Emmy awards given to Nintendo DS, Wii and ... Atari Lynx?
by Kyle Orland 
{ Jan 8th 2008 at 12:00PM }
Last year's inexplicable granting of an Emmy Award to practically every game system ever invented apparently went so well that the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) decided to dip its toes into gaming again this year. Last night's Engineering Emmy Awards ceremony at CES included a bevy of awards for "Engineering & Technology for Creation and Implementation of Video Games and Platforms." Just trips off the tongue, doesn't it?The most notable winner was Nintendo, which got a coveted "game controller innovation" Emmy for its Wii and DS systems (because, really, why narrow it down to one? Since when have awards been about exclusivity?). Nintendo won a similar award for the NES d-pad last year, and used the repeat performance to talk up "even more exciting control innovations from Nintendo in 2008," such as Wii Balance Board and the Wii Wheel, in a press release. Color us skeptical that either of these will have the impact of the d-pad, but still ...
The other game-related awards given were notable mainly for their expansive view of video game history. Recent games like Second Life and World of Warcraft shared billing in their wins with classics like Quake and Pinball Construction Set in this year's awards. That's cool and all, but ATAS really showed its old-school gamer cred by giving a "Handheld Game Device Display Screen Innovation" award to the Atari Lynx, of all things. Way to keep up with the times, TV industry. Hey, how about, at our next awards show, we return the favor by giving special awards to All in The Family and "Color TV," the latter for "outstanding use of color in a cathode ray tube device." Wouldn't you all feel special then?
We'd also like to call out "The Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Best Use of Commercial Advertising on Stand-Alone Broadband Devices (Personal Computers)," which should win its own award for "most amazingly specific award category in the history of mankind."
A complete list of 2007's game-related Emmy's below the break.
The Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Creation of Non-Traditional Programs or Platforms:
MTV's Virtual Laguna Beach
MTV Networks
The Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Best Use of Commercial Advertising on Stand-Alone Broadband Devices (Personal Computers):
The L Word in Second Life
Showtime Networks/Electric Sheep Company
The Awards for Game Controller Innovation:
Nintendo DS
Nintendo
Nintendo Wii
Nintendo
The Awards for Handheld Game Device Display Screen Innovation:
Football & Auto Race
Mattel
Atari Lynx
Atari
Nintendo DS
Nintendo
The Awards for User Generated Content - Game Modification:
Pinball Construction
Electronic Arts (EA)
Quake
id Software
Second Life
Linden Lab
The Awards for Physics Engines:
Havok
The Awards for Development of Massively Multiplayer Online Graphical
Role Playing Games:
Neverwinter Nights
AOL-Time Warner/Stormfront/Ubisoft/TSR-Wizards of the Coast
Everquest
Sony Online Entertainment
World of Warcraft
Blizzard Entertainment
The Awards for Visual Digital Content Creation Tools and their Impact:
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk
Autodesk 3ds Max
Autodesk
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Marty @ Jan 8th 2008 12:05PM
Lynx? *pukes*
Attila @ Jan 8th 2008 12:51PM
The Lynx came was the first color portable, and came out around the same time as the Gameboy (which had a puke green screen). It also had a fairly decent library of games.
samfish @ Jan 8th 2008 2:44PM
Damn Lynx fanboys. They're everywhere!
mike_p @ Jan 8th 2008 4:07PM
It also ate batteries quicker than a fat kid eats cake.
To all the fat kids eating cake, I'm sorry.
patricia @ Jan 8th 2008 7:22PM
No way, the Lynx was awesome and way ahead of its time. Check out the features list and screenshots:
http://portablevideogamer.com/2007/03/retro-revival-pvg-pays-tribute-to-the-atari-lynx/
Roque @ Jan 8th 2008 12:15PM
Ha! I just found my Atari Lynx last week!
dizzy @ Jan 8th 2008 12:16PM
"The Awards for Development of Massively Multiplayer Online Graphical
Role Playing Games:
Neverwinter Nights"
...lol? I mean, sure, great game... back in like 2002...
James @ Jan 12th 2008 9:40AM
Uh, also *not* "Massively Multiplayer", last time I checked.
StarSpangeldDill-Ho @ Jan 8th 2008 12:23PM
Lynx was cool back in the day. I always wanted one but never had the cash when I was 14.
Kino @ Jan 8th 2008 12:29PM
These are some of the most bullshit awards. It might as well be "Award for the most Nintendo Console: Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii"
Besides, Academy, we already have Spikes VGA, and they're way better at this than you guys.
samfish @ Jan 8th 2008 2:46PM
If ONLY the Academy had a "Best Dew Award" category, they'd be taken more seriously!
ill trooper @ Jan 8th 2008 12:26PM
Sorta weird... But it brings back some great memories of linked-up multiplayer games of 'Todd's Adventures In Slime World' and 'Xenophobe.'
dan stabbingworth @ Jan 8th 2008 1:23PM
Blue Lightning
Gates of Zendecon
Slime World
oh yeah.
Too bad the Lynx screen makes me want to puke now that I'm older.
ill trooper @ Jan 8th 2008 3:05PM
There's a lot of 'puking' in this thread!
Chris @ Jan 8th 2008 12:29PM
I always found it funny how it was always called the digital pad before digital was cool, then when everything else in the world switched over from analog to digital, Nintendo switched its digital pad over to analog.
Crazy Nintendo.
ill trooper @ Jan 8th 2008 2:59PM
Your timeline is questionable and selective, and nintendo still has no analog stick/d-pad on their handhelds.
wait in the car @ Jan 9th 2008 1:04AM
If not a d-pad, what would you call the set of directional buttons used on all of Nintendo's handhelds?
Zoesch @ Jan 8th 2008 12:34PM
Lynx, Pinball Construction Set (Released in 1984), Quake... is it me or did they try to catch up to 31 years of industry with one award ceremony?
Terry @ Jan 8th 2008 5:27PM
Pours out a 40 for the Pinball Construction Set...
...An elegant tool from a more civilized age.
ballistic3188 @ Jan 8th 2008 12:45PM
why does neverwinter nights award NOT list have bioware. they were the ones that created it
not this hodge podge of AOL-Time Warner/Stormfront/Ubisoft/TSR-Wizards of the Coast. which i have to say. what the hell did these guys do to get in?
T-Roy @ Jan 8th 2008 1:19PM
This Neverwinter Nights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwinter_Nights_%28AOL_game%29
the first graphical MMORPG
...unless you were being sarcastic.
Gangsta Smurf @ Jan 8th 2008 1:10PM
They'll give an Emmy to anyone, huh?
CJC @ Jan 8th 2008 1:18PM
Yep. I've got a closet full of them.
Worst Review Ever @ Jan 8th 2008 1:19PM
Seriously. It's like when Sony won one for the sixaxis.
Nigeria @ Jan 8th 2008 1:41PM
I don't know what an "Atari Lynx" is, but when I think of Atari I think Dragonball Z games and Driv3r.
Seriously, Driv3r? They clearly spent more money on the clever title rather than ironing out the bugs that slowed the game to a crawl.
And I really hope the Wii Wheel isn't nominated for any awards: plastic doesn't deserve praise, except in Hollywood.
Gangsta Smurf @ Jan 8th 2008 2:01PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_(console)
What have they been teaching you in school?
Nigeria @ Jan 8th 2008 2:19PM
I liked the Smurfs but I liked my Gameboy even more.
sp @ Jan 8th 2008 4:27PM
When I think of Atari, I don't think of ANYTHING current-gen. Probably for good reason.
In my head, Atari = Missile Command or Pitfall
Eddie @ Jan 8th 2008 1:42PM
You expected more from writers who voted to strike because they thought they deserved more scratch for sipping starbucks and pretending to work all day? I'm surprised they didn't give an award to the original operation board game for most innovative multiplayer.
Undead Priest @ Jan 8th 2008 3:26PM
Next time you watch a scripted TV show that you enjoy, just think to yourself how terrible it would be if the writers didn't actually write anything for it.
Hint: Writers are more vital to a show than the actors.
Eddie @ Jan 8th 2008 3:51PM
Do you mean remember the last scripted show I enjoyed? Because I'm pretty sure "Bionic Woman" and "Knight Rider" were truly new series' the last time that happened...
Zootittles @ Jan 8th 2008 1:44PM
I
Zootittles @ Jan 8th 2008 1:45PM
Urgh. That should have read:
I -HEART- my Lynx.
Gates of Zendocon, Electrocop, Blue Lightning, and Chip's Challenge FTW.
rv @ Jan 8th 2008 2:12PM
Woohoo! Ir sensor and gyroscope. So innovative!
Nintendo saw an opp for using old cheap tech in a new way, and they got paid. While you might say nintendo is innovative, I would say they were the least out of all 3 consoles. Instead of developing new technology, they used old tech to make the wii and retards are eating it up as innovative. Im not saying its not fun, it is. However, it is definitely NOT innovative.
samfish @ Jan 8th 2008 2:47PM
Yes it is.
Innovative does not necessarily mean "BRAND NEW FIRST".
Keeko_ca @ Jan 8th 2008 3:04PM
You sir, need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Undead Priest @ Jan 8th 2008 3:35PM
Because bringing a totally new way to play video games to a mass market who, according to sales numbers, highly enjoy playing that way isn't innovative.
From dictionary.com:
innovative
2. being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before; "stylistically innovative works"; "innovative members of the artistic community"; "a mind so innovational, so original"
By definition, all 3 consoles are innovative. Nintendo just brought something to gaming that we had never experienced before.
DomoBraden @ Jan 8th 2008 4:29PM
Although I never owned a Lynx, I'd say it was pretty wise to give it some sort of award, (though the specific award is questionable...as is the concept of video-game awards at the Emmys). Although it failed hardcore, it was an amazing handheld way before its time--essentially a PSP, minus any sort of library or success to speak of.
via Wikipedia:
"The Atari Lynx had several innovative features including it being the first color handheld, with a backlit display, a switchable right-handed/left-handed (upside down) configuration, and the ability to network with up to 17 other units via its "ComLynx" system."
"The Lynx was also the first gaming console with hardware support for zooming/distortion of sprites, allowing fast pseudo-3D games with unrivaled quality at the time and a capacity for drawing filled polygons with limited CPU intervention."
It seems odd that they would delve that far back for their award candidates. Aren't the Emmy awards given to movies that came out within the last year? Anyway, good job Lynx, you were the little train that could..not.
sp @ Jan 8th 2008 4:31PM
.....and I appreciate that Pitfall was an Activision title, but that's doesn't stop the ol' brain from thinkin about it.
sp @ Jan 8th 2008 4:32PM
Can you not reply to the same comment twice in a row? God damn this reply sytstem. Damn it, damn it, damn it.
Terry @ Jan 8th 2008 5:23PM
The Lynx was awesome, and only finally surpassed in technical merit by Sony's PSP... fully SIXTEEN YEARS after the Lynx made it's debut, and $10 more expensive than the Lynx as well! Yeah, it did suck down the ol' batteries, but all that awesome doesn't come easy, baby! That's why god (and Atari) made AC and travel power adaptors!
Blue Lightning, Roadblasters, Xenophobia... the Lynx was the first handheld that could actually surpass the home console experience of the time to deliver some truly memorable games. Heck, I think I'll go dust off one of my and get a little Xenophobia in tonight!
DomoBraden @ Jan 9th 2008 2:33AM
Not even the PSP has matched the Lynx in those terms.
The Lynx was arguably more powerful than most, if not all, other consoles at the time it was released...definitely more capable than any Atari consoles released before it. The PSP is an amazing accomplishment of tech, but it isn't as powerful as the PS2...much less MORE powerful than it. In that sense not even it has surpassed the Lynx in the handheld-to-console tech ratio.
Thus far nothing has, and I largely doubt anything ever will...it's just not logical or financially viable to have a handheld outdo your own console..though it is pretty cool to think about.
Rootbeer @ Jan 8th 2008 6:47PM
I would argue that the first handheld to surpass the Lynx in technical merit was the Sega Nomad (or the TurboXpress, whichever of those was first).
Jim @ Jan 8th 2008 9:50PM
...even more exciting control innovations from Nintendo in 2008...
Next year's winner: Wii Fit, Balance Board.
Alex @ Jan 9th 2008 7:31AM
LOL @ all the kids who don't know what a Lynx is.
Your parents were prolly too poor to afford to buy you one, so you had to play on the Gameboy, in monochrome.
dizzy @ Jan 9th 2008 11:41AM
whee! Lets make fun of people for their family's income bracket and/or their parents for not buying their children's love! Brilliant!
If anything, the Lynx was before the time of the young'uns who don't know what it is, rather than their parent's not buying one for them.
Mabui @ Jan 9th 2008 12:48PM
I owned a Lynx, and I loved it, and I plugged it in, every chance I could, I'd even take it to school and plug it in, to play it. It was a great system, California Games, Blue Lightning, Electrocop, Ninja Gaiden, Just.. good times.. but yes, Batteries were an issue, bigtime.