Unreleased Alien vs. Predator prototype unearthed for Atari Lynx

The Atari Lynx was a handheld console designed for people with large pockets and a robust budget for AA batteries. While the system struggled to compete with the Game Boy in the early 90s, it remains a fascinating piece of hardware that continues to surprise us decades later. We now have a clearer look at one of its lost titles.

As documented by Hidden Palace, a prototype of the unreleased Alien vs. Predator for the Atari Lynx has been preserved. The build is dated December 17, 1993. This places the development late in the console's lifecycle, which likely explains why it never ended up on store shelves.

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The preservation entry reveals specific hardware details about this lost artifact. The prototype resides on a C104233-001 REV.2 board and uses a single AMD AM27C020-155DC EPROM chip. The handwritten label on the cartridge reads "LYNX AVP RSA 12/17/93". It is a stark reminder of how games were tracked before digital version control took over.

For those keeping track of the calendar, late 1993 was a difficult time for Atari. The Jaguar was just launching, and the Lynx was being slowly suffocated by Nintendo's dominance. An action game based on a major license like Alien vs. Predator could have been a heavy hitter for the system. Instead, it became another footnote in the long list of cancelled Atari projects.

The game is categorized as an "Action" title. While the Lynx missed out, the franchise eventually found a home on the Atari Jaguar in 1994 with a title that is often cited as one of that system's few redeeming qualities. It is interesting to see that Atari had the license in play for their handheld division simultaneously.

Preservation efforts like this are vital. They allow us to see what developers were attempting to squeeze out of the hardware before the lights went out. You can view the full details and technical specifications at the Hidden Palace wiki.