Atari Flashback 2
When I was a kid my parents bought a used Atari 2600, and even though it was during the SNES heyday I was blissfully unaware of what I was missing out on. Not only was it the first gaming console my family ever owned, it also taught me many of the video game hunting skills I still use today, as flea markets and thrift stores almost always had 2600 games available back then. Years later I asked my parents what had happened to the old console and, as with many things from my childhood, my parents have long since gotten rid of it.
In the years since I’ve amassed quite a collection of Atari 2600 games, as well as two non-working consoles. So what is a person like myself suppose to do when I want to relive those moments of being up past my bedtime playing Atari 2600? AtGames has you covered! I know, I know, I said AtGames again, but take a deep breath and follow me through this review.
The Atari Flashbacks have been on the market for quite some time, but only recently did I have the chance to pick one up from a thrift store. Yes, I’m far too cheap to have paid full price for it. Much like everything else AtGames puts out, the Atari Flashback has been through many different revisions and changes. The Atari Flashback 2 is simple, easy to use and even hackable! Yes, the instructions on how to add a cartridge port to this thing is practically written right on the board.
The Atari Flashback 2 has forty built in Atari classics, with classics meaning all these games were actually released for the 2600 and aren’t just junk, filler titles that AtGames is renown for. Once the system is booted up you’ll be presented with categories from which to choose any game you wish to play. Honestly I wish it was listed in more of a Power Joy, Famiclone style with just a numbered list, perhaps alphabetical order, instead of having to go from category to category blindly hoping to see a game you really like within. After you’ve chosen a game it will boot up and the emulation seems to be fairly faithful to the original 2600.
Flashback 2 compared to a four switch VCS.
Some of my favorite included titles are Pitfall!, Dodge ‘Em (listed as Dodge ‘m), Yar’s Revenge and of course River Raid. Again, the games seem to play the same, as far as I remember, as they did on original hardware, this is made even better with the inclusion of controllers heavily styled after the originals. The included controllers are comfortable, but the joystick is hard plastic, compared to the rubber covered plastic on the original one. All in all they’re slightly smaller and a tiny bit less comfortable, but do an adequate job.
The Flashback 2 even includes two paddle games, hidden away within the system. Using the joystick press up once, down nine times, up seven more times and down twice more (representing 1972) to reveal a hidden paddle games menu. The Atari Flashback didn’t come with paddle controllers, but if you have a pair stored away somewhere you can swap out the joystick and enjoy Super Breakout and Warlords as an additional bonus.
Flashback controller (left) compared to an original (right).
So you have old Atari 2600 controllers laying around and you’re wondering whether you can use them on the Flashback 2 or not? As far as I’ve seen, the answer is yes. The Flashback 2 even has a hidden test feature for you to test your old Atari 2600 controllers and paddles. Holding both select and reset buttons while powering on the system will boot into a test mode. To test joysticks leave the Color/B&W switch on color and to test paddles flip it over to black and white before turning on the power.
Hooking the Flashback 2 up is made extremely easy with its hardwired video and mono audio cables shooting out the back of the console, the exact same way the RF cable came from the original consoles. This time around the power adapter is a barrel style 9 volts, rather than the 3.5mm we’re more familiar with seeing on headphones. Besides the switches being changed out for buttons, clearly a cost effective change, everything seems to be as easy to use as the original Atari 2600. Controllers plug into the back the same, you can choose black and white or color, difficulty settings, select and reset are all present. If only this thing had a cartridge slot!
I’m not a huge fan of AtGames products, although with as many as I own you may not know that. The Atari Flashback 2 helped fill the void of not owning a working Atari 2600 fairly well. I wish the built in games were presented in a different way and I wish there were a lot more desirable titles included, but I guess that’s why they’ve made six or more of these things; drain the money of consumers.
One of the most interesting features has to be the hidden controller tester, which I’ve even tested Colecovision controllers with. With how little I spent on this thing I would have bought it again simply for the controller tester alone. For a thrift store purchase I’m happy with what I got, this time, but there is no way I would have paid the original retail price.
AtGames Sega Genesis Classic Game Console
A few years ago I purchased an AtGames Sega Genesis Arcade Motion from a thrift store and wasn’t too surprised by the product’s quality. Sure, it functioned as a nice little plug n play that allowed me to play nearly any Genesis game I wanted from an SD card, but the whole thing felt more like just another cheap Nintendo Wii knockoff gimmick. A few short years later AtGames tried to rectify this situation by offering up the Sega Genesis Classic Game Console. Given their reputation, as well as my experience with their products, will this little Sega Genesis clone fare any better?
In true AtGames fashion the Sega Genesis Classic Console has been produced in a handful of different bundles. Mine just so happens to have wireless controllers, while others had wired controllers. Built into the system are also a total of 80 games, half of which were Sega Genesis games and the other half being, yet again, more worthless games tossed in that nobody really asked for. The built in Sega games are fairly good titles, nothing spectacular but it’s nice to have them all accessible with booting up the console, rather than trying to track down my own cartridge. And, obviously, the other built in games are some of the worst quality junk you’ll ever suffer through, so it goes without saying that this system could have benefited by foregoing these and just being a straight Sega Genesis clone.
Externally the first thing anyone will notice about the console is just how small it is, even smaller than the Majesco Sega Genesis 3. One giant leap forward for the Sega Genesis Classic is, unlike the Arcade Motion, this one actually has a cartridge slot on the top so that you can supply your own games. Up front you have your IR receiver for the wireless controllers, but also given the option to plug in your own wired Sega controllers. Around the back the console is limited to composite AV with mono sound, much like a real Genesis. One thing I found very useful is that, for powering the console, you can use a Sega Genesis MK-1602 power supply on this thing.
The Sega Genesis Classic has a few things that surprised me, the first thing was just how well the wireless controllers worked. No, they’re not perfect, but they do work quite well. Another big surprise was that this is completely region free, meaning you can import games from any region and play them on this console. I’ve had a PAL region Mega Drive cartridge for a few years and the AtGames Sega Genesis Classic plays it just fine. This little thing booted up almost every cartridge I threw at it, almost.
It’s a well known drawback with SOAC clones that not every game is going to be compatible. I was well aware that the console wouldn’t play games such as Virtua Racing or utilize the Game Genie, but what I didn’t understand was why it wouldn’t run my copy of NBA Jam TE. I cleaned it, tested it on my real Genesis consoles and everything was fine, but for some reason the Sega Genesis Classic wouldn’t run it at all.
Sound is also a well known issue with these styles of clone systems, and the AtGame Sega Genesis Classic isn’t any different. Most notably while playing the built in games the sound is horrible, but things seem to be reasonably more bearable while playing games through the cartridge slot. I said bearable, not 100% accurate and true, simply bearable.
If you’re in the market for a good Sega Genesis there is absolutely no replacement for the original, or the model 2. The AtGames Sega Genesis Classic console would be perfect for someone who may not have a large amount of space to keep a collection, not to forget it’s region free as well, or someone who just wants the novelty to pick up and have short bursts of Genesis fun. I can’t say it’s all bad, because I quite enjoy mine to be completely honest, but it’s not exactly perfect. True Sega Genesis consoles are still cheap enough these days that I would highly advise that over this one.
Radica Ghouls n Ghost & Street Fighter II Plug n Play
After taking a quick trip to the Goodwill Outlet store I found the final piece of the puzzle. Yes, I finally found the last Radica Sega Genesis Plug n Play for my collection, unless I find out they made more. This one varies from all the rest in a few ways, but in more functional ways than the OutRun 2019 I reviewed last time.
Firstly you will notice the two controllers sticking out of the system, instead of just one, as well as the Street Fighter II logo adorning both controllers. Radica decided to save space by using the smaller (model 2) style Genesis controllers, player 1 in red and player 2 in blue. But this time Radica gave us both Street Fighter II and Ghouls and Ghosts, two games that offer a 2 player mode and make full use of having two controllers hardwired to the system.
But soon after putting the controller in my hands, I immediately had a pair of problems. The first is the blatant fact that these controllers are obviously smaller than the Genesis controller of this shape; they’re comfortable don’t get me wrong, they’re just smaller. The second is a major issue I’ve voiced many times with Famiclones, and other systems alike, that put the Menu/Reset button right where I expect the Start button to be.
Although placed slightly below the actual Start button, in a hurry to get the phone, take a bathroom break or even just simply not paying attention this is TOO CLOSE to the Start button to avoid! And not only that, but both controllers have a Menu botton, this means either player can accidentally hit the Menu button and screw up a whole game. Perhaps Radica should have made use of where the Mode button on the Genesis controller was for their Menu button, but its too late to complain about it now.
Radica did an ok job on these little systems, but I have seen modders take a crack at them and add cartridge slots, enabling them to play almost any Genesis cartridge (I assume they become essentially a Genesis 3). As these systems are pretty much a Genesis on a Chip (Genechip? Take that and use it freely, just remember where you learned it!) this particular system would be the best one to modify, having 2 controllers. But with how plentiful the Genesis 2, the system these are modeled after, are on the market, you’re better off with the real thing.
I won’t go into any detail about Street Fighter II or Ghouls n Ghosts, as I’m sure we’re all fairly familiar with these games by now. I will however say that I wish Radica had chosen more games with two player modes to put in here and didn’t market it so heavily as a Street Fighter II machine. I’m not a Street Fighter II fan, so the game that I like most in this system doesn’t get top billing, nor does it even get honorable mention (or mentioned at all) until the title screen!
Sure these systems aren’t vintage, but the system they’re inspired by and the games they offer are. If nothing more than a fun novelty to own I would collect many more of these systems, had Radica made more. But on the practical side, these are far easier to pack for trips than the real thing.
OutRun 2019: Radica Plug n Play
Yet again I found a Radica Plug n Play system, but this one is different in 2 respects. Firstly this one is a dedicated system, as it only has OutRun 2019 built in, as where the previous two had six games each. Secondly, and most notably, instead of a normal Genesis controller this one offers a pseudo steering wheel.
The system looks the same, but that controller is WILD!
Now I said pseudo steering wheel because from the look and feel of it one may assume the wheel is analog, but once I took the controller apart I found it only has 2 contact points, making essentially a two direction D-Pad. Another issue with the controller is that in the heat of racing and trying to keep your car on the track, the wheel portion feels weak and I often found myself letting off to avoid breaking the controller, leading my car off track and losing valuable time. However, you don’t need to use the wheel part to steer as you can use the D-pad on the face of the controller, but its too cramped to be comfortable, let alone any real use, subconsciously forcing your hand back to the wheel.
The C button is on the back, for some reason.
Stepping away from the controller and onto the game, OutRun 2019 is a fun game, albeit a bit removed from the rest of the series. OutRun 2019 was developed by a completely different company, but still published by Sega. Despite that you can expect pretty much the same experience as any other OutRun game.
OutRun 2019 is, obviously trying to be, a futuristic version of OutRun, in which you race through the course trying to beat the clock. My only problem with this is that the cars look slightly futuristic but the tracks and environments all seem to be modern day. Other than this slight oversight, again, the game plays just as the same as any other OutRun.
You still pick which direction you want to go to complete the course, but this time there are roads with two tiers, causing you to be more cautious as to not fly off the track. Also something new is if you max out your speed for a certain period of time you will receive an automatic turbo boost. This is pretty neat, but usually speeds the car up too much causing me to let off the gas within seconds to take a turn, really rendering this feature useless.
I have noticed OutRun 2019 seems to be a bit more forgiving in the wrecking department. Almost anything in OutRun that would send your car flying off the track, causing you to wait for it to recover, seem to merely cause your car in OutRun 2019 to spin around, quickly recovering and back on track with minimal interruption. Although the game handles much the same as OutRun, I can’t really connect with it as much as I do the other games in the series I’ve played.
Radica Sega Genesis Plug n Play version 2
You could say I’ve been on a bit of a plug n play kick lately, but I prefer to think of it as playing vintage games I don’t own in any other form. As we all know vintage games are getting harder and harder to find, so I will play them almost any way I can. Luckily these plug n play systems make that affordable and simple, while taking steps to make the experience feel more genuine than simply emulating the systems they’re trying to be.
Comparative of Versions 1 and 2.
This Genesis plug n play system is the second that I own, and it included 6 different games than the one I previously reviewed. This time they managed to pack in: Sonic 2, Ecco the Dolphin, Gain Ground, The Ooze, Columns and Alex Kidd and the Enchanted Castle, the last of which I was most excited to get my hands on as I’ve never played an Alex Kidd game. I have to say that this system delivers a very good facsimile of a Genesis experience, especially with the controller design they’ve chosen.
Version 2 has a bold red controller.
I won’t go too in depth about this system, as it works the exact same as the blue one from the other article, I will however say that this one, to me, has the better choice of games out of the two. There is a third one that simply has 2 games on it, and 2 controllers, and if I manage to get my hands on that one I will review it as well. The game choices and 2 player controller design of that one deserve a bit more of an in depth review.
I love that miniature Genesis Model 2 design!
You may be wondering how they packed in 2 player games as the system only has a single controller, well somehow they’ve changed it to VS mode, at least in the games I’ve seen that should offer 2 player. I thoroughly enjoy these Radica Genesis plug n play systems because they give me 6 great game options to play through that I may not have otherwise had the opportunity to try. These plug n play systems aren’t technically vintage gaming, but the classic games they offer and experience you have playing those games sure are!