What do we think of the ATGames portable consoles?

[famicommander]

True story: I got tired of my GCW Zero (heir to the Dingoo handheld line) and sold it on eBay to a big dummy who lacked the smarts to load ROMs onto an SD card. I had to refund it because he told ebay it was defective (it wasn't, he was).

 

The average person wants plug and play. The market covered by AtGames is casual, and I suspect many of its customers never added any other ROMs to the device. When you pay the forty bucks or so, the thing works right out of the box, no dorking around.

 

Yes an Android emulator is better. Try going into a place talking about finding an NES Classic Mini and tell them they should get a RetroPie instead and they'll stone you to death.

 

To death, I say!

The NES Mini actually functions, though.

[Flojomojo]

I think you've expressed your opinion very clearly.

 

The other thing I like about AtGames is that they're readily available at retail.

[thetick1]

The NES Mini actually functions, though.

 

Nintendo has BILLIONS of dollars.. AtGames well has a couple of engineers, an SOC ASIC/manufacturing contracts and well the AtariAge insider Bill. I think AtGames does very well considering their very tight cost restraints.

Edited January 17, 2018 by thetick1

[famicommander]

 

Nintendo has BILLIONS of dollars.. AtGames well has a couple of engineers, an SOC ASIC/manufacturing contracts and well the AtariAge insider Bill. I think AtGames does very well considering their very tight cost restraints.

Once again, it makes zero sense to grade on a curve in this context. The end consumer doesn't care about the budget or resources that the manufacturer has available to them. All that matters is the product, and this particular product does a worse job of playing Atari 2600 games than any other device I have encountered capable of doing so.

 

A PSP does a much better job. A GP2X does a much better job. Any off the shelf Android phone does a better job. A JXD, GCW, Dingoo, or GPD Win do a much better job.

 

I feel like if I were complaining that AtGames sold me a car that wouldn't shift out of second gear, you'd be telling me it's better than riding a unicycle with a flat tire through a snake pit whilst blindfolded and nude. It's irrelevant.

 

I say again, this is the both the worst portable emulation device I have ever used and the worst way to play Atari 2600 games I have ever used.

[Flojomojo]

So, you're saying you don't like AtGames toys? I think we get it.

 

Oh, the other thing in addition to being

cheap

available

ready to go

 

the AtGames toys are loaded with licensed, legal games. I can't think of any open emulator that can claim that.

 

They're the supermarket rotisserie chickens of retro gaming. Could you do better? Sure, with a lot of extra time, effort, and money. But this is a quick, tasty (salty) alternative that is nice to have around. Chicken snobs can go do other things. Why don't you?

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-science-behind-the-supermarket-rotisserie-chicken-1515061802

[Asaki]

A PSP does a much better job. A GP2X does a much better job. Any off the shelf Android phone does a better job. A JXD, GCW, Dingoo, or GPD Win do a much better job.

I can't get any of those devices for $25, though =)

[famicommander]

I can't get any of those devices for $25, though =)

I'm willing to bet you already own a cell phone.

[famicommander]

So, you're saying you don't like AtGames toys? I think we get it.

 

Oh, the other thing in addition to being

cheap

available

ready to go

 

the AtGames toys are loaded with licensed, legal games. I can't think of any open emulator that can claim that.

 

They're the supermarket rotisserie chickens of retro gaming. Could you do better? Sure, with a lot of extra time, effort, and money. But this is a quick, tasty (salty) alternative that is nice to have around. Chicken snobs can go do other things. Why don't you?

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-science-behind-the-supermarket-rotisserie-chicken-1515061802

The license means precisely nothing. Atari is dead, and has been for decades. The people licensing the name now had about as much to do with the Atari 2600 as I did, or the kid working the drive thru at McDonald's. You may as well ask the kid at the window for permission to play Atari ROMs.

 

And again, people already have phones. They carry then with then everywhere they go.

 

I don't know why you feel the need to drown out dissenting opinions in a thread that was made specifically to solicit opinions, but I can only assume it's because you feel the need to justify your purchase. Probably because you know, deep down, that you bought a bad device.

 

You don't see me combing through this whole board and trying to silence everyone who has a positive opinion of this thing. It's just this thread, which was made for this purpose.

 

This thing isn't rotisserie chicken, it's three day old fast food chicken that was dropped on the ground.

[Flojomojo]

I see you whaling on a dead horse. You don't like your AtGames thing, we get it, we really do. You're doing something similar in the "$25 Pac-Man suit at Kohl's" thread. My advice to you would be to unclench your sphincter, maybe smoke a bowl, and try to enjoy life a bit more. We are not here for that long, why spend the time steeping in bitterness?

[famicommander]

I see you whaling on a dead horse. You don't like your AtGames thing, we get it, we really do. You're doing something similar in the "$25 Pac-Man suit at Kohl's" thread. My advice to you would be to unclench your sphincter, maybe smoke a bowl, and try to enjoy life a bit more. We are not here for that long, why spend the time steeping in bitterness?

I see I've struck a nerve with respect to your defensiveness. Is everyone saying good things about this device beating a dead horse as well? If you want this conversation to end, all you have to do is stop replying. But if you're going to quote my posts and perform all manner of mental gymnastics in an attempt to justify a purchase which doesn't require my sanction in the first place, I'm going to respond.

[thetick1]

I see I've struck a nerve with respect to your defensiveness. Is everyone saying good things about this device beating a dead horse as well? If you want this conversation to end, all you have to do is stop replying. But if you're going to quote my posts and perform all manner of mental gymnastics in an attempt to justify a purchase which doesn't require my sanction in the first place, I'm going to respond.

 

We agree to disagree. AtGames makes TOYS not perfect cycle by cycle scan line by scan line perfect emulation. My 7 year old son loves the damn thing. It is the best $35 on TOYS I ever spent. If you want perfect emulation spend the $400 on a FPGA and design your own damn hardware! The rest of us are very happy with not so perfect emulation but very cheap and easily available TOY.

Edited January 17, 2018 by thetick1

[Flojomojo]

I'm willing to bet you already own a cell phone.

 

Yes! I do have a cell phone. Can you help me put Atari emulators on it other than "Atari's Greatest Hits"? It's an iPhone 8. I don't care for Android because in my opinion, as a smart person once said,

 

It's beyond terrible.

it's worse than I could have imagined.

I wouldn't buy one of these for my 7 year old nephew.

 

But it's good we have lots of choices in the free marketplace. For example, I really appreciate the privilege of being able to walk into a big box American retailer to have my choice of

 

a GP2X

A modded PSP is superior in every way.

A Dingoo or any JXD handheld is superior in every way.

 

oh wait, none of those were sold at retail (except for the PSP, which has been dead for almost a decade), and all of them require some kind of manual dicking-around.

 

I bought it at work and to return an employee purchase I have to jump through hoops and talk to people that annoy the hell out of me, so I'm just going to put the damn thing on the shelf and hate it forever.

 

And vent about it ad infinitum on message boards.

 

None of that means anything to the end user, though. When I buy a product I just want it to work.

 

After downloading the appropriate jailbreaks, flashing the custom firmware, and copying my ill-gotten ROMs, of course.

 

A PSP does a much better job. A GP2X does a much better job. Any off the shelf Android phone does a better job. A JXD, GCW, Dingoo, or GPD Win do a much better job.

 

Whoa, deja vu. That seems familiar to me. Where I have read those words before?

 

The license means precisely nothing. Atari is dead, and has been for decades. The people licensing the name now had about as much to do with the Atari 2600 as I did, or the kid working the drive thru at McDonald's. You may as well ask the kid at the window for permission to play Atari ROMs.

 

Here's a fun project you can try at home: why don't you send a product with 50+ titles from classic IP to major US retailers and see how long it takes for Atari's lawyers to respond? They're not doing much these days. They live for sending cease & desist letters. Maybe they would send one to you! If I had one of those, I'd hang the damn thing on my wall and hate it forever.

 

I don't know why you feel the need to drown out dissenting opinions in a thread that was made specifically to solicit opinions, but I can only assume it's because you feel the need to justify your purchase. Probably because you know, deep down, that you bought a bad device.

 

My motivations are mysterious indeed. Am I defending AtGames, or am I attacking you? What a deep, philosophical question, which will require further discussion. It's true, that "deep down" (actually not that deep), I know that I'll never get that forty dollars back. Thank goodness I can justify the purchase by thinking what it would have cost to have such a thing back in 1982, when I really would have gotten off on mobile Yars' Revenge. Ah, those were the days.

 

I see I've struck a nerve with respect to your defensiveness. Is everyone saying good things about this device beating a dead horse as well? If you want this conversation to end, all you have to do is stop replying. But if you're going to quote my posts and perform all manner of mental gymnastics in an attempt to justify a purchase which doesn't require my sanction in the first place, I'm going to respond.

 

You've made 11 posts in this thread which is a lot more than I or anyone else have done. It's no fun reading the same thing over and over again. Nevertheless, it's good to know I've got a pen pal for life. So what are your favorite Atari games to play on your cell phone?

[atarifan88]

I'm willing to bet you already own a cell phone.

 

Sorry, but retro gaming on a cell phone is farther from the real thing than on the AT Games Atari Portable. At least with a portable, you have some sense of control with the direction pad. Classic games were not meant to be played on a touch screen. I would rather pay money to play on the original hardware. At least then you would get a more realistic gaming experience. Retro gaming on a cellphone makes about as much sense as a one-legged cat trying to bury turds on a frozen pond!

[Flojomojo]

[famicommander]

 

We agree to disagree. AtGames makes TOYS not perfect cycle by cycle scan line by scan line perfect emulation. My 7 year old son loves the damn thing. It is the best $35 on TOYS I ever spent. If you want perfect emulation spend the $400 on a FPGA and design your own damn hardware! The rest of us are very happy with not so perfect emulation but very cheap and easily available TOY.

I've said before that nobody else needs to seek my approval to buy or enjoy one, and also that I hope those who do have one like it. The criticisms I have made of the device in this thread are all valid and reasonable, but if you're willing to overlook them I don't hold it against you. Maybe they don't apply to you, maybe you don't notice them, maybe you just don't care. All of those are valid attitudes for you to have.

 

The issue here is that certain people (not you in specific) cannot accept that these issues exist, or let others express their thoughts regarding these issues without constant nitpicking. As I said before, I don't quote every positive post that every single person makes about the Flashback Portable and essentially try to silence them. All I've done here is respond to people who have quoted me directly.

 

 

Sorry, but retro gaming on a cell phone is farther from the real thing than on the AT Games Atari Portable. At least with a portable, you have some sense of control with the direction pad. Classic games were not meant to be played on a touch screen. I would rather pay money to play on the original hardware. At least then you would get a more realistic gaming experience. Retro gaming on a cellphone makes about as much sense as a one-legged cat trying to bury turds on a frozen pond!

As I've said before, a bluetooth gamepad is both cheaper and more portable than a Flashback Portable. So in this scenario, you're either carrying a phone plus a gamepad or a phone plus a Flashback. Either way you've got two devices. There are even gamepads that will hold your phone for you as you play, and others that can directly control the UI of your phone.

 

 

 

Yes! I do have a cell phone. Can you help me put Atari emulators on it other than "Atari's Greatest Hits"? It's an iPhone 8. I don't care for Android because in my opinion, as a smart person once said,

 

 

But it's good we have lots of choices in the free marketplace. For example, I really appreciate the privilege of being able to walk into a big box American retailer to have my choice of

 

 

oh wait, none of those were sold at retail (except for the PSP, which has been dead for almost a decade), and all of them require some kind of manual dicking-around.

 

 

And vent about it ad infinitum on message boards.

 

 

After downloading the appropriate jailbreaks, flashing the custom firmware, and copying my ill-gotten ROMs, of course.

 

 

Whoa, deja vu. That seems familiar to me. Where I have read those words before?

 

 

Here's a fun project you can try at home: why don't you send a product with 50+ titles from classic IP to major US retailers and see how long it takes for Atari's lawyers to respond? They're not doing much these days. They live for sending cease & desist letters. Maybe they would send one to you! If I had one of those, I'd hang the damn thing on my wall and hate it forever.

 

 

My motivations are mysterious indeed. Am I defending AtGames, or am I attacking you? What a deep, philosophical question, which will require further discussion. It's true, that "deep down" (actually not that deep), I know that I'll never get that forty dollars back. Thank goodness I can justify the purchase by thinking what it would have cost to have such a thing back in 1982, when I really would have gotten off on mobile Yars' Revenge. Ah, those were the days.

 

 

You've made 11 posts in this thread which is a lot more than I or anyone else have done. It's no fun reading the same thing over and over again. Nevertheless, it's good to know I've got a pen pal for life. So what are your favorite Atari games to play on your cell phone?

 

Once again, I never told anyone they had to share my opinions on the device. All I've done is respond directly to people that engaged with me. You can't just let a negative post about the device stand. You have to try to explain away every single criticism and dismiss it rather than just accepting that these are valid criticisms about the device. They may not apply to everyone and some may be willing to work around them, and that's fine.

 

There are at least two other people in this thread that have experienced the screen issue I describe. And I had it on two separate units. Whether or not it's a deal breaker for them I don't know, and it doesn't particularly concern me. But if I had seen those posts before I bought the device, I would have reconsidered and we wouldn't be having this conversation to begin with.

 

I have had three members so far PM me and say that they agree with me, but do not want to be shouted down for having a dissenting opinion.

I readily accept that other people don't feel the same way about the device that I do, but I'm not going to soften my own criticisms just because they disagree.

[Flojomojo]

I have had three members so far PM me and say that they agree with me, but do not want to be shouted down for having a dissenting opinion.

I readily accept that other people don't feel the same way about the device that I do, but I'm not going to soften my own criticisms just because they disagree.

 

Twelve posts now. Seriously, we get it.

[Bill Loguidice]

I have had three members so far PM me and say that they agree with me, but do not want to be shouted down for having a dissenting opinion.

I readily accept that other people don't feel the same way about the device that I do, but I'm not going to soften my own criticisms just because they disagree.

 

With all due respect, that attitude is kind of lame. If someone concurs with something, they should say it. This is a discussion forum and a reasonably civil one overall. The deeper issue if it the ranting/complaining/point out of issues/etc. (whatever you want to call it) is done repeatedly, over and over again, over multiple messages. That's happened in some other threads and it DOES get quite tedious.

 

As for the Portable itself, sure, there's room for improvement and it will be improved again for this year's model and no doubt for 2019's model and beyond. Whether you want to accept it or not, the reality is there are real limits on what can be done year-to-year and within the target price point. Retailers will only sell the product at a certain price point and no higher and AtGames needs to manufacture it within those constraints while still turning something of a profit (and no, it's not inexpensive to legally license stuff either). It's not excusing anything, it's just the way it is. It's a seasonal, mass market toy that just so happens to have relevancy to the core community here. And just like with the NES/SNES Mini's (and similar products), yes, WE know that there are a million other ways to play the games (the favorite line, "just get a Raspberry Pi and do a, b, c"). We here know that. Those into this stuff know that. The average consumer never wants to bother though and we shouldn't expect them to.

[famicommander]

 

With all due respect, that attitude is kind of lame. If someone concurs with something, they should say it. This is a discussion forum and a reasonably civil one overall. The deeper issue if it the ranting/complaining/point out of issues/etc. (whatever you want to call it) is done repeatedly, over and over again, over multiple messages. That's happened in some other threads and it DOES get quite tedious.

 

As for the Portable itself, sure, there's room for improvement and it will be improved again for this year's model and no doubt for 2019's model and beyond. Whether you want to accept it or not, the reality is there are real limits on what can be done year-to-year and within the target price point. Retailers will only sell the product at a certain price point and no higher and AtGames needs to manufacture it within those constraints while still turning something of a profit (and no, it's not inexpensive to legally license stuff either). It's not excusing anything, it's just the way it is. It's a seasonal, mass market toy that just so happens to have relevancy to the core community here. And just like with the NES/SNES Mini's (and similar products), yes, WE know that there are a million other ways to play the games (the favorite line, "just get a Raspberry Pi and do a, b, c"). We here know that. Those into this stuff know that. The average consumer never wants to bother though and we shouldn't expect them to.

Thanks for your response, Bill. I will not speak for others as to why they do or do not choose to enter into discussions but it is a real thing happening.

 

For me, the biggest sticking point is the screen. As I've repeated in this thread, the viewing angle on two separate units is so bad that if you look at the system straight on, the left side of the screen is several shades darker than the right side, and in some games it appears as an entirely different color. Any of the rest of the flaws, while still apparent, could be worked around if I could see the screen without holding the system at an extreme angle.

[thetick1]

For me, the biggest sticking point is the screen. As I've repeated in this thread, the viewing angle on two separate units is so bad that if you look at the system straight on, the left side of the screen is several shades darker than the right side, and in some games it appears as an entirely different color. Any of the rest of the flaws, while still apparent, could be worked around if I could see the screen without holding the system at an extreme angle.

 

Could you post a picture (if it shows up on a picture)? I have not seen this problem with my two units and I have specifically been looking for this discoloration ever since you mentioned it. It does sound like there could be a bad batch of AFP screens being shipped. I would be upset also if I saw such discoloration on my units.

Edited January 17, 2018 by thetick1

[famicommander]

 

Could you post a picture (if it shows up on a picture)? I have not seen this problem with my two units and I have specifically been looking for this discoloration ever since you mentioned it. It does sound like there could be a bad batch of AFP screens being shipped. I would be upset also if I saw such discoloration on my units.

 

I had to hold the camera at a slight angle to get the effect to show up, but that's more or less how it looks straight-on in person. Possibly a little worse. It depends on how far away from your face you hold it, and what game you play.

 

In order to play games without the effect being too distracting I had to hold it with the left side of the unit roughly one to two inches closer to my face than the right side.

Edited January 17, 2018 by famicommander

[famicommander]

Sorry, I had some issues getting the photo to attach but it's there now

[thetick1]

Sorry, I had some issues getting the photo to attach but it's there now

 

Wow that is bad! My AFP screen colors are fine at a similar angle. I be pissed too if mine look like that. Hopefully Bill will pass this on to ATGames.

Edited January 18, 2018 by thetick1

[Flojomojo]

That doesn't look right, I agree it looks defective, not just cheap. If you check out some video reviews on YouTube, they don't have the same flaw, certainly not to that extent. My 2016 unit doesn't look like that. I'd contact AtGames support and see if they'll send you a new one, especially since it's the second unit you tried.

I assume it's fully charged and already has the screen film pulled off. Bad backlight, maybe?

 

Edit: here's a pic from my 2016 unit, as posted in the faq thread. It has the same uneven lighting but not nearly as bad. I think mine looks cheap, but not defective. I don't hold Atari VCS to the same standard as a modern device, since the games are made to be played on janky old CRTs.

 

 

[atarifan88]

As I've said before, a bluetooth gamepad is both cheaper and more portable than a Flashback Portable. So in this scenario, you're either carrying a phone plus a gamepad or a phone plus a Flashback. Either way you've got two devices. There are even gamepads that will hold your phone for you as you play, and others that can directly control the UI of your phone.

I don't care if I'm carrying two devices. The other one (At Games Portable) gives me a more realistic gaming experience than the other (cellphone). It's not even close. I've seen those gamepads that hold your phone so you can play it with an Xbox like controller. Again, not a realistic gaming experience if you are going to play much older games. Besides, you were the one who said, you would have two devices.

 

It's fine that you don't care for the 2017 At Games Portable because of the screen. I haven't seen that version, but I do have the 2016 version and there is nothing wrong at all with the screen. Maybe you need to pursue that one as it may not have the issues you have been complaining about for over a dozen posts? Or maybe you just purchase another 2017 model from a different vendor as they may have had a bad batch?

Edited January 18, 2018 by atarifan88

[Asaki]

I'm willing to bet you already own a cell phone.

You've got yourself a deal! How much are we betting?

 

It has the same uneven lighting but not nearly as bad. I think mine looks cheap, but not defective.

It looks worse in some games than others, it really depends on the colors on the screen.

 

Technically it is a defect, since they used vertically oriented screens instead of horizontal. Try holding your unit at a 90° angle and you'll see what I mean.