This is the second part of my Lynx game coverage and many of these I haven’t played since buying them 15 years ago.
Batman Returns – Very mediocre side scrolling beat ’em up movie tie-in game. Controls are sketchy, difficulty is extremely high but graphics and music are top notch. Should have been a must own, instead it’s too frustrating to be fun for long. C-
California Games – Portable version of the PC classic keeps only 4 of the events; BMX, footbags, surfing and halfpipe, but also keeps the fun. I am very impressed by the game’s visuals and controls. It really does rival the computer version and exceeds the NES version in many ways. Obvious choice for a launch/pack-in title to showcase the Lynx’s abilities. This is one of the best games I’ve personally played on the Lynx. A-
Crystal Mines 2 – Fun little puzzle game in which you control a robot moving around collecting gems/diamonds while avoiding monsters and removing other obstacles from your path. Direct sequel to a NES game I never played but a decent time waster. B
Rampart – Interesting strategy and action game that requires you to shoot at enemies approaching your castle using a cursor sight and then repairing any damage the enemies have done to it. The battle scenes are fun enough but the repair/strategy portion of the game is where it’s at. Rampart isn’t super easy to pick up and play like California Games but it’s equally rewarding. A-
Steel Talons – Port of an obscure arcade game released by Atari in 1991 for the Lynx. You control a helicopter attempting to complete battle missions in a 3D polygonal environment, which was quite advanced for a console of the time let alone a handheld system! Considering the age of the game and the Lynx, I am nothing short of impressed with what they did. Unfortunately, I didn’t actually find Steel Talons all that fun in spite of it’s appearance, which tends to be a common theme with many Lynx games. C+
Currently in my collection:
Batman Returns – game only
California Games – game only
Crystal Mines 2 – game, manual, box
Rampart – game, manual, box
Steel Talons – game, manual, box
Cartridge Corner 