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I run my MiSTer simultaneously on a CRT TV and an LCD monitor. They sit right next to each other. I like the LCD so I can rotate it for some arcade games and I enjoy comparing visuals. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out is my go-to litmus test for lag since my muscle memory from 13-year-old-me is still alive and well (thankfully!). Right before posting I fired it up, put in the Tyson code, and played while viewing the LCD monitor (I usually view the CRT since I prefer the image) as a test. I lasted 1:15 before Tyson showed me the floor and didn't notice any lag on the monitor's end. I imagine it's probably there in imperceptible amounts but it wasn't enough to throw me off my game. This is purely my anecdotal evidence but the MiSTer passes the input lag test for me. With flying colors. Mario jumps, Simon whips, and Little Mac dodges at the expected times. Being able to hook it up to a consumer CRT TV means I can get the same experience as an NES hooked up to the same TV, which is something I cannot do with my Raspberry Pi, as far as I know. I've tried many familiar games from the consoles I own (from Atari to PlayStation) and would not be able to tell if it was running on MiSTER or real hardware. It's that good. By the way, for the Tyson test I used an 8bitdo bluetooth controller wired to the MiSTer (since the Bluetooth connection can be a pain in the butt sometimes) so I can't speak to Bluetooth lag at this point.

I've got the Sagat version and as you can see, he plainly disapproves. Funny enough, it was the last issue of VG&CE I bought precisely because it was such a lousy cash grab.

Ah, of course. That's what I meant. The game with a pun so bad it was forgettable! And yes, Batman Returns is one of those games I want to like but I just can't. It starts off ok but then gets difficult and repetitive. I guess I just don't turn to the Lynx when it comes to "traditional" side-scrolling platformers. Ninja Gaiden is the only one I really like and spend any amount of time on. It's about the only home port based on the arcade game and has enough variety to keep my interest. And the continue screen is classic! Shadow of the Beast has great presentation but it's way too unforgiving to the point of "why am I bothering with this?". I haven't played enough of Rygar, Scrapyard Dog, Toki, or Pac-Land to from an opinion on but none of them really grabbed me. Dirty Larry, Kung Food, and Viking Child are just plain. I don't really count Slime World as a traditional side-scroller but it certainly set the bar on what a side-scroller could be when it comes to taking advantage of the hardware.

Warbirds is my personal favorite. I love the polygon graphics and challenge of flying an old biplane. It's technically impressive on Lynx. For arcade ports, these are the best home ports around, IMO: Xybots, STUN Runner, Road Blasters, and Paperboy. Hard Drivin' would be impressive if the frame rate or input lag were improved. Steel Talons has a low frame rate but is a lot more playable and fun once you get into it. Slime World is a fun adventure with really effective slime effects. For puzzle games, Klax, Blockout, Chip's Challenge, Lemmings, and Crystal Mines II are all excellent. Can't recommend Dirty Harry nor Kung Food. They look interesting visually but the novelty wore off really fast and there was nothing in the game play mechanics to differentiate them or otherwise save them.

The Best Electronics website itself was always my biggest obstacle to ordering anything. The navigation leaves a bit to be desired. I'd always wanted to compile one big order since that seemed like it'd be the easiest for all involved parties. Turns out it's not, apparently! Hearing these stories is a bit sad because I'm sure he's sitting on a pile of stuff that will outlive all of us. The retro 2600 hardware market isn't exactly a growing demographic. The new hardware will go on but this older stuff of which Brad is selling replacement parts for has a finite shelf life. If these parts were in the hands of someone with a modern database and website to track inventory and sales, they would probably move a lot faster, which would be beneficial for all of us. What would it take to get Atari to knock on his door with a big pile of cash and buy it back?

I've always imagined that sound effect as saying "Bite some more!"

I seem to remember, while playing Berserk in the late 80s/early 90s with my rapid-fire module plugged in, that you could get close to a robot and rapid-fire shoot it and glean either two "explosion" animations or two "pop" sound effects from one kill (or both?). Memory's a little fuzzy. I'd test it now but I'd have to dig for my rapid-fire module. I found my rapid-fire module and tested and no, there is no double-explosion in Berzerk. My memory is indeed fuzzy and was recalling what can be done in Empire Strikes Back with the rapid-fire module. You can get a double explosion if you keep hammering away at a walker after it explodes. And I think you get some extra points but I wouldn't quote me on that.

It's...it's beautiful 🤣 Also, wow! you got to it before I could! I was still planning my photography session and a trip to the grocery store for some grapes!

How about this: get rid of the box entirely and make the cardboard sleeve gatefold to include extra space for instructions, artwork, game matrices, etc. It would be neat to see the creative solutions when working with minimal space and maybe the cost savings from not having a box could justify the gatefold. The sleeve is the box...and the instructions! Please pardon the crude sketch.

Excellent! Double-shots is my default way of playing Space Invaders on the 2600 so this is great news.

No worries! Honestly I read your post as good-natured ribbing.

I'm amazed that prototypes are still being found after all these years. Choplifter was one of my favorite games on the 7800 and I would've loved to play a 2600 version. I'm curious to know what control scheme they were planning since the game requires two buttons. They got the chopper rotating but how would it fire? Seeing that silver Choplifter box in the ad was pretty surreal. Anyway, nice write up!

How fortuitous! If I could trust Pinch-Manos in the hands (no pun intended) of anybody, it's Bob. *Looks at hands, shaking* It's too late...we can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. I'll code it myself if I have to! 😀

I would welcome that if you decide to! I actually wrote more to the pitch after I posted and added an aggressor. Gotta have an aggressor! Or four of them

That was a really good trailer. I am super excited for a new Golden Axe game. I loved the original in the arcade and it was the first game I bought for my Genesis. That Shinobi game looks cool too.

I propose the following: Pinch-Manos! where your goal is to navigate the disembodied hand around and squeeze every evenly-spaced grape distributed in the non-infringing maze. The subtitle "The Hand of Grapes" is completely optional but encouraged.

Toyshop Trouble really encapsulates the joy of a 2600 game: colorful, addictive, and fun. I'd love to see it released by Atari. Second choice would be Man Goes Down if anybody manages to contact the original author (Alex Herbert, IIRC).

I know we're wandering way off topic but all this talk of computers in high school had me thinking about just how old the computers were at my high school when I was learning BASIC and Pascal in 1991. We had Apple IIs and at the time I was new to computing and didn't realize just how "old" they were even back then. The newest computer we had was the Apple IIgs which was released in 1986. Wikipedia says it was discontinued in Dec 1992, which blows my mind knowing they were still apparently being sold into the early 90s when the PowerPC Macs were just a couple years away. Topically, looking forward to seeing the fruits of Atari's acquisitions! I have a feeling the fun may actually be back this time

I just ran the update and played a little. Great to see Warbirds back! It was there for a hot-second when this was first released then removed after the update that ran almost immediately after. I tested it a bit and it plays fine but there's a weird displeasing audio glitch that sounds like a constant squeaky axle. The machine gun fire is a little off too, like there's a missing sound. Other than that, it's great and very surreal to play my favorite Lynx game on a modern handheld. 👍

Yep. I used to try and exploit that when I was a kid with my rapid-fire module. Tried to see if I could "phase" through enemy ships. Plus, the rapid shots just sounded cool.

AtariAge has been ground zero for new game development for Atari hardware for many years and it's not even mentioned by the author of that article or by Wade Rosen as a reason for the acquisition. AA is simply boiled down to "a long-running and well-established community of Atari superfans", a simplistic definition that really undersells what this site has been about for the past 20+ years. What I really wanted to read was "we bought AA so we can tap into that awesome network of developers and artists to make a shitload of new games for the 2600+ to supplement the older ones that we are re-releasing".

These magazines were my only window into the video game industry in the late-80s/early-90s. I can look back on them now and realize they were mostly schlock but they were like brain food and I couldn't get enough of them. They were my prime reading material while I ate breakfast before getting ready for school. The gateway drug was, of course, that "Free Sample Copy" of Nintendo Power in late-1988 (which was just Issue #1 for slight late-comers to the NP subscription). Later on when I was sick with pneumonia and home from school my mom came home with the November 91 issue of EGM and ohh boy that was it. The Atari Lynx?! What is this?! Hard Drivin'! Xybots! STUN Runner! RAMPAGE! I love those games at the arcade! and this Warbirds game looks cool as hell! 3D graphics on a handheld! I had to have it and by that Xmas I did. That Atari Lynx insert in EGM#28 is the sole reason I am a Lynx fan to this day. I loved reading EGM. I'd pick up an issue of VG&CE or GamePro here and there. VG&CE felt like it was trying to be the "grown up" in the room and GamePro was the sugar-infused kid. EGM was somewhere in between and appealed to me the most. And those issues got THICK! The rebooted Electronic Games came along a little later and I really enjoyed that one even though I don't have many issues of it. The late-80s/early-90s were an exciting time for video games I wonder how many of those publishers realized just how perfect of a storm it was. Some of my fondest issues are my first ones (attached). I also loved the EGM Buyer's Guides. Chock full of reviews and technical bits!

I hope this is the sentiment at Atari. Rope in the older players who grew up with this stuff and now have kids of their own - kids who may not care about Outlaw but may be interested if the gameplay resembled something they play on their phone or tablet. Simple pick pick up and play games are a common theme between Atari games and mobile games and I really hope Atari puts their marketing team behind that. Hire some of the talented developers here and run with it.

This brought back a core memory playing 7800 Asteroids on real hardware. Is this the bug where your ship is in a constant hyperspace loop? If I remember correctly (and I could very well be mistaken) this would happen when I had a 2600 joystick plugged into my 7800. I'd double check but my 7800 is on the fritz 😞

The DIP switch issue is easily fixed with a small plastic fob with all of the features shown below. Put all of the game fobs on a key ring or share with your friends! Forgive my crude sketch.