15 replies to this topic

[WatchVenusSpa]

Hey all,

I just bought the Atari Flashback II and it has been a lot of fun reliving the classics. In spite of all of the games available to play I find myself going back to Asteroids and Centipede over and over!!!

Has anyone got the AF1 or AF2?

[jaybird3rd]

The Flashback 2 is great. I also like the Flashback 2+, which features a slightly different lineup containing more sports games. I'd skip the original Flashback unless you can find it very cheaply: it made the FB2 possible, but it really uses a Nintendo chipset, and the games included with it are reprogrammed (and significantly less polished) versions of the originals.

[WatchVenusSpa]

Cool. One thing that is pretty neat about the AF2 is the archive games that never got released on the 2600 and were polished for this console. (Alternative versions of Adventure and Asteroids come to mind here.) One thing I hope they can do is kiss and make up with the Activision crew long enough to get the Activision classics onto a console like this for the AF3!

[jaybird3rd]

They did a good job of creating alternate versions of some of the original games, and even adding in a few new titles along the way. Given more time and more money, some of those titles might have been a little more polished, but I'm still very impressed with the final product.

The Flashback 3, if it doesn't change substantially from Legacy Engineering's original concept, will actually be a departure from the Flashback 2 design: it will be based on the 400/800/5200 technology instead of the 2600 (see here for more information). The market for plug-and-play dedicated games seems to have dried up somewhat, but I'm really hoping the FB3 comes to pass someday: there are so many great games in the 400/800/5200 library that would work wonderfully in a Flashback-style console.

[WatchVenusSpa]

One thing I'd love to see in an AF3 is for them to FINALLY polish and release Cloak & Dagger!!! (If the legends are remotely true that a prototype was made but never produced.)

[jaybird3rd]

WatchVenusSpa, on Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:04 AM, said:

One thing I'd love to see in an AF3 is for them to FINALLY polish and release Cloak & Dagger!!! (If the legends are remotely true that a prototype was made but never produced.)

Dave Comstock, the programmer of the original 800/5200 Cloak & Dagger prototype, obtained an archival copy of his original source code from Curt Vendel, and at one point he was actually working on finishing the game in his spare time. It's been several years since I've heard any updates about that project, though.

[WatchVenusSpa]

Just spent 2 hours playing Secret Quest. In a word, AWESOME! What Venture could have been had they made sequels!!

[Retro Rogue]

Hopefully it's not one of the pirate consoles.

[WatchVenusSpa]

wgungfu, on Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:35 PM, said:

Hopefully it's not one of the pirate consoles.

No this is the officially licensed Atari Flashback 2+ console. (Read the box again and it is indeed the AF2+.) Good system if you love the classics. I just wish Space Invaders was on this.

[Dreammary]

I had two of the Flashback 2 consoles but gave one to a next door neighbor yesterday. I kept my boxed one though.


Mine!

If the plastic sticker has a wrong shaped "R" in Atari and to thick of text, then you bought one of the chinese pirates.



See the difference, copied from crsdawg

Edited by Dreammary, Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:51 PM.

[jaybird3rd]

WatchVenusSpa, on Sat Apr 23, 2011 3:44 PM, said:

No this is the officially licensed Atari Flashback 2+ console. (Read the box again and it is indeed the AF2+.) Good system if you love the classics. I just wish Space Invaders was on this.

Ah, so it's the FB2+ that you have. Good. The pirate FB2 units can be difficult to distinguish from the genuine ones, but there are some subtle differences. Here is a thread about them, in which several users have posted pictures of the counterfeit FB2.

[nathanallan]

The FB2+ is a great console. Have you read about the easter eggs within? Go looking, you'll love it

[Dreammary]

@nathanallan - Easter Eggs? Like what, does it justify me buying a FB2+? Message me please.

[nathanallan]

PM got and replied to, but really it's nicer to figure it out, and you can cheat using google to see how to do it. I told you one, you get to look up the other Fun stuff!

Oh, someone requested I make a video showing Yar's Return and Lunar Lander, so I will put that up soon, also will show off the exclusive/unreleased games on it.

Link to wikipedia

[BrianC]

nathanallan, on Sat Apr 23, 2011 5:43 PM, said:

PM got and replied to, but really it's nicer to figure it out, and you can cheat using google to see how to do it. I told you one, you get to look up the other Fun stuff!

Oh, someone requested I make a video showing Yar's Return and Lunar Lander, so I will put that up soon, also will show off the exclusive/unreleased games on it.

Link to wikipedia

Hi. That was me. I just got a FB2 (I checked in the topic since my dad got it for me at a yard sale and it's definitely a real one. The warning sticker on it is correct and it has a real Atari logo on the board). I'm curious about the new versions of the games since Lunar Lander is flickery and slow and Yar's Return is flickery and glitchy. I think I read in the forum that Space Duel and Asteroids Deluxe are the same versions as before? I heard Pong was fixed too, but I still like the earlier version.

Edited by BrianC, Sun Apr 24, 2011 12:16 AM.

[WatchVenusSpa]

nathanallan, on Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:52 PM, said:

The FB2+ is a great console. Have you read about the easter eggs within? Go looking, you'll love it

No I haven't heard about the Easter Eggs yet. Is the Warren Robbinett one from Adventure in there?