Super Classic Videogames

Atari Jaguarjaguar

Atari Jaguar

Billed as the first 64 bit system, which to this day still causes controversy. Its a sleek looking console that has a lot to offer. If you havent tried playing this system you will be pleased. It has an add on CD rom player which totally blew away the competition of its time. . It never did well due to poor advertising and marketing by Atari. Check it out and buy a piece of history.

Atari Jaguar Specs:

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Who knows where the Atari© Jaguar will end up in the grand scheme of gaming consoles?  Its launch started out as a controversial release with the competition arguing whether or not it truly was a 64-bit system. It had two 32-bit processors running in parallel which still is being argued as of today whether it’s a true 64-bit system.  Purest don’t agree with this claim and think it should be a 32-bit plus system. I personally think it’s perfectly acceptable to file it in the 64-bit category. But to deal with the controversy lets settle this debate with a compromise. Let’s make it a 48-bit system. Even with a compromise it won’t make many people happy.

Atari© launched this system with high expectations of its performance.  It was released as a cartridge based system (later on a CD-ROM expansion was released).  Atari© was secretive prior to its launch about this system.  Apparently Atari© was developing in parallel, two home console systems.  It was working on a 32-bit system (Atari Panther) as well as the 64-bit system (Atari Jaguar).  Ultimately the 32-bit system was scrapped and they decided to proceed with the more advance 64-bit system.  It was touted that it would have many third party programmers to develop games for this system.  This eventually would prove to be untrue. Only a handful of games were available for release at its launch.  This lack of third party support hurt the sales of Atari©.  It eventually had its production terminated in 1996 after a short run. Many people don’t realize that IBM was manufacturing the Jaguar system.  The release of the Sega Saturn and the Sony Playstation did not help the matter either.  Under developed games were released for this system and difficulty programming for this system was its ultimate demise.  The true 64-bit advanced technology was never fully realized in this system.

It’s a shame that this system didn’t smoke the other systems like it was predicted it was going to do hands down.  At its release it was competing against mere 16-bit machines.  Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis were its initial competitors and on paper it was going to be much more advanced.

 

Accessories:

 

Review index for Jaguar:
Alien Vs. Predator Atari 1994           A-
Atari Karts Miracle 1995           D
 Attack of the Mutant Penguins Sunrise Games 1995           F
Baldies (CD) Atari 1995           D-
Battlemorph (CD) Atari 1995           B
Blue Lightning (CD) Atari 1995           D-
 Brain Dead 13 (CD) Readysoft 1995           D
Brutal Sports Football Telegames 1994           B-
Bubsy Atari 1994           D
Cannon Fodder Virgin 1993           B+
Checkered Flag Atari 1994           F
Club Drive Atari 1994           F
Cybermorph Atari 1993           D
Defender 2000 Atari 1995           C+
Dragon's Lair (CD) ReadySoft 1995           B-
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Virgin 1994           F
 Evolution: Dino Dudes Atari 1993           F
Fight For Life Atari 1995           F
Flip Out! Atari 1995           F
Highlander (CD) Atari 1994           F-
Hover Strike (CD) Atari 1995           D+
Hyper Force Visual Impact 1995           B
I-War Atari 1995           D
Iron Soldier Atari 1994           B
Iron Soldier 2 (CD) Telegames 1996           B
Kasumi Ninja Atari 1994           D-
Missile Command 3D Atari 1995           B+
Myst (CD) Atari 1995           D
Pinball Fantasies Atari 1995           B-
Pitfall Activision 1995           D
Power Drive Rally Atari 1994           A-
Primal Rage (CD) Time Warner 1994           C+
Protector SE Songbird Productions 2002           A
Raiden Atari 1993           A-
Rayman Ubi Soft 1995           A-
Ruiner Pinball Atari 1995           A-
Sensible Soccer Telegames 1995           B
Skyhammer Songbird Productions 1999           B+
Soccer Kid Songbird Productions 2000           B-
Space Ace (CD) ReadySoft 1995           F
Super Burnout Virtual Xperience 1995           A
Supercross 3D Atari 1995           F
Syndicate Bullfrog 1994           D-
Tempest 2000 Atari 1994           A-
Theme Park Ocean 1995           B
Trevor McFur In The Crescent Galaxy Atari 1993           C
Troy Aikman Football Williams 1994           F
Ultra Vortek Atari 1995           B+
Val d'Isere Skiing and Snowboarding Atari 1994           C
Vid Grid (CD) Atari 1995           C-
White Men Can't Jump Atari 1995           F-
Wolfenstein 3D Atari 1994           B+
World Tour Racing (CD) Telegames 1996           C+
Zool 2 Gremlin 1995           A-
Zoop Viacom 1995           B

 

jaguar controller

The Atari Jaguar controller. (Notice the ability to use overlays over then numeric pad)

 

atari jaguar cd

 

atari cd

The Atari Jaguar CD unit.

cat box

Atari JAGUAR CAT BOX

 

brain cd

Example of the manual

iron soldier 2

Example of the CD game cover

Interesting Accessory Links

Atari Jaguar Skunk Board

 

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