Atari Jagaur Exclusives

[dsheinem]

So I am a new Jaguar owner, but after playing around with the half a dozen games or so I got with it, I am starting to question my decision to purchase it. For one, I always knew the controller looked awkward, but I had no idea it would be so uncomfortable to use and that the d-pad could be so unresponsive. Also, who, in their infinite wisdom, decided to label the buttons C-B-A instead of A-B-C?

So, I am ruling out playing any cross-platform games on the system unless someone can make a very strong case that the upgrade in graphics/sound/features would justify struggling with the controller. I'll probably stick to PS1, Saturn, and even 32X ports of most of the Jag cross-platform stuff.

So, my question is: how good are the console exclusives (excluding stuff available for PC)? I know AvP is original to the system and is hailed as its best game - how close is it to the AvP games released on the PC? Here's a list (partial, probably) of Jaguar exclusives - I'd appreciate anyone who could chime in with thoughts, recommendations, and titles to avoid...

Aircars
Alien vs. Predator
Atari Karts
Attack of the Mutant Penguins (I have this and , despite the awesome title, am not impressed)
BattleSphere
Breakout 2000
Brutal Sports Football (I have this one)
Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tails
Checkered Flag
Club Drive
Cybermorph (have this - ugh)
Defender 2000
Fight For Life
Flip Out!
Hover Strike
Hyper Force
Iron Soldier (have this)
Iron Soldier 2
I-War
Kasumi Ninja
Mad Bodies
Missile Command 3D
Pinball Fantasies
Power Drive Rally
Protector
Ruiner Pinball
Skyhammer
SpaceWar 2000
Super Burnout
SuperCross 3D
Towers II: Plight of the Stargazer
Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy
Ultra Vortek
Val D'isére Skiing and Snowboarding
White Men Can't Jump
World Tour Racing
Zero 5
Zool 2

[noiseredux]

I know this doesn't answer any of your questions, but I'm just curious how much you dropped on the console? (if you don't mind revealing)

[dsheinem]

I know this doesn't answer any of your questions, but I'm just curious how much you dropped on the console? (if you don't mind revealing)

PM'd!

[Anayo]

dsheinem, I don't own a Jaguar and never had, but I'm just as bewildered by the enthusiasm on the Racketboy forums for that particular system. To me it seems like a more expensive version of the 32X: an early nineties system trying to push ahead with something more advanced than 16-bit before the technology was ready. The few exclusive games seem poorly aged and unimpressive.

[Hatta]

I think we just have a morbid fascination with failed consoles. The Jaguar, the 3D0, VirtualBoy, etc. It doesn't matter whether they're good or not. They're weird enough that it's interesting to play with them for just that reason. It's always fascinating to think about what could have been. It's a good conversation piece, and there's almost always something worth playing and talking about.

[dsheinem]

I think we just have a morbid fascination with failed consoles. The Jaguar, the 3D0, VirtualBoy, etc. It doesn't matter whether they're good or not. They're weird enough that it's interesting to play with them for just that reason. It's always fascinating to think about what could have been. It's a good conversation piece, and there's almost always something worth playing and talking about.

Ok, so what's worth playing on the Jaguar that I can't play elsewhere? I get the conversation piece aspect of it, but I also want to have some fun with the thing....

[noiseredux]

from my understanding (having never played one personally) Alien Vs Predator and Tempest 2000 are the highpoints of the system.

[dsheinem]

from my understanding (having never played one personally) Alien Vs Predator and Tempest 2000 are the highpoints of the system.

How's AvP compared to the PC game with the same title released around the same time (or its sequel)? Is the game good and worth playing or just "good for the Jag."

I asked about Tempest 2000 in another thread as it isn't really an exclusive and I have the PS1 port (Tempest X3) - I was wondering if it's worth tracking down if I already have the PS1 game and I really don't want to play cross-platform stuff with the horrendous Jag controller...

[Hatta]

Ok, so what's worth playing on the Jaguar that I can't play elsewhere? I get the conversation piece aspect of it, but I also want to have some fun with the thing....

I wish I knew. I've had a jaguar with no games for the last 10 years, waiting for me to get inspired to pick something up for it. But I don't really want to pay $40 for one of the two games I know are good for it. If there were a jaguar flash cart out though, I'd buy that in an instant.

I asked about Tempest 2000 in another thread as it isn't really an exclusive and I have the PS1 port (Tempest X3) - I was wondering if it's worth tracking down if I already have the PS1 game and I really don't want to play cross-platform stuff with the horrendous Jag controller...

Apparently you can convert an Atari 2600 driving controller into a spinner for Tempest 2000 on the Jag. Spinner mode is an easter egg that's only in the jaguar version IIRC.

There's a recent thread over at AtariAge with some good recommendations for the jaguar. Now that I look at it, I'm wanting a copy of Iron Soldier.

[sevin0seven]

Cybermorph (have this - ugh)

I feel the same way about this game.

Alien vs. Predator - consider to be the must own game for any Jaguars owners other than Tempest 2K. I gotta be honest, I don't love the game but the game defined the Jaguar for what it is.

Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tails - not the best Bubsy game, but it's Better than Bubsy 3D.

Ultra Vortek - The best fighting game in the Jaguar Library. The worst? Kasumi Ninja.