Handheld consoles usually settled for simple platformers, but the Atari Lynx had bigger ambitions, and Electrocop is a good example of that. An action title that tried to bring more to the small screen than just platforming basics.
You take on the role of a cybernetic cop whose task is to fight through an enemy complex. The game mixes action with elements of exploration and puzzles, so it is not just about shooting everything that moves, but also about finding your bearings in the environment and pushing deeper into the heart of the base. This combination gave the game more depth than many competing handheld titles of its era offered.
The Lynx could once again show off its strengths here. The color backlit display and its ability to work with sprites made it possible to render both the complex's environment and its enemies with a level of detail that owners of monochrome consoles could only envy. Electrocop was one of the titles meant to present the platform as a serious player in the field of handheld gaming.
By genre the game sits among action titles with a light touch of exploration, where the pace alternates with calmer moments of finding the way forward. It is not a mindless shooter, but an experience that also demands a bit of thought and patience from the player.
Today Electrocop is a reminder of the era when Atari tried to prove that a handheld console need not be just a toy for a brief moment. For enthusiasts of the platform and lovers of retro action, it is an interesting stop in the Lynx catalog.
Why play: For action with a touch of exploration that shows the Atari Lynx aimed higher than short arcade experiences, and the cyberpunk police setting suits it well.
Game 26 of 30 for Atari Lynx
