Atari Lynx Handheld

Atari Lynx: The First Color Handheld Console

The Atari Lynx was released in the U.S. in September 1989, and in Europe and Japan in 1990. It was the first handheld game console with a color LCD screen. Production stopped in 1995.

• Originally sold for $179.99 (about $440 in 2024 money)
• Around 2 million units were sold worldwide

THE ATARI LYNX AT A GLANCE

There were two models:

• Lynx I (1989): The original version
• Lynx II (1991): Smaller, with better sound and a brighter screen

The Lynx was developed by two former Amiga designers, RJ Mical and Dave Needle, while working at Epyx. It competed with other handheld consoles like the Sega Game Gear and NEC TurboExpress.

Tech Specs:

• Screen: 3.5-inch diagonal LCD
• CPU: 8-bit VL65NC02 (named “Mikey”), running at 4 MHz
• Graphics chip: 16-bit blitter with 12-bit color (4,096 colors)
• RAM: 64 KB
• ROM: 512 bytes for startup and loading games
• Battery life: 4–5 hours for Lynx I, 5–6 hours for Lynx II
• Ambidextrous: Can flip the console for right- or left-handed use

Graphics

• Resolution: 160x102 pixels
• Colors on screen: Up to 16 at once from a 4,096-color palette
• Special features: Hardware zoom, sprite distortion, and pseudo-3D graphics

Sound Capabilities

• 4 sound channels
• Each with 8-bit digital audio (DAC)
• Can also produce classic PSG sound effects

Add-ons

• ComLynx: A cable system to connect up to 8 consoles for multiplayer
• Add-ons available:
  • MicroSD game card (plug-and-play)
  • LCD screen upgrade mod

I/O Ports

• Game cartridge slot (right side)
• Headphone jack: mono on Lynx I, stereo (3.5mm) on Lynx II
• ComLynx port (linking external devices)
• Battery compartment (takes six AA batteries)

Games Library

• About 73 official games released before 1995
• Over 55 unofficial (homebrew) games exist
• New homebrew games are still being developed today

Table: Atari Lynx Official Games

Shops

• https://k-retro.com/9-atari-lynx
• https://www.estarland.com/platforms/LYNX/57
• https://songbird-productions.com/product-category/lynx/
• https://www.etsy.com/market/atari_lynx

■ Atari Lynx Handheld Console

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