35 BATMAN RETURNS (Atari, 1992)
Batman Returns is a very standard Final Fight/Rygar clone with horrible music that's definitely not from that mega hit movie. There is nothing special about this action game at all and the large characters only limit the movement and control of Batman himself. Why does Atari fail so hard when they get movie licenses?
For 1 player only
graphics: 5
sound: 2
gameplay: 3
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74 BLUE LIGHTNING (Atari/Eypx, 1989)
This 3D flight simulation here looks and plays awesome. The game's stunning environments are well done and the fighter jets look really detailed as well and it's amazing this came out in 1989. The game plays similar to Sega's Afterburner where you shoot down enemy aircrafts to earn points and try to survive of course. There is no game music though and the action can get repetitive since you're just blasting stuff here but that's the game's only real black eye since everything else is awesome.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 2
gameplay: 6
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56 DOUBLE DRAGON (Telegames/Technos Japan, 1986, 1993)
The legendary arcade beat em up comes to the Atari Lynx here too but it's not as good as I would have hoped. In this fun side scroller you must beat up a deadly gang of street thugs on a mission to save your kidnapped girlfriend. Although the translation looks good, we're missing some important things like actual parts of the levels so the game ends up being shorter then before and even some of the enemies are no longer here from the fun arcade game. It still plays OK but it's simply too short and too easy to be taken too seriously as a recommend port.
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
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70 GATES OF ZENDOCON (Atari, 1989)
I was expecting the worst here but Atari's Gates of Zendocon was actually a fairly decent shooter that packs a lot depth for a game of this genre. Although the action can get a little repetitive at times since there are tons of stages here but the game can be a very long and challenging quest to shoot crap.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 3
gameplay: 7
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50 GAUNTLET III The Third Encounter (Atari, 1989)
The third game in the series looks fairly good with some new scaling effects, but the action really got very boring after a while plus what's the deal with all the goofy characters like nerds and punks being in a medieval world, uh? If you don't know the series you control one of several different characters with there own strengths and weaknesses as they try to survive to monster infested dungeons. One problem I have with the new Gauntlet here is the action is too zoomed in action so the game may look better but it's harder to see all the enemies and traps around you and it makes the game less fun then the more popular arcade and NES versions available. Gauntlet 3 is not one of the strongest games you'll encounter for the Lynx.
For 1 to 4 players
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 7
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BEST ATARI LYNX GAME!
78 KLAX (Atari, 1990)
Although we didn't get a real Tetris on this portable unit (at least officially), we did get this unique arcade puzzler instead. Klax is an excellent tile dropping puzzle game where you match colours to complete something called a Klax in order to score points and complete multiple objectives. This game doesn't change too much level to level but it comes with amazing digital voices and some nice 3D graphics too. Klax can be very addictive!
For 1 or 2 players
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 6
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42 KUNG FOOD (Atari, 1991)
Do you like puns? Kung Food is a very strange and ultimately unfair Final Fight type clone where you fight out of control renegade vegetables in your freezer fridge? "I'm not kidding here!" Maybe the idea is a little weird but what kills the title is the cheap difficulty here. OK, I also took away points for the dumb idea.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
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70 MS. PACMAN (Atari/Namco, 1982/1990)
The Lynx version of one of the biggest arcade legends of all time has some new mazes added and even a new power up, which helps this aging maze series a little bit I guess. In the game you simply out run 4 multiple coloured ghosts to eat all the pellets on the screen. "You can't go wrong with a good Pac Man game, I always say!"
For 1 player only
graphics: 4
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
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Game of the Month Winner!
74
NINJA GAIDEN
(Atari/Tecmo, 1988/1990)I know there are a dozen Ninja Gaiden games out there but this game plays like the original arcade game and NOT the old cheap-hits NES version, which I was never really a super fan of. The style of the game is similar to other side scrolling fighting games like Double Dragon and not a action platformer so it feel like completely different game. Ninja Gaiden is one tough game but it is still a very cool fighting game for Lynx owners!
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 7
gameplay: 7
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66 NINJA GAIDEN III: The ancient ship of doom (Atari/Tecmo, 1994)
Fans looking for Ninja action on the Lynx are in luck but this Ninja Gaiden game plays just like it's counterpart on the NES. It doesn't look or sound has good thanks to the blurry visuals and crappy audio plus the buttons are reversed for some reason too, but it's mostly all here and this 2D platformer is very playable since you're a super agile blue ninja that slices anything that moves. Ninja Gaiden III is a very challenging and well made action game so this ancient game is worth a look.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 5
gameplay: 7
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59 QIX (Telegames/Taito, 1993)
Remember the 80's?! Qix is a simple puzzle game where you have to draw on the game board but it's still pretty hard because the Qix energy beam and guardian sparks stands in your way. The game play is addictive if you like going for the high score (which the game doesn't save) but the graphics are weak and the sound effects here aren't very good either. C'mon, after seeing stuff like Blue Lightning and Ninja Gaiden the Lynx can better then this.
For 1 player only
graphics: 3
sound: 3
gameplay: 7
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Special Lynx Release!
50 RAIDEN (Telegames, 1998)
The legendary arcade shoot em up finally arrives on the ol' Lynx but it's far from perfect. First off there are Four entire levels are missing from the original (4, 5, 7, and 8) and the game is a little on the hard side as well because enemies continue to shoot wildly even though this is one player only now. It should be noted that the Lynx Raiden game also has no game music either and the sound effects are very weak as well. Why can't most programmers do game music very well on the Lynx? Still a great classic shooter for the lynx but don't expect to be blown away.
*Rare Lynx game
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 1
gameplay: 6
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62 ROAD BLASTERS (Tengen/Atari Games, 1991)
This racing game here lets you blast away at some rival cars (although some can't be destroyed) while you try to reach the end of the stage unfortunately Road Blasters doesn't change very different from level to level plus you really have to be careful of your very limited time here. This was one of Atari's arcade games from the 1980's and it features a wide selection of 50 levels, limited guns, and different enemies types here. Road Blasters on the Lynx has some nice 3D effects and the sound effects weren't too bad either but the game play isn't the most in-depth and it isn't very ideal for portable gaming since there is no password or save feature here.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 6
gameplay: 6
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60 RYGAR (Atari/Tecmo, 1991)
This plays like the arcade version and not the cool NES version. Rygar is a fairly standard action game with very linear levels so that means you get nothing but straight forward action here. This was a good action title but I liked the NES game better though because it was more like a action/RPG.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 4
gameplay: 5
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63 SHADOW OF THE BEAST (Atari/Psychosis, 1993)
In this semi-popular PC game now Atari Lynx bound you control a man that was transformed into a mutant and now you are looking for a cure. Sadly for a mutant your attacks are almost useless in this game! The game does have some excellent graphics and music but what's the point if you character can't even throw the decent hit to begin with? Still a decent port of the infamous action game.
For 1 player only
graphics: 8
sound: 7
gameplay: 4
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64 S.T.U.N. RUNNER (Atari, 1987/1991)
Stun Runner is a fast moving 3D driving/action game in the future that is kind of similar too a new age Tempest. The game may look amazing yet the difficulty may turn a lot away. So far this cool looking arcade translation is only available for the Lynx unless you count some collection packs out there.
For 1 player only
graphics: 7
sound: 5
gameplay: 6
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65 TOKI (Atari/Taito, 1992)
Here is a good arcade port of the monkey spitting action game which is also on the Sega Genesis and NES. In this game Toki the warrior was transformed into a funny looking ape after his girlfriend was captured by a evil wizard, can the hero save his love in his new altered state or will he remand a lowly but still powerful monkey forever? Toki is on the short side with only 5 worlds but it's a very playable 2D platformer.
For 1 player only
graphics: 6
sound: 7
gameplay: 6
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