EPISODE 24: Rygar

The Atari Lynx HandyCast

#PA2043, Published by Atari Corp.
In this mammoth episode (two hours!), I cover yet another popular arcade port, Rygar, released for the Lynx in 1990. Included are statistics for the game and a run-down on how to play it, along with reviews and ratings, some fun facts and trivia, and lots of listener feedback about the game. Also in today’s episode: Monty and I engage in a lively and intellectual discussion comparing the role of the gladiator-type hero in the sagas of antiquity to whatever (or whomever) passes as a hero today…NOT…

…actually, we just make fun Rygar’s diskarmor (battle shield) that he somehow never loses because it is inexplicably tethered to an elastic retractable metal chain.

“What kind of rhinos are NOT ground rhinos?” -Monty

This Rygar arcade upright cabinet was released in North America by Tecmo in 1986.

Rygar action figure (Nintendo version) marketed by Tecmo.

RYGAR VITAL STATISTICS
Release Date: November of 1990.
Initial Retail Price: $39.99 in the US; £29.99 in the UK.
Cartridge Information: 256kB mono curved lip-style cartridge.
Game Genre: Side-scrolling action platform shooter for 1 player only.
Alternate Title: Rygar: Legendary Warrior.
Screen Playfield Orientation: Landscape (horizontal).
Based On: The arcade cabinet released by Tecmo in Japan on May 20, 1986 under the title Argos no Senshi (アルゴスの戦士, Arugosu no Senshi, literally Warrior of Argus). The North American upright cabinet, called simply Rygar, was released later in 1986.
Ports to Other Systems: Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 4, Sega Master System, Sharp X68000, and ZX Spectrum.
Sequels: There are no sequels to Rygar.
Game Levels (Lands): 23.
Number of Players: 1 (no ComLynx support).
Packaging: A full-color standard flap-tab regular-size box (5 3/8″ by 4 3/8″ by 7/8″).
Instruction Manual: A 16-page (including front and back covers) stapled regular-sized booklet manual in full monochrome, measuring the usual 4 7/8” high by 3 ¾” wide. The North American and European manual was released in English, and the French manual is printed on a single sheet, front and back.

Page one from a two-page spread from Issue 174 of RetroGamer magazine about the various ports of Rygar. You can view a full-size version of the scan by clicking HERE.

Page two from a two-page spread from Issue 174 of RetroGamer magazine about the various ports of Rygar. You can view a full-size version of the scan by clicking HERE.

RYGAR CREDITS
Publisher: Atari Corp.
Licensee: Tecmo, Ltd.
Developer: NuFX, Inc.
Programmer & SFX: Lou Haehn (Haehn Software Productions)
Music: Doug Hubbard

Be sure to check out our partner AtariLynxVault.com to stay “Lynxed In” to all of the latest news about our favorite handheld gaming console!

LYNX LYNKS

Atari Lynx Books:
“GameGuide Lynx” by Karl Morris.

Information About Rygar:
Atari Age title info/rarity guide for Rygar
AtariLynxVault title info/rarity guide for Rygar
Digital Press title info/rarity guide for Rygar
GameFAQs article about Rygar
Moby Games article about Rygar
PriceCharting.com value guide about Rygar
RarityGuide.com rarity/value guide about Rygar
Wikipedia article about Rygar
“Atari Lynx Hint Book”, published by Atari in 1993 for Lynx game developers; a cheat for killing the final boss in Rygar can be found on page 56.

Reviews and Ratings for Rygar:
Review by The Review Crew in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US; Issue #17; December 1990; page 21)
Review in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US; Issue #17; December 1990; page 74)
Review in STart (US; Issue #41; February 1991; page 62)
Review in Computer and Video Games (UK; Issue #112; March 1991; page 71)
Review by Julian Boardman in RAZE (UK; Issue #6; April 1991; page 46)
Review by Cyril Lachel at DefunctGames (2004)
Review by The Video Game Critic (2013)
Review by Robert A. Jung at IGN (1999; updated 2018)
Review by Jon Mc at AtariLynxVault (2018)
Review by Tamaracade at Tamaracade.com (2022)

YouTube Videos About Rygar:
Playthrough (World-of-Longplays)
Playthrough (Media Pool)
Playthrough and Review (BTB/Lynx Lounge)
Playthrough and Review (CGR Undertow)
Playthrough and Review (RetroGamerVX)
Comparison of Rygar Ports (console) (The Laird’s Lair)
Comparison of Rygar Ports (computer) (The Laird’s Lair)

Retailers Selling Rygar:
B & C ComputerVisions: US$7.00 (box only), US$24.95 (cart/manual combo), US$34.95 (NIB w/damaged box) and for US$39.95 (NIB) through eBay under the user name MyAtari…check his online store on eBay for availability.
Best Electronics (last updated September 24, 2023; check website for availability): US$39.95 (CIB).
The Gamesmen (Australia): AU$29.95 (CIB).
The Goat Store: Down for Maintenance.
Telegames (UK): £39.98 (including VAT).
Video 61 & Atari Sales: US$39.95 (NIB).

The instruction booklet for Rygar.

THE RESOURCES Page
is where you can find a current list of after-market and
home brew Atari Lynx titles,
plus a lot of other information!

“Thank You’s” and Other Lynks:
Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast (Thanks to Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kevin Zavitz for the shoutout about The HandyCast in Episode 50!)
AtariLynxVault.com (Thanks to Igor for incorporating The HandyCast into his excellent website!)
The Atari 2600 Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to The Podfather himself, Ferg, for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in both Episode 151 and Episode 154!)
The Atari Jaguar Game By Game Podcast (Thanks to Shinto for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episodes 22 and 26!)
Ballistik Coffee Boy/That Atari Show (Thanks to Brian in Albuquerque for encouraging his listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 14 of his YouTube channel, Ballistik Coffee Boy / Vintage Gaming!, and also on his That Atari Show, Episode #9)
Curtis Herod (Cujo)‘s The Bl^ck Book v2 (Check HERE to see the now-expired Indiegogo campaign, where you can find out more about the book. And please consider purchasing Curtis Herod’s The Black Book v2 by emailing him at [e-mail].)
Gaming on Ten (Thanks to Nick and Don for encouraging their listeners to check out The HandyCast in Episode 09!)
Into the Vertical Blank Podcast (Thanks to hosts Jeff and Steve Fulton for “singing” about The HandyCast in Season 1, Episode 10!)
Please Stand By (Thanks to Zerbe and Ferg for helping to promote The HandyCast on several episodes of this fun-to-listen-to show, starting with Episode 60!)
The RCR Podcast (Thanks to the Retro Computing Roundtable: Paul Hagstrom, Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vance, for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 167!)
The Retro MacCast Podcast (Thanks to Retro MacCast hosts James Savage and John Leake for highlighting The HandyCast in Episode 475!)
Retro Video Gamer Forums (Thanks to Eugenio/TrekMD for helping to promote The HandyCast on his wonderful forums!)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks go to everyone who contributed feedback about Rygar (and other games) for this episode: AGENT0321, Ron Alpert, Benoît Berland, Brian in Albuquerque (BCB/ThatAtariShow), Bucky749, Seth Covel, Cubanismo, Derek Dash, Scott Davis, Designer-Self4536, Eugenio (TrekMD), Game Junction, Jason Gilroy, Glenn from Australia, Ronald Hall, Ruud Hardjokoesoemo, Kieren Hawken (The Laird’s Lair), Mark Hemingway (mojavehemingway88), killer_knauer, Igor Kromin (AtariLynxVault/K-Retro), lynxtosg03, Corey Malone, Jon Mc (AtariGamer), Mr_Wiggles, Erick Perez, Scott Rhoades, Nicholas Russell, Shinto (The Atari Jaguar Game By game Podcast), SlinkDogg, Matt Stephens, Mike, Stirling, Bobby Tribble, vince120, and wondermega. I really appreciate your feedback!

Also, I would like to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: “8-Bit Core” by Tagirijus (opening and closing theme music), along with “And the Pendulum Swings,” “Moon Shadow,” “Polybear,” “Procreation,” “The Renaissance Man,” “Sector Vector,” and “Waiting for Gyrotron,” all by Little Glass Men.

Thanks also to Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson) for the “Oooh, let’s party!” and “Leaving so soon?” digitized speech clips captured from the Atari Lynx game Pinball Jam that are used at the beginning and ending of each episode of The HandyCast.

I would especially like to thank Shinto for submitting his memories of various Atari Lynx games he’s owned in the past to The Atari Lynx HandyCast…they are greatly appreciated. And you should all check out Shinto’s wonderful Atari Jaguar Game by Game Podcast; it’s definitely worth listening to, even if you’ve never owned a Jaguar. You can find it here.

Many, many thanks also go to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, Please Stand By.

Finally, my thanks to the Podfather himself, Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. Please, check out his don’t-miss podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; you should also visit his website here.

I hope you enjoy this episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast. And please don’t forget to visit the official Atari Lynx HandyCast website by clicking here!

-Mark

Next Episode: “EPISODE 25: Hard Drivin'”

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