Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Sega 32X / Mega 32X
It was the winter of 1994, and new more powerful consoles were entering the videogame market. Gamers were enjoying new 3D arcade games, and the 16-bit Genesis / Megadrive seemed to be feeling it�s age. It was January 8th 1994 when Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama directed his company to produce a 32-bit cartridge-based console to be in stores by Christmas 1994. The project was dubbed Jupiter. The project was given to �Sega of America� while their Japan sector worked on a CD-Based console. Not happy with the idea of developing a simple console that had a 32-bit processor and more colors, Joe Miller of Sega of America chose to make the project an add on for the Genesis / Megadrive. Sega of America began development on the add on called project Mars without any knowledge of the 32-bit CD console being developed by their Japanese counterparts.
Sega began their marketing campaign for project Mars, and called the device Sega 32X to emphasis it�s 32-bit capabilities. The device, which connected through the Genesis / Megadrive cartridge port, combined it�s 32-bit processor with the consoles existing processor. Gamers could play 32-bit cartridge games, use the 32X slot as a pass through to play Genesis / Megadrive games, and even play enhanced 32-bit CD games if the Sega CD was attached. The 32X was released in mid-November 1994 in America for US. Japan got the console in December (Super 32X) and Europe and Australia received it in January 1995 (Mega 32X). With the added power, Sega was able to port their 3D arcade titles for console users, and other 3rd Party developers began jumping aboard.
All was not good with planet Mars. The 32X was off to a bad start from the beginning. The 32X was launched with no games initially available. Although it was marketed at a decent price it was not packaged with a pack in game, but came with 10 coupons toward the purchase of 32X software (Coupons�meh!). Retailers submitted a demand for over 1 million units, but only half of the amount was made available. In there efforts to meet demand, Sega produced 32X units with various defects. Customers reported incompatibilities with their Genesis / Megadrive models or TVs. Once again Sega began to scramble to create adapters to alleviate the compatibility problems. They also began to develop an all in one unit combining both the Genesis / Megadrive, and the 32X and dubbed it project �Neptune�.
By 1995 news of a 32-bit CD-based Sega Saturn began stirring from Japan. Developers lost interest in 32X and abandoned development for 32X carts for a more favorable 32-bit CD format. Gamers also caught wind of the news and quickly began losing interest in the Sega 32X.
By 1996 the 32X saw a total of 31 cart based games, and five 32X enhanced Sega CD games. Most of the games were developed by Sega themselves or were color enhanced versions of existing Genesis titles. Sega ceased all support for 32X that year in order to focus on the Sega Saturn. It would seem that the 32X was merely meant to fill the time gap for it�s CD based counterpart. 32X would also be Sega�s final attempt at add on enhancing devices.
FACT: The 32X appeared to be the downturn of Sega. The lack of developer support, device incompatibilities and defects, and the sheer abandonment of support for 32X owners was enough to damage Sega�s reputation. This mistake could possibly have contributed to problems in Sega�s later years.
A year prior, Sega fell into issues with congress over a game called �Night Trap�. The game that stirred up the hornets nest over videogame violence was pulled off retail shelves. This prompted much curiosity and interest in gamers that never got the opportunity to play it. Sega wisely seized an opportunity to cash in by releasing a 32X enhanced version of Night Trap. A major cash in on an otherwise mediocre game.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
FM Towns Marty
The FM Towns Marty, a.k.a. "FM Towns", a.k.a. "FM Marty Towns. A brief glance at this system, and you might mistake it for a white Turbo Duo, but on closer inspection, you'll notice that the slot on the front isn't for a HuCard, but instead for an actual 3.5" floppy.
The Fujitsu Company decided to make an attempt to penetrate the console games market by taking their popular FM TOWNS line of computers, and adding in some special components to create a stand alone video game console. The plan was for the software designed for the FM TOWNS computers to be modified slightly so that the games would work on both the computer and the console. The FM Towns Marty has the distinction of being the first 32-bit video game console.
This system was compatible with most of the Fujitsu line of computers, so it could use the 3.5" slot to play many of computer games. The 32-bit system's CD reader was used mainly to play games made specifically for this system, although some computer software at the time also came in CD format. The system was released in 1991 with a 386 processor that was later upgraded to a 486 (The FM Towns Marty 2). The first version is much rarer, but more limited. Since the system can play games designed for the FM Towns PC, it's library is larger then what you might expect.
It came with a two button controller and had a port for a second controller as well. A mouse and keyboard were also available to play compatible PC games. If ever there was a system made to play "hentai" games, this was it. While it may not have been it's main purpose, there were many adult anime games available. Fujitsu supported the units for many years, and some third party games supported the systems as late as 1999. Fujitsu wisely discontinued the console line with the arrival of the more powerful 32bit Sony Playstation and Sega Saturn.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Amstrad GX4000
Amstrad's GX4000 was the second UK-developed console to be released on the market. The console retailed at ?99, and came with a main adapter, TV lead, two paddle control units and a game called "Burnin' Rubber". It featured a unique case design that looked like a space ship. It was even demonstrated as such on the packaging. Does this mean it was Space Age? Well, no, not really.
Amstrad, seeing the ever increasing money to be made in console video game market, followed in the same footsteps as many other computer companies had. The GX4000 was actually a modified CPC6128+ computer. This allowed The GX4000 to be compatible with a majority of CPC+ computer line software.
Unfortunately the Amstrad GX4000 did not fare well in this growing market. In a matter of weeks the system could be bought at discounted prices. Popular UK videogame magazines marked the system as "the worst system of the month" as voted by most readers.
The system was distributed in a few European countries. After this console's failure, Amstrad stopped all activity in the computer and videogame field. Around 20+ games were released for the GX4000. The games were made by UK based companies Ocean (became Infogrames UK) and US Gold (became Eidos).
Timing may have been the thing that killed this system. The 8-bit Amstrad GX4000 was released shortly after the newer generation 16-bit Sega MegaDrive.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Atari Jaguar
With Sega and Nintendo battling neck and neck with their 16-bit platforms, Atari seized the opportunity to return to the console market after 7 years. A small company calling themselves 'Flare 1' were on the verge of developing a multiprocessor console. Needing the funding to develop it further, they approached Atari Corp. Atari was trying to develop their own console code named ?Panther?at the time. They jumped on the offer, and development for the ?Flare 2? continued alongside the ?Panther?. Eventually plans for the 32-bit Panther were scrapped for the renamed 64-bit Jaguar.
The Atari Jaguar was released in the United States on December of 1993. The console was manufactured by IBM. Atari boasted the system as being the first 64-bit console. They also boasted about a host of developers and a hundreds of games being created for the system. The system had amazing technical specs for it?s time. The console contained 5 processors mounted on 3 chips. One was a traditional Motorola 68000, and the other two were nicknamed ?Tom? and ?Jerry?.
The use of the Motorola 68000 was a reason that the Jaguar?s validity as a 64-bit was put to question. You see... the Motorola 68000 is a 16-bit processor, and 2 others were 32-bit. Only 2 processors were actually 64-bit, but all the registers and buses were in fact 64-bit. Regardless the machine had a ton of potential.
So what exactly happened? Even with so many developers announced (158 developers) many of the game titles never saw the light of day. Many never got further than the planning stage. It was not just game titles that failed to arrive, neither did some of the consoles peripherals (An overly hyped Virtual Reality headset for example). The Jaguar?s cartridge game media had limited storage space, and failed to tap the abilities of the Jaguar. Out of 55 total carts made for Jaguar only 22 were created by outside developers. Developers were simply not ready to handle a console with multiple processors. This became obvious with many of the game released. Some games were simply ports of 16-bit titles with improved color. Others were enhanced ports of older Atari classics (though this was not a bad thing with some of them (Tempest 2000 was a best seller for the system). Others still seemed to be rushed afterthoughts in an effort to cash in. 3rd Party developer support was pretty much nonexistent.
In 1995 Atari finally wised up and created a CD-ROM add on to tap the 700+ megabit CD format. The Jaguar CD retailed for $150, and came equipped with a double speed CD-ROM capable of running Jaguar games, Audio CD?s, and CD+G?s. Games could run full motion video at 24 frames per second. The Jaguar CD also featured a built in Virtual Light Machine (color and visual effects that react to the music and sounds). The add-on connected to the Jaguar through the cartridge slot, but had it?s own pass through slot so Jaguar carts could still be played. The package also included the Tempest 2000 soundtrack audio disc, a sampler for the CD game "MYST", and two CD-ROM games: "Vid Grid" and "Blue Lightning".
The Jaguar CD was a an impressive deal, but it came too late. Interest was growing with the 32-bit CD based Sony and Sega consoles. The Jaguar CD saw only 9 additional CD titles. Atari seeing a need to regain interest due to failing sales began spreading news of a Jaguar II. In 1996 however Atari Corp entered a reverse merger with a company called JTS. All Jaguar products became liquidated, and Jaguar became a fond memory.
Jaguar could have been an amazing console if software took better advantage of it?s 5 processor capability. One game however appeared toward the end of Jaguars life cycle, and showed what the console could do. The graphics in 'Aliens VS Predator' were amazing for their time, and could have possibly inspired a Jaguar purchase. If only it arrived sooner.
FACT: Atari's main advertisement campaign was under the slogan "Do the Math!" Their point being 'Why would I buy a 32-bit system for 300 dollars when I can get a 64-bit Jaguar system for 149?'
The Atari Jaguar featured many ports. Among them was a COM I/O port capable of networking up to 26 Jaguar consoles for multiplayer play, or linking to the Atari Lynx as a specialized controller. Both features were never utilized, but eventually would be features found in future videogame consoles.
Check out AtariAge for tons of info, FAQS, features, game reviews, and more.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Microsoft Xbox
Rumors concerning Microsoft and a console project began surfacing as early as 1999. Although they have been involved in PC gaming for years, Microsoft initially became involved in the console hardware market with their operating system that ran Sega Dreamcast. There is a strong possibility that this motivated Microsoft to enter the console market.
In March of 2000, the world's worst kept secret becomes public knowledge. After the opening of the Game Developers Expo, CEO Bill Gates delivered the keynote address and officially announces their new Xbox console to the world. Equipped with an Intel 733MHz Pentium III CPU, an Nvidia NV2a 250MHz graphics processor, 64MB of unified RAM, an 8GB hard drive, and out-of-the-box broadband Internet support, the Xbox was intended to be a major player in the console race. Although it shares numerous similarities, Gates stressed that the Xbox will not be a PC in a console's clothing. Whether it is or not is still debatable. The system uses a Windows 2000 kernel, a pared down system that has been streamlined specifically for games Microsoft discouraged developers from including support for PC peripherals like the keyboard and mouse just to help console users feel at home.
Ever since Nintendo released the NES, the console market has been dominated by Japanese developers. Companies such as Atari and 3DO have tried to break the trend, but inevitably failed. Microsoft would see to it that the Xbox would succeed. With over 500 million dollars geared toward the Xbox marketing campaign, they used their deep pockets to not only market the console, but to also garner the software developer support that the console needed to appeal to gamers worldwide. On a funny note, Microsoft had to also file for an injunction on a lawsuit filed by Florida based company Xbox Technologies for rights to use the Xbox brand name.
The Xbox unveiled in full at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2001. With all the built in accessories, there would be no doubt that the Xbox can be noted as the largest home console in current history. Games would be in a DVD format which meant the console could also be used to watch DVD movies with the purchase of a separate remote. The remote was sold separately for $30 so that Microsoft could avoid pricey DVD licensing fees. The large bulky controllers seemed to be remodeled versions of their SideWinder PC game pads. Games could be saved either on the consoles 8GB hard drive, or via portable memory cards. The console would also be broadband ready (not 56k dial up) right out of the box. The console is reported to be developer friendly, and with the ability to port PC games with ease. However early demonstrations of what was shown failed to illustrate that the Xbox was three times more powerful than its competition, as Microsoft had stated in their earlier March press conference. On November 15th 2001, Microsoft officially launched it?s Xbox console at an event in New York Times Square's Toys "R" Us. Over 18 games were launched with the console, but the main game to drive sales was a game called Halo. Microsoft reported over 1.5 million units sold from time of launch till the end of 2001. They also reported an average of 3 games sold with each unit.
With success garnered in the US, Microsoft set their eyes abroad. After numerous delays the console was finally launched in Japan on February 22, 2002. Understanding there would be skeptics among Japanese gamers, they saw to launching the system with 12 titles that catered to a more eastern flavor. Also complaints of the large bulky controller forced Microsoft to redesign it to a smaller scaled down version. To commemorate the launch, Microsoft also released 50,000 special edition Xbox units only for Japan. Unfortunately even with the major buzz Microsoft generated with the launch, the debut was marred by complaints from users that the console was scratching game discs and DVD?s causing some stores to halt sales temporarily. The problem was corrected to the satisfaction of retailers, which then continued to sell the Xbox. Throughout the next few months, Microsoft struggled to sell out their initial shipment of Xbox units. Analysts believed that the scratch incident and the lack of interesting software for the Japanese market may have been the problem.
A month after the Japan launch, the Xbox made it?s debut in Europe. Microsoft?s hope to achieve the level of success as it had done in the US came close, but not close enough. Six weeks after the Xbox's European launch, they slashed the price of their Xbox console by nearly 40 percent. European gamers who already bought an Xbox got a free "thank-you package" from Microsoft, including two free games and an extra controller. Further worldwide price cuts triggered an early price war that was good for gamers.
The Xbox console had a rocky start, but since then has brought aboard many talented 3rd Party software developers including old hardware guru Sega. Microsoft also introduced their online strategy called Xbox Live. No matter how you look at it, the Xbox is truly an amazing machine. A machine that broke the pattern of American made console failures. Impressive to say the least.
FACT: The Xbox Special Edition console and controller are wrapped in a plastic black translucent textured skeleton. The jewel portion will be black with silver lettering. Xbox Special Edition was designed specifically for Japanese gamers to commemorate the Xbox Japan launch. In addition to the standard AV Cable, an otherwise optional Xbox Component AV pack was also included in the package. Gamers could enjoy games designed for HDTV and Dolby Digital 5.1 with this Component AV Pack. Lastly, a silver-plated key chain was also included as a special accessory. The key chain featured an engraved number and signature from Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
ColecoVision
After nearly bankrupting itself in 1978 with overstocked Telstar units, Coleco once again entered the console market looking to de-throne Atari 2600 and Intellivision the current kings of the hill.
Colecovision was released in 1982 and boasted amazing specs for it's time which showed in it's arcade conversions. To secure their success Coleco reached out to a Japanese based company called "Nintendo", and paid $250,000 for the rights to a super popular arcade game called Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong became a pack in game with the console.
Since the Atari 2600 contained no patented material and was made up of all "off-the-shelf" hardware, Coleco took another step to insure Colecovision's marketing power. The ColecoVision's Expansion Module #1 was essentially an entire 2600 which fit into the Coleco's expansion port. This gave gamers access to Atari's large library of games.
ColecoVisions were also marketed in Europe by CBS Electronics and sold under the CBS name.
Home computers were starting to overtake game consoles simply because they were more "respectable" in the eyes of parents. So in June 1983, Coleco decided to focus it?s energies on the Adam computer system in 1983. They stopped support and sadly Colecovision owners suffered. With the video game crash of 1984, Coleco officially ceased production of the unit with over 6 million units sold in just two years.
FACT: Coleco's software approach was to go after licensed arcade games that Atari had missed. Realizing that Atari had firm support from 3rd party developers like Namco (creators of Pac-Man and many other hits), Coleco involved itself with companies like Sega, Konami, and Universal. Amazing how long some of these developers have come.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Sega Mark III / Master System
To compete with the Nintendo Famicom in Japan, Sega released the successor to the Mark I/II and called it Sega Mark III in 1984.
The Mark III could produce great 8 bit graphics with specs superior to the Famicom. The console had two game formats which were cartridges and a Sega "Game Card" format. The cards held only 256K of data (cartridges held over 4 times that amount), but the advantage to both Sega and the consumer was the fact that the cards were cheaper to manufacture, and sold for less then the carts did. Sega also introduced 3D glasses that could be used in some of their games. The Mark III was also backwards compatible with SG-1000 / Mark I & II software.
When Nintendo released the Famicom to America in 1986, Sega had no intentions of letting their rival get all the market share. They redesigned the Mark III, and changed the name to the Sega Master System (SMS). They approached Tonka Toy Distribution to market the SMS, and the console was released three months after the Nintendo NES in 1986.
Although the SMS was an impressive machine, it did not reach the level of success that the NES gained in America. The two reasons for this were poor marketing by Tonka Toys, and software restrictions implemented by Nintendo to third party developers. Third party developers were contractually prohibited from making games for any rival company. This meant that once a company had made a game for the obviously popular NES, they weren?t allowed to make any games at all for the SMS. As a result, the only outside developers for the SMS were Activision and Parker Brothers (though Sega did receive permission to "reprogram" / port numerous games developed by other companies). Sega developed the rest of the games themselves.
Some of Sega's best games started this way. The Popular RPG series "Phantasy Star" made it's first appearance on the Sega Master System. The SMS may not have been as successful as the NES in America, but overseas was another story. The SMS was extremely popular in the UK and Brazil where games were released into the the late 90's. The SMS succeeded overseas because it was much cheaper than the pricey NES, and by that time the second generation of games had been released which really showed of the SMS superior specs.
The SMS was re-released as the Sega Master System II in 1990 with a reduction in features to save money. The card port was cut, as was the power light and Sega logo and music upon starting the machine.
FACT: The Sega Master System featured a built in secret game. Turn the system on without a cartridge inserted, when the instructions pop up hold the D-pad up and push buttons 1 and 2. In the game your goal is to guide a small snail through a series of different maze levels. Not much play value, but it's a nice extra to have.
Sega Master System II was another story. Sega included Alex Kidd in Miracle World as a built-in freebie.
As mentioned, the Master System / Mark III was backwards compatible, but the games appeared with a darker color palette then the original Mark I & II systems.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest Sega Master System Game Ever ?
For those interested in Master System Games theres a Portable Console with 20 Built in Commercial Games
features
Plug & play portable video game system
TV out connection
20 built-in 8-bit SEGA licensed games
Built-in speakers
Function key: start / pause
Direction key: A, B, up, down, left, right
2.4" LCD TFT color screen
Requires 3xAAA size batteries. (battery not included)
Official product, containing games authorized by SEGA
description
The PlayPal Portable is a video game player, which is pre-loaded with 20 classic games from SEGA Master System and Game Gear games. There is no need to buy game cartridges. The high quality 2.4” TFT LCD and built-in speakers allows arcade like playing experience in the palm of your hand. The PlayPal Portable game player has an A/V connector and with the included cable the player can be connected to any TV. The built-in SEGA games provide action adventure while testing your intelligence and skill. Enjoy playing classic SEGA games anytime, anywhere with the new PlayPal Portable video game Player.
Includes :
- Super Columns
- Astro Warrior
- Kung Fu Kid
- Quartet
- Bomber Raid
- Sonic Triple Trouble
- Columns
- Sonic Drift 2
- Alex Kidd in High Tech World
- Alex Kidd in Miracle World
- Altered Beast
- Assault City
- Aztec Adventure
- Global Defense
- Fantasy Zone
- Fantasy Zone the Maze
- Penguin Land
- ECCO Tides of Time
- Snail Maze
- The Ninja
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
3DO Interactive
Similar to the goal of the Phillips CD-I, a company called 3D0 set out to create a new standard in multimedia. Their creation became the 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer. It was capable of running 3D0 interactive software (games), Audio CD?s, CD+G, Photo CD, and Video CD?s using an add on. Rather then manufacturing their new system, 3D0 decided to make 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer a franchise. Sanyo, Panasonic and Goldstar all bought rights to manufacture the 3D0 system. Once produced and sold, 3D0 would claim a royalty for each system and $3 for each game sold.
In October of 1993, Panasonic began sales of the first 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer. The systems capabilities were clearly quite ahead of it?s time. Although it was not the first 32-bit system in history, the 3D0 was the first 32-bit system in the United States. The images shown are of Panasonic?s 3D0 models FZ-1 R.E.A.L 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer, and FZ-10 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer. There are several more models established by other companies, but other then a few additions they are all pretty much the same.
As groundbreaking as the console was, the 3D0 was also one of the most expensive systems ever released. At a whopping $700USD or more, this machine only seemed to attract the wealthy. Even after a few price drops, the 3D0 never recovered from its initial reputation as a rich man's videogame system. Since 3D0 placed no software licensing restrictions, the 3D0 amassed a large library of games. Some quality titles such as ?Need For Speed? and ?Road Rash? became quite popular. Others (as with Atari 2600 titles) were sheer crap.
In 1995 the 3D0 company began announcing a new technology called 3D0 M2. This technology was rumored to have 7 times the power of any console released at the time. M2 would come standard in a new 3D0 system, or be used to upgrade existing systems.
The 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer could have had the capability to compete even with newer 32-bit systems, but M2 never became reality. M2 technology was sold off to another company (Matsushita), and 3D0 machines never saw the upgrade. Gamers found themselves more interested in cheaper 16-bit consoles, and eventually newer 32-bit systems entered the market. 3D0 games and systems found their way into clearance bins starting in 1996.The system eventually died the end of that year.
FACT: 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer had only one controller port. However, this wasn't a problem since extra controllers (up to 8) could be easily daisy-chained to another controller. The original Panasonic controllers have a built-in stereo headphone jack along with a volume control dial. The system has its own internal memory to save games and other information. It has 2 expansion ports which were to be used for future upgrades such as memory cards, modems, digital video cartridges and the M2 system upgrade. The 3D0 was definitely designed for the long haul.
The Panasonic 3DO may have been the first released version using the 3DO architecture, but it definitely was not the only system available.
The Goldstar 3DO console (Top image) was released North America, East Asia and Europe at a MSRP of $399. Goldstar expanded distribution of the 3DO system by making it available through mass merchandisers and toy stores. It was far cheaper then it?s Panasonic counterpart, but was reported to have many hardware faults. This system included pack in CD?s Shockwave, FIFA Soccer, and a demo photo CD. It Also included a certificate to send in with a roll of film to have your own custom Photo CD disc made.
The Samsung 3DO (bottom left) was first presented at 1994 Summer CES in Chicago. The Samsung 3DO console was set to include built-in MPEG decoding hardware for viewing VCD and full motion video. The console has since been cancelled.
The Sanyo 3DO (bottom right) was marketed in Japan only. This version featured the most unique containing the waves you could see on top of the unit.
Although it cannot be considered a console, there was yet another version of 3DO available. Creative Designs took the 3DO concept and placed it on a card. The 3DO Blaster was a PC compatible ISA card that allowed gamers the ability to play 3DO software on their Windows based home computers. It has since been discontinued, and is considered a rarity to collectors.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest 3DO Game Ever ?
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Turbografx 16 / PC Engine
On October 30, 1987 the first 16-Bit home videogame console was released in Japan by NEC. The PC Engine was clearly a "next generation" system with it's amazing specs, and wallet sized card games called "HuCards".
The PC Engine was immensely popular in Japan, outselling the Famicom by a significant margin. Two years after its Japanese introduction, NEC announced plans to bring the PC Engine overseas. NEC dubbed the US release Turbografx-16, and prepared to dominate both Nintendo and Sega as they did in Japan.
In 1988, NEC took gaming to the next level. They were the first to use the immense storage capability of Compact Disk. NEC's CD-ROM add-on device was called Turbografx CD or TG-CD (PC Engine CD in Japan). It retailed for an expensive $399.
The console was redesigned several times in Japan (for example the Coregrafx released in 1989 and Coregrafx II in 1991).
In 1989, NEC decided to redesign the console, and upgrade it with more RAM. This new design called Supergrafx was sold in Japan only, and created to compete against the threat of Nintendo's Super Famicom console. NEC stopped distributing Supergrafx when they saw their PC Engine was still selling well. Only 5 games were made to take advantage of the upgraded Supergrafx, and it played all PC Engine games as well as use the CD add-on.
So how is it that a company that produced such state of the art gaming go almost unnoticed by the American gamers? So many factors contributed, but most stems from NEC's lack of marketing. Perhaps their success in Japan made them think the system would sell itself. Whereas you could find commercials and advertisements for Sega and Nintendo, you could not find any for Turbografx.
NEC was also introducing games, titles, and characters that American players simply weren?t familiar with, and many truly excellent games were either ignored outright, or subject to Nintendo's "exclusive licensing" policy that was in effect at the time. The gist of this policy was, if a game was already available on NES, then game companies could not produce any versions for any other game system. Although this policy was later ruled illegal, it hurt the TurboGrafx a lot in the early stages of its life.
Hudson Soft, the primary producer of PC Engine software, was also producing games for the huge NES market. Releasing a game on TurboGrafx exclusively (as they would have to do) would restrict its potential sales (as the NES had a greater installed user base).
Even the Turbografx CD with it's amazing potential was marketed poorly. Not only was this item priced at a ridiculous $399, but only two games were even released for it during its first six months of existence. Neither TG-CD game, "Fighting Street" nor "Monster Lair", came anywhere close to taking advantage of the system?s capabilities.
Soon after... word began to spread that the TG-16 was not a "true" 16-bit system, as its CPU was only 8-bit. (The system used two 8-bit processors).
These factors caused the Turbografx to have a small impact in the US. NEC seemed to only focus on their Japanese market. Japan saw many quality games, console redesigns, and accessories. This helped the system to remain successful in Japan for quite some time.
FACT: NEC used the "Hucard" technology to produce "System Cards" that boosted the consoles RAM thus providing better quality graphics. The Arcade Card Pro card in particular added 16 megabits of RAM, and was used to play arcade quality games such as Fatal Fury and other SNK hits. Sadly the card was never released outside of Japan. This would also explain why Supergrafx was discontinued.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest PC Engine Game Ever ?
Check out PCENGINEFX.com for info on all things PCEngine Related.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Atari VCS / 2600
Atari VCS..later called the 2600 was released in 1977 and became the dominant console in the 1970's. The Atari 2600 boasted amazing specs for it's time, and amassed a library of thousands of games. The popularity of the 2600 grew even further when the arcade game "Space Invaders" was ported for the first time to a console. The success was also in part to the many arcade and movie licenses acquired by Atari. These licenses gave Atari the marketing edge over other consoles of it's time. The console introduced an enormous variety of games and controllers and was the console of choice well into the early 80's even when graphically out performed by newer consoles.
The success of Atari spawned many console redesigns. One example was the reduced sized Atari 2600 Jr. (Shown on left) released in 1986 as part of a campaign to rekindle the console's success. Also the Atari 2800, which essentially was the same build, but offered 4 controller ports instead of 2. The controllers were also redesigned to be a hybrid of both a joystick and paddle. The 2800 model was sold in the US under the Sears label Telegames II. This model was also the first official Atari release in Japan in 1982, and retailed for 24,800 Yen.
The success of Atari 2600 also triggered it's fall from glory. The console spawned numerous clones and adapters (These adapters allowed 2600 software to be played on other consoles). The Atari 2600 cart format also contained no restrictions, which allowed anyone to make their own 2600 games. These factors contributed to the fall of Atari in early years, and played a role to the "Videogame Crash of 1984".
FACT: The Atari 2600 was the first console to play adult type games such as Bachelor Party and the infamouse Custers Revenge.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest Atari2600 Game Ever ?
Check out Atari Age for info on all things Atari2600 Related.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Sony Playstation 2
In 1997, rumors began to surface about the successor to Sony's Playstation console. Those rumors became reality in 1999 when Sony began talks of a new console called the Playstation 2 (PS2).This next generation system would use the immense storage of DVD, would use the raw processing power of a chip called the ?Emotion Engine? (created with partner Toshiba). be able to play DVD Movies and music CD?s right out of the box, and be backwards compatible with the original Playstation software.
The PS2's backwards compatibility feature offered two modes that could improve the Playstation?s large library of games. One option took full advantage of the systems drive to speed up loading time in some games. The other was a Texture Interpolation option that could clean up jagged edges and other problems for much needed graphic improvement. These modes were either not compatible or cause glitches in some games, but was truly a novel idea by Sony.
Backed up by a lot of hype, the Playstation 2 was released in Japan on March 4th 2000. The console broke records by selling well over a million units in just a matter of days. Sony struggled to keep up with the demand, and initially shipped units with glitched memory cards. The Japanese PS2 used these memory cards with ?Gate Way? technology, and it stored the drivers needed to run DVD movies. Later on Sony again had to deal with another bug in initial PS2 units. This however was not a bad bug since it allowed users to override the region coding system, and play DVD movies regardless of region. When the PS2 was finally released in America on October 26th, Sony did away with the DVD playback issues by hard coding the drivers into the PS2 unit. Europe saw a release a month later.
Just like in Japan, the demand for PS2 units were high. Consoles sold out rapidly as Sony made promises to ship more units. Online retailers and auctioneers took advantage of the 'supply and demand' and sold PS2 consoles for well over $500-$1000. Reports of robberies occurred everywhere, or some units contained other manufacturer defects. Definitely one of the craziest console launches to date.
Although the Playstation 2?s initial launch was a complete success, the console itself had its early share of problems. There are no doubts that the PS2 ?Emotion Chip? was state of the art, but it?s multiprocessor design made things difficult for software developers who had grown spoiled by the Dreamcast.
Rather then suffer the fate of the Sega Saturn, Sony opened up developer assistance forums, documentation, phone assistance, and websites to provide whatever technical assistance was needed for software developers. However, the initial batch of PS2 games where indeed a rushed effort. PS2 launch games seemed to pale in comparison to the Dreamcast?s latest offerings. How could this be? Wasn?t the Playstation 2 a more superior console?
As with most new consoles, it takes time for developers to truly take advantage of a consoles capabilities. Early developers complained about the console's amount of video ram, and centered all programming to the main CPU. It wasn?t till later that they learned to take advantage of the ?Emotion Chip?s? two other co-processors.
Another drastic complaint was jaggie graphics and flickering in launch games. One of the reasons behind this was the games lacked Full Screen Anti Aliasing (FSAA). The Playstation 2 hardware did not seem capable of producing this effect which could be seen in Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast. It was only till later on that Sony revealed methods of producing FSAA in software (rather then using hardware). One method that was unique to the PS2 and differs from traditional methods is a field bending technique that works well with televisions. By the year 2002, it became clear what the Playstation 2 console can really do.
Sony would soon take a page from Sega?s online gaming efforts, and produce an adapter that would allow for 56K / broadband gaming. Word of a hard drive, zip drives, voice chat devices and more brought the Playstation 2 console closer to Sony?s multimedia conception. Even with the introduction of newer consoles by rival Nintendo and newcomer Microsoft, the Sony Playstation 2 remained the most popular console even to the end of year 2005. With so many consoles sold, developers saw it wise to cash in. As a result the console has one of the largest software libraries available. Add the backward compatibility of the original Playstation library and you have quite a successful console.
In November 2004, Sony released a reduced sized version of it's Playstation 2. This new model called Slim Line (SCPH-7000 CB) was 75 percent smaller, and came with a built in Network Adaptor. It retailed for $149 upon release. However, the new Playstation 2 lacked the hard drive support of it's original model.
In 2005, Sony announced it's entry into the 8th console generation . The Playstation 3 will also support backwards compatibility with both PS2 and PSOne games.
FACT: Just it was done for the Playstation (Yaroze), Sony catered to the dreams of "would be" developers. In April / May of 2002, Sony released a specialized kit which turned the Playstation 2 console into a full-fledged computer. . The Playstation 2 Linux kit came with a Linux distribution DVD that runs on the PS2 hardware, additional software, a 40GB hard drive, an Ethernet adapter, a USB mouse, a USB keyboard, a computer monitor cable, and a wealth of documentation containing the same information that Sony provides its licensed game developers. It could only be purchased from Sony's official Playstation webpage, and retailed at $199.99USD.
In 2003, Sony decided to take the heart and power of Playstation 2 and create a high priced multimedia device. The Sony PSX was an "all in one" box providing a DVD / TiVO recorder, TV tuner, CD / DVD player, game console, digital photo manager, and more.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest PS2 Game Ever ?
Check out PS2 Emulation for info on all things PS2 Related.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Nintendo 64
Nintendo stretched the life of their 16-bit console for as long as they could. Their initial attempts at entering the market with a 32-bit CD add-on (see Playstation) never saw the light of day. After the releases of Sony and Sega?s 32-bit systems, Nintendo began spreading the word of their new console in development. The leap to a 64-bit console became known as Project Reality. The system was a joint venture by Nintendo and Silicon Graphics. Nintendo would later change the name to ?Ultra 64?.
Nintendo shocked developers and gamers alike with the decision to remain with a cartridge format instead of CD?s, which had become the most favorable game media for the time. This turned away many 3rd Party software developers who felt the cartridge did not have the storage capacity to handle their game projects (a weakness that hurt the Atari Jaguar). Nintendo stuck by the cartridge format saying that it was the best media to use with the Ultra 64, and that CD?s would be plagued with extreme ?load? times. Also carts were more durable then CD?s which are prone to scratching (particularly with younger kids). Eventually Nintendo would put all doubts to rest in 1995 with a playable Super Mario 64 shown at a Japanese trade show. Super Mario 64?s lush 3D visuals were enough to regain interest in Nintendo?s new console.
On June 20th, 1996, the console was again renamed Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan along with Super Mario 64, and two other games. It was then released in USA on 26 September of the same year. Other countries saw N64 releases soon after.
The console was an immediate success, but a shortage of quality games began to slow system sales. Games were released in small trickles. Developers found the cartridge format limiting. Effects such as Full Motion Video and large quantities of voiceover, music, and sound effects could not be reproduced due to the limited storage capacity (keep in mind however that N64 can produce CD quality sound). Gamers found some of the N64 3rd Party game releases cheaper on rival consoles CD formats (Carts had a high manufacturing price which was filtered down, naturally, to the consumer. The same held for other game titles large in size. The more megabits the cart the... the higher the price).
Even with the small amount of game releases, Nintendo managed to release amazing game titles based on franchise characters from their SuperNES / NES days. Also with help from RARE, the company that breathed new life into the SuperNES with ?Donkey Kong Country?, The Nintendo 64 saw some great game exclusives that kept gamers happy with their console choice. While 64-bit updates to popular SuperNES games was the way to go, it also generated a Nintendo 64 stereotype of being a ?Kiddy? console (although most of those supposed kiddy games are amazingly fun). Rival console manufacturers would use this stereotype to their advantage in an effort to attract older ?hardcore? gamers.
Nintendo clearly understood that the cartridge storage abilities would limit 3rd Party developers. In 1997 they began announcing a device called the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive or N64DD for short. It would be a magnetic disk drive, which connected to the N64?s expansion port. The device would add an addition 4 megabytes of RAM to the N64, and offer 64 megabytes of additional read / writeable RAM for developers to use. The device saw numerous delays, and eventually was released in Japan only. Other countries however did receive the N64 Expansion Pack. This accessory was released around 1998. It added an additional 4Mb of RAM . Games specifically made to take advantage of it?s capability could increase the game's resolution, improve graphics, make levels larger, etc. For other games however it did nothing.
In the end Nintendo 64 was a remarkable machine that brought about innovations such as controller ?rumble? effects, and analog / digital controllers. The console was supported well into 2002, and sold over 30 million units worldwide. It also marked the end of the ?Cartridge Era?.
FACT: The N64 console was developed in a wide assortment of colors. Even a special edition Pikachu(ph33r the Pikachu!) unit was created.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest Nintendo64 Game Ever ?
Check out N64 Homebrew for info on all things Nintendo64 Related.
Today another site joins the DCEmu Network, a site that over the next few months will build into a massive place to find history on consoles you have and have not heard of.
I am hoping to build the site in different colours and so the official launch will happen soon but for now browse the site and consoles we have already covered.
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Nintendo GameCube
At Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 1999, Nintendo announced the initial specifications for its next-generation console, code-named Dolphin. The first thing that Nintendo made clear was that the new system would not use a cartridge medium. The Nintendo 64 had done ok with the format, but the games were expensive, and the format alienated some 3rd Party developers.
More specifics were released about the new console as months past. Nintendo would have several companies involved in the project. IBM designed and manufactured the console processor called the ?Gekko?. The graphics processor called ?Flipper? was designed by a small startup company called ArtX who was later bought out by ATI. The graphics chip was manufactured by NEC. Macronix and Factor 5 contributed the sound with MoSys providing the system memory. Lastly the console would use a proprietary 8cm optical disc game format capable of holding 1.5GB of data (twice the capacity of CD-ROMs). This disk was developed and manufactured by Matsushita (best known by its Panasonic brand name). It became clear that Nintendo was indeed developing something impressive.
Nintendo?s new console was revealed on August 24, 2000 at their Nintendo Spaceworld show. The console, which was being called Starcube, was officially named the Nintendo GameCube. A fitting name for one of the smallest console system in recent history. The GameCube?s power was demonstrated with a tech demo of a game simply called ?Mario 128?.
Displaying textures would be the GameCube's most potent asset. GameCube used 6-to-1 texture compression, which will let texture data be shrunk to one-sixth its original size, with no appreciable hit on the hardware. This was clearly apparent as onlookers watched 128 rendered Mario character models running around the screen at once.
Many questioned why Nintendo would not utilize the immense DVD storage format and movie playback that rival consoles were using. Nintendo would state that they had created a next-generation, powerful, easy to understand, and easy to develop gaming system, and that would be their only focus. Roughly translated "We don't care about movie playback, and will not pay the fee associated with using the DVD standard. The Gamecube is a game console...nuff said."
Nintendo launched the GameCube in Japan on September 14 2001. Although Nintendo would market the console in other colors, only the Indigo (purple) version was initially available. Nintendo was ble to market the GameCube for around $100 less then the Playstation 2 and Xbox (Japan retailed at 25,000 yen).
A lack of initial game titles, plus a subdued publicity campaign, may have hindered the Japanese GameCube launch. Nintendo released only three games (Luigi's Mansion, Super Monkey Ball, and Wave Race: Blue Storm) and managed to sell 300,000 of 450,000 shipped units. Clearly not the usual publicized launch that usually occurs abroad, but another contributing factor may have been the world?s focus on the September 11th Terrorist Attack on the US.
The GameCube launch in the US was originally scheduled for November 5, 2001. Nintendo felt it wiser to delay the release in order to make more units and launch titles available. The GameCube was officially launched on November 18th, only a mere few days after the release of Microsoft?s Xbox. Over 700,000 units and 8 launch titles were available at launch. Even with two other next generation consoles on the market, the GameCube still managed to sell out it?s initial shipment. The success followed with the European launch in May of 2002.
As the other rival consoles went about unveiling their online gaming strategies, Nintendo merely announced the availability of a network adapter that could be used with Phantasy Star Online (oddly enough a game from former rival Sega who began console online gaming with Dreamcast). It appeared as if online gaming was not part on Nintendo?s overall strategy at that point. Nintendo's solution for multiplayer gaming was instead the concept of 'connectivity'.
Nintendo unveiled new forms of connectivity between Nintendo GameCube and their popular handheld portable Game Boy? Advance. By linking the two systems, the Game Boy Advance can be used as more than a controller. For instance, players can transfer a character trained on GameCube onto Game Boy Advance to continue game play while away from home. Or, transport characters or items via Game Boy Advance to trade with friends. Games such as Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Pac Man VS, and Legend of Zelda: Four Swords would allow up to four gamers to play multiplayer games with the Game Boy? Advance being used for status or split screen action.
Their main focus was to release quality game titles which had slowed to a trickle since the console?s debut. Toward the end of 2002 however, the GameCube saw the release of many quality ?must have? exclusive games. Remakes and sequels to Nintendo?s popular franchise characters helped push software sales for the console well into 2005. It seems Nintendo had done well to continue their console legacy, but they still had not managed to reach the level of dominance they once held.
FACT: In Japan it appeared as if the Playstation 2 gained many hardware sales by being a low costing DVD player. Nintendo partner Matsushita saw an opportunity to also cash in. The result? The Panasonic Q. A machine that combines a Nintendo GameCube and Panasonic DVD player into one.. The Panasonic Q is currently only sold for retail in Japan, however it can be purchased through import retailers. To help garner the attention of import consumers, establishments such as Upstate Games have gone the extra mile to make it totally region friendly, enabling you to play all region DVDs in addition to Japanese and US GameCube software. However, importing this puppy would run you close to $474.99USD.
Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest Gamecube Game Ever ?
Continuing our network wide feature for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Genesis / Megadrive
Sega made a good attempt with their Master System against Nintendo's virtual monopoly of the console industry, but they were about to introduce next generation gaming to the masses.
After two years of development the Sega Megadrive was released in Japan in October of 1988, and was the first true 16-bit console to enter the console market. The Megadrive achieved moderate success in Japan after being beat to the market by NEC's PC Engine (Turbografx) ( released only four months earlier). Sega had a lot of hits in the arcade such as After Burner and Golden Axe, and part of the appeal of the Megadrive was that now these games were not only playable at home, but were fairly close to the arcade versions.
Once again Sega set their sites on the rest of the console playing world. Sega began an aggressive marketing campaign, not only to customers, but also to developers. They quickly gained the support of western third party developer Electronic Arts, and quickly produced a line-up of quality arcade conversions and killer sports games (Games that appeal more to American gamers).
The Sega Genesis was released in America in September 1989. By the end of 1990 there were over 30 third-party developers writing games for the new system. The Sega Genesis reached a great level of success in America, but launched the system to all new heights of popularity when they released a secret project in the summer of 1992. Sonic the Hedgehog pushed the Genesis to the limit with spectacular graphics, animation, sound, and incredible speed. Sonic also became the official mascot and icon for Sega, and became part of marketing campaign to compete against Nintendo's soon to be released console which contained a slower processor (Sega dubbed the techniques used in Sonic as "Blast Processing").
Genesis saw many changes over the years. The console was remodeled in 1994, and offered a sleeker / smaller case, and a reduced price (At the expense of the head phone jack and volume control). In 1998, Majesco reserved the rights to manufacture certain Sega systems. They decided to redesign the Genesis yet again. The Genesis 3 was released in the US for under $50. It was made even smaller, but lacked the ability to interface with Sega CD and 32X.
FACT: Over the years the Genesis / Megadrive became the center point to many upgrades and add ons. The Powerbase converter allowed Master System games to be played on the Genesis. It bypassed the main 68000 processor in the Genesis and used the Z80 sound processor to run the original Master System code. While rumors circulated of a Game Gear to Genesis converter, it never made it past the prototype stage. Others served as upgrades namely the Sega CD and 32X which will be discussed later on.
Between 1993 - 1994, 3D gaming was growing in popularity. Sega's rival Nintendo collaborated with another company to develop a chip that could enhance games with 3D polygon abilities (the Super FX chip). Not to be outdone Sega teamed up with Hitachi to create the 'Sega Virtual Processor'. The SVP chip was primarily designed for Sega's 3D arcade titles, but one game was released for the Genesis with the chip installed in the cart. In 1994 "Virtua Racing" was released and retailed for $90-$100USD.
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Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest Megadrive/Genesis Game Ever ?
Hi all this is a network wide feature of sorts ill be doing for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Sony Playstation / PSOne
Japanese electronics company Sony?s involvement in the videogame industry began as a manufacturer of a custom sound chip used in Nintendo?s SuperNES console.
Rival companies NEC and Sega had taken the leap to CD based gaming, and Nintendo had no intentions of being left behind. They immediately partnered up with Sony to develop their CD based system. Sony went on to develop two units. One was a 16-bit add-on for the Super Famicom / SuperNES that sat underneath the system and allowed CD based gaming (SNES CD ), and another as a stand-alone unit. Initially the agreement allowed Sony the ability to license CD based games for the system. Nintendo was not willing to relinquish control over software licensing. They dropped Sony from the project, and approached Phillips to develop the add-on.
Ken Kutaragi, the Sony researcher who had worked on the "SNES PlayStation" prototype and the sound chip for the SNES (Sony SPC700), did not want to give up the hard work put into the unit. He wanted to continue working on this project and so he approached the then Sony President Norio Ogha to develop the stand-alone console without Nintendo. The project continued, and the new Sony Computer Entertainment Division was formed (SCEA).
Sony announced the console dubbed ?Playstation? at the Tokyo International Electronics Show on October 1991. The original Playstation concept would be able to play SNES games, as well as educational CD software. Nintendo would try to re-negotiate with Sony in fear that they would drop support for the SuperNES sound chip, but the joint effort between the companies never saw the light of day. Ken Kutaragi went back to develop the Playstation from scratch making it a 32-bit console that was simple yet powerful, easy to program for, and cheap. The new Sony Computer Entertainment division (SCE, SCEA, SCEE) began to use their company connections, and financial influence to persuade 160 3rd party software developers in North America alone, and over 400 worldwide, to develop for the newly designed Playstation.
The Playstation (a.k.a PSX) was released shortly after the Sega Saturn on December 2nd 1994. The console was an immediate success selling over 100,000 units it?s first weekend. Developers found the Playstation simpler to develop for then it?s 32-bit rival Saturn. Sony then took it?s console abroad. The Sony Playstation immediately saw success in America on September 9th 1995. Europe saw releases a month later.
The PSX success was driven by a strong advertising campaign, and a price $100 cheaper then Sega Saturn. The PSX eventually claimed the number one videogame console sales position by beating out the Saturn, and even maintaining it?s position after the eventual release of Nintendo?s 64-bit console.
Even after the release of next generation systems, Sony saw an opportunity to make even more money out of the PSX. In 1999 Sony released the PSOne. This remodeled PSX console was made to the size of a portable CD Disk player. It was also both cheaper to buy, and cheaper to produce. LCD screens, battery packs, and vehicle power outlets also made the console somewhat portable.
The PSX had one of the largest libraries of software spanning 1000+ releases, and a wide assortment of accessories. Ken Kutaragi's desire to keep Playstation going ushered in he next level of three dimensional CD-based videogaming, and helped make Sony a dominate force in the videogame industry.
FACT: In mid 1997, Ken Kutaragi brought back an idea that had not been seen in almost 20 years. A special version of the Playstation called Net Yaroze (Yaroze meaning ?Let?s do it together?) was released in limited quantities for around $750USD. This unit was a simplified development kit that would allow users to make their own PSX games using the C program language. Such an idea was last introduced back in 1979 with the Bally Professional Arcade (Bally BASIC), the Magnavox Odyssey2 (Computer Intro), and the Atari 2600 (BASIC Programming).
The console contained both S-video and A/V ports with cables and software to connect to any Windows / Mac PC. The unique thing about the Yaroze is that it did not contain region lockouts... so pretty much any game from any country could be played. However it did come with a special memory card that was required to start the console. The memory card contained protections that prevented copied games from running. Sony even established a website to assist programmers in development.
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Thanks again to Dark Watcher for his info above.
Now heres our question to you - Whats the greatest Playstation Game Ever ?
Check out PS2 Emulation for info on Playstation Emulators and Homebrew and Emulators for the Playstation.
Hi all this is a network wide feature of sorts ill be doing for just about every console thats emulated and that we own, in time it can be used as a reference point for people to look at what games are the very best on each system
Firstly heres a look at each system and a description to remind you of the history of the console.
Sega Dreamcast
Around March 12th, 1997 rumors began to surface about what began as a 64-bit upgrade for the Sega Saturn. Eventually news began to leak about Sega?s development of a totally new console. By June 1997, Sega had two different design specs under consideration to become the new console. One design was code-named ?Black Belt?, and the other code-named ?Dural?.
?Black Belt? was being designed by Sega of America. The console would sport an IBM/Motorola PowerPC 603e CPU with 3Dfx Voodoo graphics chipset. As a result of the programming difficulties of the Sega Saturn, Sega of America also approached big time Windows developer Microsoft to create an easy to program operating system for the console (Probably where Microsoft took an interest in the console market). Sega of Japan however began developing ?Dural? which would sport a Hitachi SH-4 CPU with PowerVR2 graphics chipset designed by old console rival NEC/Videologic (Maker of the Turbografx 16, Turbo Duo, and PC-FX). Both designs were brought to the big shots at Sega, and compared side by side. It was determined that the ?Dural? design would be used, but would incorporate elements of the ?Black Belt? design. As a result most of the members of the American design team quit the company. 3Dfx then filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Sega.
Sega worked with Microsoft, Hitachi, NEC/Video Logic and Yamaha to produce the new console. It was announced to the public as the Sega 'Katana' on September 7th 1997, and would be the first 128-bit console to enter the videogame market. Sega fueled the console?s hype by spending $100 million to launch it.
The system now called Sega Dreamcast was re-scheduled a number of times due to the demand for units. . Dreamcast was finally released on November 25th 1998 in Japan. By 16th July 1999, the Dreamcast was outselling the Nintendo 64 by a 3 to 1 ratio. Meanwhile in America, advertising for the Dreamcast was taking place and by August 1999 it had broken many sales records by grossing an estimated 98 million dollars. Europe also saw a successful release on October 14th 1999.
The Dreamcast was an impressive system boasting powerful specs, a simple to program Windows CE operating system, and a built in modem for use in internet browsing and online gameplay. The year long wait from the Japanese release gave 3rd Party Developers ample time to bring an impressive collection of software titles for the console's release.
After some delays, SegaNet was finally introduced. SegaNet gave Dreamcast users the ability to play games online. In January 2000, 30% of Japanese Dreamcast owners were online, and by February 17th this had risen to almost 50%. In the US over 300,000 people were using DC's Internet and in Europe over 200,000 were reported. It would seem that Sega had finally corrected the mistakes that plagued them in the past.
Even with the success of Dreamcast all was not well in the world of Sega. Sega faced numerous lawsuits from companies such as 3Dfx, and were attempting to recover from a failed merger with Japanese company Bandai that occurred in January 23 1997. The eventual release of Sony?s 128-bit over hyped successor complicated matters with it?s backwards compatibility and ability to play DVD?s (more bang for the buck). The President of Sega Sholchiro Irimajiri steped down and was replaced by Isao Ohkawa. One of Ohkawa's first steps is to issue an ultimatum and 500 million dollars to Sega of America to make the Dreamcast strong in the U.S market again. Sega began facing difficulties with price wars against Sony. Sega initially could not afford to lower the price of the console because they would never meet the break-even point ( losses from previous console failures did not help matters. Console manufacturers actually lose money for each console sold, and recap losses by licensing each game released for the console.) Obviously with Nintendo and Microsoft?s announcement of new consoles, Sega knew they couldn?t hold out.
On January 31 2001, Sega of America announced a major restructuring. The price the Seg
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