Atari marketed it as the world's first 64-bit game system, emphasizing its blitter's 64-bit bus; however, none of its three processors have a 64-bit instruction set, as do later 64-bit consoles such as PlayStation 2 or Nintendo 64.

After Hasbro Interactive acquired all Atari Corporation properties,[15] it released the Jaguar patents into the public domain in 1999, and declared it an open platform.

[29] Computer Gaming World wrote in January 1994 that the Jaguar was "a great machine in search of a developer/customer base", as Atari had to "overcome the stigma of its name (lack of marketing and customer support, as well as poor developer relations in the past)".

[32] However, these occasional successes were seen as insufficient while the Jaguar's competitors were receiving a continual stream of critically acclaimed software; GamePro concluded its rave review of Alien vs.

Predator by remarking "If Atari can turn out a dozen more games like AvP, Jaguar owners could truly rest easy and enjoy their purchase.

"[33] Next Generation commented that "thus far, Atari has spectacularly failed to deliver on the software side, leaving many to question the actual quality and capability of the hardware.

"[36] Next Generation, in a mostly negative review of the Jaguar, maintained that it is a true 64-bit system, because the data path from the DRAM to the CPU and Tom and Jerry chips is 64 bits wide.

[37] In 1995, CEO Sam Tramiel declared the Jaguar at least as powerful than the newly launched Saturn, and slightly weaker than the upcoming PlayStation.

Atari attributes the poor performance of Jaguar to a number of factors including (i) extensive delays in development of software for the Jaguar which resulted in reduced orders due to consumer concern as to when titles for the platform would be released and how many titles would ultimately be available, and (ii) the introduction of competing products by Sega and Sony in May 1995 and September 1995, respectively.

[40] In addition, Atari had severely limited financial resources, and so could not create the level of marketing which has historically backed successful gaming consoles.

[41] By November 1995, mass layoffs and insider statements were fueling journalistic speculation that Atari had ceased both development and manufacturing for the Jaguar and was simply trying to sell off existing stock before exiting the video game industry.

[46] After the merger, the bulk of Jaguar inventory remained unsold[37] and would be finally moved out to Tiger Software, a private liquidator, on December 23, 1996.

[49] The system was notoriously difficult to program for, because its multi-processor design is complex, development tools were released in an unfinished state, and the hardware had crippling bugs.

This included a CD-ROM-based console, dial-up Internet access with support for online games, a virtual reality headset, and an MPEG-2 video card.

The Team Tap multitap adds 4-controller support, compatible only with the optionally bundled White Men Can't Jump[56] and NBA Jam Tournament Edition.

[55] For LAN multiplayer support, the Jaglink Interface links two Jaguar consoles[55] through a modular extension and a UTP phone cable.

[63] A prototype, described by journalists as resembling a bathroom scale, was unveiled at the 1995 Winter Consumer Electronics Show,[64] but the console was canceled before production.

[65] A virtual reality headset compatible with the console, tentatively titled the Jaguar VR, was unveiled by Atari at the 1995 Winter Consumer Electronics Show.

It is capable of communications methods known as CatNet and RS-232 and DSP pass through, allowing the user to connect two or more Jaguars together for multiplayer games either directly or with modems.

The ICD CatBox features a polished stainless steel casing[75] and red LEDs in the jaguar's eyes on the logo that indicate communications activity.

They praised the power of the hardware but criticized the controller, and were dubious of how the software lineup would turn out, commenting that Atari's failure to secure support from key third party publishers such as Capcom was a bad sign.

Other early releases like Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy, Raiden, and Evolution: Dino Dudes also received poor reviews, the latter two for failing to take full advantage of the Jaguar's hardware.

[32] However, these occasional successes were seen as insufficient while the Jaguar's competitors were receiving a continual stream of critically acclaimed software; GamePro concluded their rave review of Alien vs.

Predator by remarking "If Atari can turn out a dozen more games like AvP, Jaguar owners could truly rest easy and enjoy their purchase.

"[79] and Next Generation likewise commented that "thus far, Atari has spectacularly failed to deliver on the software side, leaving many to question the actual quality and capability of the hardware.

"[81] In 2006, IGN editor Craig Harris rated the original Jaguar controller as the worst game controller ever, criticizing the unwarranted recycling of the 1980s "phone keypad" format and the small number of action buttons, which he found particularly unwise given that Atari was actively trying to court fighting game fans to the system.

[87] On May 14, 1999, Hasbro Interactive announced that it had released all patents to the Jaguar, declaring it an open platform,[16] and enabling extensive homebrew development.

It was initially sold for £29.99 new and software ranged between £9.99 for more common games such as Doom and Ruiner Pinball and £39.99 for rarer releases such as Defender 2000 and Checkered Flag.

[25] With minor modification, they fit its HotRod camera,[94] and the cartridge molds were reused to create an optional memory expansion card.

[95] In a retrospective, Imagin founder Steve Mortenson praised the design, but admitted that their device came at the time of the dental industry's transition to USB, and apart from a few prototypes, the molds went unused.