Atari Lynx
I’ve always backed the underdog.
When all my friends had a C64 or Spectrum, I had an Amstrad. When they had Amigas and Atari STs, I plumped for a Master System. It was never intentional, it just kind of happened.
I didn’t like the appeal of the Game Boy on its release. I wanted power in my hands, raw colourful power, and Atari’s Lynx didn’t disappoint. I loved its arcade conversions and cute pin badges. I adored the fact it had a lit screen and I couldn’t get enough of Blue Lightning, which felt like After Burner in the palm of your hands.
Yes the battery life was pants, but my god did it have some incredible arcade conversions and I would try and buy every game that caught my eye. I sold my collection and I always regretted it (it’s up there with trading my SNES collection and 70 japanese games for an Amiga 1200). To rectify this I recently purchased the above machine. Partly for nostaglia and partly to celebrate its incoming 25th anniversary.
The screen is obviously looking a little washed out today, and some of the games have aged, but conversions like Robotron and Roadblasters still hold up incredibly well. I think the love affair is beginning all over again.
