Jaguar Focus: Jaguar Games (Aug.21,1993)
From: Atari SIG (xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 02/19/94-09:15:07 PM Z
From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
Subject: Jaguar Focus: Jaguar Games (Aug.21,1993)
Date: Sat Feb 19 21:15:07 1994
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:: Jaguar Special Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 21 August 1993 ::
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||| Jaguar Focus: Jaguar Games
||| Courtesy: Atari Corp.
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With this Fall's introduction of the Atari Jaguar, the ultimate video
game system and the nation's first 64-bit interactive multimedia
entertainment system, comes a plethora of both new and familiar game
titles. While third party developers and publishers are actively
designing software for the system, Atari programmers overseas and
domestically have been developing and fine-tuning several titles for
the Jaguar for release this year.
The dramatic use of 3D rendering and 24-bit graphics is most
prevalent in games seen on the Jaguar system. Scanned and digitized
character images, as well as detailed texture mapping, lighting and
shadowing effects and unrestricted motion and speed all contribute to
the next level of technology apparent in these games. And the 16-bit
stereo capabilities and high fidelity CD quality sound combined with
the imagery produce extraordinary results.
Some of the titles include:
Crescent Galaxy? - Lifelike three dimensionally rendered and shadowed
planetary objects and lifeforms prevail in this multi-leveled side
shooter. You are the young Corporal Trevor McFur of the Circle Reserve
Core. Returning from a deep space reconnaissance mission, you and your
shipmate intercept a long-range transmission telling you that you are
the only hope in saving the galaxy against a ruthless creature. The
game is visually stunning with full textured 3D renderings of
creatures and planets with nine levels reflecting five different
worlds. Enemies and allies include: Pop-up Poppies which explode when
they sense an enemy nearby; Geysers which can spurt forth abrupt
blasts of nuclear steam erupting from the Planets core; and bothersome
creatures such as Skeletal Vultures, Scorpions and Flying Dinos and
dozens more.
Cybermorph? - Surreal landscapes colored in both muted and bright
tones are the background for this One-Man Rescue Probe sent into an
interplanetary battlefield to rescue stranded survivors of a dying
war. The Cybermorph is an adaptable, flexible machine with an outer
skin programmed to react to its environment. If accelerating, it grows
streamlined to reduce resistance; when banking, its wings extend to
give maximum turn; when slowing up, the rear of the craft morphs into
a cowl to bring the speed down quickly and smoothly. The probe flies
in a full three dimensional world environment. The object is to fly
over the surface of each world in a low-altitude, high speed craft
saving helpless survivors and avoiding surface and air attack and
alien infestation. You defend yourself by shooting anything that moves
and avoid being hit yourself or colliding into tall landscape
features. A holographic face speaks to you giving you information.
Following lifeline sensors, you race toward the cries for help,
saving survivors from all 50 moons to complete the mission.
Raiden? - As the ultimate arcade game conversion, the Jaguar version
is considered the ideal soundalike and lookalike Raiden game. As a
vertical scroller, you control aircraft flying over enemy territory,
shooting militaristic tanks and aircraft, avoiding enemy gun fire and
hidden missiles. This full-featured game makes use of the graphic
capabilities with complex parallax scrolling and realistic and
engaging audio quality. This was essentially developed as a yardstick
for performance, color and sprite comparisons to showcase the Jaguar's
capabilities. Speed and motion are exceptional with no slow down when
mass objects are present on the screen. No other system comes close to
accurately converting this arcade game to a home console.
Evolution-Dino Dudes? - Familiar to consumers as Dinolympics? on the
Lynx or as Humans? on the PC, this title is an Atari-owned property
which, seen on the Jaguar, utilizes all the graphics and colors Jaguar
can represent. Vivid colors and creative use of animation facilities
enhance the overall look of the game, but the 80 levels of play make
this challenging as well. As a platform puzzle game, cavemen
characters are taught to survive, by avoiding man-eating dinosaurs,
discovering the spear, making fire and physically running, jumping and
climbing their way up the evolutionary ladder.
Club Drive? - The most exciting vacation park in the 21st century is
the theme for this pulse quickening excursion. At this fantasy driving
resort, all vehicles are indestructible, and visitors can challenge
their skills and courage by driving some of the most treacherous
terrain and returning completely unscathed. Different levels are
represented by a futuristic city, an old western town, a present day
world and even a toy car world where you can drive in and around your
furniture at breakneck speeds as if you were inside a toy racing car.
This true 3D polygon environment is completely new to the gaming
world.
Checkered Flag II? - Jaguar Formula One Racing hits its peak with this
version using real-time 3D generated action, akin to arcade quality
racing games. Cars, buildings and roads are rendered in true 3D, with
options to customize your car. The game features 100% true sound
effects; crashes are realistic in both sound and imagery, with parts
flying and tires screeching. Racing speed is markedly intensified.
Tiny Toon Adventures? - Based on the popular Warner Bros. characters,
this platform game utilizes the vibrant colors and graphics to the
utmost. The storyline follows Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny and Plucky Duck
as they embark on a rescue mission to save the planet Aurica. Bad boy
Montana Max has a new toy: an Acme TiToonium-Gold Converter. The only
place to get TiToonium is on the planet Aurica. The removal of
TiToonium is causing grave ecological damage to Aurica. Armed with
Acme Crazy Net, our heroes try to shut down the Acme TiToonium-Gold
Converter. The object is to navigate through each level, locate the
TiToonium Extractor within each level and pull the plug on it. With a
transport beam pad, one of our heroes can be selected to climb, jump
and run through each level so in the end, the planet can be saved.
Alien vs. Predator? - Based on two 20th Century Fox feature film
blockbusters, what would happen if the Alien, the Predator and a
colonial Marine Corporal were put together? Who would win? You select
who you will portray and the qualities each possesses is incorporated
into your strategy. For instance, if you were the Alien, you could
climb walls; as the Predator, your night vision is superior and as the
Marine Corporal, you may be able to outwit the other two with your
computer skills. Placed in realistic texture mapped corridors, your
movement is put in real-time action. Camera speeds race as you're
being chased down hallways with a high frame rate. Exceptional colors
and shadow effects put you right into the action.
Kasumi Ninja? - The game is set on the small island of Kasumi in the
West Pacific rim. The Kasumi Ninja are the world's finest Ninja
warriors and a mist of invisibility from the Ninja Gods hides Kasumi
from the world. Kasumi is undetectable, even by radar. The Gods have
decided to intervene when Gyaku, a strong warrior, kills his family
and the Gods must find a new strong warrior to battle him. But first,
this new young Ninja must learn new skills and fight with nine other
persona, each with unique martial arts abilities and special moves.
The game incorporates superior graphics and animation with realistic
landscapes and backgrounds. Ninja warriors utilize 91 different
martial arts movements, with all the sound effects and audio
consistent with this type of fighting.
Tempest 2000? - This title is familiar to gamers as the favorite
arcade classic using vector graphics, polygons and rapid fire. Here,
the Jaguar version incorporates a starfield in the background instead
of just a black background. CD quality stereo enhances this game
tenfold as this fast-paced energetic game unfolds. Manipulative
abilities have been modernized and updated with new features that
include spins and twists not seen in the 80's, as well as an updated
version to the year 2000 which takes full advantage of the Jaguar's 3D
graphic polygon capabilities.
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