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Do you own an Atari console and wondered if the Atari Lynx is region free? Maybe you are considering buying one and you want to make sure you can play games from all over the world instead of just your region. No matter what your question is, we will answer it in this article.
So is the Atari Lynx region free?
Unfortunately the Atari Lynx does not allow you to play games from any region on the console. This means that the console is not region free, but you are allowed to play the games that are available in your region.
If you want to know more about the Atari Lynx and region locks, you will definitely want to keep reading. If you are like me and you don’t like to read, you can also watch this short video explaining region locks and what they are below.
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Is being region locked a problem?
A region lock is a problem for gamers as it prevents them from playing some of their favorite games. A region-locked game will only play the games for its region. This means that any of your favorite games that are not for your region will be unable to work. This will create a problem for regular gamers, as they won’t be able to play some of the games they love.
It also means that when they buy a region locked game unintentionally, they will not be able to play it. This causes a situation where the money for the game has been wasted unless they can resell the game. So if your console is region locked to the Japanese region, you will only be able to play games made for the Japanese region. Also, if it is region locked to the American region, you can only play the games made for the American region. This creates concern among gamers and the fans of the Atari Lynx as a region lock can affect their gaming habits. When a game console is region locked, the games that are made for the console will also be region locked. When there is no region lock, then the games will be available to all regions with no restrictions.
What makes the Atari Lynx special?
The Atari lynx is a portable version of the Atari console series. The modern examples to describe this is the Nintendo Switch or PlayStation Portable (PSP). If you are familiar with these examples, then you can understand what an Atari Lynx is, and Why it was so special when it was released.
While there are modern alternatives, the Atari lynx is still obtainable if you look hard enough. So if you want to play the games you played in your childhood once more, you can turn to the Atari Lynx. If you are a Millennial, and you dont know what to get your parents as a gift, you may want to consider buying them an Atari Lynx. The reason is that this would be a unique gift that would allow them to play games from their childhood and bring back many good memories.
When buying the Atari lynx console, the concern of region lock becomes important. A region-locked game means you can only play the games available for that region and that means, limited options. If you live in the United States though, this is not that big of a deal as most games for the Lynx were made for North America. If you are looking to get a console, you will want to get one from a reputable place so it was not bought in a different country and sold in the U.S. for more. We have found that the best place to buy an Atari Lynx is right here.
What happens when a console is not region free?
You should note that a region lock does not mean that a console will only work in that region. It only means that the games made for that region will work on the console. This means an American can buy a Japanese locked Atari console but will need to buy Japanese locked games to work on the console. They will need to look for the games that match this criterion. It may not be easy, but thanks to the modern market, it can be gotten online. They can order these games from the region and will receive them in their homes with no stress involved. Although this is an option, most people just purchase a Lynx from the United States and purchase United States games as this is easier and less confusing.
Things to consider when buying a region-locked Atari lynx console
We have already told you of the importance of finding a console from the region with the games you want. This is not the only important factor to consider when buying an Atari console though. You will need to make other considerations before making the purchase. These considerations include:
Cost of the Atari Lynx
Each purchase you make regarding this console will have a price. When you are buying an overseas console, the games you will buy may only be found overseas. This means that when you want to buy a new game, you will have to have it imported.
Import costs can be expensive and in some cases, not worth the trouble. If the cost is not a problem for you, importing will be fine. So you can buy an overseas console to play the game you want. If the cost is an issue, you may be better served to buy a local console as this option will prove to be quite a bit cheaper.
Availability of products
Once you have bought the console, the next thing to do is buy games. Some regional games are limited edition, meaning, not a lot of them were made. If you need such games, finding them may prove to be a challenge. If you do find them, they may come at extravagant costs which you may not be able to afford.
There is also the added cost of parts as you may have to replace a part of the game if it gets broken. Technicians find it easier to obtain parts for games that are made for their region. So when buying a console, the local console products may be more accessible.
Conclusion
The Atari Lynx is not region free and while this may have been an issue in the past, it is not much of one now. The game console, as well as the games for the necessary region, can be found with ease online. This has made region locks redundant and insignificant. So even though the Atari lynx is not region free, it shouldn’t stop you from buying one. The only criteria you will need to consider is making sure that the console region you purchase has the games you want to play.
This is why most people choose to buy the Atari Lynx for the United States as the games are generally cheaper and the consoles are easy to find. You may even find a console at a thrift shop or garage sale. If you do choose to shop online, you should definitely check out the consoles here.