Lynx Vs. Game Gear

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VideoGameCritic
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Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby VideoGameCritic » April 25th, 2017, 5:34 pm

I'm currently in the process of writing my long-awaited system review of the Game Gear system. While I'm at it, I figured I'd write a Lynx review as well, since the systems were close competitors.

Since I'm painstakingly trying to rate and differentiate the portables, I thought that it might be a good idea to open it up to the forum to make sure I don't miss anything. Below are the various categories I'm looking at for each system. Feel free to chime in with your own grades or general comments you think I should include.

Design
Graphics
Audio
Size/Portability
Durability
Battery Life
Media (cartridges)
Packaging (game boxes)
Games
Collectability
Innovations

Thanks!

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MoarRipter
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby MoarRipter » April 25th, 2017, 7:15 pm

Sweet! I'm looking forward to reading reviews for portable consoles here. I can speak a little bit to the Lynx as I had one when I was 10 years old.

I think the Lynx should be given kudos for the built-in ability to 180 degree flip the screen and controls for lefties. I don't know if other consoles had done that prior but that was a really cool innovation. Lynx should also get credit for the innovation of being the first portable with a multi-color LCD screen. At least I'm pretty sure it was the first, not counting any of those one-off single games made by Tiger Electronics or whomever it was. It also had up to 17 player connected multiplayer with the "ComLynx" system that was built into it, that could be counted as an innovation. If I recall it worked by daisy chaining Lynx systems together, probably messy with that many people and good luck finding that many people back in the day that actually owned a Lynx!

One big thing that annoyed me (ten year old me) about the Lynx was how difficult it was to remove the game cards. I recall struggling with pulling out those cards with the curved lip. Seems like to me the first model Lynx held those things in with a death grip. I liked the shape and size of Game Gear cartridges a lot better.

For battery life they're both going to score badly, those things sucked down batteries like cans of Coca-Cola.

Last thing I remember is that the Game Gear had that really cool TV Tuner accessory for it. I wanted a GG just for that. It also had the Master System converter since the GG was basically a portable Master System with a higher color palette. I don't know how well either worked as I only knew one person that had a GG and he didn't have those accessories but would the TV tuner count as an innovation if it wasn't included with the system?

Ozzybear
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby Ozzybear » April 25th, 2017, 9:23 pm

I have both systems and both versions of the lynx. I honestly didn't are for the game gear that much and got more play out of my lynx. I have close to 40 games. I agree with the coonent above , it's hell getting the cartidges out of the system , but I like the feel of it better than the lynx 2. I look forward to your thoughts and reviews of these two systems! Ozzy

Breaker
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby Breaker » April 25th, 2017, 11:11 pm

I can't wait for these reviews. I've never owned either, and am currently contemplating both. I've never even known anyone who owned a Lynx. Only seen a few in game stores in my life.

CaptainCruch
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby CaptainCruch » April 26th, 2017, 5:39 am

I guess you mean 'screen quality' by 'graphics'? ... you could also look at the (official) periphales that were released... the Game Gear had a TV Tuner (though I never saw any in real life) and a Master System converter, which was pretty cool. Also interesting to look at is the possibility for Link Cable use...

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Rookie1
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby Rookie1 » April 26th, 2017, 6:53 am

I had both as kid. I liked both, but the Lynx was way ahead of its time in every way. That things beats GG hands down.

CharlieR
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby CharlieR » April 26th, 2017, 9:57 am

how was the Lynx ahead of its time/ I never owned either system, so I'm curious.

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Rookie1
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby Rookie1 » April 26th, 2017, 10:45 am

CharlieR wrote:how was the Lynx ahead of its time/ I never owned either system, so I'm curious.


"The Atari Lynx's innovative features include being the first color handheld, with a backlit display, a switchable right-handed/left-handed (upside down) configuration, and the ability to network with up to 17 other units via its "Comlynx" system (though most games would network eight or fewer players). Comlynx was originally developed to run over infrared links (and was codenamed RedEye). This was changed to a cable-based networking system before the final release.

"The leading-edge display was the most expensive component, so the colour choice was one of economy. If the low-cost glass and drivers would have supported a million colours, I would have done it."
Dave Needle, Lynx codesigner[2]

The Lynx was cited as the "first gaming console with hardware support for zooming and distortion of sprites". Featuring a 4096 color palette and integrated math and graphics co-processors (including a blitter unit), its pseudo-3D color graphics display was said to be the key defining feature in the system's competition against Nintendo's monochromatic Game Boy. The fast pseudo-3D graphics features were made possible on a minimal hardware system by codesigner Dave Needle having "invented the technique for planar expansion/shrinking capability" and using stretched, textured, triangles instead of full polygons.[2] These particular features were achieved over a year prior to the launch of the Super NES, whose stock hardware features the comparable Mode 7 but which cannot scale sprites
."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Lynx

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Gentlegamer
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby Gentlegamer » April 26th, 2017, 11:52 am

Lynx has S.T.U.N. Runner and Xybots. Winner.

BanjoPickles
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Re: Lynx Vs. Game Gear

Postby BanjoPickles » April 26th, 2017, 12:31 pm

I didn't own, nor play, a Lynx until Christmas of 2010. Honestly, I immediately fell in love with it, and regret ignoring it in favor of the gameboy. Looking back, I would have loved to have been able to take games like Ms. Pac Man, Dirty Larry, Pit Fighter (I know, shut up), Toki, Klax, Dracula, and others on the go. This sucker impressed me in 2012, so I'm sure that it would have been absolutely mind-blowing in 1990!


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