Atari Flashback Petition: Please Help!

[Pengo]

Howdy!
I saw an ad for the Atari Flashback system in the local Target flyer and, being the classic gaming geek that I am, I immediately rushed out to Target to pick one up. For a mere $34.99 I was blessed with the highest quality, feature-packed retro-system I have ever laid eyes upon until....... I plugged it in.

Here's my beef:
Lately, the retro gaming fad has reached new heights of popularity with systems like the Jakk's Pacific Plug-N-Play consoles, which is great! And now, finally, the Godfather of classic game systems has decided to produce an official Atari retro gaming system, which is also great! The problem is that MOST of the games included in the Atari Flashback system are either extremely lame, or they've already been released by other companies.

It is my opinion that the packaging, style, production, layout, features and hardware included with the Flashback system are all top-notch but I feel that if they were going to tap into the style and abilities of the 7800, the system should have included 20 7800 exclusive games. Games that are unique, playable and most of all, new to those consumers who either already have the plug-n-play systems and/or haven't had a chance to play a 7800 in a decade or two.

Let me say that the main screen that pops up when you turn on the Flashback system is nothing short of "cool-as-hell" and many props to whoever came up with the idea of stacks of cartridges on the screen! Also, the fact that the controllers, power plug, and a/v cables are all seperate entities that can be plugged in just like the original systems is also cool-as-hell.

Here's what I am suggesting: Let's get a petition going to get Atari (Infogrames) to release an Atari Flashback Version 2, with different games built in. Please, please, please help me out here. If for no other reason that to make a hard-core retro-gaming geek happy.
If you agree with my idea, post a reply with your pick for the top 20 Atari 7800 games that you would like to see included with the next incarnation of the Flashback system.

C'mon guys and gals... it can't be that hard. They're weren't that many games released for the 7800 to begin with. Happy Posting!

THANK YOU!!!! :noob: :bulb: :D :eek: :confused: :)

[Pengo]

I guess I'll be the first to list my pick of 20 games..... here goes.

Asteroids (3D 7800 version already included, great choice!)
Ballblazer (One that everyone had at one time.)
Choplifter (Great game, a must-have!)
Crack'ed (An unusual and original target game.)
Dark Chambers (Classic Gauntlet style game, how could you not include this one?)
Desert Falcon (I was dissapointed with the 7800 incarnation of this game but it's still a good concept.)
Donkey Kong (Nintendo would put up a fuss but it's worth it!)
Donkey Kong Jr. (ditto)
Food Fight (7800 version already included - Keep it!)
Ikari Warriors (Similar to Commando, but better!)
Joust (A classic!)
Klax (The mother of all prototypes, this one never seems to make it.)
Mario Bros. (I'm sure Nintendo would put up a fuss but it's worth it!)
Motor Psycho (A simple, yet fun motorcycle racing game)
Pole Position II (The pack-in game for the 7800, why was this left out?)
Rampage (Activision would surely give in)
Robotron: 2084 (Not the greatest game in the world, but popular and well-known for the 7800.)
Tower Toppler (A game that everyone who's ever played a 7800 had at one time!)
Xenophobe (Bally would have to give this one up.)
Xevious (Everyone had this - a classic)

In the case that Nintendo, Bally Midway or Data East wouldn't give up the rights to any of their respective games, my alternates would be Centipede, Galaga and Impossible Mission (as shaggy said - fixed, of course.)

[ShaggyAtarian]

I think that would be a great idea although my guess would be that they are working on a better version of the Flashback, at least I hope they are. Heck, I'd sign the petition anyways. A lot of classic gamers aren't happy with the Flashback due to the quality of the games not being up to par to expectations (which in most cases are way too high). I've yet to pick one up yet. And it also didn't make much sense to me to base it on the 7800 but only include 5 7800 games. I know that they had time restraints and there were some other factors but I hope that the next version is:

1) actually based on Atari hardware.

2) Has more games for a decent price

But I fully support new hardware coming out of Atari. It'd be nice to see something completely original come from them on a hardware level (Atari, even though it's had several different owners, always has been an innovative maker of hardware after all) but I guess we'll see if that will really happen. Many in the community (I admit I'd love to see this as well) would like to see a re-release the 7800, with a cartridge port and A/V hookups. That would really be cool and would be the best thing that could happen as far as the retro craze goes.

Anyways, now that I'm done ranting, if there were to be a 2nd Flashback with no cartridge port :downcast: the 20 games I'd chose would be:

Midnight Mutants
Ninja Golf
Scrapyard Dog
Centipede
Food Fight
Crossbow
Joust
BasketBrawl
Alien Brigade
BallBlazer
Tower Toppler
Commando
Impossible Mission (the FIXED version)
Klax
Ms. Pac-Man
Xevious
Robotron:2084
Xenophobe
Ikari Warriors
Galaga

I think that would be a perfect list as it would really show off the 7800's unique games as well as it's strengths. :up:

[ShaggyAtarian]

P.s. Just caught your second post. Looks like our lists are pretty close to the same thing. I didn't put the Nintendo ones since I figure it would be a big legal battle, but it would still be cool to have those. :cool:

[Pengo]

Originally posted by ShaggyAtarian
P.s. Just caught your second post. Looks like our lists are pretty close to the same thing. I didn't put the Nintendo ones since I figure it would be a big legal battle, but it would still be cool to have those. :cool:

Yeah, I also forgot Impossible Mission.... wasn't sure if that was the game that was truly impossible or not. Still a good one.
And I hesitated to include the Nintendo games but what the hell, one can dream.

[ShaggyAtarian]

Originally posted by Pengo
Yeah, I also forgot Impossible Mission.... wasn't sure if that was the game that was truly impossible or not. Still a good one.
And I hesitated to include the Nintendo games but what the hell, one can dream.

In it's current released form it is impossible, but there is a fixed NTSC ROM out there which could be used instead. It's too bad that the fixed version is extremely hard to find, then it would make the game worth playing.

Mario Bros. would be a great one to add if it weren't for legalities, as it's arcade perfect for the 7800. :up:

[BrokenDownFlier]

I'd like to see for the new version the ability for us to add new games to it via either downloads or special chips similiar in size/shape to a smart media card for digital cameras. That way they don't have to keep reinventing the wheel each time after F2 when it's released; plus it should keep their costs down in the long run.