Atari's swan song...
Written: May 17 '01 (Updated Aug 06 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fantastic Graphics and sound. Years ahead of its time.
Cons: Poor marketing, limited games...
The Bottom Line: Unrealized potential still produced some of the best games of the last decade...
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| jag2112's Full Review: Atari Jaguar |
Since the days of the Atari 2600 (VCS), I have been an avid fan of Atari. Anyone who has followed their history knows how painful that can be.
I've owned just about every product made by the now-defunct Atari Corporation including the aforementioned 2600, 800 Computer, 130XE computer, 1040STe computer, Lynx and, finally, the Jaguar.
As was often the case with their previous products, Atari released hardware that was typically superior to anything else out on the market. But where they succeeded in cutting-edge technology, they failed - miserably - in marketing.
It just doesn't matter if you have the world's best mouse trap unless the world knows about it...
Sigh.
I know, I'm digressing...
When news leaked out that Atari would be putting out the most powerful video gaming system of the time, I remained cautiously skeptical. Along with their pattern for failed marketing plans, Atari was also notorious for promoting vapor ware.
But as the hype grew, the Jaguar actually seemed to be a reality.
And reality it was.
The system was hyped during 1993 and released during the Christmas rush of that year. Unfortunately, two things went wrong. First, the system was only released in limited quantities, and only in the New York and Los Angeles area. Second, there were only, if memory serves, 3 games available for it at the time.
Double sigh.
This is a 64-bit powerhouse of a gaming system that can still hold its own today - nearly 8 years later. Can you imagine how it could have literally decimated the competition back in 1993? It just didn't happen. Instead of beefing up their games catalog and promoting the system more, Atari rushed the product to the stores, but had nothing to back it up with.
Ok, I know...digressing again. I just wanted to paint a picture of why the Jaguar never really took off. It's not because its a bad video game system - it's not. It was simply put out by a company that couldn't really support it.
Ok, I'm off my soapbox. On to the system.
As previously mentioned, this was a true 64-bit machine, cartridge based (with CD attachment optional) that provided millions of colors and 16-bit stereo sound.
The system came with a decent game-pad type of controller with a multitude of buttons. The controller was ergonomically designed and felt very comfortable in your hands.
The system itself looked very sharp in its flat black finish and bright red Atari and Jaguar logos.
Ah, but the true judge of any system is always based on the games...
The Jaguar came standard with one game cartridge - CyberMorph. A nicely done 3-D futuristic flight simulator that showcased just some of the potential of this system. Crystal clear speech synthesis, excellent music and sound effects, crisp graphics with luxurious shading effects, and good playability.
It was a good cartridge to choose for including with the game system. Unfortunately, most of the games never met the high standard that CyberMorph did.
Instead of dwelling on those games that did nothing for the Jaguar, I'll instead briefly cover the games that truly did showcase the power of the Jaguar and almost saved the system and Atari...
Alien vs. Predator
Forget about other versions - the Jaguar version was the first, and still considered the best. Here was a first-person shoot em up game set in the Aliens and Predator movie themes. Wonderful graphics and sound were only part of this game. The game had a dark and brooding mood that was absolutely enthralling. This was a game you could actually get scared playing. It was (is) that good.
Tempest 2000
How do you update an early 80's video game that used simple vector graphics? Simple - add mind blowing music and graphics and deliver better playability than the original. With T2K hit the scene, it launched a frenzy of Jaguar interest. It's an astounding game with intense playability and the most eye-candy I've ever seen on a game. So much is going on simultaneously that you think you're going to lose control. But you don't - you just keep pressing forward until you reach the next level. Turn up the volume on this one with its custom musical track that has won well deserved praise.
Defender 2000
Like Tempest, D2K tried to capture some of the spotlight, and it did for the most part. As before, this is a beefed up version of the original arcade classic. It's less flashy than T2K, but it still does a good job of showing how much the Jaguar can handle when pushed to the limit.
Atari Karts
Fun. Fun. Fun. That's the key here. With colorful graphics and great game play, Atari Karts is the best racing game on the Jaguar platform.
RayMan
Eye popping graphics was the main reason this game was made. Game play could have been better, but this is basically the best-looking Mario-type game - on any system (at the time). It translated well to other formats, but the Jaguar version was the first -- for a reason. No other system could handle the requirements.
Battle Sphere
Years in the making, this was to be the real savior of the Jaguar. Unfortunately, it came a little to late, and in too few quantities. Also dubbed Star Raiders 2000, Battle Sphere promised intense space sim battles with incredibly detailed graphics. The game delivered and is in high demand (just try and find one under $200).
Of course, there are more games that shine well on the Jaguar. And then there are those that you have to wonder why they were ever released in the first place.
Atari was once a powerhouse of a company, with sales in the billions, believe it or not. They made one last-ditch effort to regain some of the glory they deserve.
The Jaguar shows how they had the skills to produce state of the art hardware. But it also shows that they didn't have the funding or know how to properly promote it.
It's a shame. The Jaguar has the potential. It just doesn't have the market.
If you have the means, get a Jaguar. It will entertain you for years to come...
Recommended:
Yes
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jag2112
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Member: John
Location: Clinton, NJ
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The writer stares with glassy eyes...
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