The Lynx was Atari's competitor to Nintendo's Game Boy, released during the same year as Nintendo's system, and ultimately unable to compete with the Game Boy's popularity, despite producing a decent library of titles for its relatively more advanced hardware.
If you want to get a Lynx (which means you're probably an Atari fan or a collector) the second model is recommended, especially for its slightly enhanced battery life. (According to the console's manual, the Lynx II can get five hours out of six AA's, as opposed to four hours on a Lynx I.) Very unique features were put into this system for its time; for example, a back-lit color LCD, and the ability to flip the screen and the D-pad so you can play it left-handed or right-handed. A very small library, but most of the games are actually pretty worthwhile!
The list[]
Box Art
Title
Genre
Description
Battle Wheels
Racing/Combat
Game's setting is in a post-apocalypse world. Your goal is to toast others racers on a small (or not so small) arena while racing your car. Or going on foot. In first-person. This game really shows what hardware of Atari Lynx was capable of, while being really awesome.
Blue Lightning
Shoot'Em'Up
Launch title for Lynx. This game shows the raw power of handheld videochip. Think After Burner but with missions.
Bubble Trouble
Action
Similair to Sega's Pengo but with Lynx graphics and stuff.
Crystal Mines II
Puzzle
181 total levels of puzzle fun where you have to navigate through mines and collect power ups and such while using your brain to decide the best way to get through certain terrain. Sequel to Crystal Mines for the NES.
Cyberball
Sports
Fixed up all the bugs and stuff from the original. Hella fun football game.
Eye of the Beholder
RPG
Highly acclaimed game ported rather well to your Atari Lynx. Go through dungeons and fight monsters, in a similar way to Shining in the Darkness!
Ms. Pac-Man
Pac-Man
A great port of Ms. Pac-Man enhanced from the original.
Ninja Gaiden
Beat em' up
A well done arcade port. Of course it's different due to being on the Lynx, but it's still pretty accurate. This is not the NES game at all, but by all means don't let that deter you!
Ninja Gaiden lll: The Ancient Ship of Doom
Platformer
Same game as on the NES, but like all Ninja Gaiden games expect some differences here and there.
Robotron: 2084
Fixed Shooter
If you like Robotron games there's nothing wrong with this one.
S.T.U.N. Runner
Racing/Shooter
Chase the time limit and dodge your enemies at high speed. A lot of levels and high difficulty awaits.
Shadow of the Beast
Platformer
Not too shabby. Has been compared to Castlevania. Pretty nice in the graphics department, especially for a Lynx game. Uses lots of effects to show off the lynx's power. Said to be the easiest version (except for maybe the Japanese Mega Drive version).
Todd's Adventures in Slime World
Platformer/Metroidvania
Hands down the best game on the Lynx, you must explore large slime-filled caverns and collect items. Whenever you kill enemies they will release slime which will stick to your character and slowly hurt him, so you must find water puddles to wash yourself.
Xybots
Arcade/Shooter
A good example of an arcade port for a handheld. Run around a maze and destroy evil robots, then upgrade yourself at the end of the level.
Zaku
Shoot em' Up
A rather fine-looking indie shooter, quite similar to Air Zonk for the TG-16, and possibly the best game the Lynx has ever had. Runs super smoothly and fast, animation is magnificent, the bosses are huge, and has a tongue in cheek humor type, like Parodius. It hasn't been dumped, though. If you want it, prepare to drop some cash, cause it ain't cheap.