Atari Flashback Portable!

[GoldLeader]

 

All true. We've discussed the idea of content packs for these, particularly as we continue to add more capabilities in the future, but it always comes down to retailers. Asking them to dedicate space to add-ons for these things is not easy. They pretty much give the space for the stock units and that's it. That's why you also don't see the wired controllers anywhere either.

 

RE: paddle games, at least they will still work with the d-pad automatically.

 

Just in case anyone missed it earlier, please keep in mind that the SD card slot enables compatibility with maybe 60% of the Atari 2600 library (my estimate; I'm sure we'll get better numbers if there's ever a concerted effort to test every possible game). The emulator was unfortunately not tuned for anything but the built-in games, so whether or not it will work with something is hit or miss.

 

I definitely view the SD slot as icing on the cake...But I appreciate the way you've spelled it out here for some people who may not think the same way, or who were banking on it having greater compatibility...

[doctorclu]

The SD slot is some very nice icing. Will have fun playing with it and who knows, maybe if there is a Flashback Portable 2 next year our experience and feedback and help it tweak greater compatibility.

 

I imagine a software update/flash is not possible with these for upgrading it?

 

And here's another question about the SD slot: Does this have a menu system for selecting from multiple rom images? What size cards will it work with?

[Flojomojo]

Argh, I'm reaching NES Classic levels of frustration here.

 

AtGames shipped my Flashback Portable, USPS claims it was delivered (I have video of the delivery guy scanning it) but no package was left and no pickup ticket either. I found another delivery truck and got him to text the other driver, who he knew by sight from my video.

 

I missed him in person by five minutes. I guess that will teach me not to go outside for a hike.

 

I should be playing officially released portable Atari VCS now and sharing my experiences instead of bitching about the post office.

[thevnaguy]

[Flojomojo]

Glad you got one. Will you make a video, or maybe write something up once you've played with it a little bit?

[Hyperboy]

Will you make a video, or maybe write something up once you've played with it a little bit?

Come on Flojo we both know that video would be against forum policy

 

Sorry but it was super low hanging fruit!

 

 

 

Sent from my non beer holding hand.

[thevnaguy]

Glad you got one. Will you make a video, or maybe write something up once you've played with it a little bit?

I have a vid rendering right now. I will do a write up as well for the Gamester81 site

 

[Flojomojo]

Mine arrived too. I am no longer pissed at USPS. It feels familiar -- The built in menus are like the TV flashback (7 pages long, with box art). The hardware is like the Sega Genesis handheld (light plastic, noisy audio, big bright screen with a protective film that makes it look scratched --which I might keep on here for now). Selection includes M Network games. My favorite on board games Asteroids, Yars' Revenge, and Solaris work great, possibly with reduced flicker from the originals -- not being a purist, I'll take better graphics over faithfulness any day. Frogger looks arcade/Genesis quality (not VCS), and there's no music.

 

Copying ROMs to SD now.

 

There was no paperwork in mine -- should there be some instructions?

[simbalion]

Hmm, it is definitely the same case and button layout as the Sega Genesis handheld from ATGames. I just got one of those this evening. Actually, was looking for something else when the water pump on the van went out as I pulled into the parking lot of the game store.

[Albert]

Got my copy a few days ago..

 

 

Look forward to trying it out and posting my thoughts.

 

.Al

[Flojomojo]

I have a vid rendering right now. I will do a write up as well for the Gamester81 site

 

Mine has different games from yours.

 

I have

DESERT FALCON

DODGE'EM

SLOT MACHINE

SUPER BREAKOUT

 

I do NOT have

FRONT LINE

JUNGLE HUNT

POLARIS

SPACE INVADERS

 

I'm having trouble getting it to read my SD card, which should work just like the Genesis portable -- FAT formatted card, BIN files in the GAME folder. I will keep at it. I kind of want the arcade Space Invaders but I will make do with VCS Space Invaders, which I like as much as you do.

 

I cannot read the Batch Code from the white label on the back of yours, what is the number? Mine is D10510. I think yours might be newer, or at least better.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Argh, I'm reaching NES Classic levels of frustration here.

 

AtGames shipped my Flashback Portable, USPS claims it was delivered (I have video of the delivery guy scanning it) but no package was left and no pickup ticket either. I found another delivery truck and got him to text the other driver, who he knew by sight from my video.

 

I missed him in person by five minutes. I guess that will teach me not to go outside for a hike.

 

I should be playing officially released portable Atari VCS now and sharing my experiences instead of bitching about the post office.

Either someone swiped it off your porch or it's sitting in back at the post office and you can claimit Monday. Presumably the latter or you'd have a nice mugshot of the perpetrator to hand over to police thanks to your surveillance system.

 

I had a USPS mailcarrier fail to leave a notice that I needed to sign for an international parcel. It was a package from Germany (Arcade Forge joystick) and I checked the tracking number because it was taking way too long. Turns out my local USPS branch was sitting on it and it I hadn't drove down there and inquired about it when I did, they were going to ship it back to the EU two days later because it had been nearly two weeks...

[Flojomojo]

Nah, I've got it now-- and had a nice chat with the delivery guy. Busy day for them yesterday.

(edit: solved the SD card problem with help from thenvaguy and Bill Logiduice; I have the latest version and it's working as expected, and NOT something I want to return or sell!)

[thevnaguy]

 

Mine has different games from yours.

 

I have

DESERT FALCON

DODGE'EM

SLOT MACHINE

SUPER BREAKOUT

 

I do NOT have

FRONT LINE

JUNGLE HUNT

POLARIS

SPACE INVADERS

 

I'm having trouble getting it to read my SD card, which should work just like the Genesis portable -- FAT formatted card, BIN files in the GAME folder. I will keep at it. I kind of want the arcade Space Invaders but I will make do with VCS Space Invaders, which I like as much as you do.

 

I cannot read the Batch Code from the white label on the back of yours, what is the number? Mine is D10510. I think yours might be newer, or at least better.

Mine is 10509. So far I have tested it using a 8gb Sandisk SD card and a PNY 8gb card both worked. I do know if you have just one rom that is incomptible on your SD card the unit will not bring up the SD card menu at all, all the roms have to be compatible in order for the menu to come up.

[BillLoguidice]

Since units are already out there, I figured there'd be no harm in me releasing the game list in advance of the reviews. This should help you determine if you got the right unit: http://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/2016/11/13/atari-flashback-portable-2016-official-game-list/

 

Also, at the bottom of that post, I give tips on SD card use. My pre-production unit was quite picky about folder and file name cases. My final production unit doesn't arrive until this week, so I can't verify if the same relative annoyances apply to that.

[doctorclu]

Good review from thevnaguy here...

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258952-arcade-usa-atari-flashback-portable-review/

 

Answers a lot of the questions about the SD card and how it can use up to 8 gb cards. Should be able to get a good library on the card.

 

Looks like from the video Berserk is a bit buggy and Ms. Pac-Man doesn't load. Pitfall 2, as mentioned before, also doesn't work.

Glad 2600 Space Invaders works, and I would like to see about 2600 Pac-Man and 2600 Donkey Kong as well. Got a soft spot for those version, mostly for nostalgia, but I actually liked 2600 Pac-Man more than regular Pac-Man.

 

So my only question remaining would be for BillLoguidice would be if there are ways to flash/bios upgrade the unit for later updates?

[BillLoguidice]

So my only question remaining would be for BillLoguidice would be if there are ways to flash/bios upgrade the unit for later updates?

 

No.

[thevnaguy]

Good review from thevnaguy here...

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258952-arcade-usa-atari-flashback-portable-review/

 

Answers a lot of the questions about the SD card and how it can use up to 8 gb cards. Should be able to get a good library on the card.

 

Looks like from the video Berserk is a bit buggy and Ms. Pac-Man doesn't load. Pitfall 2, as mentioned before, also doesn't work.

Glad 2600 Space Invaders works, and I would like to see about 2600 Pac-Man and 2600 Donkey Kong as well. Got a soft spot for those version, mostly for nostalgia, but I actually liked 2600 Pac-Man more than regular Pac-Man.

 

So my only question remaining would be for BillLoguidice would be if there are ways to flash/bios upgrade the unit for later updates?

Using Bills advice on file naming, I was able to get MS Pac Man to load so far I have found 91 games that work with the device.

[BillLoguidice]

Using Bills advice on file naming, I was able to get MS Pac Man to load so far I have found 91 games that work with the device.

 

Awesome work. We really should try to come up with a full compatibility list (crowdsourced).

[+Zeptari]

I need this!

@ thevnaguy, love the space invader selfie!

@ billloguidice, this I wil purchase. Made my wifes Christmas shopping

for me much easier.

@ abert, whats drink? Dark ale, root beer?

 

Like to see A zip file with all compatible ROMs home brew an official release separated.

[Flojomojo]

Thanks gentlemen -- I have the latest version, and SD card loading works so long as you're really careful to use the right capitalization (initial cap, then lowercase). I guess I'll just load my favorites in small batches and test as I go. So far so good!

[thevnaguy]

 

Awesome work. We really should try to come up with a full compatibility list (crowdsourced).

I agree! Already been working on it, have 90 games so far that work. have not done homebrews yet. would like to help anyone out who wants to make a full list

[thevnaguy]

Thanks gentlemen -- I have the latest version, and SD card loading works so long as you're really careful to use the right capitalization (initial cap, then lowercase). I guess I'll just load my favorites in small batches and test as I go. So far so good!

I tested in batches of two at a time. If they did not work, I would rename them like bill advised, still dont work they got moved to the not working folder.

One thing to be aware of, I am not sure if your unit will do this since its a production one (mine is pre production) once you compile a large list of roms on the SD card you know work, it may take a few tries for the unit to pull up the SD Card menu as it is indexing all the games. Just keep trying and it will come up fairly quicly. once it is up, as long as you dont turn off the unit you can load it back it with a single button press. This is one of things I want to try on my production unit when I get it.

[Flojomojo]

I did a quick and dirty bulk edit of a big folder full of ROMs, and it loads fine. If it's a problem to keep this file here, please let me know and I'll remove it.

 

Throw the attached Game folder onto an SD card and off you go. I noticed that the Starpath Frogger doesn't load (locks up at black screen) but other random old games I've tried have all worked well.

 

I'm happy to help contribute to a shared compatibility list.

 

For Flashback Portable.zip

 

Edit: There's a better renamed ROM package in this post, which also has a link to the compatibility list: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258970-atari-flashback-portable-compatibility-list/

[Flojomojo]

I tested in batches of two at a time. If they did not work, I would rename them like bill advised, still dont work they got moved to the not working folder.

One thing to be aware of, I am not sure if your unit will do this since its a production one (mine is pre production) once you compile a large list of roms on the SD card you know work, it may take a few tries for the unit to pull up the SD Card menu as it is indexing all the games. Just keep trying and it will come up fairly quicly. once it is up, as long as you dont turn off the unit you can load it back it with a single button press. This is one of things I want to try on my production unit when I get it.

 

 

Mine doesn't seem to have that problem -- so long as everything is formatted properly, the menu loads very quickly, just a second or two, tops.

 

Before the tip about file formats, I really thought it was broken ... AtGames should probably put something about this in the Support section of its website -- especially if other units shipped without paper instructions, as mine did.