Hello, everyone! I hope you are all having a great summer. Today, I will be talking about four different video game consoles, and why they failed and/or succeeded during it's lifetime.
First, I would like to talk about the Turbografx16.
It was released on August 29, 1989, and it was meant to compete with the NES at the time of it's release. The Turbografx(wow, creative name, huh?)had a few really good things going for it, such as the fact that the games came on cards, rather than cartridges. They were more reliable, and easier to store than a bunch of NES cartridges. You could fit about 12 games in one hand. The console also had great games like the best version of R-Type, Bomberman, Blazing Lazers, and Bonk's Adventure. So, why did the console fail so spectacularly in America? Well, it was released two weeks after the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. That's horrible timing, and that partially dug it's grave. Another reason is that the Turbografx had limited third party support. They didn't have a popular franchise like Mario or Sonic, or even Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. It had...uh...Keith Courage in Alpha Zones. You also had to buy quite a few add ons to have a better multiplayer experience. I don't think you should have to pay for all of that stuff just to enjoy the games with more than one person. It's a shame, because the PC Engine(Japanese name) was actually very popular in Japan, competing with the Super Famicom and the Sega Mega Drive. Too bad it failed so miserably here.
It was released on August 29, 1989, and it was meant to compete with the NES at the time of it's release. The Turbografx(wow, creative name, huh?)had a few really good things going for it, such as the fact that the games came on cards, rather than cartridges. They were more reliable, and easier to store than a bunch of NES cartridges. You could fit about 12 games in one hand. The console also had great games like the best version of R-Type, Bomberman, Blazing Lazers, and Bonk's Adventure. So, why did the console fail so spectacularly in America? Well, it was released two weeks after the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. That's horrible timing, and that partially dug it's grave. Another reason is that the Turbografx had limited third party support. They didn't have a popular franchise like Mario or Sonic, or even Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. It had...uh...Keith Courage in Alpha Zones. You also had to buy quite a few add ons to have a better multiplayer experience. I don't think you should have to pay for all of that stuff just to enjoy the games with more than one person. It's a shame, because the PC Engine(Japanese name) was actually very popular in Japan, competing with the Super Famicom and the Sega Mega Drive. Too bad it failed so miserably here.
Next, I would like to talk about the Atari 5200 Super System.
It was released in November of 1982, and was discontinued on May 21, 1984. The console did have a pause button, which was one of the first of it's kind, but that doesn't really make up for the many issues with it. First of all, the controller. I understand that you'd want to expand on the 2600's single joystick and one button, but I don't really think that a numeric keypad was really the best way of doing that. On top of the keypad, there was a barely functional joystick and four buttons, two on each side of the controller. I feel like it's really awkward to hold, and to use. Also, the Atari 2600 was still receiving games from a number of developers, which I feel would give people even less of a reason to get a 5200. That, the controller, and the various hookup issues, is what I think is why think this console was a flop. I do kind of want to try more games out, though.
It was released in November of 1982, and was discontinued on May 21, 1984. The console did have a pause button, which was one of the first of it's kind, but that doesn't really make up for the many issues with it. First of all, the controller. I understand that you'd want to expand on the 2600's single joystick and one button, but I don't really think that a numeric keypad was really the best way of doing that. On top of the keypad, there was a barely functional joystick and four buttons, two on each side of the controller. I feel like it's really awkward to hold, and to use. Also, the Atari 2600 was still receiving games from a number of developers, which I feel would give people even less of a reason to get a 5200. That, the controller, and the various hookup issues, is what I think is why think this console was a flop. I do kind of want to try more games out, though.
The next console I wanted to talk about is another Atari console, the Jaguar.
It was released on November 23, 1993, and was discontinued around circa 1996. It was the last of the Atari consoles, and the first 64 bit console, according to them. It actually has a few games going for it, like Tempest 2000, and the best port of DOOM(with no music, sadly). The controller still had a keypad, but at least it was functional. I feel like the main reason why this console flopped was the lack of any third party games(I'm sensing a pattern here), or the false advertising. The console claimed to be cutting edge, and better than both the SNES and the Genesis, and overall being like that kid who brags about things he doesn't have or do, but the actual games looked like Star Fox, if they even used polygons at all. A game like it's launch title, Cybermorph, somehow looks less appealing than Mega Man X2. The Jaguar even had a CD addon, which was even less functional. I feel like this console would be better as a 32- bit console, like the Playstation. I see what they were trying to do, but the technology just wasn't there yet. I do recommend that you play Tempest 2000, though.
It was released on November 23, 1993, and was discontinued around circa 1996. It was the last of the Atari consoles, and the first 64 bit console, according to them. It actually has a few games going for it, like Tempest 2000, and the best port of DOOM(with no music, sadly). The controller still had a keypad, but at least it was functional. I feel like the main reason why this console flopped was the lack of any third party games(I'm sensing a pattern here), or the false advertising. The console claimed to be cutting edge, and better than both the SNES and the Genesis, and overall being like that kid who brags about things he doesn't have or do, but the actual games looked like Star Fox, if they even used polygons at all. A game like it's launch title, Cybermorph, somehow looks less appealing than Mega Man X2. The Jaguar even had a CD addon, which was even less functional. I feel like this console would be better as a 32- bit console, like the Playstation. I see what they were trying to do, but the technology just wasn't there yet. I do recommend that you play Tempest 2000, though.
Finally, I would like to talk about a successful console for once, the Game Boy Advance.
It was released on June 11, 2001, and was discontinued on May 15, 2010. It was the third in Nintendo's line of handhelds(not counting different versions of the original Game Boy and Color), and it's probably my favorite handheld. The handheld was compatible with the Gamecube, and you can connect the two with a cable. You can do a variety of things with it, but I think it was mostly meant to trade Pokemon between the Game Boy Advance titles and the Gamecube titles. The GBA is also compatible with the Nintendo E-reader. I don't know what it does, but I do know it adds extra levels to Super Mario Advance 4. The only issue I really have is the compressed sound files within every single game. A game like Golden Sun has a soundtrack that sounds...eeeeehhh...on GBA. Games like Pokemon or Mario sound fine, but Zelda, Fire Emblem, and Advance Wars are just begging for a remaster. I feel like the GBA was successful because of it's amazing library of games(shovelware aside), and it's compatibility with the Gamecube. If you're into that stuff, I suggest you get one.
It was released on June 11, 2001, and was discontinued on May 15, 2010. It was the third in Nintendo's line of handhelds(not counting different versions of the original Game Boy and Color), and it's probably my favorite handheld. The handheld was compatible with the Gamecube, and you can connect the two with a cable. You can do a variety of things with it, but I think it was mostly meant to trade Pokemon between the Game Boy Advance titles and the Gamecube titles. The GBA is also compatible with the Nintendo E-reader. I don't know what it does, but I do know it adds extra levels to Super Mario Advance 4. The only issue I really have is the compressed sound files within every single game. A game like Golden Sun has a soundtrack that sounds...eeeeehhh...on GBA. Games like Pokemon or Mario sound fine, but Zelda, Fire Emblem, and Advance Wars are just begging for a remaster. I feel like the GBA was successful because of it's amazing library of games(shovelware aside), and it's compatibility with the Gamecube. If you're into that stuff, I suggest you get one.
Thank you for reading, and I will try my best to stay consistent with these blogs. Hope you have a nice day.
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