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Tom's Chip - (26.59 MHz)
Graphics processing unit (GPU) – 32-bit RISC architecture, 4 KB internal cache.
Object Processor – 64-bit RISC architecture.
Blitter – 64-bit RISC architecture; high speed logic operations, z-buffering and Gouraud shading, with 64-bit internal registers.
DRAM controller, 32-bit memory management.
Jerry's Chip - (26.59 MHz)
Digital Signal Processor – 32-bit RISC architecture, 8 KB internal cache.
Same RISC core as the GPU, but not limited to graphic production.
CD-quality sound (16-bit stereo).
Number of sound channels limited by software.
2 DACs (stereo) convert digital data to analog sound signals.
Full stereo capabilities.
Wavetable synthesis, FM synthesis, FM Sample synthesis, and AM synthesis.
A clock control block, incorporating timers, and a UART.
Joystick control.
Motorola 68000 (used as a manager).
General purpose 16/32-bit control processor, (13.295 MHz).
RAM - 2 MB on a 64-bit bus using 4 16-bit fast page mode DRAMS.
Storage - Cartridge – up to 6 MB.
Support for COM Lynx I/O.
The Atari Jaguar system was released in 1993 in San Francisco and in 1994 for the rest of America and Europe. After a long absence from the videogame console market, with the previous console being the Atari 7800 released in the mid 1980’s, Atari made its return with the Jaguar platform, which ended up being the last console ever manufactured by the company and leaving them financially crippled as a company.
In the early nineties Atari was negotiating with a company called Flair Technology limited, which would later become Flair 2 which was also partially financed by Atari. Flair 2 had two video game systems in development, the first machine was called the Panther and the second, the Jaguar. There aim was to surpass the abilities of the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo, and to compete against the new generation of consoles in development by 3DO, Nintendo and Sega, while still remaining cost effective at the same time.
The first concept, the Panther which was a 32bit console, this was scrapped due to the impressive graphical progression abilities that the Jaguar showed. Originally the game Cybermorph that came bundled with the Atari Jaguar on its release was game designed for Panther.
Atari advertised the Jaguar aggressively in the press, as well as with TV commercials, these often boasting about it’s technical superiority over the 16bit platforms, and claiming to be the first 64 bit home console on the market. The Jaguar was certainly a lot more powerful than the Super Nintendo and the Genesis, with it‘s 64 bit processor. However this caused some controversy amongst technically knowledgeable industry insiders and gamers, and many claimed that the Jaguar was not a true 64 bit platform, because the Jaguar’s Motorola 68000 CPU chip set was only 32bit, and the primary GPU delivered a 32bit instruction set, while being supported by 64 bit graphics accelerating co-processors. However due to Jaguars chip set architecture and processing methods, there was just enough to backup Atari’s 64 bit claim.
The Jaguar platform did have a few excellent titles for it, including Alien VS Predator, Doom and Tempest 2000, but most the games released, were very average and did not look much better then 16 bit games. Indeed quite a large number of them were just ports of games that had been or were released on the Sega Genesis and super Nintendo systems.
The Atari Jaguar was powerful system for its time, with many of the units being sold to the loyal and dedicated Atari fan base that had built up since the early 1980‘s. Many clever and innovative ideas for the system were in the pipeline, of which, most never made it past the prototype phase, due to the poor sales and short life span of the console.
The Jaguar’s success was hindered by a number of contributing factors, such as a limited game library, third party software development issues and fierce competitors in the form of Sony’s PlayStation and Sega’s Saturn which finally killed off the Jaguar by mid-1996.
In the late 1990’s Hasbro interactive bought out all Atari properties and declared the Jaguar, an open platform for homebrew development. Today the Atari Jaguar has a loyal cult following, who use the console for all sorts of development, including utilizing the COM Lynx for the networking of up to 32 Jaguar consoles.
The Atari Jaguar was claimed to be the first 64-bit console to hit the market (in fact it had two 32-bit processors), as well as the last major gaming system Atari would produce.
System specifications -Tom's Chip - (26.59 MHz)
Graphics processing unit (GPU) – 32-bit RISC architecture, 4 KB internal cache.
Object Processor – 64-bit RISC architecture.
Blitter – 64-bit RISC architecture; high speed logic operations, z-buffering and Gouraud shading, with 64-bit internal registers.
DRAM controller, 32-bit memory management.
Jerry's Chip - (26.59 MHz)
Digital Signal Processor – 32-bit RISC architecture, 8 KB internal cache.
Same RISC core as the GPU, but not limited to graphic production.
Atari Jaguar logo
Number of sound channels limited by software.
2 DACs (stereo) convert digital data to analog sound signals.
Full stereo capabilities.
Wavetable synthesis, FM synthesis, FM Sample synthesis, and AM synthesis.
A clock control block, incorporating timers, and a UART.
Joystick control.
Motorola 68000 (used as a manager).
General purpose 16/32-bit control processor, (13.295 MHz).
RAM - 2 MB on a 64-bit bus using 4 16-bit fast page mode DRAMS.
Storage - Cartridge – up to 6 MB.
Support for COM Lynx I/O.
The Atari Jaguar system was released in 1993 in San Francisco and in 1994 for the rest of America and Europe. After a long absence from the videogame console market, with the previous console being the Atari 7800 released in the mid 1980’s, Atari made its return with the Jaguar platform, which ended up being the last console ever manufactured by the company and leaving them financially crippled as a company.
In the early nineties Atari was negotiating with a company called Flair Technology limited, which would later become Flair 2 which was also partially financed by Atari. Flair 2 had two video game systems in development, the first machine was called the Panther and the second, the Jaguar. There aim was to surpass the abilities of the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo, and to compete against the new generation of consoles in development by 3DO, Nintendo and Sega, while still remaining cost effective at the same time.
The first concept, the Panther which was a 32bit console, this was scrapped due to the impressive graphical progression abilities that the Jaguar showed. Originally the game Cybermorph that came bundled with the Atari Jaguar on its release was game designed for Panther.
Atari advertised the Jaguar aggressively in the press, as well as with TV commercials, these often boasting about it’s technical superiority over the 16bit platforms, and claiming to be the first 64 bit home console on the market. The Jaguar was certainly a lot more powerful than the Super Nintendo and the Genesis, with it‘s 64 bit processor. However this caused some controversy amongst technically knowledgeable industry insiders and gamers, and many claimed that the Jaguar was not a true 64 bit platform, because the Jaguar’s Motorola 68000 CPU chip set was only 32bit, and the primary GPU delivered a 32bit instruction set, while being supported by 64 bit graphics accelerating co-processors. However due to Jaguars chip set architecture and processing methods, there was just enough to backup Atari’s 64 bit claim.
The Jaguar platform did have a few excellent titles for it, including Alien VS Predator, Doom and Tempest 2000, but most the games released, were very average and did not look much better then 16 bit games. Indeed quite a large number of them were just ports of games that had been or were released on the Sega Genesis and super Nintendo systems.
The Atari Jaguar was powerful system for its time, with many of the units being sold to the loyal and dedicated Atari fan base that had built up since the early 1980‘s. Many clever and innovative ideas for the system were in the pipeline, of which, most never made it past the prototype phase, due to the poor sales and short life span of the console.
The Jaguar’s success was hindered by a number of contributing factors, such as a limited game library, third party software development issues and fierce competitors in the form of Sony’s PlayStation and Sega’s Saturn which finally killed off the Jaguar by mid-1996.
In the late 1990’s Hasbro interactive bought out all Atari properties and declared the Jaguar, an open platform for homebrew development. Today the Atari Jaguar has a loyal cult following, who use the console for all sorts of development, including utilizing the COM Lynx for the networking of up to 32 Jaguar consoles.
Jaguar games
Edit
| Platform Name: | Jaguar |
| Release Date: | Nov. 18, 1993 |
| Online Support: | False |
| Install Base: | 500,000 |
| Original Price: | $250 |
| Producing Company: | Atari Corporation |
| Total Games: | games |
|
Adolf Hitler first in Castle Wolfenstein |
2
|
|
Zool first in Zool |
2
|
|
Zoon first in |
2
|
|
Pitfall Harry first in Pitfall! |
1
|
|
General Akhboob first in Total Carnage |
1
|
|
Major Mayhem first in |
1
|
|
Bentley Bear first in Crystal Castles |
1
|
|
William "B.J." Blazkowicz first in Wolfenstein 3D |
1
|
|
Doomguy first in Doom |
1
|
|
Captain Carnage first in |
1
|
|
Jungle first in |
4
|
|
Space first in Spacewar! |
4
|
|
Hell first in Kid Icarus |
2
|
|
Desert first in |
2
|
|
Castle first in |
2
|
|
Boston first in |
1
|
|
Myst first in Myst |
1
|
|
Temple first in |
1
|
|
Los Angeles first in |
1
|
|
Chicago first in |
1
|
|
E3 1995 first in |
13
|
|
Launch Titles first in |
9
|
|
2D first in Tennis for Two Simulator |
9
|
|
Health first in |
8
|
|
Game Over first in |
6
|
|
Melee first in |
6
|
|
Death first in |
5
|
|
Censored Version first in |
5
|
|
Mutants first in |
4
|
|
Power Up first in Super Mario Bros. |
4
|
|
Gun first in |
5
|
|
Crate first in |
4
|
|
Pistol first in |
4
|
|
Soccer Ball first in Indoor Soccer for the TI 99/4A |
4
|
|
Key first in |
4
|
|
Machine Gun first in |
3
|
|
Health Pack first in |
3
|
|
Rocket Launcher first in |
3
|
|
Icicle first in |
3
|
|
Sports Jersey first in |
3
|
