Here you will find my brief reviews of Atari Lynx games, along with a rating from 1 to 10. A rating of 9-10 indicates a great game; 7-8 is a good game; 5-6 is a mediocre game; 3-4 is a poor game; and 1-2 is a horrible game. At the bottom of the page can be found my Top 10 list.

Click here for quick links to each review

Latest additions:
1
The only baseball game on Lynx is not a very good one. The graphics are the only highlight, with a good looking batting screen. Unfortunately, the batter swings the bat extremely slowly. But the worst part of the game is the fielding. To throw to first, you have to press left on the control pad and the A button. But the instant you do, the control switches to the first baseman, and he starts running to the left, off of first base! Also, the camera angles make it difficult to catch fly balls. And if a ball gets past an infielder, the game often doesn't let you switch to the outfielder. And occasionally, your fielder will walk right over the ball without picking it up. The game is buggy, with plays being stopped early, sometimes cheating you of runs from sacrifice flies. Both teams wear white, so it's hard to tell between infielders and base runners, which also causes problems. And to complete the game, you are expected to play a seven game series (you must play all seven games), with each game taking around 45 minutes, with no password or save feature. And when you do win it all, there's no ending anyway. Atari really struck out with this piece of trash.
3
This playground basketball game has absolutely no rules. Do anything you can to stop your opponent: Kick him, punch him, or pick up a weapon to use against him. Spectators on the sidelines will sometimes join in the action by beating up one of the players. Unfortunately, the gameplay is repetitive and very dull.
6
You get to be Batman in this side-scrolling action game. You'll use your fists, batarangs, and other weapons to fight enemies on the streets of Gotham City. The graphics and music are impressive by Lynx standards, and I especially love the title screen music. But the gameplay is just average. The biggest problem is the high difficulty level; not only are the levels very challenging, but you only get one life and no continues.
5
The best way to describe this game is to call it "deathmatch on wheels." You get into a car loaded with weapons and you fight it out with other cars in a large arena. Kill the other drivers before they kill you. This game clearly was designed for multiple players and no effort was made to make an adequate single-player mode. Battle Wheels gets boring really quickly when playing alone.
6
This puzzle game is essentially Tetris in 3D. You view a pit of blocks from above, and you must fit them together to fill a complete level. When you do that, the blocks on that level disappear and you earn points. The controls may take a while to get used to, as rotating blocks in 3D is a bit more complicated than the two-dimensional rotation in Tetris. Also, there is no in-game music; some good tunes could have made the game seem less monotonous. This game is fairly fun, but the novelty of playing Tetris in 3D wears off after a while.
7
This is an airplane combat game viewed from a behind-the-jet perspective. You must destroy targets on land, on sea, and in the air. You'll use your cannon and guided missiles to blast your way through nine missions. You can also perform barrel rolls and use afterburners for a speed boost. It's an enjoyable action game.
8
This sports game has four events in which you can compete: BMX, surfing, halfpipe skateboarding, and footbag. In each one, you try to complete various stunts, which earn you points. The surfing and BMX levels are my favorites, while the other two sports are slightly less enjoyable. It's a fun game overall, especially when competing against a friend.
7
This is an Indy car racing game that is loaded with options. You can choose the color of your car, how many drones to race against, how many laps in each race, and even the sex of your driver. Then you can race on any of 18 different tracks. Up to six human players can compete at once if you have multiple Lynxes and games. One thing I don't like is that if you bump into another car, both cars spin 360 degrees to a complete stop. That makes for a cheap way for an opponent to take you out of the race. But Checkered Flag is still a fun racing game, especially when racing against human opponents.
7
In this puzzle game, you play as a nerdy boy named Chip. In order to be admitted into the Bit Busters computer club, you must first complete the 144 levels of this game. You'll need to push blocks, find keys, avoid enemies and traps, and solve various puzzles. The graphics and sound in this game are average at best, but as with most puzzle games, it's the gameplay that counts. And this game is fun to play. Many of the levels get very challenging, but the game will sometimes let you skip a level if you're having too much trouble with it.
6
This is a role-playing/text adventure game in which you play the role of Jonathan Harker. As you explore Dracula's mansion, you'll use text-based commands to open doors, manipulate objects, and even talk to Dracula himself. The game intentionally lacks color, with sepia tone graphics. That, along with appropriately creepy music, provides a dark, spooky atmosphere that really fits the theme. At times, it will be unclear how to proceed in the game, but it's crucial to examine every little detail that you come across. Some items may seem useless at first, but they can be used in conjunction with something else later on. The game lacks a save feature, which is disappointing even though the game is relatively short. It also lacks replay value, but it is an enjoyable adventure while it lasts.
7
In this action game, you must pilot your "UltraBoost Powercraft" through rivers and deliver cargo to its destination. Many obstacles and enemies will be in your way; either avoid them or destroy them. For some reason, your fuel situation is so bad that you must almost constantly pick up fuel crystals to keep going. The control is decent, but not perfect. Sometimes it's hard to avoid obstacles, and other times you crash into obstacles even though it looks like you're a safe distance away. But despite its flaws, Hydra is a fun game to play.
7
This tennis game features Jimmy Connors as the top tennis pro. Your ultimate goal is to enter the tournament, climb the rankings ladder, and eventually beat him. You can be a male or female player, play on grass or hard surfaces, and play in singles or doubles competition. The tournament mode starts out fairly easy, but as you climb the ladder, the games can get quite challenging. The Lynx wasn't known for its sports games, but Jimmy Connors' Tennis is one of the few good ones.
7
This is a fun and challenging puzzle game in which you must line up blocks of the same color. When you do that, you have made a "Klax" and the blocks disappear. Depending on the level, you may have to make a certain number of Klaxes, reach a certain score, or survive through a certain number of blocks. It lacks in-game music, but the sound effects and voices are clear and sound great. It also requires that you hold your Lynx vertically, which is a bit awkward.
9
This is a portable version of the classic puzzle game. By designating roles to the mindless Lemmings, you must help them get home before they do something stupid like walk off a cliff. This version has good graphics, the same great tunes, and 120 levels of excellent gameplay. There is also a helpful "turbo" feature that's not found in most versions of the game. It lets you speed up the game so that you spend less time waiting for the Lemmings to walk around.
3
In this casino gambling game, you can play five different games: Roulette, blackjack, slot machines, craps, and video poker. A statistics screen can be viewed that summarizes how much money you've won or lost at each game. You can also talk to other patrons, including an Elvis impersonator, but nothing they say is really helpful. Maybe I'm just not a casino fan, but I didn't enjoy this game very much.
4
This two-on-two beach volleyball game comes from Hand Made Software, makers of Jimmy Connors' Tennis. The game uses a red marker to indicate where the volleyball will land. You'll need to be right on that spot, because the hit detection can be a bit too precise. It gives the game more of a simulation feel as opposed to an arcade style game. Because the screen scrolls left and right to follow the ball, there are times when you can't see your player. In addition, your teammate will sometimes block your view of the ball marker. Such faults detract from the gameplay. On the plus side, a nice "CD player" feature lets you choose and customize which of the game's ten tunes you'll hear. But it's not enough; Malibu Bikini Volleyball is a subpar sports game.
3
This game features 28 NFL teams and is played by holding the Lynx system vertically. The graphics look pretty good...but the positives end there, because NFL Football is a very flawed game. The biggest problem is the lack of a running game. Don't get me wrong, there are running plays you can choose. But running the ball successfully is something you never see in this game. Not even the CPU opponent can pound one out for positive yardage. Meanwhile, the passing game is far more complicated than it needs to be. To pass, you must hold down the B button while you move a cursor to where you want to throw the ball, and then release the button to actually throw it. Your quarterback can not move while you're doing this. It takes a lot of practice before you can complete a pass. Another problem is the lack of game modes. You can play a single game, and that's it. No season, no playoffs, no tournament, no Super Bowl. Once you get the hang of passing, you may find a small amount of enjoyment out of winning a game or two. But overall, NFL Football is no good.
10
This is a two-in-one pinball game. Play on the Elvira & the Party Monsters table or the Police Force table. I like the Elvira board better, but they're both a lot of fun to play. There are plenty of targets to shoot for; aim for the right ones and you can activate the exciting multi-ball mode. This is a high quality game in every respect, but the sound really stands out. The music is good, the digitized voices are clear, and the sound effects are outstanding.
8
This is a very unique puzzle game. You start out in an almost empty box, in which the "Qix" spins and moves around. With your cursor, you make lines and squares so that you enclose the Qix in a small space. For example, you may have to close off 65% of the screen to complete a certain level. This 256-level game has a password feature, but no continues. So if you die, you can't just continue; you must enter your full password in every time. But aside from that little annoyance, Qix is an enjoyable game unlike any other.
6
This is a very unique action/strategy game in which you must defend your castle from invaders. The game is played in three distinct modes: The cannon phase, in which you place your cannons; the battle phase, in which you fight your enemies; and the rebuilding phase, in which you use Tetris-like pieces to rebuild your castle walls. The game has some nice animated scenes between phases and a very cool "game over" screen. It's fun to play, but it gets repetitive quickly.
6
In this action/sports game, the winner of the Robo-Squash competition wins control of the galaxy. Okay, so the plot is ridiculous, but it's still not a bad game. If you can imagine a 3D version of Pong with power-ups, then you basically know how this game works. You try to hit the ball past your opponent. There are bricks that can block your view, but luckily you can smash them away. The game is mildly entertaining, but it gets repetitive after a short while.
8
This is a peaceful and relaxing puzzle game based on the ancient Chinese game of mah-jongg. On each of seven tile formations, you must remove matching tiles from the edges. You can choose from four different tunes as you play, each of which fits the game well. My biggest gripe is the lack of a password feature. To beat the game, you must beat all seven levels at one sitting, which would take quite a while.
6
This is a fast-paced action/racing game. The object is to reach the end of each track before time runs out. Of course, there are obstacles and enemies that get in your way. You can shoot them or just try to avoid them. There are also speed boosters on the track that you often can't afford to miss. S.T.U.N. Runner has impressive graphics, but unfortunately, there is no in-game music. As for the gameplay, it may not be stunning, but it does make for a mildly enjoyable game.
6
This is a unique action/puzzle game that has a whopping 250 levels. It may look like child's play with cute monsters everywhere, but it's actually quite challenging. Each level has many blue floor tiles; the goal of most levels is to paint all of the tiles pink. Many enemies will be in your way, and you'll have to shoot them or otherwise avoid them. There are also a number of power-ups, which can give you helpful items such as a shield or a better weapon. I found the game to be fun at first, but I quickly got tired of it.
8
This is a fun and challenging adventure game that has similarities to Metroid. You explore a complex system of slime-filled caverns, shoot enemies, collect and use items, grab power-ups, and race to the escape pod. With multiple Lynxes and copies of the game, up to eight players can compete to see who can escape first. Although the control isn't quite as precise as it could be, Slime World is a very fun game.
8
You control Toki the ape-man in this action/platform game. You must defeat the evil wizard to rescue your girl and return to your human form. But you'll have to run, jump, and shoot your way through a number of side-scrolling levels first. Toki is a fun and challenging game that also has good music and sound effects.
3
This is a portable version of the arcade football game. The game is played with robots instead of humans and with a bomb instead of a ball. Unfortunately, Tournament Cyberball is disappointing in virtually every respect. The graphics and sound are poor, the game plays at a slow pace, and it's simply not fun to play. And despite the name, there is no tournament or playoff mode.
6
Xybot warriors have taken over the space station and it's up to you to defeat them. In this 3D action game, you make your way through maze-like levels and blast the bad guys. You can also pick up coins that can be used to buy power-ups and other helpful items. On the negative side, you're constantly losing energy...even when you're just looking at the map. The action in Xybots gets a bit repetitive, but it's still a decent game overall. Too bad it doesn't have a password feature.

The Top 10 Lynx Games

This is my list of the best games that I have played for this system. This list will change over time as I play more games in the system's library.

1. Pinball Jam
2. Lemmings
3. California Games
4. Todd's Adventures in Slime World
5. Toki
6. Shanghai
7. Qix
8. Blue Lightning
9. Checkered Flag
10. Klax

Home | Privacy Policy | Disclosure