Lynx Fold-Out Manuals

[VideoGameCritic]

I don't know what type of Lynx instruction manuals are worse: the thick, black-and-white manuals printed in 17 languages, or these fold-out poster kind. This one is definitely unwieldy.

It's hard to believe the company that perfected the art of clean, artistic manuals in the 1970's was reduced to this by 1990.

[ThePixelatedGenocide]

I wouldn't consider Jack's company the same Atari that gave us the 2600 and 8-bit computers.

The man who designed those chips also designed the Amiga computer - which is why they all perform similar tricks to work around strict hardware limitations. Other Atari employees fled to Activision and Imagic. Although, by this time, they'd fled Activision, and Imagic had died in the crash.

Atari's home division was left as a budget company, sparing every possible expense other than the Lynx hardware itself. (Which they got for cheap, after screwing over the company that made it.)

[TheEagleXIII]

I don't know what type of Lynx instruction manuals are worse: the thick, black-and-white manuals printed in 17 languages, or these fold-out poster kind.

As someone used to growing up with at least 6 other languages in most PAL game manuals I'd definitely go with the poster being far worse. As handy is it was, I even used to hate unfolding the map to GTA games, but at least that was understandable it was that size.

I literally cannot understand their thinking... unless they imagined hoards of kids playing their Lynx in their bedroom (probably a novelty for the time) and checking out their walls for tips how to play cos they're covered in Lynx poster-manuals.

Move over Baywatch poster, I need know how to play Viking Child at all times.

[Tron]

A little off topic, but every time I think of the Lynx I still can’t believe it failed while the Gameboy continued to prosper. I understand the GB came out first and and it’s initial success, but when Game Gear, Lynx and Turbo express came out not a single GB should’ve ever been sold after that except on the clearance racks. Admittedly I hated the GB the first time I played it. It was so ugly and hard to see the green and darker screens graphics. I knew sooner or later a colored portable would come out so I patiently waited.

[ActRaiser]

A little off topic, but every time I think of the Lynx I still can’t believe it failed while the Gameboy continued to prosper. I understand the GB came out first and and it’s initial success, but when Game Gear, Lynx and Turbo express came out not a single GB should’ve ever been sold after that except on the clearance racks. Admittedly I hated the GB the first time I played it. It was so ugly and hard to see the green and darker screens graphics. I knew sooner or later a colored portable would come out so I patiently waited.

This one is easy. The Lynx launched at $180 vs $90 for the Gameboy.

Now, consider if you had two kids and factor in inflation to today's prices. It's an easy decision.

If money is no object then I get it, but for most families it's an issue.

[Stalvern]

The Lynx also gobbled batteries like candy, almost as much as the Game Gear.

[lynchie137]

I don't know what type of Lynx instruction manuals are worse: the thick, black-and-white manuals printed in 17 languages, or these fold-out poster kind. This one is definitely unwieldy.

It's hard to believe the company that perfected the art of clean, artistic manuals in the 1970's was reduced to this by 1990.

Unwieldy dosen't even begin to describe that thing. Why did they decide to go that route anyway?

[VideoGameCritic]

I don't think the judgement of the people running Atari at this time was very good. Their accounting department probably told them it would be cheaper to print these.

[Tron]

Good points fellas. Guess I overlooked that.

[Gentlegamer]

I think the original Ratchet and Clank games also came with poster-manuals.