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The 1970s marked the beginning of home video gaming as we know it today. Ralph Baer, uniformly known as the father of the video game console, created and developed the infamous Brown Box, which would later become the revolutionary Magnavox Odyssey.
Few could honestly admit that this humble beginning would result in the multi-billion dollar market of today. The 1970s may have been the beginning of home video gaming as we know it. However, it was the 1980s that saw the premature death of the industry and its phoenix-like rise from the ashes.
Atari became synonymous with home video gaming, but newcomers like Sega and Nintendo quickly proved to not only be a threat but to reinvent the industry as we know it. While Sega and Nintendo carved up the market neatly between them early on, companies like NEC looked to expand their influence while new entries by SNK, Philips and 3DO decided to ride the bleeding edge of new technology and multifunctional hardware in order to grab a slice of that pie for themselves. Other companies, like Atari and Commodore, simply tried to hold on.
In March of 2000, Sony kicked off the new millennium by releasing the PlayStation 2 which would be shortly followed thereafter by Nintendo's GameCube console and newcomer Microsoft's Xbox. With this new generation of hardware, developers would change gaming's importance in pop culture as well as telecommunications and entertainment. 2010s - NOTES With the new decade starting off, cloud gaming has begun to take a foothold within the gamer's living room. OnLive released their MicroConsole in December of 2010 with rumors of similar streaming devices surfacing on a weekly basis.
The door may be opening as well for independent developers with the release of consoles focused on providing an open gaming environment like the OUYA. Regardless if you have an old school 19' CRT or a brand spanking new 3D HDTV, connecting your video game system can sometimes be a daunting task. The myriad of connection types, cords and switches can be overwhelming, even to the most savvy of aficionados.
This article will guide you through this process to produce the best presentation on your NTSC display device. You have stumbled upon our little corner of the video gaming universe where you will find a variety of articles on all facets of the industry. From software reviews to gaming literature to the various rants that keep us sane, you get a taste of it all. Please select an article category from the above list or check out our most recent additions listed from our Blog Index. Please enjoy!! DW FACTS by The Playdia Quick Interactive System was one of Bandai's next attempt at entering the videogame console industry. It was released in 1994 in Japan only and marketed as a family oriented system.
Geared toward a younger audience, the Playdia was somewhat smaller then most consoles. Its blue casing giving it a more 'toy' feel. The Playdia controller used infrared waves instead of cords and was made to be used either on or away from the machine (see images) Using CD-based games, the Playdia could produce impressive anime style Full Motion Video (FMV). Most of the games were interactive educational titles. Bandai did however make a few interactive games based on their franchise series such as Gundam, Sailor Moon, Ultra Man and Dragon Ball Z.
However, the games lacked real game play. Simply being an interactive cartoon, the player simply instructs the onscreen character by selecting prompted menu choices using the Playdia control pad. The Playdia did not sell well. Collectors or fans of the cartoon series may have had slight interest in it, but it was not enough to make an impact. The console was a failure for Bandai.
FACT: Bandai, seeing a need to recover losses from this failed system, began publishing Idol CDs in order to sell more Playdia units. Idol CDs were interactive games featuring young Japanese girls that took off their clothes at the players command. This tactic seems rather strange since the Playdia was originally marketed as a 'family oriented system'. Guess daddy needed some fun too.
Funny thing is that it worked. Bandai sold enough units to make a small profit. HANDS ON REVIEW by During the early mid 1990s, the video game market exploded due to the new technology available to developers, specifically the jump in processor speed and the release of the CD-ROM format. No longer were game programmers limited by the small canvas standard cartridges provided - the CD-ROM was their dream come true. With this new media format at their disposal, manufacturers began to truly expand the definition of a video game console.
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Computer hybrids (, etc.) and all-inclusive multimedia devices (, etc.) were designed to target a new, and older, audience. Taking a slightly different approach, popular game developer Bandai decided to enter the foray with their release of the Playdia. Instead of following the current trends, Bandai marketed the Playdia to children and families. Would this Japanese-only release hit the mark? Far from it as you will see. The Playdia is a rather unsophisticated looking unit.
The rectangular chassis is comprised of medium weight plastics, sporting an indigo-blue top section with a leprechaun-green base. The design is simple and to the point. A simple power and reset switch reside on the left top of the console, with a large banana-yellow 'open' button on the right to open the door of top loading CD drive. There is a rectangular recess directly in front of the unit to park the wireless IR controller (the second system ever to have a wireless controller standard).
The weight of this unit is a bid odd, with most of the weight residing in the back. A standard composite output and DC 9V power supply jack adorn the rear of the unit. Though simplistic in appearance, I do have to say it does stand out in a collection due to the unique colors used. But that is the only reason it stands out. With a younger audience in its sights, the library of games for the Playdia is comprised of mostly edutainment titles. All games for this system are interactive FMV movies - there is no real game play with this system with the exception of selecting from an action for your character from a lit of presented options. The FMV titles are really not that bad.
The anime sequences are presented well with very little frame rate drop off, but this is easy to accomplish since there is no real-time input from the user during the sequences. Surprising around 33 titles were released for this system.
But not all of these were for the kids. The Playdia was not succeeding at all and Bandai began feeling the fiscal repercussions of a failed system. The entered the market just months after its debut and sealed this system's fate. Looking to recoup their losses, Bandai released interactive anime adult titles to stem the negative financial losses incurred in the first two years. Odd that a system initially tailored to the family would resort to these measures, but it worked. Bandai was able to get out with minimal losses after all was said and done in 1996.
Plus, Bandai had significant resources devoted to a bigger project - the. The Bandai Playdia was a short lived and unsuccessful system.
Even with devoting their efforts to a rather untapped market (children/families), the Playdia could not survive the release of the Sony PlayStation. This is definitely not a recommended purchase for the gamer - only for a console collector. Though unique, the unit is not that pricey but usually requires importing the unit from Japan. The Playdia is nice to look at in your collection, not so much when you fire it up and experience it. CONSOLE RATINGS by Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release. A 10 point scale is utilized, with 10 being excellent. CRITERIA RATING NOTES & COMMENTS Console Design 07 I happen to like the no-nonsense yet colorful design of the Playdia.
The cradle rest for the controller is a nice touch. Plus, any system that uses standard RCA cables for its AV connection always gets a +1 from me. Console Durability 06 Though I have never experienced any issues, the Playdia just feels fragile to me.
The light weight of the system may have something to do with my impression. Overall, I would highly recommend seeing this console in action prior to purchasing. Controllers 05 The controller itself if rather rectangular and very uncomfortable. Button layout is very symmetrical, but this does not equate to ease of use.
Bandai Playdia Emulator
The controllers are wireless which bumps this score up a notch. Graphics 05 This is difficult to gauge, considering the style of most of the games (anime). The FMV sequences are well executed, but the load times are excruciatingly long. Audio 08 Overall the Playdia shines in this area, with most games featuring CD quality soundtracks and voice work. Media 08 Hard to argue with Bandai's decision to utilize the CD-ROM format, but the 1X drive is extremely slow.
Bandai Playdia Emulator Download
Gamer Value 02 The game library of the Playdia primarily consists of anime titles including the Sailor Moon series. Unless you are en extreme fan of this genre, this console offers very little for the average gamer. Collector Value 07 Due to its limited run and regional exclusivity, the Playdia is a nice addition to your console collection. These can be pricey, especially when considering shipping costs. FORMAT, PACKAGING & GENERAL INFO Interesting facts on software for this system Software for the Bandai Playdia was distributed in the CD format. Most games were distributed in a white, clam-style packaging that were a bit larger (length x width) that the standard jewel case. The depth of the packaging is approximately 1' and most games included a rectangular stryofoam insert to protect the game and chew up some of this extra space.
Playdia Emulator
Games are not that hard to acquire, though they can be a little pricey compared to the overall quality of the actual title. Sample Game Play (Ultraman Powered intro) Bandai Playdia Game Boxes.