Fixed: Atari Jaguar console, but....

[ifkz]

I just finished fixing a parts Atari Jaguar console bundle.

I tore into it after it arrived and found a blown power regulator; research confirmed it dies a terrible death when a Sega Genesis power adapter is used instead of the proper Jag DC supply.  I am usually a bit better at solder work, this surface mount replacement part went in just slightly crooked.  A fix is a fix and it is electrically sound for now.  I have been playing a bit of Jag Doom. 

This is my second Jag, and I bought it to improve my original Jag collection I piecemealed together years ago.  On that point, the purchase did some good.

For a console that sold 250,000 or less, that I have never seen for sale in the wild, I should be happier.  I guess I need to play and enjoy it now that it is more than a pile of disassembled parts on the shelf.  Forum posts say I am one of the lucky ones because there are a lot of other Jags that are toast even after similar repair attempts.  I have fixed many consoles, never for monetary gain, but just because I enjoy the end results of a working game system (or game board).  They all have a place and remain productive members of my collection, but I still feel a bit deflated over this one.  Have any of the other repair-minded members felt this way after a project?

[NecroPhile]

Congrats on saving it from the scrap heap, even if it is just an unloved, lowly Jag. 

[ifkz]

Thanks for the words of encouragement.  I did some good to be sure, and I have a good (or as good as Jag games get  ) library to enjoy with it.  The power regulator is in there, I gave the console a few good smacks and short drops and was still happily running Doom.  Maybe the longer the fix holds, the happier I'll get.  It does look nice all back together again.

[ultrageranium]

Maybe it's the Jaguar curse

While I did not fix mine, it's probably the only console I have where there is a rather strong discrepancy between how I thought I would feel after finally getting one and how I actually felt once I got it.

It's been in a box for ages now, and I'm thinking I should maybe get rid of it in favour of consolidating the collection of things that I already know how I feel (good) about.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

I sort of 'fixed' a jag too!  I got one from a friend in trade for a working N64 along with a handful of choice titles.

The problem wasn't a cap or board issue, it was a bent pin inside the cartridge slot.  Got that bent back in correctly with a safety pin. 

It's a BINGO...

[johnnymad]

Congrats on getting it working! Hoping to fix my TE when I get home from work. I'll probably be a little more excited if I get it working that you were for the Jag. ;)

[LostFlunky]

You fix a Jaguar and it is...



....still a Jaguar....


I loved the Jaguar when it came out - mostly due to AVP and Tempest 2000.  I ended up buying nearly every game for it.... When I started paring down my collection, it was one of the first to go.   

Right now I have my original Jaguar, a customized Jaguar (plastic had changed colour, like a SNES) and a few games...  As long as I have T2K, that is all I need.

[ultrageranium]

Yes Tempest 2000 is the only thing that makes me keep it, but now that I am trying to focus on less consoles, I'm afraid this won't last forever.

Also I'm a bit gutted to have missed the Another World port from RGC. I would have seen the pre-order in time, I do not think I would hesitate keeping the Jaguar...

[ctophil]

That's cool, ifkz.  The Atari Jaguar is next on my list to be added to my massive console collection.  Hehe.     It doesn't have many games.  But I don't care about that.  The Philips CD-I hardly had any games, and I'm getting that console as well.

[MrFulci]

The Jaguar is not a bad system. It has some bad games, but overall the feel of the console was OK with me. It has a version of Wolfenstein 3D not found elsewhere, which has unique graphics.

I have maybe a half dozen OK games for it. DOOM, Wolf 3D, Flip-Out, Dino-Dudes, somethingoranother pinball, I forget what else.

The 2 I have that have had the most use are Tempest 2000, and Attack of the Killer Penguins. I bought Attack of the Killer Penguins for $5-$10. With a title like that, and reading it's a puzzle game, I thought I'd give it a go. Though I've not played Attack of the Killer Penguins in a while, I remember it being a unique puzzle game on the Jaguar. I'm not sure if any other system has that game.

Tempest 2K, it's nice with the regular controller, but the rotary controller really allows you to get all you can out of it. There are more rotary controllers out there than before, and they're cheaper than I paid for mine back in 2006 or 2007! Anyone intending on keeping a Jaguar around, and if they enjoy T2K enough, I suggest buying a rotary controller.

[VestCunt]

While I did not fix mine, it's probably the only console I have where there is a rather strong discrepancy between how I thought I would feel after finally getting one and how I actually felt once I got it.

Wow. Thank you for perfectly expressing my feelings.

The Jaguar is not a bad system. It has some bad games, but overall the feel of the console was OK with me.

Zeta summed up the Jag nicely once, saying that "something has to suck." Every underdog, overlooked console will have its advocates, especially on a TG16 forum, but at some point we have to stop touting the ever-shorter lists of reasonably fun originals and not-bad ports and ruefully admit that one of our beloved obscure consoles sucks. The CD-i isn't enough. The Jaguar also has to suck. 

[MrFulci]

The Jaguar is not a bad system. It has some bad games, but overall the feel of the console was OK with me.
Zeta summed up the Jag nicely once, saying that "something has to suck." Every underdog, overlooked console will have its advocates, especially on a TG16 forum, but at some point we have to stop touting the ever-shorter lists of reasonably fun originals and not-bad ports and ruefully admit that one of our beloved obscure consoles sucks. The CD-i isn't enough. The Jaguar also has to suck. 

I still wouldn't say the Jaguar sucked.

The Jaguar isn't for everyone, that's the thing. You have to know what you are getting into with the system. I knew, years ago, when the Jaguar was still somewhat fresh, what I would be getting if I bought a Jaguar. For me, having Tempest 2K, and some other games, I was alright. I knew this was not going to be a system with tons of support, but I was OK with it. I also bought the system and games for cheaper than normal. I bought it right before it got discontinued, or it being discontinued seemed inevitable. Even then, I still got GoAtari flyers in the mail. I never bought much from them 'til later, in the 2000s though, spare controllers and such. Even after Jaguar was discontinued I rememebr it got at least 1 more game for it, Towers 2, but I wasn't interested in that.

At the time, before I bought a Jaguar, I had a clerk at a Video Game Exchange (I'm not sure what happened to VGE) try to talk me into spending my money on a Sega Saturn, when he heard I was going to buy a Jaguar. I forget what the difference in cost was, but I told him no, I want the Jaguar. He felt my money would be better spent on a Sega Saturn, but by that point, I mentioned before, consoles were moving more into 3D, I had a PC for the newer games, so Jaguar became the last console I bought, until about 10 years later, when I bought a PS2, when it dropped to $99. I bought the PS2 for "retro-gaming" purposes, though (Capcom Collection, Metal Slug anthology, Activision collection, etc).


You have to know what you're getting into with the Jaguar. I knew, and for the money I spent, I'm OK with it.

[VestCunt]

You have to know what you're getting into with the Jaguar.

Yes: what you're getting into is a system that sucks.


"Sucks" =/= absolute waste-of-space garbage. Sure, the Jag has some decent games. There are some legitimate reasons to buy one and play it. It's not the worst console ever. Jaguar appreciation is within the realm of human experience. None of that means it's a good system.

Face the facts! Unburden yourself, brother! I have a soft spot for the 32X, but I'm happy to admit that it sucks. There's no shame in enjoying the five good games on a terrible console.

[MrFulci]

You have to know what you're getting into with the Jaguar.

Yes: what you're getting into is a system that sucks.


"Sucks" =/= absolute waste-of-space garbage. Sure, the Jag has some decent games. There are some legitimate reasons to buy one and play it. It's not the worst console ever. Jaguar appreciation is within the realm of human experience. None of that means it's a good system.

Face the facts! Unburden yourself, brother! I have a soft spot for the 32X, but I'm happy to admit that it sucks. There's no shame in enjoying the five good games on a terrible console.

I still wouldn't say it sucks. If you knwo what's youre getting, it doesn't suck. Same goes for 32X, Odyssey 2, etc.

I can think fo thigns that suck about Jaguar though. Lack of a first party rotary controller.

Turbo Grafx. 1 controller port and forcing me to buy a, "Tap" for multiplayer?

32X - WTF Sega, 3 AC Adapters? Why not leave it at Sega CD.

Virtual Boy. Mario Tennis, that Pinball game, the Wario game, yeah, nice fun and all, but it's still all red, and what am I supposed to do, set this up on a table each time I want to play.

I think it sucks when the Turbo Grafx slows down with, "Bullet Time" in Bloody Wolf, and Air Zonk, Oh, and some bosses in the Neutopia games, it left me thinking years ago, "Why in the world would they release the game like this, with the slow down. Someone must have noticed this......."

Jaguar trounces PC Engine/Turbo Grafx there. I never saw slow down on a Jaguar cart game! It had 2 controller ports already built-in, also!

 

[MrFulci]

gunboat and falcon do 3D at higher FPS than Jaguar. Did you ever try the Jag's driving games? You can't spot the slowdown because there is never any "speed up".

I played Checkered flag for a moment or two years ago, then decided I did not have to waste anymore of my time there.

I'm just kidding around, but there is some truth to what I typed earlier. Each system has it's downs, and if someone went on here talking about their enjoyment of Virtual Boy, I'd let them at it. N64, I can see how others enjoyed it, but for me, I'd not like one, ever. I am sure other people feel similar about the Jaguar. They would either never want one, or if it, "Fell into their lap", they'd flip-it immediately.

Nearly every system I can appreciate. It just depends on if there is anything on it that interests me, and I keep in mind others are the same way about whatever they enjoy, such as N64, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, 3DO, Vectrex, etc. Being neutral and mellow like that doesn't make for interesting posts, though.

[MrFulci]

I was mostly kidding. I had a Jag w/ CD and loved it back when it was new... it was a bitter disappointment to me for the most part. It had tons of potential, but very few games played off its strengths to tap the potential. T2K remains one of my all time favorites to this day.

Vestcunt wanted to stir the pot, so I went ahead with complaints about other systems. It's all goofing around.

It's all a person's taste. I would not say Jaguar sucked, however, I can see why most people do, and have no desire for the system. I played it when someone I knew had it. He had the 3 FPS games (AVP, DOOM, Wolf 3D), and a few others. That stirred my interest, after that I found T2K, etc. When the system was going to disappear, I bought it and some games.

Reading this thread, I didn't know only 250K systems were manufactured, though.


What cost me the most for that system, was the Chaos Reign rotary controller.

[seieienbu]

I tore into it after it arrived and found a blown power regulator; research confirmed it dies a terrible death when a Sega Genesis power adapter is used instead of the proper Jag DC supply.  I am usually a bit better at solder work, this surface mount replacement part went in just slightly crooked.  A fix is a fix and it is electrically sound for now.  I have been playing a bit of Jag Doom. 

Heh, I'm on my second Jaguar losing my first to this very issue.  I bought my first Jaguar for pretty cheap maybe 15 years ago and it came with a Genesis AC adaptor.  I played it a few times but one day soon after I purchased it I flipped the switch on and smelled burning plastic.  I took it back to the store with the included AC adaptor and ended up exchanging it for my second Jaguar so in the end no harm, no foul.

I've got a small stack of games but I think Tempest 2000 and Raiden are the only games I really like on the system.  The FPS games were good enough at the time but I'm not really interested in playing console ports of Doom 1 or whatever anymore...

[MrFulci]

..................

I've got a small stack of games but I think Tempest 2000 and Raiden are the only games I really like on the system.  The FPS games were good enough at the time but I'm not really interested in playing console ports of Doom 1 or whatever anymore...

I forgot about Raiden.

That Missile Command game I also forgot about. NBA Jam on Jaguar was a decent port, I forgot to mention that in an earlier post.

[vexcollects]

Doom
Rayman
AvP
Tempest 2000

I have another 17 or so games, but these are the only ones I typically play. I had the rarer copy of Worms for a while, but it was a really poor port. Sold it.

[ifkz]

I was mostly kidding. I had a Jag w/ CD and loved it back when it was new...

Really?  A Jag CD?  I have always been curious about the add-on.  Even Jag collectors never talk about it, it's like a black hole...curiosity enters, nothing escapes.  Care to share any thoughts on it?

I don't hate the Jag, obviously if I am adding to my small stack of games in 2014.  I think everyone has touched on the good games I still enjoy playing too.

Today I found out about Best Electronics for Atari systems.  Interesting site, and I see refurbished Jag CDs for $150 or so.  I remember one of the AVGN  Youtube Episodes where he bought one two but could not get either to work properly.

[LostFlunky]

Jaguar trounces PC Engine/Turbo Grafx there. I never saw slow down on a Jaguar cart game! It had 2 controller ports already built-in, also!

 

You haven't played T2K then?  It is FULL of slowdown and frameskipping.

[MrFulci]

Jaguar trounces PC Engine/Turbo Grafx there. I never saw slow down on a Jaguar cart game! It had 2 controller ports already built-in, also!

 

You haven't played T2K then?  It is FULL of slowdown and frameskipping. 

Slow Down in T2K? Not that I've took much notice of. The Turbo Grafx goes to a crawl on certain games, at certain moments. For me, that just adds to the TG's charm.

Of course, most systems have a better all together library than the Jaguar does, however, I'm OK with the Jaguar system and some of the games. It's why I chose to buy that system instead of a Saturn, years ago.

[vexcollects]

I would agree with most here. I do have a Jag CD at the moment, but I've never owned anything worth playing for the Jag CD. I wanted to get iron soldier 2. I wanted to also play though Highlander and baldies, but I require a memory track.

As a young adult I ordered a Jaguar from a magazine ad, and put more hours into AvP and Doom than I care to share. AvP is still one of the creepiest games I have ever played.

[NecroPhile]

The Turbo Grafx goes to a crawl on certain games, at certain moments. For me, that just adds to the TG's charm.

Thank god there's never slow down in Genesis or especially SNES games.

[MrFulci]

I was mostly kidding. I had a Jag w/ CD and loved it back when it was new...

Really?  A Jag CD?  I have always been curious about the add-on.  Even Jag collectors never talk about it, it's like a black hole...curiosity enters, nothing escapes.  Care to share any thoughts on it?

All I recall was being so excited about the possibilities (seeing as how the jump from HuCards to CD was so amazing), but a bit disappointed by the reality.  It came with Vid Grid (number sliding puzzle only with a music video playing on the sliding blocks instead of numbers) and Blue Lightning.  I didn't care for blue lightning at all... and while Vid Grid was a fun little puzzle game, I was hoping for much more WOW factor than "ah, a shitty Lynx game in slightly higher resolution and a puzzle game with 0 replay value."

Despite being underwhelmed, I still looked forward to snagging the new video game magazines each month to scour their pages for new Jag CD games.  I don't recall any specific titles, but there were a few that I was holding my breath for up until the bitter end.  I don't think I ever purchased any CD games for it before selling it off.

Coming on the heels of TTI closing their doors, the Jag/CD experience soured me to the point where I stopped buying consoles for a long time.  The tiny bit of gaming I did after that was mostly on the PC because, dammit, you can't discontinue a PC (and even if you could, it can still be used for pr0n! hah ).

Yeah, the blackhole analogy someone made above about the JAG CD is fitting. That's a console that has some games, but not enough for me to be willing to pick it up. It's actually telling to me, that the most interesting part of that system, for me, is the Light Machine for audio CDs.

If I found one for cheap enough, I'd buy it, but unlike the Jaguar, there aren't any games that draw me to it.

[LostFlunky]

Yeah, the VLM was the only thing that got me to hang onto the JagCd for so long...

[BigusSchmuck]

.... The damn thing still looks like a toilet. Enough said.

[ultrageranium]

For me there are some similarities between the Jaguar and the SGX (and to some extent a couple more 90s experiments in the field of aborted revolutions):

- I could not afford one when they came out
- They were marketed as disruptive and paradigm shifts in the console scene
- The gaming press/media of the time was regularly giving sneak and obscure previews which contrasted with the omnipresence of other consoles, and helped build some mystery
- They both failed miserably

That's legendary material here, and anyone a bit interested in game console history cannot be insensitive to this level of drama. That's how, I assume that many, myself included, started to build some imaginary about such devices, and also got the need to actually hold and play with this stuff of legend.

However, and this is where personally the parallel stops, the SGX and the Jaguar are not ageing in the same way in their design and functionality. For instance the ridiculously big SGX+SCD2 combo has this retro-futurist look and modularity (PSU chord bridge idea is brilliant) that the bulky cheap plastic Jaguar has not; the SGX has only a few titles but the console is compatible with all the other PCE stuff while the Jaguar stands alone in its own universe of very few worthy games (only one if you ask me). And there is also a more subjective factor, that is the western vs asian game aesthetics and mechanics. The SGX benefited from Hudson's know-how and existing links with game developers obsessed with bringing game centers at home, while Atari was much more isolated in a market that it tried to join too late.

I believe that this makes the Jaguar an interesting piece of hardware for collectors, but not something you'd want to regularly plug and play with.

[esteban]

For me there are some similarities between the Jaguar and the SGX (and to some extent a couple more 90s experiments in the field of aborted revolutions):

- I could not afford one when they came out
- They were marketed as disruptive and paradigm shifts in the console scene
- The gaming press/media of the time was regularly giving sneak and obscure previews which contrasted with the omnipresence of other consoles, and helped build some mystery
- They both failed miserably

That's legendary material here, and anyone a bit interested in game console history cannot be insensitive to this level of drama. That's how, I assume that many, myself included, started to build some imaginary about such devices, and also got the need to actually hold and play with this stuff of legend.

However, and this is where personally the parallel stops, the SGX and the Jaguar are not ageing in the same way in their design and functionality. For instance the ridiculously big SGX+SCD2 combo has this retro-futurist look and modularity (PSU chord bridge idea is brilliant) that the bulky cheap plastic Jaguar has not; the SGX has only a few titles but the console is compatible with all the other PCE stuff while the Jaguar stands alone in its own universe of very few worthy games (only one if you ask me). And there is also a more subjective factor, that is the western vs asian game aesthetics and mechanics. The SGX benefited from Hudson's know-how and existing links with game developers obsessed with bringing game centers at home, while Atari was much more isolated in a market that it tried to join too late.

I believe that this makes the Jaguar an interesting piece of hardware for collectors, but not something you'd want to regularly plug and play with.

I concur about how Jaguar vs. SuperGrafx aged...but SGX really only looks nice SOLO, ha! 


Anyway, I wish I had access to a Jaguar to play games (at a friend's house/yurt), but I don't want to be bothered myself. I have too much already.