I finally got what I have been wanting now for about three years, a Jaguar.
When I got it, a bunch of my friends happened to be over because our role
playing session had just ended.  Upon opening the box which contained 2 Jaguars; one for myself and one for a friend of mine, and amid a flurry of pops (the bubble wrap was
quickly de-bubblized by them) there were many people who had never heard
about Jaguar was saying, "Wow, what is that?" and "Let's go try it."  So we
did.  I walked downstairs to the TV and set it up within two minutes.  At
this point, we plugged in the first game and turned on the system.  Growl...
        Well, everyone made a chorus of "Wow" and told me to turn up the
sound and do it again.  So I did.  Everyone was happy after I did it three
times, and finally we started to see the opening sequence to Fight For
Life... we thought a fighting game would be something we could decide on
fast.  Well, after a minute of selecting characters and a bunch of
requests for sleepovers ("I work for 5 hours" then - "We know!  Can't we
stay?") the game began.
        First off I want to make a point about the controllers.  I have read
at least 5 reviews that say that the system is okay, the games are okay, the
controllers cramp you hands and hurt like hell and are the reason why you
should not get the system.  Well to put it nicely - I can't figure out where
that comes from.  They are a million times nicer then N64 controller because
they only have one directional pad and don't have 3 (or is it 5) buttons
underneath that all do important stuff.  Secondly, they allow you to reset
the system from the controller.  This is great because I am sick of having
to throw pillows to try to reset my Nintendo when I'm sitting down.
        Anyway, after a couple minutes, we gave up on it because we realized
that matches would take longer then a few minutes, and we didn't know and
special moves.  So... we plugged in the infamous Tempest 2000.  The reaction
to this game was amazing.  One of my friends whom is a programmer and isn't
impressed by much in games just sat on the couch and said, "Oh I like those
_____" (fill in a word).  After lasting 10 seconds figuring out the controls
(yes, the slogan is correct), I understood it, but didn't understand what was
so addicting about it.  The soundtrack was wonderful though, and it was soon
replaced by Super Burnout.
        This game is amazing.  Easy controls, make for a good-looking sprite racer.
Personally I don't understand why all these new racers are all polygonal
style.  Using sprites of varying sizes like that can look better, and the
only important graphics, which are your motorcycle and the road, both look
great.  The other stuff is okay, from what I've seen.  You just don't pay
attention to it.
        Well, I had to work in a little while afterwards, so everyone but
two people left as I tried Zool 2 to see the starting screen (which I love,
the whole game now that is), Iron Soldier which I only had time to figure
out how to shoot and Cybermorph, which consisted of me crashing and getting
scolded, (where did you learn how to fly?) but probably sold the system to
one of my friends who said, "Wow!  This is my favorite game that you have so
far."
        Since then, I have worked for 13 hours, and have played and read
through the instruction manuals.  I understand most of the games now (I'm
still new to Cybermorph and Iron Soldier, but at least I can die with
flair!) but I must say, other then marketing the Jaguar died because of the
packaging it had.  I can honestly say that its packaging is worse then the
Atari 2600.  First, all the game manuals are in black and white.  This would
be okay with me if the system was bad, or the game had been manufactured by
a company that had five bucks left after this game, but it's pitiful.
Without color - except for the "Buy Jaguar clothes" thing, it makes them
both drab to look at and a real drag to read.
        The core system itself I am also slightly disappointed in, mostly
because of two things.  First it is larger then it looks, which is easily
forgivable because of the games and controller, but the thing that I really
dislike about it is the cartridge slot does not have a little spring loaded
trap door or something to cover up the slot so that dust does not get in.
It's just like the 2600, which I constantly keep a cartridge in because I'm
worried one day its going to get just a little to much dust and not work.
Call me paranoid, but I don't know of a cleaner for the slot, so once it
goes its another bunch of money for a whole different core system.  But
then again it probably won't go and I'm just paranoid.
        All being said, my rating on it are as follows -
Games - 8 (I only have six so far to review, but these six are going to lend
themselves to six more...)
Core Unit - 6 (That little door gives me paranoia)
Controllers - 10 (More comfortable then any controller I have every held,
and easier to get the hang of)
Support - 1 (Atari could have made millions off of this, it is that good,
but by the time they hired someone competent enough to sell it, they already
had other plans)
Packaging - 3 (The boxes make them games look almost as good as they are.
But they are in three languages and this also makes the manuals, which have
no color, very, very big and dull.  It's more fun to read my math book.)
Impressiveness to others - 9 (People who have heard of it but not seen it
laugh when you say you own it, people who see it before they know what it is
say, "This is better then any system." and some of those people own
Playstations...)
Overall - 7 (Atari has a great product, but Atari is dead.  If they would
have marketed it and waited a couple years to release it [after at least 10
games were developed] they could have walloped the market, cornered Sega,
Nintendo and Sony and still could.  Also, Atari is synomous now with great
old system, and this is just the next step of that.)

All in all, this system has easily earned the right in my eyes to be called
either "The system that never was" or "The system that could've been."

Dan [loosen@execpc.com]