Lynx vs. Game Gear

[+atari2600land]

Technologically speaking, is the Lynx superior to the Game Gear? They're both in color (although the Lynx doesn't have a TV tuner.) and they're both gigantic. Just curious.

[A Sprite]

Technologically speaking, is the Lynx superior to the Game Gear? They're both in color (although the Lynx doesn't have a TV tuner.) and they're both gigantic. Just curious.

 

Lynx is 16bit with built in sprite scaling. ( It's 3D games are a generation ahead. ) The Game Gear has the edge in colors displayed and a higher screen resolution. ( Ninja Gaiden 3 for the Lynx offered less detail than many Colecovision games - the Gamegear would have less trouble and could enhance the sprites. )

Edited December 9, 2007 by A Sprite

[TailChao]

The Lynx and Game Gear are structured very differently, and there is almost no point in comparing them for "true superiority."

The Game Gear has all of the advantages and disadvantages of a tile-based display, and the Lynx has all of the advantages and disadvantages of a bitmapped display (although Suzy's design takes some influence from tile-based renderers, which is incredibly useful). The Lynx is far more flexible overall, but certain things (such as scrolling) take more effort to implement than on something like the Game Gear. It all depends on what you want to develop.

[shadow460]

I know little about the Lynx.

 

Game Gear pros:

Compatible with the Master System

Colors (mentioned earlier)

Large pocket size (mine fits into a sweatpants pocket easily)

Good battery life with today's batteries (9 to 12 hrs with 2650 MAh Ni-MH AA cells)

Roughly 250-300 "NTSC" games to choose from

Easy to modify

 

Game Gear Cons:

Fragile

Incompatible with NiCD batteries made back in the day

Washed out screen

NES style cartridge problems (gotta mess with 'em to get 'em to work)

Difficult to locate special hardware like the Gear to Gear cable

Difficult to locate most of the games (not as difficult as finding Lynx games, though)

Price (my first one cost me almost $200)

Sound boards dying over time

 

If I'd only played a Game Gear as much as I'd played a Lynx, I think I'd prefer the Lynx. Thing is, I've owned three Game Gears and plenty of games to boot, whereas the only time I've spent on a Lynx was with RoadBlasters.

[lynxmatt1980]

Technologically speaking, is the Lynx superior to the Game Gear? They're both in color (although the Lynx doesn't have a TV tuner.) and they're both gigantic. Just curious.

 

Yeah i would say confidently the Lynx is superior. My cousin had a Gamegear and it was a clunker. It only had 2 buttons (a and b) the sound was not near as good. and the graphics weren't as good. Gamegear only sold more because it had Sega backing it. (and making crappy games for it). I took my lynx to my cousins house , and i thought his gamegear was a joke. He agreed the lynx (roadblasters, california games, batman returns) was better.

 

The only games i ever liked on Gamegear were Sonic and Columns. Both systems would have done better if we had better batteries in the early 90s. 6 AA batteries back then gave you an hour or so, not so great when they were disposable.

 

think of it as the difference between the master system and the nes. The Master system was superior, but sega couldnt get enough great games to convince people to buy it over the NES. or you could even compare the TG16 to the NES or Master System. same deal, but even worse support by game developers.

Edited December 18, 2007 by lynxmatt1980