Atari Flashback Unit

[Trip_Cannon]

I know, I already posted this in the Classic Gaming Forum, but this news relates more to the 7800 and it's just too cool!!!

 

http://www.atari.com/us/news/2110?PHPSESSI...92272bebc571c40

[bjk7382]

I know, I already posted this in the Classic Gaming Forum

 

And it has also been posted in the 2600 forum

 

Don't forget to read the rules of the forum

 

Spamming

2) Repeatedly posting the same message in multiple forums in an attempt to get "wider exposure". We will delete any duplicate threads of this nature, so please don't waste our time by doing this.

[Agent X]

I've already commented on this in the Atari 2600 forum, but to keep it relevant to the 7800, it's nice to see that the 7800 is finally getting some love from the "new" Atari. Obviously, the 2600 is by far Atari's most popular system, and the one most people think of whenever they hear the name "Atari," but I was wondering if they would ever touch on any games that were made for a system other than the 2600. It looks like we have that answer now.

[Bruce Tomlin]

Will it be based on 7800 hardware or not? I was going to say that it would be hard to tell since all the games had 2600 versions. Then I saw Food Fight on the list. Planet Smashers is on the list too. The games that DO have 7800 versions are:

 

Asteroids

Centipede

Desert Falcon

Food Fight

Planet Smashers

 

So one quarter of the games could be the 7800 version. I have to wonder if Robotron, Dig Dug, etc. were left out because they didn't want to have to re-license them. Maybe they're saving them for a second unit?

 

And Warlords is on the list too... are they planning to release a version of Warlords that works with the joystick controllers or what?

 

Another question is if those are proper 7800 sticks with the pair of 680 ohm resistors inside. My guess is "probably". And are those two nubs on the top of the controller fire buttons or are they just for looks? I would also be interested in the inside contents to see if a cartridge slot could be added. I have doubts of seeing holes in the right place, but there's still the question of whether it uses a ROM separate from the main chip.

 

The picture shows only two buttons on top of the unit... power and reset? No select button? The 7800 games they chose don't need the select button, but the 2600 games would.

[7800Lover]

For now, I prefer to stick to the real thing. I already own an Atari 7800.

[DracIsBack]

The games that DO have 7800 versions are:

 

Asteroids

Centipede

Desert Falcon

Food Fight

Planet Smashers

 

So one quarter of the games could be the 7800 version.  I have to wonder if Robotron, Dig Dug, etc. were left out because they didn't want to have to re-license them.  Maybe they're saving them for a second unit?

 

 

That was my first thought too ... the licensing is probably keeping a lot of the good 7800 titles off (ie. Ballblazer, Xevious, Ms. Pac Man, Midnight Mutants). Still, they could consider some other 7800 titles ... this is going to perpetuate the same old myth that the 7800 was barely more powerful than the 2600.

 

I think it would have been cool to have ALIEN BRIGADE or SCRAPYARD DOG or BASKETBRAWL in there too ... especially if they've chosen PLANET SMASHERS to be included.

[+Mitch]

If you take a look at the screenshots, Centipede and Asteroids are both the 2600 version.

 

It's hard to tell right now whether these will be any good or not, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

Mitch

[SS]

Interesting.

 

{ looks over at my 7800 with CC2 plugged in ... }

 

Don't think that I'll end up buying one. :wink:

[Atariboy2600]

Spooky man! I was just dreaming of them re-releasing one of there old console like the 2600 last week But now it's the 7800 and nto a very good one, for one thing NO game cart slot so for who ever has the old 2600 or 7800 games I mean don't they read the Atari fan forums?? I mean don't they know that there's a HUGE Atari fan base out there with hack-gamesa and even NEW home-made games out there, they could had done a great idea on there hand

 

Oh well here's the link of the unit http://www.atari.com/us/games/atari_flashback/7800

 

And here's the pic of the unit.[/url]

[+Mitch]

If you take a look at the screenshots, Centipede and Asteroids are both the 2600 version.

 

Mitch

 

OK, scratch that. Now the screenshots show the 7800 versions. I wonder who pointed out to them that they had the wrong ones up.

 

Mitch

[Agent X]

So one quarter of the games could be the 7800 version.  I have to wonder if Robotron, Dig Dug, etc. were left out because they didn't want to have to re-license them.  Maybe they're saving them for a second unit?

 

Probably licensing.

 

And Warlords is on the list too... are they planning to release a version of Warlords that works with the joystick controllers or what?

 

That's what I'm wondering. Warlords used paddle controllers; so did Breakout and Canyon Bomber.

 

One possibility is that they reprogrammed the games to be controllable with a joystick, kind of like a few of the games on the Jakks Pacific TV-Games Atari joystick (before they came out with the "Atari paddle" unit). It's definitely not an elegant solution, and would irritate purists (like many of us here), but a lot of casual gamers probably wouldn't be bothered. They'd just be happy to play the games. The purists probably own the actual 2600 cartridges and one or more sets of paddles, anyway.

 

Another possibility is that the joysticks could be detachable from the console, so that other controllers (such as paddles) could be connected. The only problem is that people might not be able to play the paddle games with joysticks. They'd have to go out and buy a set of paddles--which kind of defeats the purpose of a self-contained "plug and play" unit.

 

Yet another possibility is that the stick could be rotated about its axis to act as a paddle. This would be similar to the Sears Video Arcade II combination joystick/paddle controllers. The 7800 Pro-Line joysticks were able to be rotated, but the rotation didn't have any in-game function. Perhaps the designers of this unit have added that functionality.

 

Another question is if those are proper 7800 sticks with the pair of 680 ohm resistors inside.  My guess is "probably".  And are those two nubs on the top of the controller fire buttons or are they just for looks?  I would also be interested in the inside contents to see if a cartridge slot could be added.  I have doubts of seeing holes in the right place, but there's still the question of whether it uses a ROM separate from the main chip.

 

The picture shows only two buttons on top of the unit... power and reset?  No select button?  The 7800 games they chose don't need the select button, but the 2600 games would.

 

My guess is that the two "nubs" are function buttons, much like the Select and Start buttons you see on Nintendo/Sony controllers. One of them will probably act as a pause button (maybe even for the 2600 games, not just the 7800 games). It would also be good to have a way of going back to the "main menu" to select a new game--toggling the power might work, but having the ability on the controller itself would be much more convenient.

 

I think it would have been cool to have ALIEN BRIGADE or SCRAPYARD DOG or BASKETBRAWL in there too ... especially if they've chosen PLANET SMASHERS to be included.

 

I wonder if they changed the ending in Planet Smashers for this machine? The original 7800 game had an ending that referenced Alien Brigade. Interestingly enough, the ending in Alien Brigade also referenced Planet Smashers. It was "crossover advertising" of sorts--a bit cheesy, but clever also.

 

Now that you mention it, Scrapyard Dog might've been a better choice than Planet Smashers here. Planet Smashers is fun and all, but there are already several shoot-em-up games on here. On the other hand, this unit doesn't appear to have any platform games, and Scrapyard Dog would fill that niche nicely.

 

Oh, and while I already have the actual Planet Smashers cartridge for the 7800, I don't have the 7800 version of Scrapyard Dog (though I do have the Lynx version), so it would benefit me to be able to play the 7800 version that way.

[jedijeff]

I think this console is an ok idea, but it could have been a must buy for most AA members if it included the following:

 

A cartridge slot to plug in future 20 (or more) in 1 cartridges.

A menu for the games so you can select the one you want to play easily.

A high score save function.

A combined joystick/paddle controller with pause and reset buttons.

 

Now that would be worth 50 bucks.

 

Jeff

[Atariboy2600]

I think this console is an ok idea, but it could have been a must buy for most AA members if it included the following:

 

A cartridge slot to plug in future 20 (or more) in 1 cartridges.

A menu for the games so you can select the one you want to play easily.

A high score save function.

A combined joystick/paddle controller with pause and reset buttons.

 

Now that would be worth 50 bucks.    

 

Jeff

 

 

$50 bucks, $50 BUCKS!?!

[Curt Vendel]

If you take a look at the screenshots, Centipede and Asteroids are both the 2600 version.

 

It's hard to tell right now whether these will be any good or not, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

Mitch

 

Centipede and Asteroids are the 7800 versions.

 

 

Curt

[Curt Vendel]

I think this console is an ok idea, but it could have been a must buy for most AA members if it included the following:

 

A cartridge slot to plug in future 20 (or more) in 1 cartridges.

A menu for the games so you can select the one you want to play easily.

A high score save function.

A combined joystick/paddle controller with pause and reset buttons.

 

Now that would be worth 50 bucks.    

 

Jeff

 

There are pause and select on the joysticks and reset on the console, a combo paddle/joystick would be cool though...

 

 

Curt

[SS]

a combo paddle/joystick would be cool though...

 

ProLines always felt like they should have been combo sticks in the first place with the way that they can rotate at the base.

[Ferris]

....can't wait to see what happens next.

[orangest]

Yet another possibility is that the stick could be rotated about its axis to act as a paddle. This would be similar to the Sears Video Arcade II combination joystick/paddle controllers. The 7800 Pro-Line joysticks were able to be rotated, but the rotation didn't have any in-game function. Perhaps the designers of this unit have added that functionality.

 

this is the way you use to steer in pole position on the jakks namco ms. pac-man plug 'n play, so i wouldn't be surprised if it was somehow employed here.

[ninjarabbit]

Why the hell would they use the 7800 type controller. Maybe they want to torture a new generation of gamers.

[J.Max]

It would be great if there was a cartridge slot...I'm sure someone will find a way to mod this to have one...

[Andropov]

For me it's a great news. Yes, tha major problem is the cartdrige slot, I think they should put it on the console, since lots of people already have carts.

 

The other problem is: I don't know if it will be released in Brazil.

 

Why don't Atari produce more games to vintage system, even in limited number? I know few people enjoy them today, but it's a potential market, isn't it?

[Brian R.]

For me it's a great news. Yes, tha major problem is the cartdrige slot, I think they should put it on the console, since lots of people already have carts.

 

The other problem is: I don't know if it will be released in Brazil.    

 

Why don't Atari produce more games to vintage system, even in limited number? I know few people enjoy them today, but it's a potential market, isn't it?

 

I need to say this somewhere.

 

I grew up on Atari. I have every game machine the company made.

 

IMO, the absence of a cartridge slot is a NON ISSUE. If there was one, THAT would be odd. I mean, really, who out there besides crazy collectors such as us even have any of these carts anymore? I mean, we're talking old, old, old, old stuff that the vast majority (to whom this machine is targeted) abandoned long ago.

 

I would never have expected a cartridge slot on something like this.

[Cousin Vinnie]

I think this thing is as cool as heck, and it will bring some attention (albeit small) to the 7800 quality ports of Centipede and Food Fight.

 

The thing that I keep thinking about is that this deck could have been so much cooler. Planet Smashers? What in the heck? I mean I like PS better than most people, but there were some other 7800 only games that they could have released that would have been over tha top.

 

Why stop at 20 games? Couldn't they squeeze in 40 or so? Right now I can't justify the purchase of it... well... maybe I can.

 

Cousin Vinnie

[Cousin Vinnie]

....can't wait to see what happens next.

 

This is why I'll probably buy it. If Atari makes some coin on this, they might release a bigger one with some 5200/ Jaguar/ Lynx/ XE/ 800 love included.

 

CV

[AtariLeaf]

Couldn't the mods merge all these threads into one or lock the least used ones?