1993 Lynx Awards

1993 Lynx Awards
by Robert A. Jung

After doing the 1991 and 1992 Lynx Awards, a 1993 Awards was all but inevitable. Not that anyone was complaining; I enjoyed writing them, people enjoyed reading them (at least, the supporters were asking for it, and the dissenters didn't tell me to stop), and it was non-toxic bio-degradable fun.

Unfortunately, Atari's Lynx support all but died in 1994, thus precluding any future Lynx Awards (it was too much like speaking to an empty auditorium). Perhaps, when Lynx activity finally dies down (it's not over yet, with a few new titles still scheduled for release), I may sit down once more and write an "Ultimate Lynx Awards"...?

Well, drain my batteries and call me dim-bulbed. I started the "Rob's 1991 Lynx Awards" way back when more as an idle muse than anything else, an obscure little post to kill some bandwidth during the Internet-wide Winter break. By the time December 31st, 1992 rolled around, I got a few requests for another list, so I dutifully jotted a few words and zipped it off. Now it's the end of 1993, and I've gotten requests for a "Best/Worst" Lynx list from as far back as November! What, people actually find this stuff useful? *Grin*

Don't ask, don't tell, as they say (where they is the Pentagon, at least). So, once again, with more demand than I would have figured, we roll out the podium and rent the tuxedos for another bloodbath at

Rob's 1993 Lynx Awards

Once again, we'll look back at the 1993 game releases for the Atari Lynx handheld video game system, along with related happenings from Atari Corp. itself. Along the way, we'll salute the best and the brightest, razz the worst and the dumbest, and maybe work in a few cheap jokes along the way. Once again -- because nobody else wanted the job -- I'll play judge, jury, and executioner. Relax, sit back, and enjoy the show.

And without further ados -- we're low tonight -- let's go!

Game of the Year
BATTLEWHEELS. The first title from newcomer Beyond Games has just about everything for everyone -- blazing-hot arcade action, strategy and depth, tons of options, high-speed first-person graphics, and true multiplayer ComLynx support. While it can be argued that playing alone is not as much fun as with a crowd, it still offers enough flexibility to accommodate most players. Beyond Games' success with this title has led to a firm commitment to more exciting projects with the Lynx and the Jaguar, making this a classic Horatio Alger story. In recognition of the quality of the game and the dedication of the company, Battlewheels is heralded as the 1993 Atari Lynx Game of the Year.

Runner-up:
JIMMY CONNORS' TENNIS. Handmade Software strikes yet again with another highly playable sports game on the Lynx. This four-megabit monster features crisp, responsive controls, fluid graphics, realistic sound effects and voices, a twenty-four rung tournament ladder, passwords for long-term playing, and ComLynx capability for up to four Lynxes. This is a worthy addition to anyone's game library.

* * *
Worst Game of the Year
PIT-FIGHTER. It's not the worst game ever written for the Lynx, but that's paying it faint tribute. With unresponsive controls and confusing gameplay, the arcade fighting game has been reduced to a mindless session of button-jabbing. Choppy animation and bland sounds do nothing to enhance what little appeal there is in this card. Reportedly the first four-megabit Lynx game card, one can't help but wonder where the extra memory went.

Runner-up:
GORDO 106. The first Politically Correct video-game for the Lynx casts you as an escaped lab monkey out to fight the forces of animal research, cosmetics, and furriers. Too bad the rhetoric alone doesn't help overcome the awkward controls, sub-average sounds, and choppy graphics that infest this card. Other side-scrolling platform titles on the Lynx simply play better, and without including a message along the way.

* * *
Best Adaptation
DESERT STRIKE. Telegames and Teque London Ltd. have pulled off 1993's mind-boggling feat in their adaptation of the Electronic Arts action/strategy game. Just about every feature and nugget of the original eight-megabit Sega Genesis cartridge has been crammed into this two-megabit Lynx card. Fans of the original will be right at home with the Lynx version, and those who have never played Desert Strike get the pleasure of discovering the depth and fun in this title.

Runner-up:
LEMMINGS. They said that the author of the original Amiga version of Lemmings was so enamored with the Atari Lynx that he wanted to do the Lynx version personally. It shows, as this card retains every bit of playability in the groundbreaking puzzle game. Some of the screens and controls have been rearranged, but the changes are trivial and all work to benefit the Lynx version.

* * *
Best Action Game
BATTLEWHEELS. Yes, it has options for strategic play. Yes, you can build and rebuild cars until the cows come home. But if you want no-nonsense mindless action, Battlewheels delivers that equally well. The controls are simple and responsive while providing access to a complex array of features, and the fast, scaling graphics never fall behind the frantic pace of the game. Get a bunch of like-minded friends, ComLynx everyone together, pick sides, then stand back!

Runner-up:
POWER FACTOR. Big guns, bigger aliens, and spectacular explosions -- all you really need for a great action game, right? Almost. Power Factor tries, it really does, to be a simple, mindless action game, but is tripped up by an awkward control scheme that may trip up some players. A little more work, and this game could have gone very far.

* * *
Best Strategy Game
LEMMINGS. Yes, by now most people have played this game to death on any of a dozen consoles and platforms. Still, the Lynx version is lots of fun, and judged on its own standards, will not disappoint anyone who wants to give the green-haired critters another twirl on the go. All of the puzzles (120 in all) are delightfully frustrating, and make wistful Atarians dream someday of a Lynx port of Lemmings 2: The Tribes.

Runner-up:
DINOLYMPICS. Known as Humans on most other machines (and Evolution/Dino-Dudes on the Jaguar), this Atari-developed puzzle property is a challenging mindbender in its own right. A few kinks in the game design lessen its appeal somewhat, as time limits pressure the player and repetitive actions bore the player. Still, overall it is a good game, albeit one that some will find more appealing than others.

* * *
Best Sports Game
JIMMY CONNORS' TENNIS. Finding a flaw with this title is hard. It offers great graphics, great sound, a satisfying wealth of options, and it's multiplayer to boot. The learning curve is a little steep at first, but there is nothing that cannot be overcome with some practice. If only all Lynx sports games were this good.

Runner-up:
EUROPEAN SOCCER CHALLENGE. A very respectable version of the popular sport, this Telegames title easily surpasses Atari's own dismal World Class Soccer The crisp controls are enhanced with some elegant graphics, though the near-total lack of sound is a disappointment. This card won't make converts out of non-soccer fans, but will please the numerous enthusiasts around the world.

* * *
Best Graphics
POWER FACTOR. This game certainly looks nice, at least. Massive sprites, fluid animation, smooth multidirectional scrolling, good use of color and details. The cartoonish look of the characters is not for everyone, but certainly appeals to players who prefer their gaming with a tongue-in-cheek feel. Too bad the rest of the game doesn't quite measure up...

* * *
Best Music/Sound
MALIBU BIKINI VOLLEYBALL. What the game lacks in complexity, it makes up for in its background music. The card features ten soundtracks in all, ranging from fast rock to easy listening, and there's bound to be at least a tune or three to please anyone. In sheer gratuitous overkill, Malibu Bikini Volleyball even features a "CD player" that allow players to select tracks, program playing order, and generally goof around.

Runner-up:
LEMMINGS. Eighteen bouncy tunes, friendly sound effects, and a few digitized samples keeps this puzzle game a constant delight for the ears. The only flaw comes when stereo headphones are used -- for some reason, all of the sound effects come through only one ear...

* * *
The "We can't decide what to call this, so we'll call it everything" Award
DINOLYMPICS, EVOLUTION/DINO-DUDES, HUMANS. One concept, one game, one title. Somehow Atari seems to have misplaced this rather simple rule, as their in-house puzzle game went through enough name changes in 1993 to baffle all but the most observant. Licensed to Gametek as Humans on non-Atari consoles, released by Atari as Dinolympics on the Lynx, and it's now slated to appear on the Atari Jaguar as Evolution/Dino-Dudes (what, one name wasn't enough, so it gets two?). Don't even get me started on how weak Atari's own names are...

* * *
Smartest Move of the Year
THE ATARI JAGUAR. No, this isn't a gratuitous plug for the new Atari machine. Instead, genuine credit must be given to Atari's handling of the announcement and release of their new 64-bit console. From the use of controlled formal announcements before the press, to the signing of IBM for manufacturing and distribution, to the early recruitment of numerous third-party development firms, to the quick responses to an early problem with the RF switchboxes, to the return of advertising in print and television, to the follow-up calls to Jaguar owners, there are numerous signs that Atari is truly making an effort to succeed with their new console. Only time will tell if the efforts can be maintained, but for now, the Jaguar has a hopeful start.

* * *
Dumbest Move of the Year
LYNX DOWNSIZING. No, you weren't imagining things; Lynx units, coverage, and games have been disappearing like winter snow on a summer day. The exact causes are uncertain, though Atari's 1993 re-orientation towards the Jaguar is the most likely cause. Whatever the reason, Lynx enthusiasts had their patience tested throughout most of the year, waiting for more news and titles for their favorite portable game system. Things are turning for the better as the year ends, with more games being released, the return of advertising, and the promise of more in 1994, but that does not absolve the dearth of Lynx units in the stores and coverage in the magazines.

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