Toki (Atari Lynx review)

Developer: Atari Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1992

Toki is an action-platformer that was first released in the Arcade in 1989.

+ Great level design with a nice assortment of enemies, environmental hazards and stage verticality to mix things up.

+ Provides ample opportunities to gain power-ups, with some only obtainable by skillfully jumping off foes' heads.

+ Solid controls and your ability to fire diagonally opens up your attack arsenal and protects you from airborne enemies.

+ Has multiple continues, the graphics make good use of the handheld's colour palette, and the fun bosses have giant sprites.

- Projectiles blend into the backgrounds, and there's one-hit kills instead of the life bar found in the NES port (1991).

- As a lead character, Toki is lacking in personality and charm, especially when compared to Bonk (Turbografx-16).

32 in 1 (Atari 2600 / Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Atari Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1988

32 in 1 is a compilation of Atari 2600 games that was only released in PAL territories.

+ Ensures there's something for everyone by including titles in multiple genres, such as action, puzzle and board games. 

+ Robust sports list available, including Skiing which is a real highlight with its multiple layouts and ultra-precise controls.

+ Fun multiplayer action, with games such as Air Sea Battle and Freeway Chicken offering engaging high score battles.

- Having to power cycle the console to load the next game is cumbersome, especially when you want the last title in the list!

- Popular Atari games such as Asteroids and Centipede are absent, making this a muted showcase of the 2600 library.

- Blackjack is a peculiar inclusion given its Paddle Controller requirement, and NFL Football has a ton of flicker.

- Has duplicate titles with weird graphical hacks, and Fishing even introduces collision detection issues with your line.

Midnight Mutants (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Radioactive Software
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1990

Midnight Mutants is an action-adventure game that's exclusive to the Atari 7800.

+ Does a respectable job of guiding you via the comprehensive manual and in-game hints you receive from Grampa.

+ Game's scope is impressive with plenty of interesting areas to explore and an array of upgradeable items to hunt down.

+ Great dichotomy of initially leaving you defenceless before allowing you to power-up to battle remarkably large bosses.

+ From the opening cinematic, the presentation is top-notch and the atmosphere brilliantly evokes a campy horror vibe.

- Has a seriously irritating habit of placing you on top of an enemy when entering a new area, resulting in unfair damage.

- Respawning bats are annoying and some foes can withstand a barrage of hits, even when you have the Mega Blaster.

- Isometric viewpoint conflicts with the standard four-way controls, leading to inaccuracy when judging spatial distance.

Ms. Pac-Man (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: General Computer Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1987

Ms. Pac-Man is a maze game that was originally released in the Arcade in 1982 as the sequel to Pac-Man (1980, Arcade).

+ Eight difficulty settings are available to cater to your skill level and the cute cut-scenes provide an adorable back story.

+ While the original game only had one maze, this sequel has four well-designed layouts to keep you invested longer term.

+ Ghosts have unique behaviours and speeds, and their A.I. is incredible as you can actively watch them trying to flank you.

+ Bonus fruits return, but this time with the treacherous twist of bouncing around the playfield to raise the suspense.

+ Extra tunnels have been introduced to the mazes, which is a brilliant idea that gives you multiple ways to escape foes.

+ While the Atari 5200 version (1983) only gave you three lives, this port affords you five to extend play sessions.

- Controls can get stuck on maze corners, and there's little reason to upgrade from the four-year-old Atari 5200 game.

Fatal Run (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Sculptured Software
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1990

Fatal Run is a vehicular combat game that was also released on the Atari 2600 (1990).

+ Combat is reminiscent of RoadBlasters (1987, Arcade) but with added rear weapons, and the password option is terrific.

+ Shops offer a robust selection of upgrades, repairs and weapons that provide a multitude of ways to tackle each stage.

+ Between stage cut-scenes have neat parallax scrolling, and keeping civilians alive to earn currency is an addicting hook.

- Gameplay is repetitive and the driving is mundane, as there's long stretches where you're waiting for foes to appear.

- If the HUD didn't display your speed, you'd likely have no idea if you're currently running a Basic or Turbo engine.

- Slippery physics make careful manoeuvring between lanes an unnatural task, almost like you're skating on ice.

- Roadside scenery is barren and there's some weird scaling issues where cars and hazards float above the track!

Joust (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: General Computer Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1987

Joust is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1982 before being ported to the Atari 5200 a year later.

+ Action is fast and fluid with an impressive physics engine, and there's various wave types to keep things interesting.

+ Having to collect eggs before they re-hatch creates tension, as does quickly eliminating buzzards to avoid Pterodactyls.

+ Shrewdly, you can override the respawn animation after a death to get back into the action at the most opportune time.

+ Improved controls vs. the 5200 thanks to digital inputs that negate drifting from the former's non self-centring analog stick.

- However, the NES game (1988) does trump it with its multiple button layout that allows you to flap at normal or fast speed.

- Animation is noticeably choppier than the Atari 5200 version and the ability to pinball off surfaces isn't as prominent.

- Aside from a minor graphical spruce-up, there's not much reason to buy this over the four-year-old Atari 5200 port.

Rampage (Atari Lynx review)

Developer: Atari Corporation
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1990

Rampage is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1986.

+ Stage structure is divided into different cities to aid progression, and the multiplayer mode supports up to four people.

+ Includes four monsters (one exclusive), and recognising what items harm or heal you requires quick thinking.

+ Graphics are gorgeous with beautiful pixel art and animation, along with huge sprites that showcase ample personality.

- Gameplay is mind-numbingly repetitive and there's barely anything new that gets introduced to keep you engrossed.

- Despite taking place in various cities, everything looks the same and the game offers little in the way of scenic variety.

- Action is incredibly zoomed-in, to the point where you can't always see lightning bolts or when a building is about to fall.