyCast. I would also like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “MT Fox Shop” by Boxcat Games, “Falcon Hood (Tight)” by Podington Bear, “Hans in Luck” by Dee Yan-Key, and “Comedie” by Jahzzar. I especially would like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of the Atari Lynx to this episode…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s excellent Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, “Please Stand By.” Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. -Mark Next Episode: “EPISODE 02: Electrocop” (available March 2, 2018)
37 minutes | 3 years ago
EPISODE 00: “Love of Lynx”
TweetWell, after countless lives were lost and with much gnashing of teeth, I’ve finally been able to get the website up and running. And that means that the introductory episode can be posted properly. And that means that the podcast can now be submitted to iTunes (or Apple Podcasts). And to Stitcher. And to Google Play Music. And to TuneIn. And that means everyone should be able to download and listen to this episode easily. And that means that I can now concentrate on getting the episodes out. The next one, EPISODE 01: Blue Lightning, will be out by Monday, February 19. And that means I need to get any and all feedback about Blue Lightning from my intrepid listeners soon. Please submit text and/or audio submissions to mark@atarilynxhandycast.net. Or you can submit it to the Atari Lynx HandyCast Facebook page (facebook.com/atarilynxhandycast). Or you can send it to me through Twitter (I think): Mark@LynxHandyCast. Or you can send a letter. Or a message in a bottle. Or you can use an Aldis lamp. Or semaphore. Or just send me a raven (as a GoT fan, I wouldn’t mind that at all). Acknowledgments: I especially would like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of the Atari Lynx to this episode…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s excellent Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t own or have never even seen a Jaguar console. You can find it here. Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, “Please Stand By.” Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here. Music: I would like to thank Gamechops for graciously allowing me to use “Spider Dance” by Holder as the opening and closing theme music for The Atari Lynx HandyCast. I would also like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “MT Fox Shop” by Boxcat Games, “Falcon Hood (Tight)” by Podington Bear, “Hans in Luck” by Dee Yan-Key, and “Comedie” by Jahzzar. Next Episode: “EPISODE 01: Blue Lightning” (available February 19, 2018)
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