First Review of the AtGames Pong Blast! Paddle Unit

[+swlovinist]

I have recieved a review unit of the AtGame Pong Blast! Paddle Unit and wanted to like this product. For the review, here is the link. I hope that improvements can be made in the future because I do like the idea of playing Pong on a modern TV.

 

[FifthPlayer]

It doesnt have Arcade Pong? Thats both astonishing and inexcusable.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Meh, I'll stick with my Baby Pong

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwbrCZhvknc

[eightbit]

AtGames does not care about the integrity of the product. They only care about trying to cash in on the retrogaming craze. That has been obvious in the past, and is just as obvious in the present. I cannot promote them in any way as they just have no love, no respect, no vision, and no dedication. I suspect there are very few (if any) true fans of Atari games on the AtGames staff. If I were employed by them I would be speaking my mind and trying my best to contribute thoughts and ideas that would help make the product GOOD.

 

This is of course my opinion entirely. I just don't feel like they care from what I have seen.

Edited October 5, 2018 by eightbit

[phoenixdownita]

Nice review, I guess you just saved me 20US$.

I don't like the filtering at all (it look almost like an Eagle3x kind of a deal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel-art_scaling_algorithms )

The wired but wireless paddle was like .... what???

The Video Olympic counted individually also not so hot ... the miss on Pong Arcade ....

 

You nailed it man, as you said 20US$ stocking stuffer but I wouldn't want it ... not sure why it is a Walmart exclusive but mehhh.

[Coolcrab]

They should have put on some paddle home-brews. Maybe thats a good idea for a next iteration? Make an announcement thread for paddle games, would also motivate people to make more games that work on paddles.

[FifthPlayer]

It doesnt have Arcade Pong? Thats both astonishing and inexcusable.

 

I just watched the full video and I think I may have misunderstood.

 

I had gotten the impression the Blast! didn't even have the Video Olympics version of classic Pong, but it appears that it does. To me, that's good enough for the product (personally, I accept the Video Olympics version of Pong as real Pong).

 

Arcade Pong isn't microprocessor-based - it's built from discrete logic chips. I think there are emulators for those pre-microprocessor games, but the R&D might have been too expensive/lengthy to include in a $20 product like the Blast!. So I'm putting away my pitchforks on this one. (It is missing Kaboom! which is a huge missed opportunity).

 

But that video filter is a big turn-off. I'll still pass on this unit and probably the rest of the Atari Blasts, since I have a Flashback. But the Namco Blast does sound interesting.

Edited October 5, 2018 by FifthPlayer

[Keatah]

Arcade Pong isn't microprocessor-based - it's built from discrete logic chips. I think there are emulators for those pre-microprocessor games, but the R&D might have been too expensive/lengthy to include in a $20 product like the Blast!. So I'm putting away my pitchforks on this one.

 

There is. It's called DICE, Discrete Integrated Circuit Emulator. Host CPU requirements are rather high and out of range for a $20 product today. But, yes, Video Olympics Pong subs in nicely.

[Space Friend]

Hi John, enjoyed your videos. I was wondering though, how close would you say the paddles feel/respond as compared to the original Atari paddles?

[thetick1]

No Kaboom! .. 8/20 of the games are Video Olympics.. Argh.. I'll pass.

Edited October 15, 2018 by thetick1

[StormSurge]

I really, really wanted to like this, but I just cancelled my order.

 

Maybe next year's version will be better.

[thetick1]

I really, really wanted to like this, but I just cancelled my order.

 

Maybe next year's version will be better.

Yep John saved me the hassle of returning this product. I was really looking forward to this. I guess I might look at getting Atari Flashback 9 Gold .. with SD card slot and extra paddles. I'll be patiently waiting for the reviews to see if the paddle delay has been resolved.

Edited October 20, 2018 by thetick1

[StormSurge]

Yep John saved me the hassle of returning this product. I was really looking forward to this. I guess I might look at getting Atari Flashback 9 Gold .. with SD card slot and extra paddles. I'll be patiently waiting for the reviews to see if the paddle delay has been resolved.

Same here.

[1500points]

I bought this product at Walmart. Being a Pong fan of old and a 2600 paddle fan, it looked cool. $18 at Walmart.

I was shocked at how poorly done the software part of it was, which led me to the video then this thread via google search.

 

The paddles felt good.

Breakout played pretty well and looked nice.

 

The menu with all the button clicking was terrible.

Circus and Warlords had chopped up graphics.

Pong paddle had a weird delay then accelaration which made it very difficult to play.

 

Stunt Cycle is broken, just like the rom in Stella. Acceleration is full-on and not controllable. The only way I currently know to play Stunt Cycle properly is the 1977 SC-450 console. In the YT video the host must not have been familiar with SC, as it was broken as I describe but he didn't seem to be aware during the brief review.

 

It amazes me that they put enough engineering into the product to make decent paddles and packaging, even the menu LOOKS nice.

But the software experience is terrible. Weird, weird, weird.

[Mockduck]

Just a quick necro to say that I picked up one of these for $8 at my local MA Walmart over the weekend...in the clearance shelves. There were quite a few available!