Video Game Consoles of the 1990′s
Amstrad
GX4000
Amstrad
Discontinued in: ~1990
This epically unheard-of beasty came and went as quickly as you walk from your front door to the mailbox. It’s huge, played massive carts and kind of looks like it belongs in a hospital. Even with a version of RoboCop 2 in its library, kids happily ignored it in favor of the SNES and Genesis.
NeoGeo AES
SNK
Discontinued in: 2004
Think games are expensive now? Imagine shelling out $200 for games that are now readily available on Wii’s Virtual Console. The pricey carts kept it from mainstream success, but certain niches adored the system enough to warrant software support well into 2004. This makes NeoGeo one of the most long-lived systems of all time.
TurboGrafx-CD
NEC
Discontinued in: ~1999
The TurboGrafx-16 and its many additions (like this CD) never took off in the US or Europe, but the Japanese market was much more attentive to NEC’s multimedia plight. There are so many revisions and changes to this basic idea – CD-ROM games – that it’s no wonder the console failed to find a large audience. The variants also make it tough to pinpoint exactly when this console went belly up.
Turbo Express
NEC
Discontinued in: ~1999
A handheld Turbografx-16 that had a state-of-the-art (at the time) backlit LCD screen and played the entire library of Hu-Card games and featured a TV Tuner. Despite its technical advantages, the Turbo Express didn’t sell well perhaps due to NEC initially pricing it at $399.99, then reducing it to $249.99 then raising it back up to $299.99 and then by 1992 it was lowered to $199.99. 6AA batteries lasted about as long as Sega’s Nomad but worse than the GameGear and GameBoy.
Game Gear
Sega
Discontinued in: 1997
Essentially a portable Master System, Game Gear tried to fend off Game Boy but ultimately faded into nothingness. Partly to blame for its demise were the six AA batteries needed for power that it guzzled like a stretch Hummer with stadium lighting. Strangely enough, it saw a brief resurgence post-2000 through Majesco. The re-issued unit allegedly had a better screen and higher-quality speakers.
Master System II
Sega
Discontinued in: 1992
A small re-issue of the original Master System, with no card slot or, oddly enough, reset button. Apparently included Alex Kidd in Miracle World as a pack-in game already programmed into the console. It didn’t reignite interest in the Master System, so Sega wisely put its efforts behind the Genesis and Mega Drive platforms.
Super Famicom
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 2000
Designed by Masayuki Uemura, the designer of the original Famicom, the Super Famicom was released in Japan on 11/21/1990 for ¥25,000. Only two games were initially available at launch Super Mario World and F-Zero. While technically slower than the Mega Drive, its many other advantages (better sound quality and graphics) helped propel it to an eventual victory for its generation.
Super NES
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 1999
The US release of the Super Famicom was released at the end of summer ’91 for $199.99 and a launch lineup that added Pilotwings, SimCity, and Gradius III.
Overcoming it’s relatively late start and fierce competition it faced from the Genesis console the Super Nintendo became the most successful console of the 16-bit generation, with more than 23.35 million sold.
Turbo Duo
NEC
Discontinued in: ~1999
Yet another CD/game card hybrid from NEC, and therefore another system that’s hard to say when it died. The graphics looked like NES, but the audio was far beyond anything carts could accomplish (thanks to vast CD storage).
Didn’t matter though, and that’s why you’ll be playing its best games (Ys, Lords of Thunder) on the Virtual Console.
Lynx II
Atari
Discontinued in: 1994
The second version of Atari’s ill-fated handheld. It should have been obvious there was no stopping Game Boy, even with a new look and some mumbling about better specs. Doesn’t matter anyway, as barely anyone played either version of the damn thing. Kung Food, really?
Mega CD
Sega
Discontinued in: ~1995
The development of the Mega CD was confidential; game developers were not made aware of what exactly they were working on until the add-on was finally revealed at the Tokyo Toy Show in Japan and was awarded Best New Peripheral of 1992 by Electronic Gaming Monthly. In April 1993 the Mega CD was introduced to European and Australian markets.
CD-i
Philips
Discontinued in: 1998
The expensive Compact Disc Interactive didn’t take the world by storm with it Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace ports, large selection of interactive information and educational titles, and surprisingly great version of Tetris.
Philips did release a few Nintendo licensed games for the console, Hotel Mario and three Legend of Zelda games Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda’s Adventure.
Nintendo and Philips had established an agreement to co-develop a CD-ROM enhancement for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (after Nintendo and Sony scrapped a previous deal on an earlier add-on for the SNES, which would eventually result in the creation of the PlayStation), and Philips was contractually allowed to continue using Nintendo characters after the deal fell through.
FM Towns Marty
Fujitsu
Discontinued in: 1999?
Another Japan-only machine that made little impact. It was backwards compatible with previous FM Towns machines, which might have been good news for a few distraught children who couldn’t find a Super NES. It is, however, the first 32-bit console and sported a CD and hard drive, so eat it everyone else!
Sega CD
Sega
Discontinued in: ~1995
Released in the US a year after Japan’s Mega CD the Sega CD was meant to enhance the Genesis beyond the SNES. The marketing ploy “Welcome to the Next Level” drove the idea home, though anyone who actually played the thing knew the truth – most of the games were low quality FMV with frustratingly bad gameplay or Genesis ports with a new soundtrack. There were some gems though, Lunar, Sonic CD, Ground Zero Texas, Snatcher, Rise of the Dragon and Dark Wizard.
WonderMega/X’Eye
Sega/JVC
Discontinued in: ~1997
A Genesis/Sega CD combo that came bundled with a multimedia encyclopedia. Also had karaoke capabilities and lived in obscurity until right now, when you just read it ever existed at all.
Pioneer LaserActive
Pioneer
Discontinued in: ~1995
Remember laserdiscs? Of course not, and that’s why most of you never saw or heard of this jangly weirdo that supported add-on modules for Genesis and TG-16. Everything about this monster was overpriced and outdated – but it makes a great conversation piece. “Really?” “Yes!”
Jaguar
Atari
Discontinued in: 1996
Yet another feline machine from Atari, this one saw limited release in ’93 and then widespread in ’94, though never once posed any threat to Saturn, N64 or PlayStation. Most of its library is laughably bad, and the few standouts (Tempest 2000, Alien vs Predator) have aged terribly.
A surprisingly large homebrew audience has kept this system in a state of flux for years after its official end – despite a cumbersome controller that’s the same size as some handhelds.
3DO
Panasonic, Goldstar, Sanyo
Discontinued in: 1996
A magical dream machine that was supposed to dominate the industry with unprecedented multimedia capabilities, superior CD ports and, uh, a $700 price tag. After heavy, heavy promotion it eventually folded, even with cheaper models from Goldstar and Sanyo. It was to be followed by the M2, a console that never materialized.
NES 2
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 1995
With the SNES leading a successful charge into the 16-bit era and the original NES falling behind, Nintendo stripped a lot of the excess fat away and offered this slimmed-down alternative.
The controller is far superior to the original (modeled after the SNES controllers) and the top-loading cart slot was better than the old NES’s toaster style, but the crap RF shield, bizarre visual glitches and outdated tech meant the NES’s days were over.
Genesis 2
Mega Drive II
Sega
Discontinued in: 1998
Another scaled-down re-issue of a popular machine. The Genesis was still going strong when this version hit, so it wasn’t a last-ditch effort to cram a few more sales in before the next machine hit.
Since it is a totally different size than the original Genesis and Megadrive, the Sega CD and MegaCD would also get a redesign to accommodate the new systems.
Sega CD 2
Mega CD II
Sega
Discontinued in: ~1995
The companion console to the Genesis II, it was functionally identical to the original “tower” Sega CD. Instead of a disc tray (like the PS2 and 360) it had comparatively cheap (i.e. flimsy) compartment for CDs (like Saturn, Dreamcast the slim PS2).
Neither version was all that successful, despite a few standout titles.
Amiga CD32
Commodore
Discontinued in: 1994
Though successful in Europe, the CD32 didn’t even make a scratch in the US market. Maybe if Commodore hadn’t been knee-deep in legal trouble and eventual bankruptcy its UK dominance could have spread elsewhere. It was marketed as the first 32-bit video game system but the FM Towns Marty had it beat by 2 years.
Or, maybe console gamers just don’t care about keyboards, floppy drives and other computer-y nonsense.
CDX / Multi Mega
Sega
Discontinued in: ~1998
Yet another Genesis/CD combo, this time for the “no way in hell are your parents buying that” price of $400. You could also plug it full of batteries and literally watch money drain away.
Apparently making a crappy system smaller doesn’t reduce the crap-ness at all.
32X
Sega
Discontinued in: 1996
A total failure in every respect. It was meant to juice-up the Genesis but instead confused buyers and split Sega’s market in two – those who bought a 32X and attempted to figure out how to get it to work with their model I or model II Genesis, and those who simply waited for Saturn, released mere months later.
Adding a 32X to your model I Sega CD does produce a nice Sega Tower of Obsolescence, though.
Pico
Sega
Discontinued in: 1997
Want more Sega machines? You got ‘em! This one’s meant for the knee-high lot and focused on learning games based around licensed characters (mostly Disney).
It had a touch pad, pen pad and cyanide pill. Somehow managed to stay alive in Japan for years, even into 2003. Thanks to vidgame.net for the pic.
Mega Jet
Sega
Discontinued in: 1998
The most exciting thing about this airline-only Genesis/Mega Drive oddity is a Wikipedia line explaining how some people may have secured copies: “The July 2006 issue of the British publication Retro Gamer stated that the majority of Mega Jets that are owned by private collectors come from an initial shipment hijacked by Indonesian sea-pirates.” If that’s true… go Mega Jet!
Aiwa Mega CD
Sega/Aiwa
Discontinued in: 1998
Yes, this actually happened, a CD-player/Mega Drive hybrid that shipped with a custom blue controller. It was clumsy to use (requiring docking stations and hookups in the back) and never made it out of Japan. If you have one, or have seen one, never let it get away for less than a million dollars and free refills for life.
Saturn
Sega
Discontinued in: 2000
Sega’s 32-bit machine was designed to be the ultimate 2D powerhouse. Too bad Sony and Nintendo were both ushering in 3D games at the same time. This, among other issues, led to a surprise May ’95 launch in the US with few games and a $400 tag.
If you want an amazing conversion of X-Men vs. Street Fighter, this is your machine. If you wanted a new Sonic, sorry, you’ll have to keep waiting.
Japanese support continued for a great while, and a new analog controller tried to save the day in 1996, but nothing Sega did could save Saturn from falling under PlayStation’s heel.
Pods
Sega
Discontinued in: 1994
Enough with the machines, Sega! Though not really a console, it’s worth bringing up to show how many things Sega put out in 1994. You’d move your hands over these sensor thingies and stuff would happen, basically a $50 version of Simon.
Watch Nintendo repackage this soon and it’ll sell a frillion copies. The image is from Handheld Museum, because apparently no one else took a photo of the damn thing.
Virtual Boy
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 1996
Ugly, heavy and painful to play, no one in their right mind was going to shell out $180 bucks for this galactic-sized flop. It threatened gamers with one color (red) and the concept of 3D gameplay via goggles, two things that play as horrible as they sound.
Yes, there was depth to the strange crimson worlds of Mario Clash and Teleroboxer, but after 10 minutes of play you wanted to die. Let’s just call it Nintendo’s 32X, ignore the 1995 US release and be on our way.
Oh, it allegedly sold more than the Jaguar, and that’s just plain depressing.
PC-FX
NEC
Discontinued in: 1998
Another casualty from NEC that only saw Japanese release. It’s said to have superior FMV/cutscene quality than the PlayStation, but forgive us if we were too busy playing FFVII, Symphony of the Night and Metal Gear Solid to care.
Technically obsolete the moment it hit shelves, with no 3D capabilities to speak of, in an age dominated by the N64 and PSone.
NeoGeo CD
SNK
Discontinued in: ~1996
A failed CD replacement to the original NeoGeo console. It mercifully reduced game cost from $250 to $50, but crippling load times and lack of notable games kept everyone away.
A slightly altered version called the CDZ hit Japan in ’96. Guess how much everyone cared.
Playdia
Bandai
Discontinued in: 1996
A Japan-only machine seemingly invented just for Ultraman and Dragon Ball Z games, the Playdia had zero hope of competing against the PlayStation, N64 or the ill-fated Saturn, even as a kids-only console.
PlayStation
Sony
Discontinued in: 2006
One of the most popular and best-selling consoles of all time, the PlayStation began as a CD add-on for the Super NES. It’s a well documented event that forever changed the industry and caused the effortless dethroning of Nintendo, who had enjoyed victory the past two generations. Several key franchises saw new life here (Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Metal Gear) and many more began (Tekken, Resident Evil, Gran Turismo). If you didn’t have one, someone you know did.
Jaguar CD
Atari
Discontinued in: 1996
As a game machine, the Jaguar CD performed about as well as what it was constantly compared to – a toilet bowl. It’s been kept alive to some degree thanks to an lively homebrew audience, much like its cart-only predecessor. When one of your key games is based on an animated Highlander show, you know things are looking grim. Another image from vidgame.net.
Nomad
Sega
Discontinued in: 1998
A handheld Genesis/Mega Drive with built-in 6 button controller and output to TVs. It devoured batteries, was heavy and barely portable, yet still went on to sell a million units. Sounds nice, except Game Boy was still powering through with little decline and many more millions of users, games and developers.
Satellaview
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 2000
A… satellite add-on for the Super Famicom? Apparently so, and it featured upgraded remakes of key NES games, namely the first Zelda. If you played during set hours, a narrator would actually walk you through certain parts of levels via voice chat. Not too different from Sega’s “Sega Channel,” though never released in the US.
Nintendo 64
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 2002
Even though it brought analog control to the mainstream and housed some of the most popular and best-selling games of its day (Ocarina of Time, GoldenEye 007, Mario 64), the N64 was the first Nintendo console to clearly lose.
It used expensive carts that had limited memory, while PlayStation’s CDs could store vast amounts of data and produced in great numbers for far less publisher investment.
By the time it was replaced by GameCube in 2001, the N64 was barely alive at all, still coasting on the success of its early hits – a fate that would also befall the Cube when it made way for Wii in 2006.
Game Boy Pocket
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Discontinued in: 1999
The first major change Game Boy saw since its 1989 debut. With no rival to speak of (Game Gear was way gone by now) it didn’t even need a change, but people loved it anyway and bought enough to warrant even more variants in the coming years.
This one featured a sharper screen (true black and white now), a more compact design and ran on AAA batteries instead of AA. Compatible games kept coming until 1999, when the Game Boy Color took the reigns.
Pippin
Bandai/Apple
Discontinued in: 1997
Also called the Atmark (or @), no one was quite sure what the Pippin was supposed to be. It had some computer elements, some console elements and some edutainment bullcrap, but none of those made any difference when pitted against the PlayStation and N64. Yet another strange multimedia monster that came and went in the mid ’90s. Don’t worry, they won’t try this multitasking madness again until 360 and PS3.
Game Boy Light
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 1999
By this point, Game Boy had fended off two major competitors with relative ease, even without something as simple as an internal light. That’s where this re-release comes in, packing a watch-like light inside the screen. Makes you wonder why neither the Game Boy Color nor Game Boy Advance launched with lights (making Circle of the Moon damn near impossible to play in the process).
Super NES 2
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 2000
A smaller Super NES/Super Famicom, now with no eject button or expansion slot also referred to as the Mini Super NES.
Game.com
Tiger
Discontinued in: 2000
An ugly black and white handheld with a hard to view display, rudimentary touch screen controls and a stylus. It claimed to target an older audience with these PDA features as well as limited internet support, but again, why would anyone go through all that hassle when Game Boy is cheaper, easier to use, smaller and loaded with exclusive games? Though we do wish it would have lived long enough to see the alleged Symphony of the Night port.
Genesis 3
Majesco
Discontinued in: 1998
A third, even tinier alt of the Genesis released at a huge discount (nearing $20 at its end) that stripped everything but the most basic cart-playing functionality. And yes, it was indeed released by Majesco, who also trotted out the Game Gear well after its prime.
Game Boy Color
Nintendo
Discontinued in: 2002
After 10 years of blurry black and white gaming, we finally got a slightly more powerful Game Boy with blessed color. It could play most of the old games and served as a total moneymaking ruse to earn Nintendo some extra cash while they finished the actual successor, Game Boy Advance, which was released three years later. GBC hit right as Pokemon insanity first gripped North America.
NeoGeo Pocket
SNK
Discontinued in: 1999
A decent attempt at attacking Game Boy, but lack of color and dismal software support meant this one was dead within a year. It was quickly replaced by the Pocket Color in 1999, which played all the B&W games too.
Mostly known for its surprisingly fun fighting games (Match of the Millennium) and a not-too-shabby Sonic game. All it took was the suggestion that a new, more powerful Game Boy was on its way to put both regular and Color out of the race.
Dreamcast
Sega
Discontinued in: 2001
Though officially dead two years after its memorable 9-9-99 US launch, the ‘Cast lived on for many more thanks to ongoing Japanese and homebrew support. It came with a modem, fancy memory cards with their own controls (VMUs) and a bad ass launch lineup. Too bad it instantly caved in the face of the PS2, never even battling GameCube or Xbox. For a brief while it looked like Sega had made a console comeback, but it was short lived. Dreamcast has been heavily romanticized since its quick death, which makes us wonder – where were all of you people when Sega needed you most?
NeoGeo Pocket Color
SNK
Discontinued in: 2000
The system enjoyed a greater success than any Game Boy competitor since Sega’s Game Gear. But without third-party support, and the upcoming Game Boy Advance, all systems were recalled in 2000, flashed and repackaged for sale in Asian markets.
WonderSwan
Bandai
Discontinued in: ~2003
What began as a strange “hold it sideways or regular” handheld slowly changed over the years into a color competitor to the Game Boy. Despite ports of Final Fantasy games and having been designed by the Game Boy’s own creator, it barely made a dent in Nintendo’s handheld universe.
Si ringrazia il sito "videgame2play" per questo documento.
Sono molte console americane o straniere queste, in italia ne sono uscite ben poche di queste