Next Atari Flashback?

[AAA177]

Curious if there is any word on Atari Flashback 7. Is it in development? Do you think we will ever see a game like Superman on it, but under a different title? I was always curious about that -- would it be okay to call that game something else, or as far as licensing is concerned, is that always linked to the superhero trademark? I don't think the images look too much like the actual characters in the comic book.

 

It would be great too if there could be some way around the licensing issue. Imagine seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark or E.T. on a Flashback unit? I assume the problem is that the studios that own those properties would want a huge advance and would not be willing to accept just a royalty deal. Maybe a way around that is to package ads for the studio's products inside the Flashback boxes, or maybe even put trailers for upcoming movies on the consoles.

[+MrBlackCat]

Not publicly yet it seems.

I have been keeping watch here as Bill Loguidice has been posting what he is able to in this thread...

 

MrBlackCat

Edited May 4, 2016 by MrBlackCat

[Bill Loguidice]

We probably don't need a new thread, but yes, there will be a new Atari Flashback coming out as well as one other Atari-related product (there are other non-hardware Atari-based products coming out as well). Expect further details when possible (right now it's not), but I do strongly believe Atari-wise it's going to be an exciting year for AtGames and fans of classic Atari properties.

[AAA177]

Thanks for the replies. This is great news.

[bfollowell]

I've never picked up one of these consoles and, with emulation, I probably wouldn't, but I was curious about the game lineup. Do each of the six versions have different games or do they each include the games of the previous versions and just keep adding to them?

[+MrBlackCat]

In most instances the games are added to the previous, but a few are swapped out... like very few. I noticed that River Raid was only in the Flashback 2 for instance.

Some people here know the included games changes by heart I am sure, but it is very few games that changed, so to answer your question, the vast majority are just overlap of games.

Basically, AtGames is able to license more and more titles over time... or at least that is my perception based on what I have read.

 

If I get time I will compare the differences and list them.

 

MrBlackCat

[Bill Loguidice]

There have actually been more than 6 versions (I think it's actually 8, with the 2+ and 64, but I could be forgetting something or another), but yes, the line-up is usually different, with some titles dropping off due to rights holders changing (Battlezone is a good example). Usually, though, the goal is to go for more titles than before. I'd have to double-check, but last I saw the one Atari console product (7) we're coming out with will still have 100 games, but the mix will be different. So, while it doesn't gain any for a variety of reasons (including lack of ROM space), the number isn't going down and the game selection will be a bit different from 6. The other Atari hardware product coming out will have fewer games, but that will be OK.

[maxdrive]

Would at games ever consider some homebrews added to the flashback like they did with the colicovision

[Bill Loguidice]

Would at games ever consider some homebrews added to the flashback like they did with the colicovision

 

AtGames already has homebrews on the Atari Flashback. They don't need as many as on the ColecoVision one though because they have more than enough original first and third party content already.

[atarilovesyou]

I have to ask the question: why? Do these different versions have that much of a difference in terms of playable titles?

[+MrBlackCat]

I have a complete spreadsheet list of the FlashBack (1,2,3,4,64,6) games and which systems they reside, but was unsuccessful in applying a table structure in this editor.

 

Well, this is painfully unformatted, but most here will be able to grab this and drop it into a spreadsheet for ease of reading. In the original spreadsheet, the right column is formatted Terminal to preserve columnar structure for ease of interpretation. Anyway...

 

This list was made directly from the menus of my Atari Flashbacks, with the possible exception of the original Flashback. While making FlashBack games lists, I noticed inconsistencies between lists found on the internet, the box art, the manual itself, and what was actually included in the game menus, so after the first Flashback I made each list after receiving the units. Also, note that I don't have a FlashBack 2 Plus. I have the earlier model and a knockoff/counterfeit FlashBack 2, so I can't note any differences there.

 

If anyone wishes to have original Spreadsheet data, just PM me and I will eMail you the file.

 

Hope this is of use to some persons trying to grasp the Atari FlashBacks lineup of games.

 

MrBlackCat

 

 

1 3D Tic-Tac-Toe FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

2 Adventure FB 1 2 3 4 64 5 6

3 Adventure II FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

4 Air Raiders FB 5 6

5 Air-Sea Battle FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

6 Aquaventure FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

7 Arcade Asteroids FB 2

8 Arcade Pong FB 2

9 Armor Ambush FB 5 6

10 Asteroids FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

11 Asteroids Deluxe FB 2

12 AstroBlast FB 5 6

13 Atari Climber FB 2 6

14 Backgammon FB 3 4 64 5 6

15 Basketball FB 3 4 64 5 6

16 Battle Zone FB 2 3 4 64

17 Black Jack FB 4 5 6

18 Bowling FB 3 4 64 5 6

19 Breakout FB 1 4 5 6

20 Canyon Bomber FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

21 Caverns of Mars FB 2

22 Centipede FB 1 2 3 4 64 5 6

23 Championship Soccer FB 3 4 64 5 6

24 Charley Chucks Food Fight FB 1

25 Chase It! FB 5 6

26 Circus Atari FB 3 4 64 5 6

27 Combat FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

28 Combat 2 FB 2 4 64

29 Crystal Castles FB 1 4 5 6

30 Dark Cavern FB 5 6

31 Demons to Diamonds FB 3 4 64 5 6

32 Desert Falcon FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

33 Dodge 'Em FB 3 4 64 5 6

34 Double Dunk FB 3 4 64 5 6

35 Escape It! FB 5 6

36 Fatal Run FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

37 Flag Capture FB 3 4 64 5 6

38 Football FB 4 5 6

39 Frog Pond FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

40 Frogs and Flies FB 5 6

41 Front Line FB 4 64 5 6

42 Fun with Numbers FB 3 4 64 5 6

43 Golf FB 3 4 64 5 6

44 Gravitar FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

45 Hangman FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

46 Haunted House FB 1 2 3 4 64 5 6

47 Haunted House II FB 4 5 6

48 Home Run FB 3 4 64 5 6

49 Human Cannonball FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

50 Indy 500 FB 6

51 International Soccer FB 5 6

52 Jungle Hunt FB 4 64 5 6

53 Lunar Lander FB 2

54 Maze Craze FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

55 Millipede FB 1 2 5 6

56 Miniature Golf FB 3 4 64 5 6

57 Miss It! FB 5 6

58 Missile Command FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

59 MotoRodeo FB 6

60 Night Driver FB 3 4 64 5 6

61 Off the Wall FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

62 Outlaw FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

63 Pitfall FB 2

64 Planet Smashers FB 1

65 Polaris FB 4 64 5 6

66 Pong FB 4 5 6

67 Quadrun FB 2

68 Radar Lock FB 2 6

69 Realsports Baseball FB 3 4 64 5 6

70 Realsports Basketball FB 3 4 64 5 6

71 Realsports Soccer FB 3 4 64 5 6

72 Realsports Volleyball FB 3 4 64 5 6

73 Return to Haunted House FB 2

74 River Raid FB 2

75 Saboteur FB 1 2 3 4 64 5 6

76 Save Mary FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

77 Sea Battle FB 5 6

78 Secret Quest FB 2 3 6

79 Shield Shifter FB 5 6

80 Sky Diver FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

81 Slot Machine FB 4 5 6

82 Slot Racers FB 4 5 6

83 Solaris FB 1 6

84 Space Attack FB 5 6

85 Space Duel FB 2

86 Space Invaders FB 4 64 5 6

87 Space War FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

88 Sprintmaster FB 1 3 4 64 5 6

89 Star Ship FB 3 4 64 5 6

90 Star Strike FB 5 6

91 Steeplechase FB 3 4 64 5 6

92 Stellar Track FB 4 5 6

93 Street Racer FB 4 5 6

94 Strip Off FB 5 6

95 Submarine Commander FB 3 4 64 5 6

96 Super Baseball FB 3 4 64 5 6

97 Super Breakout FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

98 Super Challenge Baseball FB 5 6

99 Super Challenge Football FB 5 6

100 Super Football FB 3 4 64 5 6

101 Surround FB 3 4 64 5 6

102 Sword Fight FB 5 6

103 Swordquest: Earthworld FB 3 4 64 5 6

104 Swordquest: Fireworld FB 3 4 64 5 6

105 Tempest FB 4 5 6

106 Video Checkers FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

107 Video Chess FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

108 Video Pinball FB 3 4 64 5 6

109 Warlords FB 1 2 4 64 5 6

110 WaterWorld FB 6

111 Wizard FB 2 4 64 5 6

112 Yars' Return FB 2 6

113 Yars' Revenge FB 2 3 4 64 5 6

Edited May 8, 2016 by MrBlackCat

[Bill Loguidice]

I have to ask the question: why? Do these different versions have that much of a difference in terms of playable titles?

 

We've discussed this extensively before on AtariAge. Short answer, because they keep selling. Long answer, these are made specifically for the casual, mainstream consumer, not enthusiasts. It's a seasonal product that is more or less an impulse purchase. Sales are quite consistent year-to-year.

[+MrBlackCat]

I have to ask the question: why? Do these different versions have that much of a difference in terms of playable titles?

I don't see the progression of these consoles any different than many other manufactured goods. I also don't believe they are improving the product with the goal of encouraging a person who owns Atari Flashback XX to buy a second console... I see it as just normal product improvement. While these improvements might cause some people who were "on the fence" about a purchase to go ahead, I doubt that is a very big factor. (I say this from the perspective of a computer network engineer, with involvement in manufacturing, and exposure to mass sales data)

 

A real world example though...

I work at a factory with hundreds of people, many of which are aware of my enjoyment/involvement of games/gaming. Every year, people come up and tell me about this "new" thing they saw, bought, or were thinking about buying... a Flashback, Retro Sega, or the Sega Handheld.

The point being, FlashBacks are viewed as a new thing for first time purchase by the casual gaming majority, which explains the consistent yearly sales Mr. Loguidice has stated several times over the years. Kind of "if you already have one, you aren't the target customer."

 

So as to a possible "Why?" When I produce something that sells, I make it better next year and keep selling it!

 

Only crazy people actually purchase and pre-order every single version that is released... I would watch out for those for sure... like that MrBlackCat guy... just sayin'

 

MrBlackCat

Edited May 9, 2016 by MrBlackCat

[Kokovec69]

I don't see the progression of these consoles any different than many other manufactured goods.

I can see that.

In my opinion the FB2 was the exception.

However I've seen the kids ask their parents for the other FBs while shopping at target.

I think the packaging help sell them more than anything else.

[maxdrive]

I think the flashbacks would be s good way to show younger generations the Atari and see if they would want the real thing

[onmode-ky]

Hope this is of use to some persons trying to grasp the Atari FlashBacks lineup of games.

Nice work! It makes for a good comparative resource. However, here are a few corrections:

 

28 Combat 2 FB 2 4 64

Combat Two is actually on the FB2/2+, listed as "Combat 2"; on the FB3, listed matching its title screen's "Combat Two" name; and, on the FB4/64/5/6, listed as "Combat II." It has not been dropped from the lineup since its debut.

 

 

47 Haunted House II FB 4 5 6

[. . .]

73 Return to Haunted House FB 2

These two are actually the same game (created by atwwong for the FB2, built on Adventure's code), and "Return to Haunted House" is the proper title. AtGames abbreviated it to "Haunted House II" so that it would fit into the space available for game titles in the menus for their FB4/5/6.

 

For brute force "what games are in X plug-n-play system?" purposes, check out my website's Retro Plug-n-Play Video Game System Contents page, which contains information for all non-bootleg systems I know of. The data there are taken from each system's main menu when possible (and are even ordered to match menu orderings). I also make note of which games are homebrews, hacks, retailer exclusives, and if they came with overlays (for the INTV and CV FB systems), as well as noting important bugs and the incidence of 8-way games on 4-way systems. The rest of my website offers more general plug-n-play games information, such as processors used, memory footprints, easter egg codes, details on unreleased systems, and historical research.

 

onmode-ky

[+MrBlackCat]

Nice work! It makes for a good comparative resource. However, here are a few corrections:

 

Combat Two is actually on the FB2/2+, listed as "Combat 2"; on the FB3, listed matching its title screen's "Combat Two" name; and, on the FB4/64/5/6, listed as "Combat II." It has not been dropped from the lineup since its debut.

Ok! Correction made... to my spreadsheet only, because this site has a painfully short edit time allowance.

I know what happened with this one. When I did the full list, I just deleted multiples after combining all titles. I was pretty sure Combat was never changed, and was going to verify it because I had different title listings, and never did. Because the other two titles were only associated with the other consoles, the listing didn't pick them up. <bleah>

 

These two are actually the same game (created by atwwong for the FB2, built on Adventure's code), and "Return to Haunted House" is the proper title. AtGames abbreviated it to "Haunted House II" so that it would fit into the space available for game titles in the menus for their FB4/5/6.

Understood, thanks.

 

For brute force "what games are in X plug-n-play system?" purposes, check out my website's Retro Plug-n-Play Video Game System Contents page, which contains information for all non-bootleg systems I know of. The data there are taken from each system's main menu when possible (and are even ordered to match menu orderings). I also make note of which games are homebrews, hacks, retailer exclusives, and if they came with overlays (for the INTV and CV FB systems), as well as noting important bugs and the incidence of 8-way games on 4-way systems. The rest of my website offers more general plug-n-play games information, such as processors used, memory footprints, easter egg codes, details on unreleased systems, and historical research.

Thanks again... I did save your site at some point over the years relative to early Plug-n-Play systems. That must have been quite a few years ago you started your site.

 

Well, I am sorry I can't correct my list on this site. If I had known I would be unable to correct it, I would not likely have posted it directly, and linked somewhere I could have edited or removed it as needed. Now I am part of perpetuating inaccurate information! <sigh>

 

Thanks for the corrections, invitation and links to your site, onmode-ky.

 

MrBlackCat

Edited May 9, 2016 by MrBlackCat

[Flojomojo]

while it doesn't gain any for a variety of reasons (including lack of ROM space), the number isn't going down and the game selection will be a bit different from 6. The other Atari hardware product coming out will have fewer games, but that will be OK.

 

 

ROM space, or slots in the menu? These games are very, very small in size.

 

"Other Atari hardware product" could you be more of a tease? :-P

[Bill Loguidice]

 

 

ROM space, or slots in the menu? These games are very, very small in size.

 

"Other Atari hardware product" could you be more of a tease? :-P

 

There is actually finite ROM space on all the Flashback products. The two Sega products have an interesting new wrinkle this year as well (still hoping there's time to fix the sound issues as well, but that's uncertain at this point).

[Great Hierophant]

 

The two Sega products have an interesting new wrinkle this year as well (still hoping there's time to fix the sound issues as well, but that's uncertain at this point).

 

How many Sega flashbacks have there been? Hoping they will finally have decent sound this time around, that's getting to the point of pre-2004 Red Sox and pre-2005 White Sox fans hoping that the current year's team will finally break the Curse of the Bambino/Curse of the Black Sox.

[+MrBlackCat]

How many Sega flashbacks have there been? <snip>

Genesis Consoles, three I think, but possibly some variations I am not aware of, at least with full Cartridge Slot. If you count the Arcade Master system, which has the SD card slot but no cartridge slot, I suppose four.

 

As far as the handheld type units, at least three, possibly more as I have seen variants in different packages. I have the Gopher (20), the Ultimate portable Player first version (80) and latest version with slightly larger screen (80), as well as the Master System version. I have seen other types without rechargeable batteries and/or SD Card Slots, but I don't know the differences or own all of those variants.

 

MrBlackCat

Edited May 14, 2016 by MrBlackCat

[Kokovec69]

I have a couple of the FB2 versions but my favorite one is the FB2 that I modded.

However, if there's an SD Card option on the next unit then I'm all in!

 

Speaking of retro... why doesn't Sony come out with a plug-and-play Playstation or a handheld PSone?

If we can emulate it on a Raspberry Pi it should stand to reason that a P&P version could be made.

[Great Hierophant]

I have a couple of the FB2 versions but my favorite one is the FB2 that I modded.

However, if there's an SD Card option on the next unit then I'm all in!

 

Speaking of retro... why doesn't Sony come out with a plug-and-play Playstation or a handheld PSone?

If we can emulate it on a Raspberry Pi it should stand to reason that a P&P version could be made.

 

There is a SD card option for the cart-slot modded FB2, its the Harmony Cart! I consider the Atari Flashback 2 (in all its revisions) to be the only true Flashback. Its the only Flashback ever made to truly give you a sense of how things actually played back in the day. The rest are all "Flashnow" for obvious reasons.

 

I think many, many people were able to get most of their PSOne games working on a PSP, but I'm no expert on the subject.

[Flojomojo]

I have a couple of the FB2 versions but my favorite one is the FB2 that I modded.

However, if there's an SD Card option on the next unit then I'm all in!

 

Speaking of retro... why doesn't Sony come out with a plug-and-play Playstation or a handheld PSone?

If we can emulate it on a Raspberry Pi it should stand to reason that a P&P version could be made.

The handheld Sega Genesis has had SD card support since 2008, for ROMS but not saving games. We saw a bunch of the white version at TRU today, $45 each. I was tempted but resisted because I don't need another handheld. Besides, I'll probably buy the 2016 one anyway. :-)

 

Vita and PSP are plug and play enough -- anyone who can play a complex game should be able to navigate a download -- and there a kazillion PSone games in the PSN store for five bucks each.

[jdoll]

looking forward to getting some of these little home consoles to introduce my wife to the joy of atari as she has nicknamed me atari as others have done in the past haha there is also the atari collection game that just hit steam recently