Werner Domroese
werner5@hotmail.com
Sunday, July 8, 2001 at 15:37:20
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The 6502 custom CPU is indeed 8-bit in terms of addressable memory without bankswitching
and buswidth.
However, the other components of the system and its architecture as a whole, were 16-bits.
The Lynx looks like a 16-bit system because of the heavy use of its custom chips. Unlike PC's,
most of the processing load is divided over multiple specialized custom chips.
This is the exact opposite of the Jaguar situation. Most games for the Jag look like 16-bit titles
while the Jag is commonly accepted as a 64-bits _SYSTEM_. Most games for the Lynx look
like 16-bit titles too (only the 6502C is 8-bits).
Early prototypes of Lynxes were meant to link-up through infrared in stead of link cables.
Another nice detail: The Atari Jaguar was meant to have games in which you could hook up your
Lynx to the Jaguar as an advanced controller with its own personal display, so you could use it
like a rear mirror in racing games or as a console display or a tracker thing for Alien vs Predator
and so on. It fact, it could have been used in the exact same way as Nintendo plans to use it's
Gameboy Advance as a controller for their GameCube.
And last but not least: there are quite a few Lynx games that allow multiplayer networking. Not 2
Lynxes, like with two Gameboys or Gamegears, but up to 8 Lynxes linked together are supported
in several games (like Slimeworld and Xenophobe). The serial link system itself should be capable
of linking 32 machines together without repeaters or line drivers.
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Knuckles knuckles@home.com
Thursday, August 31, 2000 at 15:29:26
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An absolutely fabulous full colour system that was marred by a lack of marketing, third party development and the
general sense of apathy by the the evolving (read bankrupt) Atari of the late eighties early nineties. This was the
Gameboy killer, unfortunately like most Atari products of the era it was decimated by poor sales, support, marketing
and a general malaise perpatrated primarily by Atari's lack of market presence. Robotron 2049 and California Games
were my two favorites. If you see one of these it is a must have for the collecting ehthusiast and its' full colour screen
has depth that has yet to be beaten in the world of hand held electronics. One major downside of this beheamoth
was it's daunting size and it major battery consumption. This system made the Gamegear (SEGA) look like the
Gameboy classic.
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Clark Swinford chswinford@yahoo.com
Wednesday, April 26, 2000 at 00:21:31
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Pictured above is the Lynx 2, basically the same as the Lynx 1, but in a smaller case. Lynx allowed you to swap
controls and play left-handed. I was under the impression that Lynx was 16-bit. In a side-by-side comparison to
Game Gear (a contemporary 8-bit color hand-held) the Lynx is vastly superior. Unfortunatly, the same lack of third
party support that killed all other post 2600 Atari products was the downfall of the Lynx.
