Heres a quality selection of short summary videos on the era I forgot to mention contains original Neptune section as well...plus good historical insights and context...
The Story of the SEGA Saturn, & SEGA 32X at War...
Plus this is a nice video also for fitting everything together including recoded Sega Mars which was a Neptune plus Sega/Mega CD so I am totally forgetting that concept was on drawing board albeit briefly...
SC3000 Sega Computer plus computer and disc add ons for Master System/Mega Drive!
As more of a Nintendo fan in the past, SEGA's 80s and 90s history is fascinating to me as I know much less of the content plus some of the cancelled systems or failures are more interesting than a success, especially the early SEGA computers featured in this video...
A programmable SEGA cross hybrid Amiga/Acorn style computer console in the west 16 bit or 32 bit would have been pretty special IMO...
SATURN 2 64 Bit Lockhead Martin scans and Discussion
Lastly I just found out about a Taito unreleased console from this era the WoWoW of all things! Taito/Ascii using CD Roms plus downloadable games via satellite!
Still find it great amazing that from this decade still secrets to be discovered with so many prototypes, cancelled consoles computers and stuff from the 90s when everyone wanted to be involved and tech was at a nodal/inflection point...
A detailed Panasonic M2 article would be sweet as well at some point...
I think it was definitely more of a factor and talking point for sure and recall the discussion regarding NES/SNES during the time, especially from concerned parents and vocal consumer groups in USA.
Nintendo and Sega got around it through a low cost add on, Master System convertor, GB Cart or Players, to expand library as well, even A1200 was compatible with most Amiga games, Gamer Gear could play Master System titles with an add on as well if I recall plus the GT could play all PC Engine games nearly in cross compatability.
Always thankful the original DS lite stuck with a GBA cart slot as well as screen was a huge improvement over original hardware...
I am no tech expert, yet Saturn had a RAM cart socket, how much extra for a Genesis ROM slot next to it or integrated and to do some tinkering software/hardware wise to make it Sega/MegaCD compatible at the time maybe even push VCD a little more despite quality as well as only mid 90s and 5 years before DVD emergence mainstream...
Might not have been cost effective in 90s but if SEGA had got a march on SONY and took the userbase with them from 16bit days definite longterm perk and negates a lot of factors to do with SEGA's scattershot hardware strategy.
Kalinske even states abandoning Genesis early was totally foolish by SEGA with 30 million installed base, and Nintendo stuck with SNES until as far as 1999 in States making bank in 16 bit arena unoppossed for years from mid 90s with SEGA abandoning market.
The success of PS2 was effectively built on backward compatability of PS1 and its huge userbase that SONY were taking with them in excess of 100 million players plus DVD support for sure, in the early years...
Is there a link to the promo video in this article?
I seemed to have clicked on all the blue hyperlinks but keep missing it!
Nevermind found it.
10/10 for the promo video. I want one now, especially if it came with integrated CD.
Come to think of it can you not just add a 32X adaptor to a CDX/Multimega. Never seen that combo before!
Probably blow a fuse!
In the comments to the video somebody makes an interesting point, before backwards compatability was a thing if the Saturn played Master System, Megadrive and 32X plus Sega CD games might have been much more successful by tapping into customer loyalty and userbase.
Plus negating some ill will as previous users could sell of old consoles but keep games...re-imbursing losses plus software companies could have increased lifespan of the three 16bit/CD/32X iterations for a few more years maybe as still viable...
Speaking of cool videos if you have not checked out the "Wrestling with Gaming" channel online, chap has some of the best short and longer form documentary stuff on older era games and consoles plus some obscurities, and uses nice 3D graphics for presentation just like the Neptune Promo video...
Here are some recent videos worth a look great running times as well hitting sweet spot...
● The Story behind NBA Jam
● The Making of the Gameboy
● SONY Playstation Store 85 million Flop
● How the FBI invaded the Arcades
● History of the Neo Geo and SNK
● SEGAs Weird 32X TV Show so 90s
Great stuff, plus he took a break for about 3 years, but making content again these past 12 months.
@Daniel36 All this links back to "Games as Services" philosophy introduced in 2008 that permeated industry as profit motive took over physical self contained quality, product and experience...hence the physical backlash through special editions and the retro reniassance industry...
@Hexapus I would agree with this 100%. Kalinske as CEO was aggressive in terms of marketing and promotion plus as you say going head on against Nintendo. It obviously helped Genesis/Megadrive came to market first, plus the overall package and polish of the original Sonic made a huge dent in public perception, as the blue hedgehog was a wonderful tech demo for what the console could do, wrapped in a fun game, plus very different from Mario. Joe Montana, Madden, EA, and some other notable titles helped a great deal as well, plus Capcom and Konami eventually came on board as software providers as a direct result of its overall American success. Too big a market to not produce games for and make bank.
@Yojimbo Better design IMO but I am biased, much more functional, if I can get images working right will post the other concepts from early Nintendo Power 1991, you can see the evolution from NES to the redesigned NES 2.0 to the purple geometric monster the SNES became in North America...
Nintendo kept this design as "NES evolution" as the original 8 bit console (30 million units by 91) was so successful in USA so familiarity and continuity...
Well there's another book ordered on the back of these designs, for Christmas, plus the Gamecube Anthology and the Gameboy + Virtual Boy Edition (Every Mathieu Manent book is an essential purchase), and it comes in Hardback plus you can choose Super Famicom or US SNES, covers...
"Playing with Super Power" near 5 star reviews across the board. Forward by Reggie Fils-Aimé as well, looks great!
Was watching the new 4 part Madden Documentary last night from Amazon, recommend, especially first two parts specifically as basically history of EA foundation with Trip Hawkins featured prominently in interviews first 50%.
What was very interesting as large section on early 32bit era that transcended success of EA on Genesis to 3DO, then to 32X/Saturn briefly and eventually PSX evolution and dominance in 90s...
The most interesting section is when Trip books a flight to Japan looking for hardware vendors and partners after setting up 3DO and leaving EA.
First one he spoke to is SONY who at that stage were all in on own console after Nintendo betrayal to Phillips as very recently happened , or in very early PSX origins period...
A big "what if" scenario that needs reported on in depth if 3DO and Sony were partners in early 90s and somehow became standard in Japan or elsewhere as 3DO mandate.
Opens up more possibilities if SEGA had not looked into 32X/Neptune/Jupiter and went straight to Saturn...everybody knows that one...
A less powerful SONY worldwide with older 3DO hardware and other partners like Sanyo/Panasonic opens up a Saturn mid level success at least...
The 32X development and software resources from 1st and 3rd party being sidelined is IMO what really drove the stake into heart of SEGA in minds of fans...All resources to Saturn East and West and it might have been Genesis 2.0 who knows or at least stronger market share for 128 bit Dreamcast. Keeping Kalinske as CEO should have happened also...
Distangling a possible 3DO/SONY partnership is a fascinating scenario...with tons of real world implications for the overall timeline...
Book does look very good, been meaning to pick up SNES one for while, swore I would stop at 2 for Christmas list, up to 7 now. Retro Book Market = $$$$$
"Japan Games Industry Doomed" were front page on magazine covers and editorial features online for a sustained period as they had issues transferring between generations and the success of the X360 as an alternative Western hardware platform provided an outlet for new types of software...
Everything I have read after my long break from 2008-2020 indicates Japan is Nintendo country again, basically saved the industry with SWITCH looking at software charts there or am I totally wrong?
A seperate list say top 30 for each system PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5 from Japan would be really interesting through eras and decades to show tastes in Asia compared to Europe/North America...and how certain franchises either remained or fell or genres disappeared...
Crash Bandicoot made a mark, most mainstream Western title on list I think...
@jesse_dylan Good memories being over at friends on their PC early 90s that their father used for buisness trying to complete Indiana Jones Last Crusade Lucasfilm adventure, had some action fighting sections that were a total pain, but not as bad as Operational Stealth ones by Delphine. Forgotten what other games he had must have been VGA or more likely EGA graphics...other games as well probably forgotten like Ultima.
@Sketcz Rupert the Battlesheep sounds like a 16 bit platformer John ala Yoshi's Island. Or maybe Psygnosis style Walker sequel with a giant sheep instead of a robot. 😁
Still have your Japansoft to read over holidays...
In good news Sam Pettus' Service Games The Rise and Fall of SEGA arrived a day early from Luxemburg in mail. Looks like a bit of similar content than from Sega Base websites which was extensive, might just be a full reprint but is enhanced edition so new sections also...
Back when younger and you had limited income then pocket money or extra part time job, choosing games was hyper important either from just print reviews like Amiga Power/Format/CU Amiga or going blind.
So the title and screenshots were occassionally all you had. Took a gamble on CarvUp a Core Design Rainbow Islands style horizontal scroller one day = great.
Not so lucky with the occassional others, but not too many as had strict policy if buying 24.99 big box Amiga games. Generally used a couple of reviews cross referenced, graphical screenshots, software publisher, advertising and boxart to make final decision back in early to mid 90s.
Plus according to Inflation Calculator £24.99 in 92 is equivalent to £52.50 in 24, so reasons to be cautious...
Definitely why Compilations were still a thing back then...
Some of the Japanese Boxarts for this are impressive also..., even the computer variations for Amiga plus PC and Data Disks are great back when EA cared...
Great longform article. Love this game more than Populous, just something different, but similar, seemed a larger world somehow, yet more specific.The era of 16 bit and early PC to end of decade is peak Molyneux IMO. Please do a feature on Millennium 2.2 and Deuteros plus Supremacy and other forgotten computer strategy games like Utopia next...
Anyone touch the Neo Geo X in the end still see new ones about for sale, heard mixed things about it as have I Evercade from reports?
Any owners care to clarify as was tempted by the Lynx style TATE Handheld then I read a long post warning me off them...double edged sword as like idea of collecting cartridges as old school, will find segment of post and bring up issues raised...if I recall problems with lifespan of cartridges and some other points...
Oh that is pretty cool, never been to Siggraph would love to go one year...First Siggraph in Boulder CO, 50 years ago in 1974, wish Capcom would get a compendium design document book together on a selection of important retro games...
UK here mainly in youth, got first EGM the Summer CES one with Batman Returns on cover in Los Angeles then Ziff Davis started distributing them abroad around later of that year.
No Squaresoft European Software arm in those days but got Final Fantasy 2 , 3, and Secret of Mana myself as had US SNES.
UK only got Mana, and likes of Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma plus Mystic Quest, maybe a few select others, as so many languages for continent back in those days to translate hence expensive and time consuming.
Square Newsletter sounds pretty cool, would like to see scans, do not recall too much of Square and Enix plans for SNES CD other than expanded RPGs, I think maybe Mana/Mana 2 was originally developed for CD but could be mixing things up...
Missed out on the Playstation era mostly with Square and Enix but caught up through backward compatability with PS2 on some, as waited for N64, not too many RPGs in the end for that console unfortunately, but at least there was Ocarina!
Going to do some research to see just what titles were announced for SNES CD tonight.
Looks like Nintendo stuck with Cartridges for propriety control as was reported at time, plus speed so no loading times, cost of CD drives shifting, but also and maybe most importantly any impending legal fallout from the failed Playstation CD SNES add on was also a huge factor, this element I have not seen reported a great deal at all through decades...
Oh man Pettus has kickstarted a book on SEGA from 2013 I missed available on Amazon, makes total sense, he was excellent at this, really one of the early pioneers of Detailed Corporate Video Game History.
SERVICE GAMES THE RISE AND FALL OF SEGA ENHANCED EDITION - 500 PAGES
You need to interview him Time Extension like now!
Here it is...
New Edition! More content, images, and corrected text and facts. Monochrome edition.Starting with its humble beginnings in the 1950's and ending with its swan-song, the Dreamcast, in the early 2000’s, this is the complete history of Sega as a console maker. Before home computers and video game consoles, before the internet and social networking, and before motion controls and smartphones, there was Sega. Destined to fade into obscurity over time, Sega would help revolutionize and change video games, computers and how we interact with them, and the internet as we know it. Riding the cutting edge of technology at every step, only to rise too close to the sun and plummet, Sega would eventually change the face of entertainment, but it’s the story of how it got there that’s all the fun. So take a ride, experience history, and enjoy learning about one of the greatest and most influential companies of all time. Complete with system specifications, feature and marketing descriptions, unusual factoids, almost 300 images, and now enhanced Europe specific details, exclusive interviews, and more make this the definitive history of Sega available. Read and learn about the company that holds a special place in every gamer’s heart. Funded on Kickstarter.
The SegaBase Article explains everything regarding this split.
Back in 1988, Nintendo had contracted Sony to develop a "Super Disc" drive for the 16-bit SNES. This device would later be revealed to the world as the SNES PlayStation, or just PlayStation for short. Nintendo's intent had been to ship the system's CD-ROMs inside a custom caddy complete with an SNES-style lockout chip - a convoluted approach that would have ensured it retained control over the process. Sony understandably balked at this idea - it wanted to put the lockout chip in the CD-ROM drive controller, inside the console, and leave the games alone. This move would also open up the production process, and Sony quitely made plans to license production of PlayStation games to anybody they wanted. Sony president Olaf Olaffson first announced the PlayStation at the 1991 Summer Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Chicago, proudly proclaiming that "... Sony intends to broadly license it to the [whole] software industry]." This was anathema to Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi, who had no intention of letting Nintendo losing control over any part of the process. He conspired with Sony's rival Philips to publically humiliate Sony the following day at the show. In a public press conference held at 9:00 am sharp, Nintendo's Howard Lincoln announced that it had instead signed a deal with Philips for its new CD-ROM system. The stated reason? Since Philips had invented CD-ROM technology, it could offer superior workmanship. The real reason? Nintendo refused to relinquish control of any part of its proprietary hardware. If Nintendo was going to release a CD-ROM based console on the market, then people would have to come to Nintendo to license it - not some ambitious third-party licensee. "Nintendo believes in a standard - our standard," Yamauchi later said of the affair. Sony saw it differently. "They stabbed us in the back," Olaffson told one of his confidants. The resultant legal and technical hopscotch that Nintendo would be forced to play over the affair pretty much assured that it would not be able to bring a decent CD-ROM system to market in time to ride the crest of the 32-bit wave. Instead, they would have to develop a completely new system from the ground up, launch it after everybody else's systems had already hit the market, and pray that their marketing prowess and company's public reputation would sell the new system for them. Nintendo was unconcerned, though - they thought they had derailed Sony's ambitions for good and went blithely ahead with making money. They were wrong ... quite wrong.
Scroll down to the Playstation CD section it explains everything on this topic in detail, three sides to it as always, two perspectives and the truth. It was a licensing issue as Sony wanted anybody to sell games on it and Hiroshi Yamauchi thought this was against Nintendo's strict content control and ethos. Very detailed info on whole breakdown. Yet interesting ramifications for delay of Nintendo's next console.
Seriouly this guy Sam Pettus should have written an entire book on SEGA and all hardware manufacturers afterwards his stuff was lightyears ahead of anybody back then...
Recall reading all of it nearly in early 00s and it was fascinating and totally comprehensive, as good as a book, and totally detailed for early 21st Century, plus this was fresh just out of the Dreamcast death.
He had sections on Early Sega, Japanese Consoles, Master System, Megadrive, Saturn and Dreamcast, plus loads of Corporate intrigue and stuff on the behind the scenes split between Sega USA, and Japan the Neptune, plus Saturn development and also Game Gear then Nomad plus worldwide iterations in South America, basically everything.
I recall this SONY/SEGA pact was maybe touched on but if anyone has a working link to something more up to date please share. Would not mind reading this over again.
Reminds me of one other great Industry what ifs, Microsoft to buy SEGA, that seemed to be nearly fact at the end of Dreamcast's life circa 2000/2001.
Actually I forgot about the Nintendo DS, specifically the Lite upgrade around 2004-2006 or whenever it appeared and we got rid of version 1.0, as that was genuinely a game changer and also importantly pre 2008 and Smartphone plus had loads of unique titles. 20 years since that launched though just recently. Scary!
A decade on from Playstation is 2004, then 2014 I am lost as its part of my big gap from gaming from around 2008-2020.
I think some of the immediacy and excitement of the industry has certainly decreased due to very long hardware cycles, software and hardware upgrades via download, and incremental tech gains, then the dilution of 1st party manufacturers in terms of consoles and as importantly all in one computers like the Amiga or the last great one the Acorn Archimedes.
You lost Sega, NEC, SNK gained SONY and Microsoft but also fell by the side were Commodore, 3DO, Atari, Bandai, Acorn, Sinclair, Amstrad and others.
Technology also means less frequent oddities or stand alone curiosities like the Barcode Battler appear these days.
Although I was kind of impressed by a Transformers 40th Anniversary AR Card Game recently but all done on Smartphone. Your smartphone/mini computer does so much and has replaced about a dozen individual devices.
Would probably be impressed by SWITCH due to the diversity and library of content so looking forward to getting stuck into that next year at a glacial pace no doubt.
Only recently completed Link between Worlds and Metroid on 3DS...
Thinking back to other major software coups I can recall.
● Final Fantasy 7 N64 to PS1 ● SF2 SCE on Megadrive/PC Engine then SF2 Turbo announced on SNES, oh Capcom cheeky! ● Lemmings goes Multiformat ● Probably a lot of PS1 Driving Games forgetting ● The Tail end Dreamcast Games to XBox, Jet Set Radio Future and others. ● Resident Evil 4 quasi exclusivity on Gamecube ● 360- PS5 not my expertise. I did think software exclusives had been locked down a bit more recently like SFV from Capcom, yet more in house developer centric than anything else these days.
@BulkSlash The anticipation for a new console was really big back then during prints golden era, I liked the artists impressions, plus loads of new hardware, and no net or social media spoiling it all with overindulgence or cynicism.
The rumours and "vaporware", jesus there is a term not heard in a while, may as well apply it to that Sega multi console fraud!
Seeing all the pics or prototypes of new PC Engines, Neo Geos, then the 32 bit machines, the N64 reveal looking like a 1950s radio, NEC 32bit and the Jaguar et.al. Plus even the failures and budget handhelds were interesting plus stuff like Wonderswan and NG Pocket.
Last console felt like this in terms of excitement was Dreamcast/PS2/Gamecube and XBox early 00s era. Final generation felt truly connected to as result of age/time/interest in hobby.
Hardware designs less frequent now and more flat in terms of industrial design...
I genuinely got more excitement buying an original Gameboy Color recently than a 360 or another new Smartphone. Figures.
@KitsuneNight Seems to be the way of the world many big companies of the 20th century failing to adapt to the 21st, or forgetting their origins plus bread and butter, or just poorly managed...
@Azuris I am sure there was a major issue with SONY being a Japanese company as well, plus IP rights as you say, like selling the crown jewels to your competitor all for a CD add on that would be gone in <5 years tops and one generation.
Probably worked out best for everyone and allowed the industry to grow overall as well, with another player, although SEGA fans might not think as much for sure!
@KitsuneNight Agreed Phillips seem to have totally pulled out of home consumer market now, you see no advertising for them anywhere even at a corporate level.
"In 2021, Philips Domestic Appliances was purchased by Hillhouse Capital for $4.4 billion. The company, now known as Versuni, continues to sell small appliances under the Philips brand under license."
Plus apparently made a 1.6 Billion Euro loss in 2022 alone and cut 10,000 jobs reading their corporate recent history and sold another major stake to remain solvent since then!
Must admit Nintendo's PR and marketing department definitely name dropped Phillips as a more experienced player in terms of CD technology back then I am sure, digging the knife further in no doubt...
But even from a 14 year old fanboy point of view during the early 90s, you could sense something was up with the CD development, especially after Mega CD failed to take off, CDTV, 3DO nosedived, only real uptake initially was PC integration with the likes of 7th Guest.
N64 had the DD, Gamecube had the Gameboy Player, and the Famicom had the Disc system plus SNES had the Satellite concept, so only really the Wii (Did have GC backwards compatability built in I guess on early models) and Wii U plus Switch that did not follow this trend of an add for Nintendo's main system just the last two decades.
A sign of technology becoming more standardised/homogenised and less interesting maybe plus cannabilising their own handheld market..
Yes the Switch has done 150 million units of all types but only one console instead of two now for Nintendo, plus looks like SONY and Microsoft have eyes on the handheld market once again after its success and Steamdeck...
Trying to find the most flamboyent early images or concept pics of SNES CD is tricky even with the internet, it seems, some of the EGM/Famitsu/Super Play ones made it look like a unit from the 21st century that would do the cooking for you as well...
When you think back to the early Sony Imagesoft releases on 16 bit and even many of the early PS1 titles development has certainly come a long way in 30 years.
Plus Skyblazer is bl**dy expensive these days to own on the SNES!
Still recall the Nintendo CD artist impressions for like 12-24 months from Famitsu, regularly republished in Super Play and EGM during the early to mid 90s plus their own ideas. Sprite scaling as a feature and the promise of expansive amazing Square and Enix RPGs, Super Mario Kart and Pilotwings Sequels and goodness knows what else! I am sure Streetfighter 3 was even name dropped once in the Quartermann section of EGM.
Nintendo went the way of chips as a hardware upgrade in the end, but it was the licensing issues and another platform/hardware manufacturer having control over a Nintendo console that was the biggest sticking point if I recall.
Plus obviously SONY Corporate wanting to pay back the massive slight made to them in public.
Then Nintendo got into bed with Phillips straight after, a Dutch company who were not perceived as a big threat compared to SONY plus apparently they had greater CD experience.
Not a threat at all especially with the games supplied by Nintendo for CDI!
All kidding aside, never really played any of these but all the talk of the 3DO version makes me much more interested, as it is a system never really experienced. I do not even recall seeing a 3DO console out in the wild on freeplay anywhere back in the mid 90s to test this racer out, not in Comet, Currys, Future Zone or elsewhere, maybe once in John Lewis who knows, very scarce to even buy one over in this island.
Plus the window before Playstation/Saturn arrival was thin, did see many Jaguars strangely enough and multiple CDI's plus CDTV's.
I think I have caught bits of the movie with Paul, looked better than the recent Gran Turismo one with Legolas from LOTR. Burnout now there is a franchise that should have been made into a film!
I enjoyed the film, went to the cinema to see it and felt it was like a throwback to a decade earlier in terms of some aspects of storytelling a little like The Mummy from 1999 which in itself was a homage to classics from a different era, but with obviously better CGI. Good/likeable leads as well in main roles...
Jason Brookes, probably laid a great deal of the groundwork for videogame journalism to become what it was in the UK and beyond with his knowledge and professionalism in all honesty.
Matt Bielby and a few others like Rignall, Mott, plus Campbell, Gillen as well. Get an interview please with Bielby Time Extension, I think he just did one for Amiga Action Magazine recently!
In memory I just bought an old but hard to find edition of Super Play for my collection that I am very pleased about obtaining in nice condition. Still missing issues 41-47 the super expensive ones that seem to go for 60-80 each probably due to lower print run.
Suggested to Future they put all the behind the scenes EDGE articles over the years from 1-400 in a proper book or bookazine as a sort of making of EDGE special, plus add a larger new longform section on Mr Brookes written by Mott or similar as to his importance during formative years of publication, beyond what was printed already as have more space...
Will be happy with just reprints of Super Play/Amiga Power/Format and selected other Future titles of old in collected volumes to be fair in hardback...
Would have been amazing if Jason had written/released a book of his own similar to the Jaz Rignall one incoming in 2025.
Might be scope for that by some individuals that knew him best centering around the 1990s scene. Sort of an EDGE decade eras series 90s, 00s,10s that sort of idea...with some fresh new retrospective articles on time period and transitions. Could be a 4 volume historical series taking us up to end of 20s.
Comments 189
Re: Flashback: One Of Gaming's Worst Pads Almost Led To A Controller That Promised To Change Gaming Forever
Best controller according to EGM the Game Master Programmable Triton says Sushi X!
Still think the original SNES, or 6 button Megadrive plus Saturn controllers hold up.
Re: Street Fighter, Resident Evil And Xenoblade Veterans Are Making A "Plunder Battle Game" For Cave
Accidently read headline as a corporate takeover of Cave from industry legends!
Re: Cancelled Sega Neptune Rises From The Dead, Gets Its Own Promo Video
@NinChocolate
Heres a quality selection of short summary videos on the era I forgot to mention contains original Neptune section as well...plus good historical insights and context...
The Story of the SEGA Saturn, & SEGA 32X at War...
https://youtu.be/0ptC6_agiVQ?si=gI5VH9F_z1aMJnhU
Plus
The Story of the Unreleased Sega Neptune
https://youtu.be/hlxa4sRQiSE?si=kqSF6bp02CSIooOW
Apparently 350k 32Xs sold in first few weeks though so got off to a good start.
One area I would like to see an article in Time Extension if not done already is the 64 Bit Sega Saturn 2 or Pluto Console, see below...
See "The Story of the Unreleased Sega Saturn II video on Laird who has a goldmine of unusual content it seems...
https://youtu.be/VCO6zxWzrBg?si=Hl0MldvXLwYsLnWU
Plus this is a nice video also for fitting everything together including recoded Sega Mars which was a Neptune plus Sega/Mega CD so I am totally forgetting that concept was on drawing board albeit briefly...
The Story Of: 5 Cancelled Sega Consoles
https://youtu.be/VJ0OMVivk_o?si=aR_xWthEfC2ANWko
MERCURY = GAME GEAR
VENUS = NOMAD
NEPTUNE = GENESIS/32X
MARS= 32X then all in one GENESIS/32X/CD
JUPITER = 32X & SATURN CART ONLY + TITAN
SATURN = SATURN
PLUTO = SATURN 2 & ONLINE SEGANET
Funny only one Console actually emerged with the planetry codename name in tact...
On a tangent Sega's 80s computer stuff is amazing from Japan.
"The Story of the Unreleased Sega Master Drive"
https://youtu.be/eCihntBdP3s?si=XjYtPmWDeKf37xXs
SC3000 Sega Computer plus computer and disc add ons for Master System/Mega Drive!
As more of a Nintendo fan in the past, SEGA's 80s and 90s history is fascinating to me as I know much less of the content plus some of the cancelled systems or failures are more interesting than a success, especially the early SEGA computers featured in this video...
A programmable SEGA cross hybrid Amiga/Acorn style computer console in the west 16 bit or 32 bit would have been pretty special IMO...
SATURN 2 64 Bit Lockhead Martin scans and Discussion
https://arstechnica.com/civis/threads/segas-unreleased-saturn-2-and-the-dreamcast-story.1171033/
Plus
https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=40765
Lastly I just found out about a Taito unreleased console from this era the WoWoW of all things! Taito/Ascii using CD Roms plus downloadable games via satellite!
Best Longform read on console.
https://www.unseen64.net/2015/08/10/interview-taito-wowow-console/
Taito X-55! The Video Game Console You Didn't Know Existed! The Taito Wowow Story!
https://youtu.be/ypiMiO6yU_A?si=thS1IdAQ3K3YOezD
Still find it great amazing that from this decade still secrets to be discovered with so many prototypes, cancelled consoles computers and stuff from the 90s when everyone wanted to be involved and tech was at a nodal/inflection point...
A detailed Panasonic M2 article would be sweet as well at some point...
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2023/05/a-rare-3do-m2-console-and-game-just-sold-in-japan-for-usd1000
Re: Cancelled Sega Neptune Rises From The Dead, Gets Its Own Promo Video
@avcrypt
I think it was definitely more of a factor and talking point for sure and recall the discussion regarding NES/SNES during the time, especially from concerned parents and vocal consumer groups in USA.
Nintendo and Sega got around it through a low cost add on, Master System convertor, GB Cart or Players, to expand library as well, even A1200 was compatible with most Amiga games, Gamer Gear could play Master System titles with an add on as well if I recall plus the GT could play all PC Engine games nearly in cross compatability.
Always thankful the original DS lite stuck with a GBA cart slot as well as screen was a huge improvement over original hardware...
I am no tech expert, yet Saturn had a RAM cart socket, how much extra for a Genesis ROM slot next to it or integrated and to do some tinkering software/hardware wise to make it Sega/MegaCD compatible at the time maybe even push VCD a little more despite quality as well as only mid 90s and 5 years before DVD emergence mainstream...
Might not have been cost effective in 90s but if SEGA had got a march on SONY and took the userbase with them from 16bit days definite longterm perk and negates a lot of factors to do with SEGA's scattershot hardware strategy.
Kalinske even states abandoning Genesis early was totally foolish by SEGA with 30 million installed base, and Nintendo stuck with SNES until as far as 1999 in States making bank in 16 bit arena unoppossed for years from mid 90s with SEGA abandoning market.
The success of PS2 was effectively built on backward compatability of PS1 and its huge userbase that SONY were taking with them in excess of 100 million players plus DVD support for sure, in the early years...
Re: Cancelled Sega Neptune Rises From The Dead, Gets Its Own Promo Video
Here is a new one for me...Looks like a strange architectural design from the 20th century when combined!
CDX/Multimega plus 32X exists!
Very last photo!
https://www.k-yen-team.fr/sega-multimega/
Re: Cancelled Sega Neptune Rises From The Dead, Gets Its Own Promo Video
Is there a link to the promo video in this article?
I seemed to have clicked on all the blue hyperlinks but keep missing it!
Nevermind found it.
10/10 for the promo video. I want one now, especially if it came with integrated CD.
Come to think of it can you not just add a 32X adaptor to a CDX/Multimega. Never seen that combo before!
Probably blow a fuse!
In the comments to the video somebody makes an interesting point, before backwards compatability was a thing if the Saturn played Master System, Megadrive and 32X plus Sega CD games might have been much more successful by tapping into customer loyalty and userbase.
Plus negating some ill will as previous users could sell of old consoles but keep games...re-imbursing losses plus software companies could have increased lifespan of the three 16bit/CD/32X iterations for a few more years maybe as still viable...
Speaking of cool videos if you have not checked out the "Wrestling with Gaming" channel online, chap has some of the best short and longer form documentary stuff on older era games and consoles plus some obscurities, and uses nice 3D graphics for presentation just like the Neptune Promo video...
Here are some recent videos worth a look great running times as well hitting sweet spot...
● The Story behind NBA Jam
● The Making of the Gameboy
● SONY Playstation Store 85 million Flop
● How the FBI invaded the Arcades
● History of the Neo Geo and SNK
● SEGAs Weird 32X TV Show so 90s
Great stuff, plus he took a break for about 3 years, but making content again these past 12 months.
Oh and a belated Happy New Year! 🎆
Re: "Only Zombies Buy Physical Games" Says Digital Code Retailer CDKeys
@Azuris Bad business move though alienating a high paying section of potential customers...
Re: "Only Zombies Buy Physical Games" Says Digital Code Retailer CDKeys
@Daniel36 All this links back to "Games as Services" philosophy introduced in 2008 that permeated industry as profit motive took over physical self contained quality, product and experience...hence the physical backlash through special editions and the retro reniassance industry...
Re: "Only Zombies Buy Physical Games" Says Digital Code Retailer CDKeys
Advertising/Marketing shooting self in foot.
Not triggered in anyway, just will never be receiving any of my $ however I am not the target market anyway...
Not a patch on "Genesis does what Nintendon't".
Re: This Christmas, You'll Be Able To Play SNES Batman Returns On Your Genesis, For Free
@Hexapus I would agree with this 100%. Kalinske as CEO was aggressive in terms of marketing and promotion plus as you say going head on against Nintendo. It obviously helped Genesis/Megadrive came to market first, plus the overall package and polish of the original Sonic made a huge dent in public perception, as the blue hedgehog was a wonderful tech demo for what the console could do, wrapped in a fun game, plus very different from Mario. Joe Montana, Madden, EA, and some other notable titles helped a great deal as well, plus Capcom and Konami eventually came on board as software providers as a direct result of its overall American success. Too big a market to not produce games for and make bank.
Re: Japanese Gamers Just Picked The 30 Best PlayStation Games Of All Time
@Ashpip Agreed. Outside MGS2 and others one of the most memorable experiences on the console.
Re: Anbernic's New GBA Clone Plays PSP, Dreamcast And More
My metal Anbernic Is still solid for Wind Jammers.
Need to get a new updated one for DC, PSP, and Gamecube Emulation, as others have said so many out there now near saturation point...
Does anyone know if you can play 3DO on any of the new handhelds by any manufacturer?
Re: This Christmas, You'll Be Able To Play SNES Batman Returns On Your Genesis, For Free
@Yojimbo Better design IMO but I am biased, much more functional, if I can get images working right will post the other concepts from early Nintendo Power 1991, you can see the evolution from NES to the redesigned NES 2.0 to the purple geometric monster the SNES became in North America...
Nintendo kept this design as "NES evolution" as the original 8 bit console (30 million units by 91) was so successful in USA so familiarity and continuity...
Will post link...
https://www.reddit.com/r/snes/comments/ce1399/a_deeper_look_at_the_known_super_nes_concept/?rdt=61263
Well there's another book ordered on the back of these designs, for Christmas, plus the Gamecube Anthology and the Gameboy + Virtual Boy Edition (Every Mathieu Manent book is an essential purchase), and it comes in Hardback plus you can choose Super Famicom or US SNES, covers...
"Playing with Super Power" near 5 star reviews across the board. Forward by Reggie Fils-Aimé as well, looks great!
Re: Japanese Gamers Just Picked The 30 Best PlayStation Games Of All Time
Wipeout did not crack Japan either or its sequels I noticed.
Re: The Making Of: Powermonger, Bullfrog's Forgotten RTS Follow-Up To Populous
@Daniel36 Scans are great for research, not good for real nostalgia, always better to have a physical copy for sure.
Agreed sentiments regard this site and Time Extension...
Worth visiting 4 physical issues as well...
https://www.forgottenworlds.net/
Re: Don't Forget The Sega 32X Turns 30 This Year, Too
Was watching the new 4 part Madden Documentary last night from Amazon, recommend, especially first two parts specifically as basically history of EA foundation with Trip Hawkins featured prominently in interviews first 50%.
What was very interesting as large section on early 32bit era that transcended success of EA on Genesis to 3DO, then to 32X/Saturn briefly and eventually PSX evolution and dominance in 90s...
The most interesting section is when Trip books a flight to Japan looking for hardware vendors and partners after setting up 3DO and leaving EA.
First one he spoke to is SONY who at that stage were all in on own console after Nintendo betrayal to Phillips as very recently happened , or in very early PSX origins period...
A big "what if" scenario that needs reported on in depth if 3DO and Sony were partners in early 90s and somehow became standard in Japan or elsewhere as 3DO mandate.
Opens up more possibilities if SEGA had not looked into 32X/Neptune/Jupiter and went straight to Saturn...everybody knows that one...
A less powerful SONY worldwide with older 3DO hardware and other partners like Sanyo/Panasonic opens up a Saturn mid level success at least...
The 32X development and software resources from 1st and 3rd party being sidelined is IMO what really drove the stake into heart of SEGA in minds of fans...All resources to Saturn East and West and it might have been Genesis 2.0 who knows or at least stronger market share for 128 bit Dreamcast. Keeping Kalinske as CEO should have happened also...
Distangling a possible 3DO/SONY partnership is a fascinating scenario...with tons of real world implications for the overall timeline...
Re: Review: The GBA Pixel Book - A Gorgeous Tribute To The Last Great 2D Console
@Porco 100% true RGB.
Re: Review: The GBA Pixel Book - A Gorgeous Tribute To The Last Great 2D Console
Book does look very good, been meaning to pick up SNES one for while, swore I would stop at 2 for Christmas list, up to 7 now. Retro Book Market = $$$$$
Re: Japanese Gamers Just Picked The 30 Best PlayStation Games Of All Time
@Matroska
"Japan Games Industry Doomed" were front page on magazine covers and editorial features online for a sustained period as they had issues transferring between generations and the success of the X360 as an alternative Western hardware platform provided an outlet for new types of software...
Everything I have read after my long break from 2008-2020 indicates Japan is Nintendo country again, basically saved the industry with SWITCH looking at software charts there or am I totally wrong?
Re: Japanese Gamers Just Picked The 30 Best PlayStation Games Of All Time
No Einhander or Symphony of the Night! 🤔
A seperate list say top 30 for each system PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5 from Japan would be really interesting through eras and decades to show tastes in Asia compared to Europe/North America...and how certain franchises either remained or fell or genres disappeared...
Crash Bandicoot made a mark, most mainstream Western title on list I think...
Re: Powermonger's Developers Hated Its Name, But The Alternatives Weren't Much Better
@KingMike Check out Super Famicom Powermonger box art, a winner and unique...
Re: Powermonger's Developers Hated Its Name, But The Alternatives Weren't Much Better
@jesse_dylan Good memories being over at friends on their PC early 90s that their father used for buisness trying to complete Indiana Jones Last Crusade Lucasfilm adventure, had some action fighting sections that were a total pain, but not as bad as Operational Stealth ones by Delphine. Forgotten what other games he had must have been VGA or more likely EGA graphics...other games as well probably forgotten like Ultima.
Re: Powermonger's Developers Hated Its Name, But The Alternatives Weren't Much Better
@Sketcz Rupert the Battlesheep sounds like a 16 bit platformer John ala Yoshi's Island. Or maybe Psygnosis style Walker sequel with a giant sheep instead of a robot. 😁
Still have your Japansoft to read over holidays...
In good news Sam Pettus' Service Games The Rise and Fall of SEGA arrived a day early from Luxemburg in mail. Looks like a bit of similar content than from Sega Base websites which was extensive, might just be a full reprint but is enhanced edition so new sections also...
Re: The Making Of: Powermonger, Bullfrog's Forgotten RTS Follow-Up To Populous
@Daniel36
Strangely my missing Super Play edition arrived in the mail and just doing that before hitting gym over a coffee.
Would recommend some of the scanned archives out there online for quick fix of hard to find stuff if looking for something specific.
Reading the Buy/Sell section at the back is fun seeing how little people wanted for games that are mega rare now. Plus the wanted items.
Favourite are these two very specific ones
Wanted: Shadowrun on SNES will pay £18 and one issue of Super Play issue 1-27 and a collection of tips booklets.
● Goes for like £100-200 or more now in decent shape!
Desperately Wanted: FF II box and instructions (if possible). Will swap for Wing Commander, Desert Strike, Spike McFadden and Road Runner.
● Interesting mix of swaps for a Square Box!
Magazine prices have crashed I would have to say though, saw a full run of EDGE 1-400 go for under £1 a copy recently.
Super Play, Zero and Mean Machines, plus EGM still holding value and early A.C.E. plus some others.
Re: Powermonger's Developers Hated Its Name, But The Alternatives Weren't Much Better
@jesse_dylan
Agreed regarding Populous and Creation.
Plus artwork was top tier for original games.
Back when younger and you had limited income then pocket money or extra part time job, choosing games was hyper important either from just print reviews like Amiga Power/Format/CU Amiga or going blind.
So the title and screenshots were occassionally all you had. Took a gamble on CarvUp a Core Design Rainbow Islands style horizontal scroller one day = great.
Not so lucky with the occassional others, but not too many as had strict policy if buying 24.99 big box Amiga games. Generally used a couple of reviews cross referenced, graphical screenshots, software publisher, advertising and boxart to make final decision back in early to mid 90s.
Plus according to Inflation Calculator £24.99 in 92 is equivalent to £52.50 in 24, so reasons to be cautious...
Definitely why Compilations were still a thing back then...
Re: The Making Of: Powermonger, Bullfrog's Forgotten RTS Follow-Up To Populous
Some of the Japanese Boxarts for this are impressive also..., even the computer variations for Amiga plus PC and Data Disks are great back when EA cared...
Re: The Making Of: Powermonger, Bullfrog's Forgotten RTS Follow-Up To Populous
@Daniel36 Best played on Amiga.
Re: Powermonger's Developers Hated Its Name, But The Alternatives Weren't Much Better
Powermonger is a great name, instantly defines what type of game it is just like Speedball...
Re: The Making Of: Powermonger, Bullfrog's Forgotten RTS Follow-Up To Populous
Great longform article. Love this game more than Populous, just something different, but similar, seemed a larger world somehow, yet more specific.The era of 16 bit and early PC to end of decade is peak Molyneux IMO. Please do a feature on Millennium 2.2 and Deuteros plus Supremacy and other forgotten computer strategy games like Utopia next...
Re: Evercade And SNK Are Joining Forces To Celebrate "The Artistry And Legacy Of Neo Geo"
Anyone touch the Neo Geo X in the end still see new ones about for sale, heard mixed things about it as have I Evercade from reports?
Any owners care to clarify as was tempted by the Lynx style TATE Handheld then I read a long post warning me off them...double edged sword as like idea of collecting cartridges as old school, will find segment of post and bring up issues raised...if I recall problems with lifespan of cartridges and some other points...
Re: Design Docs For Iconic Capcom, Sega, Taito And Square Games Are On Display At Siggraph Asia 2024
Oh that is pretty cool, never been to Siggraph would love to go one year...First Siggraph in Boulder CO, 50 years ago in 1974, wish Capcom would get a compendium design document book together on a selection of important retro games...
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
UK here mainly in youth, got first EGM the Summer CES one with Batman Returns on cover in Los Angeles then Ziff Davis started distributing them abroad around later of that year.
No Squaresoft European Software arm in those days but got Final Fantasy 2 , 3, and Secret of Mana myself as had US SNES.
UK only got Mana, and likes of Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma plus Mystic Quest, maybe a few select others, as so many languages for continent back in those days to translate hence expensive and time consuming.
Square Newsletter sounds pretty cool, would like to see scans, do not recall too much of Square and Enix plans for SNES CD other than expanded RPGs, I think maybe Mana/Mana 2 was originally developed for CD but could be mixing things up...
Missed out on the Playstation era mostly with Square and Enix but caught up through backward compatability with PS2 on some, as waited for N64, not too many RPGs in the end for that console unfortunately, but at least there was Ocarina!
Going to do some research to see just what titles were announced for SNES CD tonight.
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@Bod2019
Looks like Nintendo stuck with Cartridges for propriety control as was reported at time, plus speed so no loading times, cost of CD drives shifting, but also and maybe most importantly any impending legal fallout from the failed Playstation CD SNES add on was also a huge factor, this element I have not seen reported a great deal at all through decades...
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
Oh man Pettus has kickstarted a book on SEGA from 2013 I missed available on Amazon, makes total sense, he was excellent at this, really one of the early pioneers of Detailed Corporate Video Game History.
SERVICE GAMES THE RISE AND FALL OF SEGA ENHANCED EDITION - 500 PAGES
You need to interview him Time Extension like now!
Here it is...
New Edition! More content, images, and corrected text and facts. Monochrome edition.Starting with its humble beginnings in the 1950's and ending with its swan-song, the Dreamcast, in the early 2000’s, this is the complete history of Sega as a console maker. Before home computers and video game consoles, before the internet and social networking, and before motion controls and smartphones, there was Sega. Destined to fade into obscurity over time, Sega would help revolutionize and change video games, computers and how we interact with them, and the internet as we know it. Riding the cutting edge of technology at every step, only to rise too close to the sun and plummet, Sega would eventually change the face of entertainment, but it’s the story of how it got there that’s all the fun. So take a ride, experience history, and enjoy learning about one of the greatest and most influential companies of all time. Complete with system specifications, feature and marketing descriptions, unusual factoids, almost 300 images, and now enhanced Europe specific details, exclusive interviews, and more make this the definitive history of Sega available. Read and learn about the company that holds a special place in every gamer’s heart. Funded on Kickstarter.
Just ordered as an early Christmas present.
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
Here is the section copyright 2000 Sam Pettus...
The SegaBase Article explains everything regarding this split.
Back in 1988, Nintendo had contracted Sony to develop a "Super Disc" drive for the 16-bit SNES. This device would later be revealed to the world as the SNES PlayStation, or just PlayStation for short. Nintendo's intent had been to ship the system's CD-ROMs inside a custom caddy complete with an SNES-style lockout chip - a convoluted approach that would have ensured it retained control over the process. Sony understandably balked at this idea - it wanted to put the lockout chip in the CD-ROM drive controller, inside the console, and leave the games alone. This move would also open up the production process, and Sony quitely made plans to license production of PlayStation games to anybody they wanted. Sony president Olaf Olaffson first announced the PlayStation at the 1991 Summer Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Chicago, proudly proclaiming that "... Sony intends to broadly license it to the [whole] software industry]." This was anathema to Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi, who had no intention of letting Nintendo losing control over any part of the process. He conspired with Sony's rival Philips to publically humiliate Sony the following day at the show. In a public press conference held at 9:00 am sharp, Nintendo's Howard Lincoln announced that it had instead signed a deal with Philips for its new CD-ROM system. The stated reason? Since Philips had invented CD-ROM technology, it could offer superior workmanship. The real reason? Nintendo refused to relinquish control of any part of its proprietary hardware. If Nintendo was going to release a CD-ROM based console on the market, then people would have to come to Nintendo to license it - not some ambitious third-party licensee. "Nintendo believes in a standard - our standard," Yamauchi later said of the affair. Sony saw it differently. "They stabbed us in the back," Olaffson told one of his confidants. The resultant legal and technical hopscotch that Nintendo would be forced to play over the affair pretty much assured that it would not be able to bring a decent CD-ROM system to market in time to ride the crest of the 32-bit wave. Instead, they would have to develop a completely new system from the ground up, launch it after everybody else's systems had already hit the market, and pray that their marketing prowess and company's public reputation would sell the new system for them. Nintendo was unconcerned, though - they thought they had derailed Sony's ambitions for good and went blithely ahead with making money. They were wrong ... quite wrong.
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@Leynos
There was the awesome Sega corporate archive and history I forget the name Segabase, I think or Sega 16, done by one guy from late 90s.
Somebody has archived it written May 2000 and updated in 2001.
Here is the Saturn link.
https://www.atani-software.net/segabase/SegaBase-Saturn(Part1).html
Scroll down to the Playstation CD section it explains everything on this topic in detail, three sides to it as always, two perspectives and the truth. It was a licensing issue as Sony wanted anybody to sell games on it and Hiroshi Yamauchi thought this was against Nintendo's strict content control and ethos. Very detailed info on whole breakdown. Yet interesting ramifications for delay of Nintendo's next console.
Seriouly this guy Sam Pettus should have written an entire book on SEGA and all hardware manufacturers afterwards his stuff was lightyears ahead of anybody back then...
Recall reading all of it nearly in early 00s and it was fascinating and totally comprehensive, as good as a book, and totally detailed for early 21st Century, plus this was fresh just out of the Dreamcast death.
He had sections on Early Sega, Japanese Consoles, Master System, Megadrive, Saturn and Dreamcast, plus loads of Corporate intrigue and stuff on the behind the scenes split between Sega USA, and Japan the Neptune, plus Saturn development and also Game Gear then Nomad plus worldwide iterations in South America, basically everything.
I recall this SONY/SEGA pact was maybe touched on but if anyone has a working link to something more up to date please share. Would not mind reading this over again.
Reminds me of one other great Industry what ifs, Microsoft to buy SEGA, that seemed to be nearly fact at the end of Dreamcast's life circa 2000/2001.
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@KitsuneNight
Actually I forgot about the Nintendo DS, specifically the Lite upgrade around 2004-2006 or whenever it appeared and we got rid of version 1.0, as that was genuinely a game changer and also importantly pre 2008 and Smartphone plus had loads of unique titles. 20 years since that launched though just recently. Scary!
A decade on from Playstation is 2004, then 2014 I am lost as its part of my big gap from gaming from around 2008-2020.
I think some of the immediacy and excitement of the industry has certainly decreased due to very long hardware cycles, software and hardware upgrades via download, and incremental tech gains, then the dilution of 1st party manufacturers in terms of consoles and as importantly all in one computers like the Amiga or the last great one the Acorn Archimedes.
You lost Sega, NEC, SNK gained SONY and Microsoft but also fell by the side were Commodore, 3DO, Atari, Bandai, Acorn, Sinclair, Amstrad and others.
Technology also means less frequent oddities or stand alone curiosities like the Barcode Battler appear these days.
Although I was kind of impressed by a Transformers 40th Anniversary AR Card Game recently but all done on Smartphone. Your smartphone/mini computer does so much and has replaced about a dozen individual devices.
Would probably be impressed by SWITCH due to the diversity and library of content so looking forward to getting stuck into that next year at a glacial pace no doubt.
Only recently completed Link between Worlds and Metroid on 3DS...
So in summation Retro for the win it seems!
Re: "I Wanted It On PlayStation... They Signed To Saturn" - Ex-Sony Boss Reveals Tomb Raider "Jealousy"
Thinking back to other major software coups I can recall.
● Final Fantasy 7 N64 to PS1
● SF2 SCE on Megadrive/PC Engine then SF2 Turbo announced on SNES, oh Capcom cheeky!
● Lemmings goes Multiformat
● Probably a lot of PS1 Driving Games forgetting
● The Tail end Dreamcast Games to XBox, Jet Set Radio Future and others.
● Resident Evil 4 quasi exclusivity on Gamecube
● 360- PS5 not my expertise. I did think software exclusives had been locked down a bit more recently like SFV from Capcom, yet more in house developer centric than anything else these days.
Probably some major ones missing no doubt.
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@BulkSlash The anticipation for a new console was really big back then during prints golden era, I liked the artists impressions, plus loads of new hardware, and no net or social media spoiling it all with overindulgence or cynicism.
The rumours and "vaporware", jesus there is a term not heard in a while, may as well apply it to that Sega multi console fraud!
Seeing all the pics or prototypes of new PC Engines, Neo Geos, then the 32 bit machines, the N64 reveal looking like a 1950s radio, NEC 32bit and the Jaguar et.al. Plus even the failures and budget handhelds were interesting plus stuff like Wonderswan and NG Pocket.
Last console felt like this in terms of excitement was Dreamcast/PS2/Gamecube and XBox early 00s era. Final generation felt truly connected to as result of age/time/interest in hobby.
Hardware designs less frequent now and more flat in terms of industrial design...
I genuinely got more excitement buying an original Gameboy Color recently than a 360 or another new Smartphone. Figures.
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@Bod2019 Do not own a SWITCH looking to steal a new black and white OLED at half price come Easter!
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@KitsuneNight "A zombie brand whose skin is worn by other companies".
Konami been going that way for a decade now compared to glory years...
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@KitsuneNight Seems to be the way of the world many big companies of the 20th century failing to adapt to the 21st, or forgetting their origins plus bread and butter, or just poorly managed...
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@Azuris I am sure there was a major issue with SONY being a Japanese company as well, plus IP rights as you say, like selling the crown jewels to your competitor all for a CD add on that would be gone in <5 years tops and one generation.
Probably worked out best for everyone and allowed the industry to grow overall as well, with another player, although SEGA fans might not think as much for sure!
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@KitsuneNight Agreed Phillips seem to have totally pulled out of home consumer market now, you see no advertising for them anywhere even at a corporate level.
"In 2021, Philips Domestic Appliances was purchased by Hillhouse Capital for $4.4 billion. The company, now known as Versuni, continues to sell small appliances under the Philips brand under license."
Plus apparently made a 1.6 Billion Euro loss in 2022 alone and cut 10,000 jobs reading their corporate recent history and sold another major stake to remain solvent since then!
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
@KitsuneNight
Must admit Nintendo's PR and marketing department definitely name dropped Phillips as a more experienced player in terms of CD technology back then I am sure, digging the knife further in no doubt...
But even from a 14 year old fanboy point of view during the early 90s, you could sense something was up with the CD development, especially after Mega CD failed to take off, CDTV, 3DO nosedived, only real uptake initially was PC integration with the likes of 7th Guest.
N64 had the DD, Gamecube had the Gameboy Player, and the Famicom had the Disc system plus SNES had the Satellite concept, so only really the Wii (Did have GC backwards compatability built in I guess on early models) and Wii U plus Switch that did not follow this trend of an add for Nintendo's main system just the last two decades.
A sign of technology becoming more standardised/homogenised and less interesting maybe plus cannabilising their own handheld market..
Yes the Switch has done 150 million units of all types but only one console instead of two now for Nintendo, plus looks like SONY and Microsoft have eyes on the handheld market once again after its success and Steamdeck...
Trying to find the most flamboyent early images or concept pics of SNES CD is tricky even with the internet, it seems, some of the EGM/Famitsu/Super Play ones made it look like a unit from the 21st century that would do the cooking for you as well...
When you think back to the early Sony Imagesoft releases on 16 bit and even many of the early PS1 titles development has certainly come a long way in 30 years.
Plus Skyblazer is bl**dy expensive these days to own on the SNES!
Re: "Nintendo Left Us Standing At The Altar" - Shawn Layden On The Vengeful Birth Of PlayStation
Still recall the Nintendo CD artist impressions for like 12-24 months from Famitsu, regularly republished in Super Play and EGM during the early to mid 90s plus their own ideas. Sprite scaling as a feature and the promise of expansive amazing Square and Enix RPGs, Super Mario Kart and Pilotwings Sequels and goodness knows what else! I am sure Streetfighter 3 was even name dropped once in the Quartermann section of EGM.
Nintendo went the way of chips as a hardware upgrade in the end, but it was the licensing issues and another platform/hardware manufacturer having control over a Nintendo console that was the biggest sticking point if I recall.
Plus obviously SONY Corporate wanting to pay back the massive slight made to them in public.
Then Nintendo got into bed with Phillips straight after, a Dutch company who were not perceived as a big threat compared to SONY plus apparently they had greater CD experience.
Not a threat at all especially with the games supplied by Nintendo for CDI!
Re: Anniversary: Need For Speed Turns 30 This Month
Lotus Trilogy on the Amiga still rules!
All kidding aside, never really played any of these but all the talk of the 3DO version makes me much more interested, as it is a system never really experienced. I do not even recall seeing a 3DO console out in the wild on freeplay anywhere back in the mid 90s to test this racer out, not in Comet, Currys, Future Zone or elsewhere, maybe once in John Lewis who knows, very scarce to even buy one over in this island.
Plus the window before Playstation/Saturn arrival was thin, did see many Jaguars strangely enough and multiple CDI's plus CDTV's.
I think I have caught bits of the movie with Paul, looked better than the recent Gran Turismo one with Legolas from LOTR. Burnout now there is a franchise that should have been made into a film!
Re: "I Was Completely Unproven" - Prince Of Persia's Creator Reflects On The Making Of Its Star-Studded Film
I enjoyed the film, went to the cinema to see it and felt it was like a throwback to a decade earlier in terms of some aspects of storytelling a little like The Mummy from 1999 which in itself was a homage to classics from a different era, but with obviously better CGI. Good/likeable leads as well in main roles...
Re: A Tribute To Jason Brookes
Jason Brookes, probably laid a great deal of the groundwork for videogame journalism to become what it was in the UK and beyond with his knowledge and professionalism in all honesty.
Matt Bielby and a few others like Rignall, Mott, plus Campbell, Gillen as well. Get an interview please with Bielby Time Extension, I think he just did one for Amiga Action Magazine recently!
In memory I just bought an old but hard to find edition of Super Play for my collection that I am very pleased about obtaining in nice condition. Still missing issues 41-47 the super expensive ones that seem to go for 60-80 each probably due to lower print run.
Suggested to Future they put all the behind the scenes EDGE articles over the years from 1-400 in a proper book or bookazine as a sort of making of EDGE special, plus add a larger new longform section on Mr Brookes written by Mott or similar as to his importance during formative years of publication, beyond what was printed already as have more space...
Will be happy with just reprints of Super Play/Amiga Power/Format and selected other Future titles of old in collected volumes to be fair in hardback...
Would have been amazing if Jason had written/released a book of his own similar to the Jaz Rignall one incoming in 2025.
Might be scope for that by some individuals that knew him best centering around the 1990s scene. Sort of an EDGE decade eras series 90s, 00s,10s that sort of idea...with some fresh new retrospective articles on time period and transitions. Could be a 4 volume historical series taking us up to end of 20s.
I would definitely buy it.
Re: Review: The Art Of N64 Wrestling Games Grapples With Some Of The Genre's Best Titles
@slider1983
Here is a good 1990s synopsis of the best games!
https://www.thesportster.com/best-wrestling-video-games-1990s-wwe-wcw/