A few questions about the mighty Atari Jaguar!

[Super Monkey Balls]

Yeah I know you can count the games worth having on one hand but I used to have one and I had a soft spot for it so I'm thinking of getting another :)
A couple of questions:

What's the deal with region lock-outs? Are there any? I'm considering buying a US console. Would it play UK releases and would a Pal console play US releases?
Are Pal consoles 50Hz W/ borders? (Can't remember.)
Can I use a UK Jag PSU on a US console?
Does it have RGB output?

[Commander Marklar]

Yes to all of those, except the last one... which I dunno.

I *think* everything is region free, I have a couple of US games that play fine on a PAL console.

[Saurian]

It does output RGB but you'll most likely have to make up your own cable, not sure if/where they sell official ones.

http://www.digiserve.com/eescape/atari/FAQ_-_Jaguar

[Papercut]

Game, Raven and Telegames have all recently had RGB scart cables in for the Jag.

http://www.ravenonline.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=741

The official ones are good quality too. It's mad, back when they were current I ended up having to figure out building one, now they are dead you can actually find the scart cables.


What's the deal with region lock-outs? Are there any?
pal machines are locked to 50Hz and ntsc machines to 60Hz, but there is no region lockout.


I'm considering buying a US console. Would it play UK releases and would a Pal console play US releases?
All games run on either pal or ntsc machines, except for the Jag CD game Dragon's Lair, which is 60Hz only.

The 50/60Hz mod is dead simple too, just remove or add a resistor, so buy any region machine. I left mine at 50Hz as it suited Tempest 2000 best.


Are Pal consoles 50Hz W/ borders? (Can't remember.)
50Hz yes, some have small borders and some have larger borders.


Can I use a UK Jag PSU on a US console?
I'm 99% sure you can. It's something like 9v DC 1A - just check dc jack polarity and voltage/current.

[revisedgenocide]

Ive always been interested in picking up a Jaguar. Reading the above faq has really piqued my interest somewhat.

[DavidH]

yeah I considered one a few months ago, dead cheap on fleabay, but lack of quality titles put me off (for now)

[Papercut]

It's worth it for Tempest 2000 alone (as a Nuon is for Tempest 3000).

[anephric]

Kasumi Ninja is one of the funniest things ever created (the caber-tossing Scotsman makes me wee), and the fact that my Jag-owning mate paid full whack for Club Drive back in tha day (heeeee heeeee) always makes me laugh: we play it to this day and "force" each other to complete levels.

It's worth owning for Aliens Vs Predator. We still marvel at what Rebellion got out of the Jagmeister...

There are still loads of homebrew Jag cd games abooot.

[anephric]

It roars when you turn it on, for God's sake! What else do you need?

[Saurian]

Yeah man - what the hell was Club Drive all about anyway??? :blink:

I played it once and had no idea how it was a "game" - are you supposed to do something?

Tempest 2000 was something else tho! :) Iron Soldier was quite enjoyable too (If I'm remembering right!)

[Commander Marklar]

Yea, you remember right. I enjoy it more (now) than Armoured Core ;)

edit: Also, I love the actual design and build of the Jag, even if most of its games are completely wank.

[DavidH]

I love the actual design and build of the Jag, even if most of its games are completely wank.

Don't mince your words CM, say what you mean :)

[HHarm]

I have an NTSC Jag and JagCD. Both work fine with European PSUs.

Any recommendations for CD games worth getting?

[anephric]

Highlander is the only one that's "rare" isn't it?

I love the Jag Cd unit: it make the Jag look like the toilet, yes?

[HHarm]

Highlander is the only one that's "rare" isn't it?

I love the Jag Cd unit: it make the Jag look like the toilet, yes?Heh, now that I think of it... kinda. I guess I did get the unit for the aesthetics to make the Jag "complete".

Still I should find something worth playing or at least something that is otherwise special. Myst was kind of ok but the pc version was the one to get and Dragon's Lair and Space Ace are in their own way interesting but even they are said to be better on the 3DO. Maybe Highlander would be one to get.

[Commander Marklar]

Highlander is great but very difficult in places. It's like Alone in the Dark and half the difficulty comes down to the camera angles switching about and the odd glitch (usually in combat).

You'll need a memory cartridge though, I assume you have one already ;)

[Super Monkey Balls]

Cheers guys. Definitely getting one now. Got my last one when Gameplay were doing em for 30 quid years back. Tempest 2000 and AVP are great games. I also liked Iron Soldier, Dino Dudes and Power Drive Rally. The Jag has some solid versions of Wolfie, Rayman, Bubsy, Cannon Fodder, Raiden etc too. And the crappy games like Kasumi Ninja and Club Drive are a laugh a minute, for the wrong reasons :)

[Arashikage]

I remember the then Electronics Boutique selling Jags for a tenner brand new, pity there weren't any good games to go with it. Then only a few days ago I looked in the window of Gamestation and I see a boxed one with 4 games going for £180!!! Are they in the middle of a retro revival or something?

[Commander Marklar]

Not really... I think a lot of people have a bit of a soft spot for them and the machines are very easy to get a hold of. There is a dedicated, if not small following too with plenty of homebrew titles (as mentioned).

Either that, or Super Monkey Balls is a bit of a trend setter ;)

[anephric]

Telegames sell them for about £50, don't they? That surely must be top whack (it's Telegames, after all?) That's with 2 controllers, 3 games etc etc.

They also sell scart-modded consoles. For a premium.

The last Jag I saw in GS was £30. I know a guy who works in GS and sometimes they put retro things out at "joke" prices to see if people will bite (MD Robocop Vs Terminator for £20, things like that). Maybe it was a joke.

Ha ha.

[Papercut]

not scart modded - scart included.

There is no need to 'scart' mod a Jag, it supports RGB out of the box.

Telegames are just (slightly) misleading people.

[Space Monkey]

I left mine at 50Hz as it suited Tempest 2000 best.


Why is that? I was going to do the 60hz mod on my pal machine but might not bother now.

[buster_broon]

The last Jag I saw in GS was £30. I know a guy who works in GS and sometimes they put retro things out at "joke" prices to see if people will bite (MD Robocop Vs Terminator for £20, things like that). Maybe it was a joke.

Ha ha.

i bought my pal one - new in the box with iron soldier for £20

so they can be found pretty cheaply

[Papercut]

Why is that? I was going to do the 60hz mod on my pal machine but might not bother now.
Higher res, small borders, less slowdown (well, less framerate choppyness).

More than anything I was just used to the game running at 50Hz.

[NeilMcRae]

also it has one of the best doom ports :D Get brutal sports and Tempest 2000 a must have for this platform. I picked up a jag from game a few years ago for a tenner!

[Super Monkey Balls]

Brutal Sports is great. I remember it being a bit slow though. Wonder if that's any smoother at 60Hz?

[Commander Marklar]

Didn't Telegames have something to do with the distro of Jaguar's for a while? Can't remember, probably got my wires crossed :s

[Papercut]

They bought the rights to and published some finished/almost-finished games that didn't go to manufacture before Atari gave up on the Jag.