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2017 Flashback FAQ and Speculation Thread


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FAQ of known knowns, courtesy of our man on the inside, Bill Logiduice!

 

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Will there be multiple versions of the Atari system?

Yes, there are several variations announced:

  • Atari Flashback 8 ($60): Standard definition version similar to the Atari Flashback 3-7 we have already seen from AtGames with composite AV. The Atari Flashback 8 will have 105 built in games and a pair of wired controllers. Kaboom, River Raid, Space Invaders, Centipede, Frogger, Yars' Revenge, Adventure, and Pitfall are featured on the box. Attached is full game list. 2017-Atari-Flashback-8.pdf
  • Atari Flashback Portable Game Player ($60): Portable version which is similar to the handheld released in 2016, with SD card support. The 2017 Portable will contain 70 games, Pac-Man (home-brew), Dig Dug, Pitfall, and Frogger (custom arcade-style port). Pitfall, River Raid, Kaboom, Frogger, Pac-Man, Dig-Dug, Galaxian, and Xevious are featured on the box. Attached is full game list. 2017-Atari-Flashback-Portable.pdf
  • Atari Flashback 8 Gold ($80): A more expensive HD "Gold" version with an HDMI interface with 720p HDMI output, scanline filtering, and a save/pause/rewind feature for every game.
  • The Atari Flashback 8 Gold will have 120 built in games and a pair of 2.4ghz wireless controllers. Space Invaders, Centipede, Pitfall, River Raid, Kaboom, Frogger, and Millipede are featured on the box. Attached is full game list. 2017-Atari-Flashback-Gold.pdf
  • Atari Flashback 8 Gold Activision Edition ($80): Like the 8 Gold, only with more Activision games. The Atari Flashback 8 Gold Activision Edition will have 130 built-in games, a pair of 2.4 ghz wireless controllers, and a pair of wired paddle controllers. Pitfall, River Raid, Kaboom, H.E.R.O., Activision Decathlon, Chopper Command, and Enduro are featured on the box. Attached is a full game list. Note that vintage-style paddles are not mentioned here. 2017-Atari-Flashback-Gold-Activision.pdf
All the Atari products are branded with 40th anniversary badges.

 

Will any of the Atari systems support cartridges? SD flash memory?

None of these products will work with cartridges. The Atari Flashback Portable will work with SD cards so you can load your own ROMs. An unrelated product that can play Atari cartridges, the Hyperkin Retron 77, is expected to launch in Fall 2017, likely at a similar price point to these AtGames products.

 

Kaboom is a paddle game. What's up with that?

The onboard emulator should detect if paddle controllers are plugged in, otherwise (and in the case of the handheld), the game will play with digital joystick controls.

 

Why do they use Atari VCS box art when a different game is included?

Probably for brand recognition. Ports of Frogger and Space Invaders are unique to AtGames units and are not using Atari 2600 technology. The version of Pac-Man included is a home-brew port.

 

Are these the real prices? The older Flashbacks were cheaper. What will they cost?

According to the AtGames site, the composite AV Flashback 8 standard edition and Atari Flashback Portable Game Player will sell for $59.99 each (likely less in stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond), and the Gold editions will sell for $79.99.

 

What about those nasty infrared controllers?

There are no more line-of-sight infrared wireless controllers on any AtGames Flashback products. The SD version will use wired controllers, and the HD version will use 2.4 Ghz wireless technology (like Bluetooth but dedicated to this system).

 

Can I use the new 2.4ghz wireless controllers with my computer?

Not without the help of a USB wireless dongle, which is under consideration by AtGames.

 

Is the Atari Flashback Portable pretty much the same as the 2016 version?

The extent to which the emulator and compatibility will change is currently unknown. A more detailed FAQ for that system, including instructions for loading ROMs onto a flash card, is here.

 

What's the best Atari system to get?

The Atari Flashback® 8 Gold Activision Edition looks like the one for us. 130 games (10 more than the Atari Flashback® 8 Gold) and a set of vintage-styled paddles, for the same price as the 8 Gold machine.

 

When will these come out?

The Flashback 8 and Flashback 8 Gold are expected in early September 2017

The Flashback 8 Gold Activision Edition is coming a month or two later

 

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How about the Sega Genesis system?

Similar to the Atari systems, there will be three main hardware types:

The value-priced systems will be like the Firecore systems we have seen from AtGames over the past decade, likely complete with sound bugs.

 

Which of these supports cartridges? SD cards? Flash cartridges?

Both TV consoles have cartridge slots for vintage games. The portable has an SD card slot. It's unlikely that flash cartridges such as the EverDrive will work with these devices, but that remains to be seen.

 

Are these the real prices? The older Flashbacks were cheaper. What will they cost?

According to the AtGames site, the standard-definition Sega Classic Game Console and the Ultimate Portable Game Player (portable Genesis) will sell for $59.99 each (likely less at retail stores and sale outlets).

 

What about those nasty infrared controllers?

There are no more line-of-sight infrared wireless controllers on any AtGames Flashback products. The SD version will use wired controllers, and the HD version will use 2.4 Ghz wireless technology (like Bluetooth but dedicated to this system).

 

Can I use the new 2.4ghz wireless controllers with my computer?

Not without the help of a USB wireless dongle, which is under consideration by AtGames.

 

What's the best Sega system to get?

The Sega Genesis Flashback® looks like the system to beat, with 85 built-in games, and none of the "filler" titles we have seen on previous Flashback systems with composite AV. This machine will have a cartridge slot so you can bring your own games. It may not be compatible with the EverDrive flash cartridge, however.

 

Note that in addition to Sega Genesis/MegaDrive games, this machine will also contain Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear titles, including Phantasy Star, Sonic Drift 2, and Fantasy Zone.

 

Expect comparisons and contrasts with the upcoming Nintendo SNES Classic Mini, which will launch around the same time and price point with two wired controllers and 21 installed games.

 

I heard this was crap. Aren't all AtGames things crap?

AtGames stuff to date have been seasonal, low-priced, mass-market toys, not necessarily collectible replicas. The prior "Classic Console" and portable units with Genesis-on-a-chip hardware had problems with sound emulation, even though game timing and graphics were faithful to the originals. Early (July 2017) review versions of the Sega Genesis Flashback had problems with emulation performance and wireless controls, which is reflected in early press reviews. The company is working to resolve these production errors before the wider launch in Fall 2017.

 

When will these come out?

September 2017, assuming production problems are sorted out quickly

 

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Got more details?

Three press releases from AtGames are available at Armchair Arcade

The AtGames Flashback Zone website has descriptions of these products, and will sell them directly when they are commercially available.

This index of the PDF files attached above contains descriptions and game lists for all seven (!) products.

 

Original post:

Too soon? Yeah, maybe -- especially if you haven't been able to get your hands on the 2016 editions yet. Those are supposedly the last ones on the old hardware platform, and possibly the last ones to support analog audiovisual cables for use on older televisions. I think they're all worth a look/play/buy, particularly the Atari Flashback Portable, which marks the first time we've seen an official portable release of the Atari 2600 games, along with an SD card slot for bringing your own ROMs.

 

What's next?

 

Known:

Atari

Sega

 

Presumed:

Better emulation fidelity/compatibility

Fixed sound for Sega Genesis

Dropped newer but "classic-style" games that padded the game count on the Sega units

HDMI output

New platforms

 

I look forward to better Genesis emulation. It would be particularly cool if 32X, Master System, Game Gear, and Sega CD support could be added. I could handle slicker hardware, but the cheapo plastic AtGames portable unit isn't bad for the price.

 

Arcade emulation would be nice to have, we don't get enough of that in my opinion.

 

Is there a good reason to sell separate units that basically do the same thing? A combined Sega/Atari/maybe something else unit would be excellent.

 

What would you like to see?

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Is there a good reason to sell separate units that basically do the same thing? A combined Sega/Atari/maybe something else unit would be excellent.

 

 

 

My suspicion is that the reason for selling separate units has to to with nature of licensing these brands, and I wouldn't expect that to change.

 

Given that the Genesis units have traditionally had built-in cartridge slots, I'm curious if that feature is brought forward -the prospect of an inexpensive machine that can output original carts to HDMI is very exciting, but I fear might be too good to be true. We also haven't had a Flashback product that officially supports Atari carts either. Assuming all of those are a no-go, I'd be at least as happy if the non-portable Flashback products supported SD cards in the same way the portables have.

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OK, I will let out one big hint. Unlike what was previously assumed (and indicated by me), there will be improved versions of existing models, as well as models based around completely new hardware. I don't personally agree with the approach, but it's kind of a low price/high price strategy to satisfy more of the market. Depending upon how things go, that strategy may simplify in 2018.

 

We will definitely be moving forward with more Atari/Sega products, and there will be at least one, possibly two new additions to the line-up based around other properties. Of course, the Flashback Classics line-up is also expected to expand. I'll say no more.

Edited by BillLoguidice
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If you want a huge seller, increase the screen size of the portable and make it an all-in-one unit with 2600/5200/7800 compatibility. One can dream, right?

 

I disagree (but not about the dreaming part). I don't think the average person even knows what a 5200 or 7800 is. They respond to certain big name systems (Atari 2600, Genesis, NES, etc.) and, obviously, big name games.

 

As stated, we will be expanding the hardware line-up in 2017. I can tell you, though, that it won't involve anything related to the 5200 or 7800 (or Atari 8-bit computers). The best chance for that is with the Atari Flashback Classics line-up for the PS4 and Xbox One (and maybe eventually PC).

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I disagree (but not about the dreaming part). I don't think the average person even knows what a 5200 or 7800 is. They respond to certain big name systems (Atari 2600, Genesis, NES, etc.) and, obviously, big name games.

 

As stated, we will be expanding the hardware line-up in 2017. I can tell you, though, that it won't involve anything related to the 5200 or 7800 (or Atari 8-bit computers). The best chance for that is with the Atari Flashback Classics line-up for the PS4 and Xbox One (and maybe eventually PC).

Which is a shame, since if the hardware is beefier for the next year they could do "History of Atari" or "Evolution of Atari" kind of thing where you could:

Pick Asteroids form the menu

Then select from a sub menu to play from Arcade, 2600, and at least one of 5200/8Bit/7800 versions of it.

 

As you say, people wouldn't care if the box just says Asteroids, but being able to pick, especially on the portable version would be great.

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Which is a shame, since if the hardware is beefier for the next year they could do "History of Atari" or "Evolution of Atari" kind of thing where you could:

Pick Asteroids form the menu

Then select from a sub menu to play from Arcade, 2600, and at least one of 5200/8Bit/7800 versions of it.

 

As you say, people wouldn't care if the box just says Asteroids, but being able to pick, especially on the portable version would be great.

 

Maybe a shame, but there are lots of moving parts with supporting multiple emulators and multiple ways to play on a casual system. It's hard enough debugging one platform's emulation and keeping costs low enough to make it all practical. Really, if that's what you're after, then you're probably looking at a price point/level of complexity like the RetroN 5, or, my personal favorite, Retro Freak.

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I don't think the average person even knows what a 5200 or 7800 is.

Anecdote: when I brought home a 7800 in ~1989, one of my roommates in my group house was impressed that I had found a "5200." Another was critical of Pitfall as being the same little task, over and over again. A third offered to lend me his seldom-played ColecoVision.

 

I would only assume the old systems were completely forgotten to all but the most faithful Atarians by now. I'm probably among their number and even I don't really care.

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Which is to say, not much!

 

I wonder what Nintendo's lifetime sales figures are like for their various virtual console releases? I was listening to the latest Retronauts podcast about "10 shitty years of virtual console" (their actual title) that also went into NES Classic. They bemoaned how the VC release schedule dried up a few years ago, without ever acknowledging that there probably wasn't much of a market for many of these classics outside the hits.

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I think from a consumer point of view, a PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 Flashback would attract more buyers than an Atari 5200/XEGS or 7800 Flashback.

 

Not in the US, which is the AtGames primary market. (By the way, I'm a big PC Engine/TG-16 fan and have a large personal collection of the stuff.)

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Which is to say, not much!

 

I wonder what Nintendo's lifetime sales figures are like for their various virtual console releases? I was listening to the latest Retronauts podcast about "10 shitty years of virtual console" (their actual title) that also went into NES Classic. They bemoaned how the VC release schedule dried up a few years ago, without ever acknowledging that there probably wasn't much of a market for many of these classics outside the hits.

 

To me, there are a lot of issues with the Virtual Console stuff, including a relatively high price per item. With that said, I think the primary issue - and I'm a broken record on this - is that the lack of a Nintendo account system stinks, so people like me are hesitant to buy much on there. If they fix it for Switch, then I suspect their sales might improve if our purchases are portable to our account (like on the Microsoft and Sony sides) and not tied to a specific system.

 

What's interesting to me is that Nintendo hasn't tried more disc-based game bundles of VC titles. Those seem like no-brainers and would be easier sells I would think.

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Fair enough. I was thinking in terms of systems people may have heard a lot of great things about, but never got to experience first hand, rather than strictly nostalgia about stuff you actually played 30 years ago and still have faint memories of. But perhaps commercially nostalgia wins big time over curiosity with products like these.

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Fair enough. I was thinking in terms of systems people may have heard a lot of great things about, but never got to experience first hand, rather than strictly nostalgia about stuff you actually played 30 years ago and still have faint memories of. But perhaps commercially nostalgia wins big time over curiosity with products like these.

 

Yeah. The sales figures bare out that people respond to big name games versus platforms (big name or otherwise). The problem with something like the PC Engine, is no matter how great it is, there really aren't any games that people would necessarily recognize (and by people I mean the average person, not necessarily core gamers). Among its other issues, I think that's perhaps one of the problems with something like the Retro-Bit Generations. It's the kind of thing that if executed properly would be of interest to gamers like us, but there's very little on there to appeal to an audience outside of that.

 

AtGames just secured the rights to some big name games (not announced yet), and it's the kind of IPs that will make anyone take notice. At least from the perspective that I'm watching from, that's the smartest strategy if your company name is something other than Nintendo.

 

To my mind, there are only a handful of classic platforms that will sell well to the general public when mixed with the right games, including arcade, Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, SNES, PS1, and N64. There are others like Neo Geo that I think could survive on lesser name recognition, but higher game quality, and something like the Dreamcast, that might be able to survive on Sonic and a few other notable franchises (Crazy Taxi for one), and the wave of gamer interest in revival of the brand to help drive wider sales.

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Did you on purpose leave out home computers like the C64 and Apple ][, or would those not be generally popular enough?

 

Not on purpose. In fact, we've strongly pursued Amiga and C-64 SKUs, but the problem is getting games. We had a lead, but they weren't able to re-sell the IPs (they had limited use rights). It's much easier with console stuff because game rights are much more highly concentrated.

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I see. I suppose you have pulled at the same strings which were pulled for the C64DTV, although the selection of games for that device rather depended on which ones they could obtain licences for rather than the most desired titles. I understand that consoles are easier because of a higher percentage of 1st party published games.

 

In any case, I'm sure AtGames will have something great going on, in particular after the spilled bean about secured rights to big games, whichever they are.

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I would love to see the Atari 7800 emulation brought back. There were some excellent games on the Flashback 1, which I still have in my collection, but they were a little glitchy. I'm sure ATgames could improve the emulation for a new model. On the Sega side, I think adding the Sega CD games would be great. Granted, the files are huge, but flash memory keeps getting cheaper, so even adding a few SegaCD games could be a possibility.

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I would love to see the Atari 7800 emulation brought back. There were some excellent games on the Flashback 1, which I still have in my collection, but they were a little glitchy. I'm sure ATgames could improve the emulation for a new model. On the Sega side, I think adding the Sega CD games would be great. Granted, the files are huge, but flash memory keeps getting cheaper, so even adding a few SegaCD games could be a possibility.

 

The original Flashback was running on a NES-on-a-chip and poorly simulated Atari 2600 and 7800 games. There's nothing to re-use there, really, because no one in this day and age would use a NES-on-a-chip. (and I want to make clear that I was highly critical of it when first released, so this is not me retconning anything; obviously that was all redeemed and then some with the Flashback 2/2+)

 

I'm not ruling out the potential for the 7800 on the Atari Flashback Classics software series, but it's not really an option for the foreseeable future on the hardware side. We already have the roadmap set through 2017 and a bit beyond, and, while it involves expansion, it doesn't involve expanding into 7800 stuff.

 

Sega CD is kind of interesting, but it's not even something on the radar at this point, so that's out too for the foreseeable future. I think a lot more people will be really happy with what AtGames is doing for 2017 and beyond, so if that all goes off as planned (i.e., executed correctly), then certainly more ambitious expansions with the existing products might be possible. As it is, it's already going to be a big shift in how the hardware platforms work.

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