JAG Journal AUG/SEPT 1994
JAGUAR JOURNAL AUG/SEPT 19
DOC+--d--FB7JAGUAR JOURNAL AUG/SEPT 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor's Desk.....................................1
Mortal Kombat Rumors..............................1
Allustrious Awards................................2
REVIEWS...........................................3
Brutal Sports Football........................3
Wolfenstein 3D................................4
Tempest 2000..................................5
MINI REVIEWS......................................7
CyberMorph....................................7
Evolution: Dino Dudes.........................7
Raiden........................................8
Trevor McFur in Crescent Galaxy...............9
PREVIEWS.........................................11
Alien vs Predator, Club Drive, Doom, Troy Aikman
NFL Football, and Kasumi Ninja
Other Release Dates..........................13
HARDWARE NEWS....................................13
Jaguar Voice Modem...........................13
PRESS RELEASES...................................13
CD-ROM Under $200............................14
Earnings.....................................15
Rayman.......................................16
DISCLAIMERS......................................17
WHERE I CAN BE REACHED...........................17
Editor's Desk
Welcome to a brand new e-zine dedicated to the Atari Jaguar only. The Jaguar Journal is for members of the Cat's Cool Club, founded by myself, Jeffrey Norwood. The Cat's Cool Club is the biggest Jaguar dedicated club on Prodigy, with over 60 members.
The first thing I'd like to point out is the fact that this issue contains reviews on all the games released in the beginning, because this is the first issue.
Next. To Atari. You have to get one or two "big" games and a mascot. I know that Primal Rage has a very good chance of coming out, considering its made by Time Warner Interactive. But, it could come out for another system, because TWI has signed on to 3DO, Ultra 64, 32X, Sega Saturn, and the Sony Playstation. Mortal Kombat 2 would also be great, although it could come out for other systems as well. Street Fighter 2 or Fighter's History would be a nice add on. What about WWF Rage in the Cage, or some Neo-Geo translations from Takara, like Samurai Showdown and Fatal Fury? As for mascots, Rayman seems to be a good one. Any of these would be a big boost for Atari.
CD. I know its going to be great, but make sure you include a real deal. Include BattleMorph, the Tempest soundtrack, and as a bonus, include a $25 coupon towards your next CD game purchase. That would be good.
Anything else? Not really. They've got over 40 games due out before Christmas, so that should be helpful. With the national rollout to Toys R Us, BJs, WalMart, Caldors, Sears, and other nation- wide stores, Atari will get good attention. Plus, with Television ads starting this Fall on the four kickoff games (Kasumi Ninja, Alien vs Predator, Doom, and Club Drive), Atari should boost sales at least to the 1/4-million mark before Christmas.
And we have to help. You can send all your ideas and beg Atari to: Atari Corporation; 1196 Borregas Ave; Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1302
or call - (408) 745-2000/1-800-GOATARI.
Don Thomas, head of Atari Customer Service Dept. can be reached online at EUKG11A, but don't pester him with too many questions - he has a job too. He is one of 58 Cat Club members.
Next issue, I will be taking questions and comments on the Jaguar, to be printed in the "Mail" section of this e-zine. Just write to: WTMJ44A. Your "Subject" should be "MAIL-" followed by what you're writing about if you want. You have the right to be heard, and can be heard right here.
MORTAL KOMBAT RUMORS CONTINUE TO FLY
Anyone who has read the latest issue of DieHard GameFan has probably seen the Postmeister letter from a person from New York complaining how the Jaguar may turn into a Lynx tragedy. In the Postmeister's reply, he said this about Mortal Kombat:
"As far as MK goes, Atari still maintains that it is coming out but they cannot "confirm" at this time."
What he really said was Atari wants it to come out but it isn't yet. GameFan has reported these rumors before. First, who wants MK on the Jaguar when MK2 is the talk of the street. MK would be good, but how much better than Sega CD version? It would have to surpass SNES graphics and Genesis gore to be good. MK2 is what I want. If they bring this out, they would immediately notice a rise in units sold. 3DO is about to go far beyond the Jaguar with Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Samurai Showdown. I hate 3DO owners, but it's true - if Atari doesn't bring out a few great titles from Takara, Capcom, Konami, and Acclaim, they could go downhill. The best thing that could happen is to have Time Warner Interactive translate Primal Rage before Christmas. That could boost sales tremendously. Don't get me wrong - Atari is doing a good job with Ultra Vortex and Kasumi Ninja - but if they don't bring out one or two nationally known titles, then the Jaguar's nine lives will be up.
UPDATE (this article was originally written in mid August): Although Williams has not given the Jaguar the game MKII, it is very close. A recent chat with a Williams Entertainment rep indicated "once Atari reaches the 100,000 unit mark, we will definitely consider. Our first two games will be like a 'test'". The first two games are Double Dragon V and Troy Aikman Football. He continued "MK will not arrive for the Jaguar, but MK2 has a 50/50 chance...MK3 has a much better chance, because by then, 16 bits will be gone, and the newer Ultra 64 and Saturn may not have the user base the Jaguar will have at the time...MK3 is due out in September 1995, although it could be pushed back to as far as March 1996...still, Ultra 64 will only be starting to get going at that point..." he continued saying the possibility of MK3 looks very good for the Jaguar.
ALLUSTRIOUS AWARDS
The following are what the Atari Jaguar and games for it have received in the past year.
AWARD BY WHOM/WHERE/WHEN(if avail)
Best New Game System Video Games Magazine/WCES
Best New Hardware System Game Informer/WCES
1993 Technical Achievement Award
of the Year DieHard Game Fan/WCES
1993's Best Print Ad VideoGames Magazine/?
Best Game of the Show (Tempest 2000) Electronic Games/WCES
Game of the Month (Tempest 2000) DieHard Game Fan/March
Game of the Month (Tempest 2000) Electronic Gaming Monthly
Editor's Choice Gold Award (Tempest 2000) " "/April
Best Hardware of the Year European Computer Trade
Show Award/April
Best Game of the Show (Doom) Electronic Games/SCES
CyberMorph was also voted by subscribers to GamePro, as a 3rd Place tie for Best Shooter of 1993.
The Jagaur CD should bring more awards to the great list of awards, plus Tempest 2000 could be a top contender for Best Music In A Game, while Kasumi Ninja could be a top contender for Best Fighting Game of the Year. Good work Atari and developers for the Jaguar.
REVIEWS
BRUTAL SPORTS FOOTBALL
Publisher: Telegames
Developer: Telegames
Megabits: 16
Available: NOW
Genre: Sports/Action
MSRP: $59.99
Telegames has never been known to produce great products. But, this is a good one. Its time to settle your craving for a little blood.
In Brutal Sports Football, the object is to outscore your opponenets by running the ball to the end zone...or just kill the entire team. Whatever you want. On the field, you play against all kinds of wierd people and aliens. The person with the ball in hand best run real fast, because the enemies are out to get you - and hurt...no, kill you. On the field lie some weapons, like sheilds and swords. Pick'em up, because they'll become useful. Getting the ball can be difficult. If you see it, you could go for it, or just continue to brawl it out. There is a good amount of blood to be seen.
The graphics on the game are really...16 bit. Not impressive. However, it is very bright and colorful. Actually, maybe 24 bit graphics. Telegames put a good amount of detail in the game. I love the people in the stands (look at 'em, they're wiered). I hope the next Jaguar game, however, will sport better, 64 bit quality graphics.
The sound and music are just average. Some grunts here and there add to the game. If you're looking for Tempest 2000 graphics, look elsewhere. But, in this game, the music and FX are really the last thing you want to hear (no pun intended). This game is for killing, not for music.
Play control is smooth, and that is important. It is very easy to get used to. It is controlled more like an action game, so, you won't need lessons on what to learn and how to use them.
The game is fun. Plain and simple. It isn't as fun as Tempest 2000, but it definitely provides lots of good hitting, blood squirting, FUN!
Overall - I'd give it a B-. It's not going to sell out like Wolfen- stein 3D or Tempest 2000, but it won't sit there like Trevor McFur. Give it a go, because I don't think you'll regret it.
SCORES BY CATEGORY
Graphics - 78%, nice color and very smooth animation. Not 64 bit quality, but very good.
Music/Fx - 70%, it's there, but you won't pay much attention to it. As for fx, they add nicely to the game, but again, you're in it to kill!
Control - 80%, its like a regular action game. Simple to control, and great to push that button and just slice your opponent's head off!
FunFactor - 88%, it's really fun. Good killing fun is what we need, and we get that a lot on the Jaguar - but not this style. A sports type action game with blood in it. Really good.
Overall - 80%, is it worth buying? For 64 bit power? Not really. For fun? YES, YES, YES! This game is another Jaguar game that scores high in the fun area. I hope more games will be just as fun.
Our Journal Judges Scores (out of 10)
JN 7.0
ML 7.5
WM 8.0
RF 7.0
TN 10.0
Star Rating (0-4 stars): ***1/5
WOLFENSTEIN 3D
From: JOSH FRITSCH (DTVB76C)
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Developer: id software
Magabytes: 2
Available: NOW
Genre: 3D action
MSRP: $59.99
Over the past three years, id software has developed a reputation of developing great games for the PC. They now carry their tradition of
excellence over to the 64-BIT Atari Jaguar, with their first release for the super-system: The PC classic Wolfenstein 3D.
For those unfamiliar with the story line behind Wolf3D, the plot is simple. You are a covert U.S agent, behind enemy lines in World War 2 Nazi Germnay. Thoug there are six 'episodes', the game play remains basic throughout. You are to traverse a German castle filled to the brim with Nazi soldiers who are hell bent on killing you. The play mechanics are even simpler: If it moves, kill it. To kill Germans, of course, you need weapons. And does this game have weapons! Your arsenal contains a pistol, sub-machine gun, chain gun, flamethrower and a rocket launcher to blow your German friends to hell.
The graphics in this game are incredible, much better than the chunky PC version. The characters are rendered in amazing detail, wiping out the blocky sprites found in previous versions of this game. Even more
impressive is the speed. The characters move with life-like motion as they run down the corridor, firing their machine guns at you.
However this game does have its flaws, the biggest being that we have all played Wolfenstein and the novelty of it has worn off since its release two and a half years ago. The sound effects and music are also rather weak compared to the great sound in Tempest 2000.
In conclusion, Wolfenstein 3D is a good, sweat inducing game filled with action and gore. The graphics are well done and the animation is as smooth as a cartoon. But is it worth $64.99 for another version of the game all PC gamer's have played? That is up to you.
Ratings By Category--------------------
Graphics: 90%-High detail and smoothly animated. Character detail is excellent.
Music/FX: 70%-Gunshots let out a soft, puffy cry, not a shrieking scream which it should have been. Music varies between mediocre and very good. Voices are well done.
Play Control: 90%-After you get used to the Jag controller, the play
control is great. However, id wasted the many buttons.
Fun Factor: 98%-There's nothing like blowing away a horde of nazis with a chain gun!
Overall: 82%-Despite being a fun game, if you already own Wolf on the PC, pass on this version. It's not that it's not a good game, because it is. But Alien vs Predator and Doom are much better games and they are both coming out next month, so save your money for them.
Journal Judges
JN: 8.5
ML: 7.0
DT: 9.0
CT: 9.5
JM: 8.0
WM: 8.0
JL: 9.0
RF: 9.0
TN: 9.0
Star Rating: ***2/5
TEMPEST 2000
From: JEFFREY NORWOOD (WTMJ44A)
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Developer: Liamasoft
Megabits: 16
Available: NOW
Genre: Arcade Classic/3D Shooter
MSRP: $59.99
Back in 1981 Tempest introduced the gaming world to an extra-sensory visual and futuristic play experience that went beyond any video game concept ever developed. With never-before-seen QuadraScan Color video graphics, Tempest set new standards for 3D animation and challenge, and became the first arcade game to be a guaranteed hit.
In Tempest 2000, the video game that definded arcade intergalactic warfare has oficially warped into the 64-bit dimension. This time, we've engergized the original with power 3D polygons, particle displays, Melt-O-Vision graphics, cycle-shading, and a 100% pure CD-quality techno-rave soundtrack...plus three new blistering modes of high-velocity, brain-warping action unlike anything you've ever experienced.
Ride the rim and unleash your SuperZapper on crafty Flippers and Fuseballs in Traditional Tempest. Team up with a friend, or an A.I. Droid, and light up the webs against pesky Spikers and Pulsars in Tempest Plus. Venture through 100 uncharted galaxies filled with hostile Demon Heads and Warp bonus Tokens in Tempest 2000. Then use your Mirror and go Blaster-to-Blaster against the most formidable alien of them all -- your best buddy -- in Tempest Duel.
Tempest 2000 features the best graphics on the Jaguar and some of the best in the entire industry - it even rivals some Arcade Coin-Ops. The graphics are very simple, yet the colors in Tempest 2000 [mode] are bright and wonderful. Traditional [mode] contains simple polygons and a few enemies, but it is very crisp. Tempest Plus [mode] is not much improved, but has the explosions and word-format of Tempest 2000 [mode]. In each mode, things shoot out at you (I mean words, not enemies). This game is good for people in there 20s-40s, because it has the original arcade version. Teens and young ones will love Tempest 2000. The only negative is in Tempest 2000 [mode] when you hit a star (Fuseball), the points shine out at you, and block the whole screen.
The music is awesome. Great techno-rave music makes you turn off the radio and on the Jaguar. The title song is kind of eerie, while the first track is great! There are more than 5 tracks, and more than 30 minutes of music. The music does get repetitive, as any singer, but changes (like, at level 17). It breaks new ground by actually having words in the music ("Play"). The FX are just as well, and are on time. If you blew up 100 things on the screen in 10 seconds (this is exaggerated), you would here every shot and explosion (not exaggerated). I hooked up my Jag to a stereo TV, and its awesome. I currently use it on a non-stereo TV, and it sounds just as good. Can't wait until the Tempest soundtrack comes available.
Controlling could be hard for those use to the paddles. Since most shapes are round, it can be hard controlling your Blaster. But, within a day or two, you'll be controlling it just like you learned to ride your bike.
Fun? Its not really fun. Its UNBELIEVABLEY FUN! CyberMorph is a good game, but this game makes CyberMorph look like Tetris! This game is so fun you could actually forget they created Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter 2 (could you really forget those games???). This game chould hold you over until Christmas (if you had to wait that long)!
Overall. A good classic never hurts. A great classic could heal! And this is great. If you still have CyberMorph, well, pretend its Nintendo game, 'cause that's what it's going to seem like once you play this.
RATINGS BY CATEGORY
Graphics - 90%, nice graphics. Some are just lines, but are still very crisp and clear.
Music/FX - 96%, super music. I'd turn it on just to hear the music. FX are clear and very...detailed...I don't know how to describe them - I guess you could point every sound fx out.
Play Control - 87%, no paddle, fast paced, and a round surface could confuse you at first. Once your getting going, you'll be riding down the fast lane though. Three views, and no plastic overlay are big helpings.
FunFactor - 99%, how could you not like this game. If you don't, go back to Kansas*.
Overall - 93%, best Jaguar game to date and still most popular. Give it a chance, because one chance is all you'll need to approve of this game. Tip: Don't rent it, because you'll have some very high overdue charges to pay.
Jaguar Journal
JN: 9.5
ML: 9.5
DT: 9.5
CT: 9.5
JM: 8.5
WM: 9.0
JL: 9.0
RF: 9.0
TN: 8.0
Star Rating: ***3/5
Mini Reviews
CYBERMORPH
Publisher: Atari
MSRP: $59.99
Atari wanted to make a good impression with the packaged game. You have to go through 50 levels to defeat the Pernita Empire. Here's the scores.
Graphics - 72%, they aren't really that good. The shading is great, though, and everything is clear. It is somewhat colorful, but walls just "appear" out of nowhere. For a first game, there okay. But, I've seen better.
Music/FX - 65%, great opening theme song. But, once you're in the game, there isn't any music. The sound fx are great, though. Very detailed. As for voice, its great, with 23 different messages from "Skylar".
Control - 85%, best feature of the game. Five different views. The side scrolling views are the best looking, but hardest to control. In the cockpit view is the best, I think. The game is really responsive, which is very important.
FunFactor - 75%, you'll probably keep on playing until you get Tempest 2000. Once you get that, you'll forget about this. But, its pretty fun. Collect the pods!
Overall - 74%, it's good for a first game, and will provide entertain- ment for a while. It could make you a little skeptical about the Jag, but Tempest 2000 will clear that up. But, until then, enjoy this, because it is a pretty good game.
Journal Judges:
JN 6.5
ML 4.5
DT 6.5
CT 8.0
JM 5.0
WM 7.0
JL 4.5
RF 5.0
TN 7.0
Star Rating: **2/5
EVOLUTION: DINO DUDES
Publisher: Atari
MSRP: $49.99
Atari wanted to start the Jaguar with a fun game for kids. Well, they did a pretty good job in doing so. You have to evolve from the Stone Age to the Video Game Age. Good luck!
GRAPHICS - 77%, the foreground graphics are small and kind of "flat". Nothing impressive here. The backgrounds are great. With 24-bit color, the backgrounds come "alive" right at you. I've never seen such nice, relaxing, beautiful backgrounds in a while. No other Jaguar game offers them. This is the first Jaguar game, in my opinion, that gave the sign that Atari was doing OK.
MUSIC/FX - 72%, cute, "fun", enjoyable music. It isn't T2K, but it belongs in the game. Its kind of "bouncy". The fx need work. The crackling fire and chissling of wood isn't like the real thing - almost.
CONTROL - 79%, easy to play. The only negative - and it's kind of a big one - is that you can't tell your men apart, so you have to go number hunting on the control pad until you find the right guy. There can be up to nine little men to choose from.
FUN FACTOR - 84%, it's fun. Not like Tempest 2000 or Wolfenstein 3D, but it is fun. Although Atari insists its for ages 12-17 (and up), kids 8-11 will like it the most. If your looking for a game (and you have T2K and W3D), then go for it. If you want a kids game, this is my #1 recommendation. But, if you're a teen, rent it, and see if you like it. That way you can decide if you want to buy it now or save up your money or Alien vs Predator.
OVERALL - 78%, if your looking for a game (and you have T2K and W3D), then go for it. If you want a kids game, this is my #1 recommendation. But, if you're a teen, rent it, and see if you like it. That way you can decide if you want to buy it now or save up your money or Alien vs Predator.
Journal Judges:
JN: 7.0
ML: 6.0
CT: 6.0
WM: 6.0
JL: 5.0
TN: 8.0
Star Rating: **1/2
RAIDEN
Publisher: Atari
MSRP: $49.99
Raiden is a coin-op that has been put out for SNES, Genesis, and the TurboGrafx 16, before hitting here. While its good if you've never played it, it won't last to long in your library of games. Rent it, if you can.
Graphics - 68%, the graphics are okay. They are nice, but the TG-16 version was almost as good. The backgrounds (on the game, just the ground) are a little better, but nothing spectacular. And, why take up 25% of the screen with scores, credits, and bomb info! It does give it an arcade feeling, though. If this system is 64 bit, then the TG-16 is 32 bit. C'Mon Atari!
Music/Fx - 74%, this is Brian Eno music. Nothing big. It's okay for what it is. On the other hand, the sound effects (fx) are well done; every explosion and bullet fired is heard. It seems like I always say that, but the Jaguar has great FX capabilities, plain and simple.
Control - 77%, it isn't hard to control. Its actually simple. But what are you flying? A turtle? Al Bundy's mother-in-law? This thing is so slow a rock would bump into it! Controlling itself is no hard task. Next time, lets add speed.
FunFactor - 66%, it isn't really fun. If you've never played it, then it will be good. But for the majority, it's too slow and not worth $50. I never though I'd say this, but if you want it, go buy the TG-16 version or $9.99, then think about getting this. The two player mode is the only advantage.
Overall - 72%, get it if you like arcade shooters. I'd save $50 and get Tempest 2000, DinoDudes, or something new. Or, why not go play Raiden II 200 times in the arcade. I hope that comes out, because it would really show what the Jaguar can do. Back to the original though. If you're looking for a good shooter - yeah, go for it. But, CyberMorph is better. The best thing about the game is the two player feature. I give the game an extra % point, because the TG-16 version didn't have it.
Journal Judges
JN: 6.5
ML: 5.5
DT: 6.0
CT: 7.0
WM: 6.0
RF: 4.0
TN: 9.0
TREVOR MCFUR IN CRESCENT GALAXY
Publisher: Atari
MSRP: $49.99
WaldenSoftware tells me it sits on the shelves for ever. So, I rented it and found out why. Great graphics is all that's in the package.
GRAPHICS - 89%, these graphics surpass many video games on SNES, Genesis, and even the 3DO. The backgrounds are awesome. I've never seen anything like 'em. But, its not spectacular. Nothing comes out of the background (like enemies and rocks). For graphics though, this game is the choice.
MUSIC/FX - 51%, weak music. Its bad. FX? Worse. Play this one with your stereo on.
CONTROL - 72%, its not hard to control. There are a few too many options on the 12 button part of the controller, but its still not an overload. The game is a simple shooter (to control).
FUN FACTOR - 39%, it's boring. Too hard. The difficulty kills the game. To get past one screen will take you a decade (okay, a year). Raiden is more fun. CyberMorph is. EVERYTHING is. Except Double Dungeons on the TG-16. A funeral could be more fun.
OVERALL - 63%, just too hard with bad music. Atari made a mistake that added to a bad reputation. Although Tempest would clear things up, when people buy the first games to a system, they want them to be at least decent. If this game were decent, Duck Hunt is fabulous. This is a no-go.
Journal Judges:
JN: 3.5
ML: 5.0
DT: 4.0
WM: 4.0
JL: 4.0
RF: 3.0
TN: 9.0
Star Rating: *4/5
Star Rating: **1/2
What They Stand For
100%- Unbelievable (words can barely describe its so good)
90-99% - Great
80-89% - Cool
70-79% - Good
60-69% - Okay
50-59% - Weak
40-49% - Poor
30-39% - Bad
0-29% - Sucks Bigtime
Stars
**** UNBELIEVABLE
*** VERY GOOD
** AVERAGE
* POOR
0 NOT WORTH MENTIONING
In case you are lost with fractions, here they are from lowest to highest:
1/10
1/5
1/4
3/10
2/5
1/2
3/5
7/10
4/5
9/10
1/1 (which equals one star)
PREVIEWS
ALIEN VS PREDATOR - that's right, it's finally coming out - over 1/2 year after its original release date. Was it worth the wait? I have reasons to believe so. There are four companies involved in making this game happen. First is 20th Century Fox, who has the rights to the movie characters. Then comes Activision, who is responsible for getting the game out to other systems (SNES, Genesis). They have all video game rights to the Alien and Predator. Atari then aquired the rights from Activision to publish the game. Finally, Rebellion Software was given the job of actually developing the game. The game Activision made was a side-scrolling type game for the SNES and Genesis. The one Rebellion is making is an adventure/1st person perspective game. You play the Alien, Predator, or the Marine. How were the graphics produced? Rebellion purchased high-quality kits of the Alien and the Predator, airbrushed them, and used stop-frame photography and digitization to achieve the desired animation. With the Marine, they actually got a movie costume from Alien, and had someone wear it and photograph him. The wall panels were digitized from models. Alien vs Predator was said to turn out a pretty good crowd at the SCES. The reason for the delay: Atari wants to make this the most awesome Jaguar game of 1994. This game will kick off the national rollout, and when people see the game, they will think a lot more about buying a Jaguar. BTW - the current rumor saying the game is delayed because of legal problems is a bunch of bull. Scheduled to ship on October 7. The game will cost $59-69, and the size will be 24-32 Megs.
CLUB DRIVE - fun is its nickname. This game will be the first game to feature a full 640x480 screen. The graphics look good in the previews, with very nice digitized backgrounds. Your goal depends on the mode (out of 4) you choose. You may have to pick up items (that remind me of Tempest 2000's Fuseballs) in a one or two player mode. Or, you could race against the clock and hit a series of checkpoints as fast as possible. And, for the most fun, there's two player "tag". The player who's "it" drives around trying to run into the other car. When you do, then the other player becomes "it". The object is to make your opponent "it" as long as possible, with the loser hitting the predesignated time setting first. You choose from four worlds to battle in: San Francisco, the Wild West, the Future, or the funny, crazy Big House. In the Big House, you become toy sized, like a Matchbox, and drive through rooms of a house with lots of obstacles, including a (polygon) cat! This game is definitely going to provide the FunFactor for younger players. Set for shipping on October 7, this game will be off the shelves as soon as it arrives. Around $60, it will weigh in at 16 Megs.
DOOM - award Best Game of Show (for Jaguar) in GamePro, this game will feature very nice graphics. Doom features curving walls, intricate backgrounds and other nice graphics, in comparison to Wolfenstein 3D. The game will run at 25fp, and will contain true 16-bit color (over 65,000 colors on a screen). While the game is over 75% complete, additional advancements are being made so it will be compatible with the Network Adaptors, which will allow you to connect up to 32 Jaguars each up to 300 feet apart from each other and the TV, and hunt each other down. This is not the modem, though. This will most likely be used for next year's Blockbuster Video Game Challenge. It is also being advanced to be the first Voice Modem compatible game for the Jaguar. The voice modem will allow two people, each with a Jaguar and modem for it, to compete against each other, as well as actually talk to the person across the line. This will make the Jaguar version of Doom even better than the PC version, which is one of the most popular PC games ever made. The game is scheduled for a release on October 30. 24 Megs. $59-69.
DOUBLE DRAGON V THE SHADOW FALLS - this Williams developed game will be a good Jaguar game, one it needs. While Kasumi Ninja and Ultra Vortex may have the graphics and sound everyone wants, this game has a name many people are familiar with. The Jaguar version doesn't look much better than the SNES version, but its still early. Otherwise, it's great. The game will feature four different modes: Tournament, Vs Battle, Quest Mode, and Battle Demo. There are four levels of gameplay. Even better, there are twelve unique characters, each with 4-6 special moves. With ten different battle locations to choose from, and the ability to adjust strength and special move capabilities, this game has lots of SF2 style characteristics. You can keep track of each character's number of wins, losses, draws, bonuses, health and hit percentage, and the time left in each match.
There are some 15 different musical scores to add to the excitement. I just hope Williams improves the graphics, to else we'll be disappointed, especially considering Kasumi Ninja, and Ultra Vortex. A release date of October 30 is set. $59.
KASUMI NINJA - the first fighting game for the Jaguar will be published by Atari, and created by Hand Made Software, makers of Dracula for the Lynx. The game will feature nine characters, each with one to three fatalities, plus other great moves. Blood will be apart of this game - very much. The game will feature great 3D backgrounds along with digitized characters. The fatalities are pretty groosem - imagine laying on the ground, only to have your head decapitated with someones FOOT STOMPING ON IT! Or, being BROKEN in half over someones knee! Well, that's all apart of Kasumi Ninja. According to a recent article in another magazine, Atari insisted that the Native American had to be a Native American (when they were filming to digitize the game). My question is - did they actually have a Ninja filmed for digitization? 32 Megs, shipping on October 7. $59-65.
TROY AIKMAN NFL FOOTBALL - I expect this to be better than the SNES version. Williams, maker of Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and Super High Impact, among others, is now heading the design team for Aikman's game (the original team was Tradewest, who was aquired by Williams). It will contain an NFL license with all 28 teams - but no players (except the Dallas QB himself). You can play an entire season, with playoffs and the Super Bowl, battery saving capabilites, and lets you create your own team and manage it. Here, you have to raise money to pay your team through funds and tick sellouts. The game should be a real big hit for the Jaguar. It is said, by DieHard GameFan, to be the best football game to date, for the SNES. If the Jaguar version is any bit better, which it should be, than you'll see a very long line at your local retail store, especially starting October 30. Put a preorder in now, because this won't stay very long. Megs unknown. $55-65.
OTHER ITEMS DUE OUT SOON
*BattleMorph CD (Atari) October-November
*Battle Wheels (Beyond Games) Sept 30
*Cannon Folder (Telegames) Sept 30
*Car Wars (MidNite Soft) Sept 30
*Creature Shock CD (Virgin Interactive) October-November
*Euro Soccer Challenge (Telegames) Sept 30
*Jack Nicklaus CyberGolf CD (Atari) October-November
*Lester The Unlikely (DTMC) Oct 30
*Lobo (Ocean) Oct 30
*Tiny Toon Adventures (Atari, TWI) Oct 30
*Ultimate Brain Games (Telegames) Sept 30
*Atari Jaguar CD-ROM Oct 30
HARDWARE NEWS
The following is copied from a recent issue of Atari Explorer Online Magazine. The entire issue may be downloaded from the CatScan BB, file number 102.
JAGUAR VOICE MODEM
Mentioned only a week or two earlier in another AEO UPDATE (which is available on America Online), the voice modem (by Phylon) made its debut at the SCES. People could engage in modem Club Drive games to race against each other or participate in a game of tag. For those who missed out the first time arund, I'll explain it again: The voice modem hooks up to the DSP slot in the back of your Jag and allows you to dial up with another player in selected games and the two of you can then play over the phone lines. Don the included headsets, and the Voice Modem will transmit (and mix with the game audio) your voice.
The above article was a reprint article from a recent AEO, file 102 on the CatScan BB.
Atari Explorer Online Magazine
Copyright (c) 1993-1994, Subspace Publishers
The following is a Press Release from Atari. For more inforamtion, you may contact Bill Rehbock of Atari Corp. at (408) 745-2000.
JAGUAR(TM) CD-ROM UNDER $200
CHICAGO, Il. -- June 24, 1994 -- Consumer Electronics Show -- Atari Corporation (ASE:ATC) announced today plans to ship CD-ROM to stores in ample time for Christmas shopping. The CD-ROM is a hardware peri- pheral compatible with any Jaguar 64-bit system and will sell for $199.95 (MSRP). It enables the jaguar to play a new generation of impeccable CD-based video games andplay audio compact discs. The module includes CD+G technology and it provides its own cartridge port for applications that may use both cartridge and CD at the same time.
Look for the CD titles; -Blue Lightening(tm)-,-Battlemorph(tm)-, -Jack Nicklaus Cyber Golf(tm)-, -Highlander(tm)-, -Creature Shock(tm)-, -Demolition Man(tm)- and more that will begin shipping fourth quarter 1994.
Atari's new CD-ROM includes the Virtual Light Machine(tm) (VLM). VLM literally LOOKS at audio compact discs as they are played and spontanteously produces a spectrum analysis of every incoming sound. The result is a stunning light show. An optional MPEG video cartridge will allow access to MPEG full motion video.
"We have packed the CD-ROM full of technologies that our developers can grow into while keeping the platform affordable for the consumer," affirms mr. Sam Tramiel, President and CEO of Atari Corporation. "It was important to remain faithful to our 'Made In America' foundation too. The CD-ROM will be manufactured in the United States by Philips.
"Based on feedback we have had so far, consumers want to support an advanced gaming company that makes what it sells at home," concludes Mr. Tramiel. "We're going to give them what they want."
####
Jaguar is a trademark of Atari Corporation. Atari is a registered trademark of Atari Corporation. Other products named maybe trademarks or registered trademarks of their owning companies.
Atari Corporation
1196 Borregas Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1302
Tel: (408) 745-2000
TIPS OF THE MONTH
The following codes can be entered on the planet selection screen.
Any time at the planet selection screen a code can be entered to
skip to any sector in the game. Any completed planets in a sector
will not reappear until the game is reset.
SECTOR 1 ..... 1008 SECTOR 2 ..... 1328 SECTOR 3 ..... 9325
SECTOR 4 ..... 9226 SECTOR 5 ..... 3444 UNKNOWN ...... 6009
The UNKNOWN Sector Contains four identical looking planets.
Although, One contains nothing but bonus power-ups, while the
other three contain nothing but massive enemy force. The bonus
power-up planet is on the lower right-hand side of the planet
selection screen. This code was found on the planet Codex.
TOP 10 MOST WANTED GAMES
1 Alien vs Predator (47)
2 Kasumi Ninja (29)
3 Checkered Flag (19)
4 Rayman (17)
5 Ultra Vortex (15)
6 Doom (14)
7 Troy Aikman NFL Football (13)
8 Iron Soldier (6)
9 Club Drive (5) tied
10 Star Battle (5) tied
TOP 3 GAMES
1. Tempest 2000
2. Wolfenstein 3D
3. Brutal Sports Football
BUNDLE OF NEWS
complied by the Cat's Club members
Atari hired "Agency of the Year" Edelman Public Relations to help market the Jaguar system. This company has helped many large companies in the past, including Toys "R" Us, The Ford Motor Co., and Visa. Edelman could definitely give the extra push the Jaguar needs to boost itself to a solid game machine...The 7th Annual "CBS This Morning"/KIRO-TV Toy and Video Game Test" started August 21st is continued through September 3rd. Games that were supposed to be shown, according to a press release from Atari were: Alien vs. Predator, Checkered Flag, Brutal Sports Football, Iron Soldier, Bubsy, Ultra Vortex, Club Drive, Zool 2, Ruiner, Rayman, Double Dragon V, and Kasumi Ninja. Because this article was written during the event, someone could give us the rundown of the show. Rayman and Iron Soldier were suprise hits at the SCES, while Zool 2, Double Dragon V, and Bubsy are well known video game stars...The CT Atari Festival took place August 28-29, and items there included ICD's CatBox, which allows you to hook up headphones, a modem, even a Lynx!...The Alien vs Predator ad grabbed lots of attention, according to a recent American Online survey. Many SNES and Genesis owners were impressed...The Jaguar is twice as better as the Lynx, according to the 2nd Quarter earnings report. Atari's loss in 1994s 2nd Quarter was more than cut in half in comparison to 1993s 2nd Quarter. By year's end, you could see a profit...That's all for now. Hope you've enjoyed these tid-bits of information.
COMPANY NEWS (sm) provided by Dow Jones/News Retrieval
Copyright (c)1994 Dow Jones & Company
Symbol Searched: ATC
8/2/94 Atari Corp. 6-Months Losses 7c A Share Vs 15c >ATC
6 Months June 30:
1994 1993
Sales $16,350,000 $15,869,000
Net income (4,325,000) (8,661,000)
Avg shrs 57,865,000 57,137,000
Shr earns
Net income (.07) (.15)
Figures in parentheses are losses.
The company's second-quarter results were reported earlier
today by the Wall Street Journal.
(END) DOW JONES NEWS 08-02-94
3:14 PM
8/2/94 Atari Corp. 2Q Loss Posted On 44% Revenue Increase
Atari Corp., citing higher promotional costs for its new Atari
Jaguar game product, reported a second-quarter loss of $3.4
million, or 6 cents a share, half the loss it reported a year
earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported.
In the year-earlier quarter, the video-game system maker had a
loss of $6.8 million, or 12 cents a share, after a charge of $3
million. The Sunnyvale, Calif., company's revenue for the
quarter jumped 44% to $8.2 million from $5.7 million.
In a statement, President Sam Tramiel said that together with
third-party software developers, Atari aims to have 30 to 50
titles available for the Jaguar during the Christmas season. The
company recently began shipping its "Wolfenstein 3-D" Jaguar
game. "Retail sales for this title are very encouraging," the
company said.
(END) DOW JONES NEWS 08-02-94
6 00 AM
**SPECIAL PREVIEW**
CONTACT: Mary Lynn Slattery
(415)332-8749
TAKE THE PLUNGE INTO THE IMAGINARY WORLD OF RAYMAN
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 23, 1994) -- During the Consumer
Electronics Show this week, UBI Soft will take you on an
adventure into the imaginary world of Rayman, UBI Soft's
first game for the Atari Jaguar, scheduled for release
during the 4th Quarter.
Join Jimmy, a 10 year old who escapes reality by entering
"Hereitscool", a fantasy kingdom he has created within the
realms of his computer. When in Hereitscool, Jimmy becomes
Rayman, a superhero who gives animated life to everything
around him, (mushrooms, insects, trees, rocks,
mountains...) creating an unlimited amount of friends and
kingdoms. But an evil power has entered Hereitscool and is
out to destroy everything he has created. He must use his
superhero powers to save his friends before it's too late!
Rayman has more than 10 levels, each level is 40 screens
long by 4 screens high giving it a huge capacity for
horizontal and vertical scrolling, the speed is extremely
fast (25 frames per second) and the graphics are
stupendous, offering more than 16 billion colors. There are
more than 50 animated enemies Rayman must face, in addition
Rayman himself has more than 50 animations including
walking on his hands, doing a helicopter spin which enables
him to fly, and when he gets impatient he dances or sticks
his tongue out.
Look for Rayman on the Jaguar during the 4th Quarter! We
"hear it's cool"!
GET JAG-WARE
Because of space limitations, the Norscot text-catalog will not be reproduced this issue. For those wanting the Norscot text-catalog you may download ths off of the CatScan BB. Download the NORSCOT.TXT file. It will take just a few minutes.
NEW NEXT MONTH
In The Ring...a new column comparing a Jaguar game to a similar game on another system with input by Prodigy members. Some will include: Kasumi Ninja (no blood mode) vs Mortal Kombat/SNES, Ultra Vortex vs Mortal Kombat (Genesis), CyberMorph vs Star Fox, Checkered Flag vs Nigel Mansell Racing and Stunt Race FX - starting next issue.
Tons more. We are proud to say Atari Explore Online Magazine is my favorite source for Jaguar info - even more than Atari Corp themselves (sorry Don!).
DISCLAIMERS
Atari is a registered trademark of Atari Corporation. Jaguar, Lynx, Alien vs Predator (under sub-license from Activison, 20th Century Fox), Checkered Flag, Club Drive, Tempest 2000, are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. Atari Explorer Online Magazine is a Copyright (c) 1993-1994 of Subspace Publishers. Norscot is a registered trademark of Norscot Group, Inc. All other products mentioned in this electronic-zine may be trademarks or registered trademarks of there respective companies.
JAGUAR JOURNAL
For Jaguar owners - especially Cats Club members. To join, write me by E-Mail at:
wtmj44b@prodigy.com
Prodigy members: wtmj44b
Editor: Jeff Norwood
This is uploaded to the CatScan BB freely, and may be distributed. However, if you are going to reproduce any articles, and/or distribute it to others, would you please E-Mail me at the above address, or if you don't have an online network, E-Mail the SysOp (Don Thomas) of the CatScan BB and tell him to foward the message to my address. Just put at the beginning "foward to Jeff Norwood, WTMJ44B". Then write it as if you were writing to ME, not Don. Thanks a lot.
UPDATE...
Atari will be releasing a press release by September 26th containing official release dates and other announcements. Please pay attention to the CatScan BB and Prodigy, and this info gets around quickly. DO NOT call Atari - they will be flooded with calls with you do.
