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What consoles would you like to see made as a flashback


maxdrive

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Target?

 

Oh, like the Target-exclusive Oregon Trail handheld? Sheesh, I hope not.

 

Though I would be all over a dedicated X-wing/TIE Fighter handheld if it were handled well, with custom controls and a cool case.

 

I have the Oregon Trail handheld and liked it a lot (review link). I definitely think there's a future in this form factor/style as long as you target the right games (Carmen Sandiego was one that immediately came to mind). Certainly the Star Wars games and the like would easily fit that mold, although those HAVE been explored quite aggressively in various plug and plays already, albeit not in the more sophisticated form of X-Wing/Tie Fighter. Still, at least until too many of these get released, I'd definitely be down with a few more single game, "deluxe" handhelds like the Oregon Trail.

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Up until recently, I had a few Telstar Arcades. The multi-function control panel and add-ons were undeniably neat, but it's also undeniable that it's little more sophisticated than your typical all-in-one color Pong system. There's really little redeeming about any of the games, making it one of only a handful of systems I'd say to absolutely pass on unless you're a collector of interesting historical novelties.

 

For comparison, other consoles I'd say should be a hard pass for the vast majority of people except under particular circumstances/desire includes the RCA Studio II and APF M/MP1000. The former doesn't do much and has oddball controls, and the latter has only one game worth bothering with, Space Destroyers (a solid Space Invaders clone, but nothing more), which is naturally one of the harder games to acquire for a reasonable price.

Only worth it if you can imagine yourself in 1977 with this "thing" that came with a steering wheel, gun and pong controllers installed, and the triangular carts. Although, I suppose that could apply to anything "elaborate" at the time, like the Atari VCS or the "more arcade oriented" ColecoVision.

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Only worth it if you can imagine yourself in 1977 with this "thing" that came with a steering wheel, gun and pong controllers installed, and the triangular carts. Although, I suppose that could apply to anything "elaborate" at the time, like the Atari VCS or the "more arcade oriented" ColecoVision.

 

The only one that may still be worth it today to get in the Telstar line-up for the average vintage gaming enthusiast is Telstar Combat!:

 

hqdefault.jpg

 

Although I would think the relative primitive nature of the games (basically the Tank games from Combat) might still be a turn-off after a while:

 

coleco_telstar-combat_ss2.jpg

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I'm thinking a GameGear or Lynx handheld w/TV out would also be decent possibilities.

 

A Game Gear/SMS handheld is possible to happen again (thanks mostly to there being plenty of Sonic games), but Lynx is not. Atari only has a handful of Lynx releases still in their IP catalog and most people don't even remember the Lynx as actually existing. It's just not a viable mass market product candidate.

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Picking up on something already stated in the thread, a device specifically designed to run SCUMM VM with a few games on it would be really neat. There are ways to do that on tablets and PCs of course, but something dedicated would grab my attention for sure.

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Certainly the Star Wars games and the like would easily fit that mold, although those HAVE been explored quite aggressively in various plug and plays already, albeit not in the more sophisticated form of X-Wing/Tie Fighter.

 

Unfortunately all the Star Wars plug-n-plays to date have not been very good. I want something more like this. Of course, considering I'm unwilling to pay a modest $200 for Playstation VR, I can keep on wishing.

 

 

 

The only one that may still be worth it today to get in the Telstar line-up for the average vintage gaming enthusiast is Telstar Combat!:

 

hqdefault.jpg

 

 

 

That thing looks great for SEGA's Virtual On! Stick a powerful Android-on-a-chip system in there and emulate the Dreamcast version of VOOT.

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Picking up on something already stated in the thread, a device specifically designed to run SCUMM VM with a few games on it would be really neat. There are ways to do that on tablets and PCs of course, but something dedicated would grab my attention for sure.

 

I'm gonna stick an Android tablet into a young coconut and install the Monkey Island games. How much would you pay?

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That thing looks great for SEGA's Virtual On! Stick a powerful Android-on-a-chip system in there and emulate the Dreamcast version of VOOT.

 

That might actually not be a bad idea. Have other tank control games like Battlezone on there and that might be a pretty appealing mass market product.

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An Atari 2600/5200/7800/400/800/etc console would give name recognition plus a potentially huge library. Pick and choose the best version of each classic game, and/or have other versions on a hidden menu. You could call it the Ataribox (ducks and runs) but seriously, this should meet the requirements and give us collectors something fresh.

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I'm surprised no one has made a Hi-Def pinball plug and play of some sort. Could be a controller that has flipper buttons spaced out the same distance as a real table, plays pinball arcade, something like that.

There's a SD one, I own it. Kind of a standard controller type shape. You can see the mostly useless amazon listing for it here: https://www.amazon.com/Plug-Play-Classic-Arcade-Pinball/dp/B0001GBRNW

 

It has 3 tables, saves the scores if I remember right. Has a pinball plunger in the middle of it to simulate the pull back when firing off the ball to start each time. Jakks Classic Arcade Pinball.

 

There is a youtube video here you can view and it tells you how the controller works. The thing has 2 choices on flippers as well as also if you slap it, it you can bang the machine (and tilt if you get abusive with it) to nudge the ball.

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The only one that may still be worth it today to get in the Telstar line-up for the average vintage gaming enthusiast is Telstar Combat!:

 

hqdefault.jpg

 

Although I would think the relative primitive nature of the games (basically the Tank games from Combat) might still be a turn-off after a while:

 

coleco_telstar-combat_ss2.jpg

Absolutely loved this! My cousin had one and we would play for hours.

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For some reason I want an Astrocade Flashback. I know most of the games are clones, & I know there's limited market potential, so it'll probably never happen, but I'd still like to see it.

 

Cassette Vision/Super Cassette Vision would be cool too. Again, probably won't happen, but I'd still like to see it.

 

:)

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For some reason I want an Astrocade Flashback. I know most of the games are clones, & I know there's limited market potential, so it'll probably never happen, but I'd still like to see it.

 

Cassette Vision/Super Cassette Vision would be cool too. Again, probably won't happen, but I'd still like to see it.

 

:)

 

I think your only hope would be if Bally somehow woke up and decided they cared about video games again. Whatever exists of Bally today probably doesn't own any of their old properties, but if they do then there would be an outside shot at a Bally PnP that had some of the Astrocade games.

 

I'm mainly making this comment to find out if someone knows if all the arcade stuff was somehow spun off to Midway or if Bally Technologies has any ownership of their old arcade titles. I have to say that with the popularity of these things that if they were ever going to do it, now would probably be the time.

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For some reason I want an Astrocade Flashback. I know most of the games are clones, & I know there's limited market potential, so it'll probably never happen, but I'd still like to see it.

 

Cassette Vision/Super Cassette Vision would be cool too. Again, probably won't happen, but I'd still like to see it.

 

:)

 

Maybe the Japanese market for the latter, but I really don't see any scenario anywhere for the former.

 

All-in-all, even though it seems like it, I don't think there's a generic retro nostalgia out there, but one that is focused on very specific, very high profile things. That's why we continue to see the same things get released/lionized.

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On the topic of this thread, I'd be happy to pass on any really good suggestions directly to the powers-that-be at AtGames, who are always eager to listen to new ideas (and you'll see a lot of cool stuff from us later this year - hopefully the announcements for most of it will happen before E3). The caveat is you have to think from a reasonably large number of available licenseable games (and the bigger the names, the better) and work your way back from there to the actual platform or platforms.

 

We're also looking into the DIY/edu-kit space, so if you have any suggestions around that, again, I'd be happy to pass any of the solid ideas on.

Would that be like a raspberry PI kind of thing a kit to put together your own handheld?
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