Will the Flashback go...

[Atari Charles]

I've noticed at a few stores here in town, that the Flashback is not selling overly well. Do you suspect the the Flashback will be liquidated at liquidation prices in the next few months?

[Goochman]

The BB near me has almost sold out - Enough so that they are back to $39.99 after Xmas - Just before Thanksgiving they had 'Towers' of these in the walkways.

[Mindfield]

I'd imagine the Flashback would be okay for first timers who wouldn't notice the differences/bugs, but for anyone who's been there and done that on real hardware (or at the very least via emulators) it won't do too well. If Atari makes good on the rumors of a sequel using a real Atari-on-a-Chip design instead of the NES-on-a-Chip they're using now, then the next version might be a lot better.

[spacecadet]

I'd imagine the Flashback would be okay for first timers who wouldn't notice the differences/bugs, but for anyone who's been there and done that on real hardware (or at the very least via emulators) it won't do too well.

 

I think people make too big a deal out of this. This is not a system for hardcore collectors to begin with, but even so, a lot of people here have bought them (I asked for and received one for xmas myself).

 

If you have the original systems, then why do you want this thing to begin with? It doesn't really make sense to me that someone with a real Atari 7800 wouldn't buy the Flashback because the games aren't quite right or it doesn't have a cartridge slot. Why not just keep playing those games on your 7800 then, even if the Flashback did everything the same as the original system? It's like buying the same system twice.

 

It seems like a lot of people here are philosophically against the idea behind the Flashback, but a) those aren't the people that'd have a reason to buy one even if it was "done right", and b) real hardcore "collectors" are going to buy it regardless because after all, it is new Atari hardware.

 

It seems to me that sales-wise the system's doing pretty well. It's sold out at various places and I'm sure it's been a money-maker for Atari. Is it all it could have been? No, but that's not really the point. It seems like it's satisfying the market(s) it was intended to satisfy.

[kevin242]

Why do I play 2600 games on the real thing or even bother collecting the

cartridges when I could download every 2600 rom in about 5 minutes and

play them on an emulator? It's the same thing... the experience is

authentic.

 

I dunno, but just knowing it is a NES thing totally turns me off getting one.

I do own a Commodore 64 joystick, and I like it quite a bit, so I am not

against these remakes when they are done right. IMO the Flashback is

not authentic.

[ATARIeric]

i think each store will milk it out for aslong as possible, ofcourse then it will be liquidated when they absolutely need the shelf space, if they were selling them with the Tshirt like it mentions on ataris website then i might get one, but ive lost the itch due to what peoples experiences are with it and besides that, i dont really need it! wanting it is another issue

[Brad2600]

I think Atari should dump all the units in a landfill, crush them and fill the area with cement.

[Dr Galaga]

I think Atari should dump all the units in a landfill, crush them and fill the area with cement.

Why? So that we can talk about it 20 years down the road?

 

Seriously, it will have to drop down quite a bit for me to buy one!

[shep]

I would love to buy one but they are way too expensive. I think they look kinda stylish, even though I hear that the ports are crap, I don't think they could be that bad.

[yuppicide]

I'd buy one if they had say 100 or 200 games on it.. for the price they are now they are overly priced.

 

The other reason I'd want one is if they made an Atari 2600 on a chip.. I'd like to see that come out for future Atari 2600 portables to be made even smaller and better than they are now.

[Fellow Atari Man]

I'd imagine the Flashback would be okay for first timers who wouldn't notice the differences/bugs, but for anyone who's been there and done that on real hardware (or at the very least via emulators) it won't do too well.

 

I think people make too big a deal out of this. This is not a system for hardcore collectors to begin with

 

Not everyone knew this though, as it was out for months before someone posted on here (forgot who) in regards to him getting it only a few weeks ago, told about how off the sounds, graphics, and even some of the gameplay was for the games, and post after post after post on here was to the sum of "ugh! Really? Well, I'm not buying that piece of crap then!".

 

I think the next one will be better from Infogrames, as they screwed up Adventure and all on the first compilation (or was that Jakks?), then the 80 Atari Games (or whatever it's called) was pretty good.

[mos6507]

I'd imagine the Flashback would be okay for first timers who wouldn't notice the differences/bugs, but for anyone who's been there and done that on real hardware (or at the very least via emulators) it won't do too well.

 

I think people make too big a deal out of this. This is not a system for hardcore collectors to begin with, but even so, a lot of people here have bought them (I asked for and received one for xmas myself).

 

If you have the original systems, then why do you want this thing to begin with? It doesn't really make sense to me that someone with a real Atari 7800 wouldn't buy the Flashback because the games aren't quite right or it doesn't have a cartridge slot. Why not just keep playing those games on your 7800 then, even if the Flashback did everything the same as the original system? It's like buying the same system twice.

 

It seems like a lot of people here are philosophically against the idea behind the Flashback, but a) those aren't the people that'd have a reason to buy one even if it was "done right", and b) real hardcore "collectors" are going to buy it regardless because after all, it is new Atari hardware.

 

It seems to me that sales-wise the system's doing pretty well. It's sold out at various places and I'm sure it's been a money-maker for Atari. Is it all it could have been? No, but that's not really the point. It seems like it's satisfying the market(s) it was intended to satisfy.

 

 

To whatever extent this hobby remains a niche, products like Flashback (or bad emulations like Activision Classics for PSX) act as the only real history lesson for future generations. If these products misrepresent what the 2600 was then it distorts history.

 

This is the same argument I have about having a lot of raw hack files floating around.

 

It makes it that much harder for people who were not around in the 80s to know "how it really was" so to speak.

 

 

 

The reason to buy a new 100% accurate system is to get a new lease on life. Original heavy sixers are now over 25 years old and default to giving out a fuzzy RF signal. Arcade enthusiasts are used to replacing components in their hardware, but console owners to date haven't had to do a heck of a lot of personal repair besides replacing a switch. That can't last forever. Buying a new system with all new components and A/V out lets you refresh your hardware, not to mention the hope that such a system would be small and frugal enough to convert into a portable.

 

Also, the new system waiting in the wings has an integrated USB loader system which, for those who haven't bought a Cuttle Cart or similar system, would be a great value in total.

 

 

Lastly, Atari used to stand for quality and rushing these kinds of things to market does nothing to honor the brand. I think we have every right, as consumers, to expect more from them.

[Gregory DG]

It makes it that much harder for people who were not around in the 80s to know "how it really was" so to speak.

People who missed out on the first wave of video games don't care to play those old games. The recent issue of EGM proves that. They get a bunch of kids together and they all pretty much hated the Atari stuff.

 

If a youngster has any real interest in older video games, he/she will know enough to get a real system. So, it doesn't really matter if these joystick thingies are not 100% accurate conversions. The only ones who care is the relatively small group of die-hard gamers like us.

[Chickybaby]

I finally saw one at Toys R Us the otherday - they are so darn small I am know I would lose it! I have paperback books bigger then it.

 

Anyway, they still wanted 50$ !!! for it and at least to me I would get one if it were about the same price as a plug n play around 15-20$ (maybe)

But we did get the C64 one - or hubby did for the holidays from me.

[Lost Monkey]

I finally saw one at Toys R Us the otherday - they are so darn small I am know I would lose it! I have paperback books bigger then it.

 

Anyway, they still wanted 50$ !!!  for it and at least to me I would get one if it were about the same price as a plug n play around 15-20$ (maybe)

But we did get the C64 one - or hubby did for the holidays from me.

 

I am amazed that they are $50 in the US.. they are $50CDN here in Canada, and $45CDN at Costco...

 

(Still too much for me... due to a lack of interest)

 

BUT:

 

I honestly believe that someone who waxes nostalgic about the old Atari games without being a crazy classic gamer would find this item satisfactory.

[Laner]

I'm not surprised these are selling well - my sister-in-law asked for the Jakks Atari joystick, and she loves it. She doesn't realize the games aren't entirely accurate, though it's very apparent to me. I imagine she'd like the Flashback as well, especially since it has more games and (IIRC) more accurate reproductions of the games than the Jakks stick.

[Atari Charles]

Flashback on sale at Superstore.

 

 

I'll wait until the price goes down to about $10 to $20.

[Voch]

They cost $40? My friend's family got me one for Christmas and it's a nifty item. I like my Jakks double-paddle game more (they also got me that).

[Chickybaby]

I've seen them as high as 60$. WTF ?!?

[Danno]

They aren't selling well. They had piles of them at my local Best Buy up until Christmas, and very few had sold. I went to BB yesterday and the pile was gone. I asked the salesman where they went and he said "we pulled 'em off the floor to reprice some and ship most of them back. They weren't selling."

[shep]

They cost $40?  My friend's family got me one for Christmas and it's a nifty item.  I like my Jakks double-paddle game more (they also got me that).

 

That is how much they are around here too, I think it is ludicrous. Again I want to say of course your average joe isn't going to notice how non-accurate these titles are, people like these things for nostalgia, kinda like in the dorms when I play my NES people walk by, stop, smile and have just this amazing look on their face as they dig around my games to see what ones I have and they start going on and on about having this game and that game blah blah, I'm glad these are being released because it brings people back to classic gaming. So what if it isn't completley identical, these gamers havn't been playing in so long it doesn't matter to them if they even did notice, I think we all are being a little too picky!

[Curt Vendel]

Wow... such ironic news, given the figures in from the Best Buy buyer stated that they sold just under 34,000 from 12/20-12/24 and they are already in line behind Target requesting additional units from the 350K raincheck ones being made... Also Circuit City is clamering to make advanced orders on next years products.

 

I guess your local BB doesn't know how to sell product well...

 

The Walmarts I looked at in NY and CT... cleaned out completely... The 3 Targets I visited were down to just a few dozen from the stacks of 25 high, 4-6 across and the 2 Best Buys in NY and PA visited went from several hundred on display to 10-20 remaining...

 

Total sales with the rainchecks and the additional PAL/Secam units shipping into Europe will exceed 1.4 million total. The Jakks 10 in 1 since 2002 has sold worldwide a total of over 3 million units... So for the Flashback, not too shabby for just coming out of the gate.

 

I can't wait for the next new Atari hardware products in 05' !!! :-)

 

 

 

Curt

[Feralstorm]

I often notice that some people let their opinions of something color their perceptions of the facts. If someone doesn't like the Flashback (and many don't) and they're not totally sold out on the store shelves they're looking at, the conclusion is that it sold poorly everywhere, and the actual figures are conveniently ignored.

 

I got a Flashback as a gift, and I'll admit to being a little disappointed, mostly in the rushed feel of the software. The majority of the games are good to acceptable, with the simplest games being the most accurate to their source material. The sad part is that a few of the ports verge on the totally unplayable (Battlezone, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Desert Falcon) and risk coloring the opinions of anyone who might be willing to buy a future, better product. I know I wouldn't want to touch any form of Atari 2600 Crystal Castles if I thought the Flashback version was at all representative of it)

[KaineMaxwell]

So you don't think the Flashback will become a rarity anytime soon?

[Goochman]

For whoever posted the '39.95' sales price - unless thats CDN, its always been that price in the Washington DC area. Prices fell to $29.99 for 1 weekend but then went back up before Xmas - My local BB and Target sold most of their stock (unless they boxed it back up for the landfill )