I Tested Two Retro ConsolesOne Good, One Hot Garbage. For all of the hullabaloo its generated with its tiny consoles, Nintendo didnt invent retro gaming consoles. Not by a mile. When it released the NES Classic late last year, Nintendo wasnt creating a new field of consoles fueled by nostalgia and the fat wallets of aging Gen Xers. Rather, Nintendo was reinventing the retro console, which has long existed as a series of crummy knock offs sold behind the counter at drug stores and in the back of your local Bed Bath and Beyond. Get the latest news and analysis in the stock market today, including national and world stock market news, business news, financial news and more. Marathon Runners or simply runners can take help by reading out the useful, tips and suggested posts. The podcast craze of the past several years shows no signs of slowing down, and while every armchair broadcaster with a voice recorder app is eager to get in the game. WARNING Essential Oils Dangerous for Pets, Natural Flea Prevention May Do More Harm. AT Games was one of the purveyors of those crummy consoleschurning out Sega Genesis and Atari 2. What Is It Atari and Sega emulators packaged to look like the original consoles. Like. The Atari 2. No Like. The Sega Genesis console is not great. So when Nintendo launched the NES Classic, what it was doing was giving those other retro console makers a kick in the pants, and showing companies like AT Games what the hell it should be doing with those giant libraries of thirty year old games it has at its disposal via licensing deals with Atari and Sega. Which is why AT Games is backjust a year after its last retro console launchto release the Sega Genesis Flash and Atari Flashback 8 Gold. For all of the hullabaloo its generated with its tiny consoles, Nintendo didnt invent retro gaming consoles. Not by a mile. When it released the NES Classic late. Ahhh. just right I have thought about the emotions associated with walking away. I know my Mom was happy to see me walk away and not have to haul me around. While these systems might ape the designs of their predecessors and the ethos of Nintendo, theyre still, at their core, cheap emulators crammed in cheaper plastic. Thats totally fine when it comes to the 6. Atari Flashback 8 Gold, but the 8. Sega Genesis Flashback has such a crucial flaw that you wont want to invite it into your living room. AT Games launched way back in 2. See, while Nintendo and Sony license and produce their own consoles internationally, Atari and Sega often licensed their consoles out to other companies. This became increasingly popular as demand for their systems waned in the US. The companies could make a quick buck selling Sega Genesis or Atari 2. Acquiring these licenses and producing super cheap consoles has been AT Games strategy since the beginning. Over the last 1. 6 years, AT Games has produced a LOT of inexpensive Sega consoles, and it hasnt just released the consoles itselfit produces consoles for other companies too. The most notable being the Brazilian Tec. Be-Popular-on-Tagged.Com-Step-1-Version-2.jpg/aid660140-v4-728px-Be-Popular-on-Tagged.Com-Step-1-Version-2.jpg' alt='Quick Buy Program For Tagged Pets Gold' title='Quick Buy Program For Tagged Pets Gold' />Toy, which has been licensing the Sega lineup since the launch of the Sega Master back in 1. Unfortunately, Sega and Atari seem to have no quality control clause in these licenses they sell, and consequently, AT Games has a reputation for making some. So lets start with the Sega Genesis Flashback, as its really, really bad. It shouldnt be It plays 8. Genesis and Master systems, including musts like Shining Force, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mortal Kombat. It also has a slot to play actual Genesis and Master cartridges, should you have any on hand. There are even some major upgrades from previous iterations of AT Games Sega console. First is the HDMI port allowing for up to 7. While these arent really games that should be played in 7. Oh God I remember this being state of the art my roommate moaned as she spied Sonic spinning across the screen, theyre still crisp and attractive. But the checker squared backdrop common to many Sonic the Hedgehog levels is nausea inducing. As if there was just a hint of lag somewhere, slowing things down. The bigger upgrade is that AT Games finally fixed an audio problem endemic to its Sega systems. Sega games are kind of notorious in emulation circles for getting their audio screwed up easily just watch the video to the left, and AT Games has struggled with the problem for nearly ten years. Between the fixed sound, the great looking replica chassis, and the systems introduction of a rewind ability and save states, the Sega Flashback could be a great and affordable competitor to the discontinued NES Classic or the upcoming SNES Classic. But theres a problem. See, AT Games elected to go with wireless controllers, while they handle well and have the more popular six button Genesis layout, theyve got some big problems that ruin the Flashback. Quick Buy Program For Tagged Pets Gold' title='Quick Buy Program For Tagged Pets Gold' />First, the controllers require two AAA batteries to run and accessing the slot for the batteries requires a screwdriver. Second, and far worse, the controllers dont work consistently. In my testing, it was always a tossup whether pressing a button would actually result in a corresponding action on screen. The Start and the C button were both pretty trustworthy, but every other button required repeated key smashes or brief and excruciating pauses. In a video game, especially from the 1. A lot and lot of death. There are two ports if you happen to have original Genesis controllers on hand, but if you dont want to go trolling through e. Bay for those, youre stuck with the two 2. GHz wireless controllers AT Games provides. AT Games also provides wireless controllers for the Atari Flashback 8 Gold. This system cant play old cartridges, but it can connect to a TV with an HDMI port churning out 7. As with the Genesis Flashback, the Atari system also has the cool ability to rewind and replay the last 6 seconds nothing like watching a brutal Pitfall death over and over again, and there are even ports if you have old Atari controllers, as well as a SD card slot in case you want to shove more Atari games on the console. As it already has 1. SD card slot. This thing has all the good games like Frogger, Pitfall, Missile Command, and Yars Revenge. Notably absent is Pac Man, presumably because Namco Bandai had no desire to license it for a 6. Atari Flashback 8 Gold. Of the two consoles the Atari Flashback 8 Gold feels much more worth its price tag. The wireless controllers work with aplomb and the joysticks handle even the most vicious jerking. The menu screen is also more visually appealing, with none of the discordant elements found in the Sega Genesis Flashback. Despite spending a better part of the 9. Sega Genesis it was the Atariwhich I only encountered on muggy summer nights at my cousins in the 8. I keep finding myself flipping on and playing. If theres a retro console war brewing then Nintendo might possibly have a contender with AT Games Atari Flashback 8 Gold. The minute you pick up the controller you seem to hear whiffs of Flock of Seagulls playing in the distance. When you pick up a controller for the Sega Genesis Flashback you just feel pity and confusion. Was the Sega always this bad or is it the controller Either way, I have no desire to drop 8. Particularly when its true competitor, the SNES Classic, is just around the corner. READMEThe 6. 0 Atari Flashback 8 Gold is pretty greatThe 8. Sega Genesis Flashback is not great. The controllers on the Sega Genesis Flashback dont work consistently. But it does fix the sound feature, and both include a rewind function for skipping back a few seconds. UPDATE An AT Games spokesperson tells Gizmodo, and other outlets, that the Sega Genesis units shipped to reviewers were faulty. Well update after weve had a chance to check out a new unit. What You Dont Need at Your Wedding. Legally, all you need for a wedding is a visit to the county clerks office, and whatever else your local government requires. Check here. Everything else is optional. Of course, some things are more optional than others. Most weddings these days skip the garter toss many skip the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and some even skip the flowers. What matters is that you pick the right elements to keep to make you and your guests happy. A gift registry. Plenty of couples skip the gift registry, because theyre not moving out of their parents homes without a penny to their name. But more traditional i. In your invitations, note that gifts are not expected, but give some guidance for those who insist, so you dont end up getting something both expensive and unwanted. A tiny registry with medium ticket items will make it clear that gifts are truly optional. Having a registry for your wedding can be complicated, and you might end up with a bunch of stuffRead more Read. Everyone youve ever known. If you dont actually want someone at your wedding, dont invite them out of obligation or guilt. Theres a decent chance theyll be relieved they dont have to come. Even at a large wedding, youll find yourself trimming the list. Lifehacker has some great shortcuts for picking someone to cut. For example, dont invite anyone you wouldnt take out to dinner. Putting together a guest list for a wedding is more stressful than it needs to be, especially whenRead more Read. Bridesmaids and groomsmen. Theres a good chance youre already skipping these. And your friends will probably be relieved to learn they dont have to buy matching dresses or whatever weird thing groomsmen do. But do assign duties to a friend or two, like holding the bouquet, helping with makeup, and running your reception playlist. Bachelorette parties. Just as obviously, you dont have to do the traditional rager with penis pops or strippers. I personally recommend a small gathering of close friendsthe ones who would have been in your wedding partydoing an activity you already love. And feel free to organize your own. For example, my friends and I nerded out with a game of Dungeons Dragons. Consider a joint party. If youre having a small wedding, this can be your chance to let more friends celebrate, even if you cant fit them in the ceremony and reception. Its also a great choice for couples who share a friend group. All this goes for the bridal shower too. A priest. If youre not religious, whom do you get to marry you Theoretically, anyone you want. American Marriage Ministries is a church based solely on the freedom of all people to marry, regardless of race, sexual identity, nationality, socioeconomic status, or religious background. Click on your state and AMM will tell you how to get ordained to legally officiate a wedding. You might want an authority figure or mentor from your life. Two of my friends were married by their former professor my wife and I were married by a close friend. Have a meeting with your chosen officiant to explain what youd like in your ceremony, and what you expect from them. Some states allow other un ordained officiants without, like a judge, state congressional member, mayor, or notary public. Maine even lets lawyers do it. Check your states rules. Or maybe you just want to hire someone. Search on Wedding. Wire or The Knot, where officiants can cost anywhere from 1. We all know how easy it is to become an officiant for your friends wedding, right Just a coupleRead more Read. A long ceremony. The officiant should have a few words prepared, and you should say your vows aloud, but everything else is optional. You dont need any songs or poems or speeches. Since our officiant was my wifes longtime friend, I had my closest friend give a brief speech. Our ceremony was done in about fifteen minutes. Assigned seats. For the reception, try assigning guests to tables, but not specific seats. Youll save a lot of planning time and give your guests some freedom, while still saving them the work of finding and gathering all their friends. If your wedding crowd is small and youre willing to serve dinner buffet or cocktail style, you can ignore assigned seats altogether. This is especially helpful when many of your attendees have overlapping friend groups. If youre just doing small plates and passed canaps, you dont even need as many seats as you have guests, which can save you some space and money. For buffet style, youll still need 1. New York wedding planner Amanda OCallaghan, as everyone will sit down at once with their loaded dinner plates. Even if you have open seating, advise the wedding planners at Significant Events of Texas, reserve a table for your wedding party if theyll enter the reception after the other guests. The singles table. Sticking all the single people at one reception table is an awkward, and honestly kind of horny, move for a wedding couple. The Knot recommends balancing singles and couples at tables, making sure no solo attendee is surrounded by couples. Servers. Cut down on waitstaff by going buffet style. Dont pay waitstaff to take drink orders either a bartender is plenty, says Rick Webb, author of Man Nup A Grooms Guide to Heroic Wedding Planning. Your guests will be fine ordering their own drinks. Alcohol. If youre not comfortable with drinking, you dont owe your guests booze. Guests who usually drink will be stressed out by a dry wedding, but theyll survive. Just warn them ahead of time. The Knot suggests you keep it interesting with mocktails and fun food options. Sap Erp 6 0 Keygen Photoshop. The mocktails are especially helpful for the friends who snuck in a flask. Unless youre having an extremely quick and casual wedding, a cash bar is obnoxious. If youre trying to save money, consider some other options. Inside Weddings recommends finding a venue that lets you or your guests bring your own alcohol, or hosting a brunch wedding where people will naturally drink less. CakeIve thrown away so much uneaten cake, says the wedding planner OCallaghan. Couples are tending to got to less traditional desserts such as pudding shots, doughnuts, and pie. If your venue lets you, outsource dessert to one of your favorite ice cream place or bakery my wife and I hired NYC food truck Wafels Dinges. A DJGood DJs can adapt to any crowd, unearth obscure jams, and provide extra entertainment. None of this is necessary at a wedding. You know what you like, and more importantly, you know what you dont like. Make four playlists Ceremony, Dinner, Dancing, and Last Song. Overstuff the reception and dancing playlists, just in case. Load them all on a laptop or i. Pad Spotify lets you download playlists locally. Put a friend or a friends plus one in charge of the cues, and include them in the rehearsal. When its time to wrap the night up, switch on the Last Song. If you do get a DJ or a band, remember to ban all the bad songs. Music is essential at a wedding, especially at the reception. But some songs are just way tooRead more Read. The bouquet and garter toss. The bouquet toss is cute, but if it feels gross to imply all your single friends are dying to get married too, skip it. The garter toss where the groom removes a leg garter from under the brides dress in front of everyone, then tosses it to the single men is weird. No one but creepy uncles expects you to do this. The bit where the guy who caught the garter puts it on the leg of the woman who caught the bouquet is. I already used up gross and creepy. Dont do this bit unless every one of your single friends would actually want to. Otherwise youre potentially forcing some woman to let a stranger grope her leg. Flowers. Unless the venue is ugly, it doesnt actually need flowers. Which is great, because once you say wedding to a florist, their prices magically inflate. A Saturday wedding. Friday weddings are a lot cheaper, and you can still have Saturday morning festivities without taking up your guests entire weekend.