Atari Announces Flashback 2.0

[Nukey Shay]

Zellers altered Circus Atari by adding 113 bytes to the code without reverse-engineering the game. An either/or hack to allow both control methods could probably be done in a fraction of that if the game source code were to be recreated...and to date, I haven't run across a game from that era that couldn't be tightened up in some way.

 

IMO Atari could have saved themselves the trouble by designing Gemini-like controllers

[LU8]

If the Flashback 2.0 does reach the market at $29.95 then the new Atari should be able to corner the retro market. If the original flashback managed 1/2 million sales in one year, then the Flashback 2.0 should achieve 1 million, which would be what the 2600 sold back in 1985, not bad at all.

If they could just add a USB connector with the next flashback that would be perfect.

[Nukey Shay]

Is it truely possible to corner the retro market?

[Atariboy2600]

So far Im soo 100% getting this FB 2.0 for one huge resion not only that Im a Atari nut and this have real Rom files but if we all buy this unit in huge amout and there sale hit the roof then Atari will think of putting out there new big thing like Atari Flashback 3.0 only this time the unit will be a a full size remake of the 2600 maybe in a "Darth Vader" style console, a real Cartridge Slot to put REAL Atari carts for real Atari colletors, two Joystick and two "Paddle Controllers" and maybe a a small booklet with images of old Atari label art, model sheet of the unit and there History and a DVD Bonus disc with lot of there old Atari TV ads and commentary with Nolan Bushnell and some of the old Atari Programmers makers like Howard Scott Warshaw:)

Edited May 9, 2005 by Atariboy2600

[Flojomojo]

So far Im soo 100% getting this FB 2.0 for one huge resion not only that Im a Atari nut and this have real Rom files but if we all buy this unit in huge amout and there sale hit the roof then Atari will think of putting out there new big thing like Atari Flashback 3.0 only this time the unit will be a a full size remake of the 2600 maybe in a "Darth Vader" style console, a real Cartridge Slot to put REAL Atari carts for real Atari colletors, two Joystick and two "Paddle Controllers" and maybe a a small booklet with images of old Atari label art, model  sheet of the unit and there History and a DVD Bonus disc with lot of there old Atari TV ads and commentary with Nolan Bushnell and some of the old Atari Programmers makers like Howard Scott Warshaw:)

851950[/snapback]

Ugh ... thanks, but no thanks, please. Too many wires, paper, and optical discs. Keep it simple, keep it clean. All my opinion, of course...

[ehenciak]

Ahh.. Video Pinball is another title to add to the list of games on the FB 2.0.  Thanks Curt.. and indirectly thanks Ed! 

 

Couple weeks until E3 and more news on this awesome little system!  Woo Hoo!

848556[/snapback]

 

And don't thank me! Thank people like Bruce Tomlin and Thomas Jentzch (sorry if I got the spelling wrong)! I only discovered the problem in my own hardware and forwarded the findings onto Curt since the problem is very subtle and was an issue in the early days of Atari emus. Without this fix, Vid Pin and Mountain King are not fun....

 

This is what I've always loved about the Atari community...it's a group that keeps on growing based on the constant sharing of work....that's exactly why I'll be opensourcing this Atari in VHDL form ... that way, 100 years from now when current FPGAs are obsolete and the new SUPPFPGAOPA devices from Xilinx-3000 that holocast images on subspace frequencies: are available, some idiot like myself will be able to synthesize the design and play Kaboom in the Crab Nebula (or something like that)! Of course, this assumes that VHDL will still be around....

 

 

Ed

[Shaggy the Atarian]

It's exciting to hear about the other titles that will be showing up on the FB2, like Combat 2, Polo, Wizard, and the 'vector' version of Asteroids. I was always curious about Wizard since I read the review at Atariprotos and it looks pretty interesting. I wonder what the differences will be between Secret Quest and Mr. Robot though...

[ATARIeric]

It's exciting to hear about the other titles that will be showing up on the FB2, like Combat 2, Polo, Wizard, and the 'vector' version of Asteroids. I was always curious about Wizard since I read the review at Atariprotos and it looks pretty interesting. I wonder what the differences will be between Secret Quest and Mr. Robot though...

852224[/snapback]

 

 

The vector version of asteroids is gonna be on the FB2.0 ? SWEEEEEEET!

[Shaggy the Atarian]

It's exciting to hear about the other titles that will be showing up on the FB2, like Combat 2, Polo, Wizard, and the 'vector' version of Asteroids. I was always curious about Wizard since I read the review at Atariprotos and it looks pretty interesting. I wonder what the differences will be between Secret Quest and Mr. Robot though...

852224[/snapback]

 

 

The vector version of asteroids is gonna be on the FB2.0 ? SWEEEEEEET!

852236[/snapback]

 

Well...sort of vector version I should say.

[TrekkiELO]

Just looking at the box again... Is that an image of 7800 Centipede on the left side (barely visible since it is cropped)?

848309[/snapback]

 

I noticed that too, sure looks like it.

 

Then, Crystal Castles (center) and Ms Pac-Man on the far right side!

 

Also, why have Warlords shown if they won't include any paddle only games?

 

Signed,

 

Rick Vendl II

[Curt Vendel]

That box image is a very early prototype done about 6 months ago during product development, it does not accurately reflect the actual games that will be in the unit, it was done for proof of concept for the new box styling. Hey I have a few spares, they are technically prototypes, maybe I should put them up on ebay

 

 

 

Curt

 

Just looking at the box again... Is that an image of 7800 Centipede on the left side (barely visible since it is cropped)?

848309[/snapback]

 

I noticed that too, sure looks like it.

 

Then, Crystal Castles (center) and Ms Pac-Man on the far right side!

 

Also, why have Warlords shown if they won't include any paddle only games?

 

Signed,

 

Rick Vendl II

852323[/snapback]

[Feralstorm]

Kinda guessed the box pic was far from final. Probably just reused most of the screengrabs from the FB (1) box materials.

 

I wonder how many (if any) games on the FB2.0 are repeats of games on the FB1. (games like Asteroids and Centipede don't quite count since the FB1 had "7800" versions). From a marketing standpoint it's not a good idea, as consumers are less likely to buy a new Flashback if half the games on it are on the last Flashback (assuming they wouldn't get the difference in hardware and real vs. ported games). In some ways it's a pity, because I would love to see Battlezone and Crystal Castles brought back for the 2.0 ("Now with suckyness removed! )

[Flojomojo]

I wonder how many (if any) games on the FB2.0 are repeats of games on the FB1. (games like Asteroids and Centipede don't quite count since the FB1 had "7800" versions). From a marketing standpoint it's not a good idea, as consumers are less likely to buy a new Flashback if half the games on it are on the last Flashback (assuming they wouldn't get the difference in hardware and real vs. ported games). In some ways it's a pity, because I would love to see Battlezone and Crystal Castles brought back for the 2.0 ("Now with suckyness removed! )

852525[/snapback]

Agreed. For me, it's Solaris, the one non-7800 game on the Flashback that didn't make it into Atari Anthology. I want that game on a standalone. I'd also like to have the tweaked "trainer" version where you have unlimited ships!

[keilbaca]

Easter egg games involve paddle controllers

 

Looks like breakout might be in there after all.

 

Well did some research, my FB2.0 in my PC should work out pretty well. Just waiting on the release so I can start the mod.

[sidcrowe]

"Vector" Asteroids

[ATARIeric]

"Vector" Asteroids 

852866[/snapback]

 

 

stop teasing me sidcrowe, everyone knows asteroids is my favorite atari game and i will play asteroids for money! you better have your NO DOZ cause im playing for almost 24 hrs straight with one quarter. ok, maybe take a $1 to get into rhythm but then its marathon time. I will use my starplex controller with the FB2.0 to play asteroids

[ATARIeric]

When the FB2.0 comes out, is it going to have the fake card port on the top or will it be like the model *concept* one curt shown next to the a real 2600 and FB1.0 ?

[sidcrowe]

"asteroids is my favorite atari game"

 

I think it might be my deserted island game. As soon as you fire ONE shot, it's all different. So pure, all those straight lines......

[keilbaca]

"Vector" Asteroids  

852866[/snapback]

 

 

stop teasing me sidcrowe, everyone knows asteroids is my favorite atari game and i will play asteroids for money! you better have your NO DOZ cause im playing for almost 24 hrs straight with one quarter. ok, maybe take a $1 to get into rhythm but then its marathon time. I will use my starplex controller with the FB2.0 to play asteroids

852872[/snapback]

 

Just get a krocodile cart and run it that way

[ATARIeric]

"Vector" Asteroids  

852866[/snapback]

 

 

stop teasing me sidcrowe, everyone knows asteroids is my favorite atari game and i will play asteroids for money! you better have your NO DOZ cause im playing for almost 24 hrs straight with one quarter. ok, maybe take a $1 to get into rhythm but then its marathon time. I will use my starplex controller with the FB2.0 to play asteroids

852872[/snapback]

 

Just get a krocodile cart and run it that way

853237[/snapback]

 

 

i have one of those atari classics Cdroms so i play the aracde version on the PC mostly"not trippy mode", or i play some game variations on MAME. Next to asteroids i like that red baron game on MAME.

[Zach]

I know it's a long shot, but I hope that Infogrammes made a deal with with Howard Scott Warshaw about his Yars' Revenge sequel.

 

As for the licensed titles:

a couple of licensed titles (Nope, don't ask, not telling you which ones)

I have a hunch they will be Midway games, like Joust and Defender.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

I know it's a long shot, but I hope that Infogrammes made a deal with with Howard Scott Warshaw about his Yars' Revenge sequel.

 

As for the licensed titles:

a couple of licensed titles (Nope, don't ask, not telling you which ones)

I have a hunch they will be Midway games, like Joust and Defender.

853601[/snapback]

 

Hmm, I had completely missed that thread. I hope that HSW is still working on YR2. And if it's going to be on the FB2, that would make it even sweeter. So when is Atari slated to reveal all the titles, next Wednesday?

[Feralstorm]

Possible guesses for the 'licensed games':

 

(of course some of this is more pipe dream than educated speculation)

 

Berzerk (who has rights to Stern's games now? - VE hack version would be nifty!)

Kangaroo (hell, for a long time I thought it WAS an Atari-owned game!)

Defender 2/Stargate (other 2600 versions of Williams' games lacked a bit - Joust wasn't bad though)

"Atari Games" games like Klax or Road Runner

 

Only other approach I can think of is some of the higher-profile third party original games, by Activision/Imagic and others. Kinda doubt these could be licensed since there's a Jakks Activiision stick out there, but then again, there was still an Atari Flashback (1) when Jakks already had a stick out with some of the same 2600 games, so nothing's truly impossible.

Edited May 12, 2005 by Feralstorm

[TrekkiELO]

Possible guesses for the 'licensed games':

 

(of course some of this is more pipe dream than educated speculation)

 

Berzerk (who has rights to Stern's games now? - VE hack version would be nifty!)

Kangaroo (hell, for a long time I thought it WAS an Atari-owned game!)

Defender 2/Stargate (other 2600 versions of Williams' games lacked a bit - Joust wasn't bad though)

"Atari Games" games like Klax or Road Runner

 

Only other approach I can think of is some of the higher-profile third party original games, by Activision/Imagic and others. Kinda doubt these could be licensed since there's a Jakks Activiision stick out there, but then again, there was still an Atari Flashback (1) when Jakks already had a stick out with some of the same 2600 games, so nothing's truly impossible.

853783[/snapback]

 

Those sound great to me, but I'm also hoping for...

 

Superman

Elevator Action

Jungle Hunt

Moon Patrol

Crossbow

Jr. Pac-Man

Raiders of the Lost Ark

E.T.

Indy 500 (as an easter egg maybe?)

 

Signed,

 

Rick Vendl II

Edited May 12, 2005 by TrekkiELO

[david.winter]

Hi there,

 

I find a bit stupid that the original rotary controlers be not included . These guys apparently understood the retro scene and made the console look like the original. They took the time to bring new games. Why not using those Tennis/Pong controllers too ? They would never be a big money saver, quite in the contrary, especially if they would have allowed using them without support/warranty (i.e "you may use your old rotary controllers at your risks").

 

Talking about the Pong remake, it looks better indeed, but here again they could have done a version closer to the '72 arcade version since they put the original yellow color around the play field. Still, I like the Pong game they're doing, after all, only a few specialists would really care about differences with the '72 version. Of yes, I'm a specialist but I don't care This said, somebody could suggest them to do another retro Pong console with all the variants Atari made, but since they already did the CDROM "Pong it's back" I guess the answer would be obvious...

 

 

Da^!d.

Edited May 12, 2005 by david.winter