Bill Loguidice Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 To me, the main thing that is of interest with these releases is the prospect of new paddles and joysticks. I HOPE that they are sturdy and strong, and well-made. Will the paddles be paired in twos like the originals, Bill? There are less paddles out there every year, so this could be cool. That being said, I have an FB3 but haven't tried the joysticks from it yet. Not sure how they measure up to the originals. Thoughts from others? The wired joysticks and paddles are excellent. The paddles feel functionally identical to the originals. The joysticks are the same joysticks included with the Flashback 3, and also have the same feel as the wireless joysticks included with the Flashback 4. The original Atari joysticks had a very stiff stick, these have looser sticks. That's not a bad thing, as in most cases it seems to make control "better," which is of course a relative term. The build quality of both appears to be excellent. I haven't abused them, but there's nothing about them to make me think they won't hold up. The paddles are two paddles to one connector, just like the originals, yes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Gemintronic Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 No way to add games then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapetino Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 The wired joysticks and paddles are excellent. The paddles feel functionally identical to the originals. The joysticks are the same joysticks included with the Flashback 3, and also have the same feel as the wireless joysticks included with the Flashback 4. The original Atari joysticks had a very stiff stick, these have looser sticks. That's not a bad thing, as in most cases it seems to make control "better," which is of course a relative term. The build quality of both appears to be excellent. I haven't abused them, but there's nothing about them to make me think they won't hold up. The paddles are two paddles to one connector, just like the originals, yes. That's great to hear. Thanks for the info and the review, Bill. I'm looking forward to seeing and picking those up specifically. Do you know when the controllers will be released, as well as the price points? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) They also sell wired joysticks and paddles separately that work with everything that uses Atari-style joysticks, including the two controller ports. Where on their site? I couldn't seem to find them among their North American product offerings. I thought the Flashback 3's joysticks were pretty good when I tried them at a demo setup at my local Wal-Mart a while back. Glad to hear the paddles are of similar quality. Don't see any reason to buy a Flashback 3 or this new offerring, but it's nice to hear they're going to be selling the controllers they're producing. Edited August 29, 2012 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyd97 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I love the option to buy paddles. What games were left off from the FB3? I wish one of these would include an SD slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Yikes, there are actually people who pronounce "composite" with the stress on the first syllable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 None of the games I worked on are on this version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 What M- Network games are on here? According to that video review, they're one of the sources of games here but I don't see any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 What M- Network games are on here? According to that video review, they're one of the sources of games here but I don't see any. Yep, my fault. I meant the Sears releases. This revision has no M Network games. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) Gone Secret Quest, because of b/w switch issue. Minus 1. New Blackjack Breakout Crystal Castles Football Front Line Haunted House II (Return To Haunted House from Atari Flashback 2 & 2+?) Jungle Hunt Polaris Pong (Atari Flashback 2 Arcade Pong by Curt Vendel or JAKKS Atari Joystick one as taken from Video Olympics?) Slot Machine Slot Racers Space Invaders Stellar Track Street Racer Tempest (Crappy single level from Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! or now complete?) Warlords Plus 16, that makes 15 additions, 75 total. No Video Olympics Casino Indy 500 as "Race" by Sears Telegames Millipede Quadrun Radar Lock Solaris Arcade Asteroids Asteroids Deluxe Lunar Lander Space Duel Yars' Return Since Taito has significant involvement, it would have been nice to see a completed Elevator Action, I see why Jungle Hunt was left off JAKKS'. Also, there are no Coleco games and Asteroids is by Atari, thus has been on all Atari Flashbacks in one form or another! Edited September 1, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffVav Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 FWIW, it looks from the video that Asteroids doesn't flicker as it did on the Atari 2600. (In the original, your ship was shown on alternate frames vs. the rocks.) So likely none of these are true emulations, if that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) So this is basically the Flashback 3 with 15 more games and wireless controllers. Pass. It has a different mix and more games, two wireless controllers, and improved emulation over the 3. So yeah, basically the 3, but different. So, personally, I will be taking back my Atari Flashback 3 to buy an Atari Flashback 4 later as the only real difference for me is that they eliminated Secret Quest because of a b/w switch issue! Edited September 1, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 "Pong" is Video Olympics. They just went with the popular name. Secret Quest had to be eliminated because it would have been unplayable like on the 3 because of the missing b/w switch, yes. The Coleco game is Front Line, but it's a Taito license. Go figure how that one worked out. Still waiting for the official word from Taito on why they wanted the Space Invaders game changed... I'm going to see if I can film the live video tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) "Pong" is Video Olympics. They just went with the popular name. Secret Quest had to be eliminated because it would have been unplayable like on the 3 because of the missing b/w switch, yes. The Coleco game is Front Line, but it's a Taito license. Go figure how that one worked out. Still waiting for the official word from Taito on why they wanted the Space Invaders game changed... I'm going to see if I can film the live video tomorrow. So a complete gVideo Olympics game selection from October 1977 only under its original name before port? Just wish that Indy 500 as "Race" by Sears Telegames was included, it is now the only '77 launch title not to be on any Flashback built-in. Thanks Bill, yeah, that's right, I remember about Front Line and an old Coleco license now! What about my Haunted House II and Tempest questions? Really liking their new menu graphics, they remind me of JAKKS Atari Paddle, but these have box graphics like Atari: 80 Classic Games in One! Edited September 1, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) The pirate packaging I spoke of was the box shot of Front Line that was in the video when the game was selected. You can see it briefly at 6:26, I'm pasting in a screen capture ... Probably a rights issue again. It's kind of frustrating there's so much red tape with licensing various aspects of an old game... That looks like an old CBS/Telegames box or instruction manual which was essentially the Coleco division in Europe! Edited September 2, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 The Coleco game is Front Line, but it's a Taito license. Go figure how that one worked out. Didn't Atari buy Coleco's 2600 library? I suspect that's how it worked out and that it essentially became almost a freebie when they went after the Space Invaders license. Everything else in the Coleco/Atari library relied on licenses from other companies like Exidy and Nintendo. I suspect they just didn't think that something like Mouse Trap was as worth going after as Space Invaders was. Front Line was just along for the ride, more or less. I doubt they paid anything extra for it or worked too hard at it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) The Coleco game is Front Line, but it's a Taito license. Go figure how that one worked out. Didn't Atari buy Coleco's 2600 library? I suspect that's how it worked out and that it essentially became almost a freebie when they went after the Space Invaders license. Everything else in the Coleco/Atari library relied on licenses from other companies like Exidy and Nintendo. I suspect they just didn't think that something like Mouse Trap was as worth going after as Space Invaders was. Front Line was just along for the ride, more or less. I doubt they paid anything extra for it or worked too hard at it. More like a third party license, I remember when Atari reboxed most of the Coleco titles in their own red/brown 2600 boxes around 1988, but it still said its original copyright date along with "Coleco Industries, Inc.", though there was never any new box, cartridge or instruction manual for Front Line, please look up all those scans here at Atari Age as proof. Edited September 2, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) The pirate packaging I spoke of was the box shot of Front Line that was in the video when the game was selected. You can see it briefly at 6:26, I'm pasting in a screen capture ... Probably a rights issue again. It's kind of frustrating there's so much red tape with licensing various aspects of an old game... That looks like an old CBS/Telegames box or instruction manual which was essentially the Coleco division in Europe! Correcting myself here, I just found out through accidental internet research that it's an old Zellers box, but Front Line is actually their version of Combat by Atari, so AtGames used the wrong scan! Edited September 2, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 The Coleco game is Front Line, but it's a Taito license. Go figure how that one worked out. Didn't Atari buy Coleco's 2600 library? More like a third party license, I remember when Atari reboxed most of the Coleco titles in their own red/brown 2600 boxes around 1988, but it still said its original copyright date along with "Coleco Industries, Inc.", though there was never any new box, cartridge or instruction manual for Front Line, please look up all those scans here at Atari Age as proof. I really doubt if they were merely licensed that the license would still be active here decades down the line when nothing else of the sort is still active in regards to their 2600 software library. Atari surely owns Front Line outright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) The Coleco game is Front Line, but it's a Taito license. Go figure how that one worked out. Didn't Atari buy Coleco's 2600 library? More like a third party license, I remember when Atari reboxed most of the Coleco titles in their own red/brown 2600 boxes around 1988, but it still said its original copyright date along with "Coleco Industries, Inc.", though there was never any new box, cartridge or instruction manual for Front Line, please look up all those scans here at Atari Age as proof. I really doubt if they were merely licensed that the license would still be active here decades down the line when nothing else of the sort is still active in regards to their 2600 software library. Atari surely owns Front Line outright. Atari will never own it outright as it's a port of an original game by Taito, thus still under license, unless they buy them out. Edited September 3, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I love the option to buy paddles. Depending on price and build quality, I may want to buy a couple sets of these for my regular 2600's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) Atari will never own it outright as it's a port of an original game by Taito, thus still under license, unless they buy them out. Taito owns the arcade game and the IP. They don't own Coleco's home port of it. If there's a single video game license from the 1970's and 1980's that's still valid, I'd be extremely shocked. Edited September 3, 2012 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) Atari will never own it outright as it's a port of an original game by Taito, thus still under license, unless they buy them out. Taito owns the arcade game and the IP. They don't own Coleco's home port of it. True, but they might as well since Atari can only publish the Coleco home port of it with Taito's permission. Edited September 3, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 If there's a single video game license from the 1970's and 1980's that's still valid, I'd be extremely shocked. I don't think any license is valid for any discontinued system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) If there's a single video game license from the 1970's and 1980's that's still valid, I'd be extremely shocked. I don't think any license is valid for any discontinued system. Yet Atari still has to get a new license or permission from whoever owns the original copyright now, otherwise they would have just gone right ahead and already published/rereleased at least some, maybe all, of those more popular second-third party game titles like Space Invaders along with many more, but there is something that obviously keeps preventing them. Edited September 3, 2012 by TrekkiELO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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