DaveD

Wanted to follow-up on this. I went back to give it another shot and carefully document exactly what was going wrong so I could share it with ATGames when I realized it was working again. Then again 10 minutes later it was cutting out again. So I unhooked everything and tried testing all the cables with other components. I think I've actually traced the trouble to the AV/HDMI converter. It seems very inconsistent. The screen blacking out is normal for the Flashback Portable when the AV is connected. If the converter is acting flaky, the TV doesn't get a signal and goes dark with a "no signal" error. It apparently doesn't scan for a signal after that even if one eventually is present unless I reset the TV input source. Bottom line is I think it's my maze of cables behaving strangely, not the Flashback. Just wanted to set the record straight and say the Flashback seems to be performing as advertised.

I recently discovered Tunnel Runner. I was surprised how addictive this simple, maze adventure can be.

I will try to email them at their site. I noticed there is a support page and "repair & exchange" service offered for some units. Does anyone still have their AFP box/paperwork? I discarded mine and just wondered if there's any official mention of a warranty on the product.

Yeah. Just looking at it you know it's cheap. I'd be okay with that as long as it worked. I just wish it died BEFORE I bought the SD card, 12' AV cable, HDMI cable, and AV/HDMI converter to hook it up to the TV. Totally disappointed.

Yep. I thought that might have been the problem so I had it charging for almost a week. The screen is still dead and the video out signal is black.

Reliability wise what is everyone's experience? I bought one and probably have less than 30 minutes play time on it when suddenly the screen goes dark. I can sometimes get the menu to show but as soon as I select a game it goes black.

Wow. That's quite the compliment. "Scramble for the 2600: Better than a day at the beach!" Thanks for all the kind words regarding the packaging and video. Scramble has always been a personal favorite of mine and it was great being a part of the team that brought this together. John did an amazing job porting this over to the 2600 with this level of detail and faithfully preserving all the arcade action. Nathan did a killer job on the game graphics and working within the 2600's limits and still creating graphics that are unmistakably Scramble with zero loss of character. Everything about this port is top notch right down to the sound effects and intro music. Looking forward to the official release and finally playing this on real hardware!

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I'd be interested in any of the emulated games available in the IOS app. It's a great app and this would be a cool excuse to fire it up more.

Freeway will always hold a special place in my heart. Back in the day it was the only game grandma played with us. And when she did she laughed hysterically each time the chicken got hit. She later bought a 2600 with games that we could play whenever we visited her. It's the 2600 I use to this day.

Yeah, I played this game a lot in the arcade. I thought it was always fun with good graphics and interesting concept. I always found the rope shooting mechanic a little odd and confusing to control at times. I played the 2600 version for the first time ever recently too. It seemed like a pretty decent port with much of the gameplay mechanics intact. But couple the odd rope-shooting mechanic with the limited graphics/space on the 2600 made things even more frustrating for me. As I recall the arcade game had 3 levels. How many levels made their way to the 2600 port? I've only seen the first one.

I played this game very briefly yesterday at MGC. I'm intrigued and want to know more. It was fun, looked like it had potential to be a good game, and was inside a nicely decorated cabinet with marquee, control panel graphics and bezel. What's the story?

I think I found the answer to my question. Which only leads to more questions...http://atariage.com/forums/topic/254988-the-arena-prototype-gottlieb-arcade-game/

Stopped in briefly today. It was packed! Had a good time, bought some stuff and briefly played an arcade game I thought was called Gottlieb Arena. It had a Tempest-like spinner and a joystick to shoot. I had to go before I could learn more about it, seemed like a cool game but I can't find and info on it online. Can someone tell me what that was I played?

So I finally got the SD card loaded up and the video out connected to the TV. I must admit the coolness factor, and usefulness, has gone up dramatically. The tiny screen on the unit is really a bummer for me. But holding 700+ games in your hand and connecting them to the big screen is awesome. The Flashback Portable really takes on a whole new personality when used this way. Highly recommended!

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Maybe that's the best solution. The only drawback would be the ability to update the high score threads. But we could all take turns sharing the responsibility and selecting our favorite games to play. I like it. Either way, Mappy is cool. I hope to find some time to play this round.

Cool. Thanks for stepping up, RR. April 10? Does that mean a 4-week interval between rounds moving forward or is that just how it works out for you this time?

Absolutely. Make no mistake, this is not a scripted action game that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a game of exploration, collecting, and enjoying the experience at your own pace. And the latest updates that allow you to build home bases to store your collected stuff really reinforces this. The 2 updates they've had for the game so far have been substantial and added a great deal of content to the experience. It's really a shame that it's been overshadowed by the hype and response from overreacting kids. With solid updates like this hopefully they'll finally move past the debut silliness and continue to refine what is already a really unique and fun game.

So sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing that picture with us. Definitely a window into happier, more innocent times. It's great that you have this!

Path Finder update gets released today and adds, among many other goodies, vehicles! I've been playing this game on and off for a few months now. It does have the potential to get repetitive and boring but still manages to draw me in from time to time. I agree with the "fun and relaxing" assessment. Definitely not a hardcore shooter or action game but it certainly has a cool vibe that transports you. And with the added ability to race vehicles across the planets this has some real potential now. I'm excited. I'll have to update tonight so it's ready to play by the weekend.

I called it an opportunity to make an Airplane! reference.

What about a leaflet? Although I suppose it's not as light as, say, "Famous Jewish Sports Legends."

So much for that. BB&B looks like they've sold out around here. Target still has it but they want $50 for it. Definitely not worth that kind of money.

Yeah, I'm not sure why I bought mine either. I already have a real 2600 and carts. I also have the Atari's Greatest Hits collection for my iPad so I have portability covered off. I guess I'm still a sucker for the Atari name and the thought of getting an Atari at Christmas again sounded like fun. Thanks for the SD card info, especially as it relates to Mac. I haven't tried an SD card yet but I intend to. I want to try the video out as well. I appreciate both those features and they may very well turn this into a useful device at some point. As a side note, I'm considering getting a Flashback 7 for the family Christmas gift exchange this year. I'm not sure it would be appreciated by everyone but I know my brothers would dig it if they got it. And it's so hard to actually find a useful gift at the price that everyone would appreciate. We're all of the age that would fondly remember the Atari so I think it's as good a choice as any. Certainly better than the Shirley Temple DVD collection someone ended up with one year. (Insert roll eyes emoticon here.)