32X History - 32X games and History

The Sega 32X (Japanese: スーパー32X) is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis video game console by Sega.
In Japan, it was distributed under the name Sega Super 32X. In North America, its name was the Sega Genesis 32X. In Europe, Australia, and other countries that use PAL, it was called the Sega Mega Drive 32X. Most gamers, for simplicity's sake, refer to it as just the "32X".

Market history
With the release of the Super Famicom in Japan and the Super NES in North America, Sega needed to leapfrog Nintendo in the technological department. The Sega Mega-CD, known as Sega CD in North America, had not worked as well, in a business sense, as Sega had wanted it to. Sega had various developments underway, named after planets. Some used System 16 technology, as the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, as well as other arcade games, did.
The 32X was released in mid-November 1994 in North America for $150, Japan on December 3rd 1994 for ¥16,800, and Europe in January 1995 for £170 / DM 400.

Technical aspects
The Sega 32X can only be used in conjunction with a Mega Drive/Genesis system; it is plugged in where the cartridge bay is. Besides playing its own cartridges, it also acts as a passthrough for Mega Drive games so it can be a permanent attachment. (The SVP based Virtua Racing was the only exception.) The 32X came with several spacers so it would work with all (then current) versions of the Mega Drive. (The Genesis 3, which lacks circuitry needed, and appropriate plugs, to work with the 32X, was introduced later.) It could be used with the Sega Multi-Mega/Sega CDX system, but the spacers would not accommodate the CDX, which created a number of user-unfriendly conditions in the unit. Without the use of the spacers, some of the 32X hardware was left exposed and vulnerable. The combined unit was also very prone to tipping over, risking damage to the unit and games. In addition to the physical problems, there was also an issue with FCC approval.
Most 32X games cannot be played unless the distribution region of the game matches the region of the console. A few games are not locked and can be played on a console from any region (e.g. Fifa 96). Two games, Darxide and FIFA Soccer '96, were only released for the PAL 32X.
All but one of the games released for the Japanese market were released in the United States, albeit some had different names. The one Japanese-only game was Sangokushi IV (known as "Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV").
In addition to regular cartridge-based 32X games, there were also a very small number 32X CD games. As the name suggests, these required both the 32X and Mega-CD/Sega CD addons. The lack of a significant userbase due to the high cost of purchasing all three necessary components saw only five games released, only one of those developed by Sega. The most notable of these was a new version of the infamous Night Trap with 32,768 onscreen colors instead of the 64 found on the regular Mega-CD/Sega CD version.

Technical specifications
Processor: Twin SH2 32 bit RISC processors with a clock speed of 23 MHz, 40 MIPS each
Video RAM: Two linear framebuffers with support for RLE compression and an overdraw mode to simplify compositing objects with transparency. All scaling, rotation, and 3D operations are performed in software on the SH2 processors.
Color depth: 32,768 simultaneous colors on screen at standard Mega Drive/Genesis resolution. Video output can overlay Mega Drive/Genesis graphics or vice versa. Mega Drive/Genesis video effects such as shadow or hilight do not affect 32X video.
Memory: 256KB (2 MBit) program RAM and two 128KB (1 MBit) framebuffers.
Audio: Stereo 10-bit PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) mixing with Mega Drive/Genesis sound for a total of 12 audio channels of varying capability, 22 with the addition of a Mega-CD/Sega CD.
I/O: Same as Mega Drive/Genesis.
Storage: 32X cartridges are fundamentally the same as Mega Drive/Genesis cartridges with some small differences in the plastic casing. A few CD-ROM games were developed that also required a Mega-CD/Sega CD.
Compatibility: Compatible with Mega Drive/Genesis models 1 and 2, JVC Wondermega/X'Eye and the Multi-Mega/CDX. The 32X does not work with the Genesis 3 which lacks some of the necessary interface logic.

History

Development
On January 8, 1994, Hayao Nakayama, then CEO of Sega, ordered his company to make a 32-bit cartridge based console that would be in stores by Christmas 1994. This would at first be named "Project Jupiter", but after Sega found CD technology cheaper, they decided to modify it instead of dropping the cartridge project (that would be called "Project Saturn"). Hideki Sato and some other Sega of Japan engineers came over to collaborate about the project with Sega of America's Joe Miller. The first idea was a new Mega Drive/Genesis with more colors and a 32-bit processor. Miller thought that an add-on to the Mega Drive/Genesis would be a better idea, because he felt that gamers would not buy an improved version of the Mega Drive/Genesis. And so, this project was codenamed Project Mars, and Sega of America was going to shape the project.
At the same time, however, Sega of Japan was working on the Sega Saturn, a CD-based 32-bit videogame system. Sega of America did not learn of this until Project Mars was already in progress.

Launch
The video-gaming public first got a glimpse at the Summer 1994 CES in Chicago, Illinois. Players highly anticipated the system, because it would make the Genesis superior to the Super Famicom/SNES. The console was unmasked as the 32X, with a price projection of $170 (USD), at a gamers' day, held by Sega of America in September 1994.
The 32X hit the market in North America in November 1994, during the same month the Sega Saturn was released in Japan. Many industry insiders speculated that the 32X was doomed from the beginning as the Sega Saturn hardware was widely regarded as more powerful than the 32X and had the support of many Japanese third party software developers (a necessary resource required for any gaming platform's long term success) which the 32X was sorely lacking.
Only 500,000 consoles had been produced for North American consumption, yet orders were in the millions. The console allegedly had numerous mechanical problems. Games had been rushed for the system in the run up to Christmas 1994. Some early games came with errors in programming, causing crashes and glitches on certain titles. Other games required leaving out parts in order to make the Christmas deadline; Doom 32X is missing almost half the levels present on the PC. Many complained that their 32X was not working with their Mega Drive/Genesis or television. Sega was forced to give away adapters.
Since this was an expensive add-on system, Sega decided to offer a £50 discount on games with the console in Europe. However, the offer came in the form of rebate vouchers, which were difficult to take advantage of. Just like its North American counterpart, this console was initially popular. Orders exceeded one million, but not enough were produced, and supply shortage problems arose.

Decline
By mid-1995, the time the Sega executives realized their blunder, it was too late. Developers and licensees had abandoned this console in favor of what they perceived to be a true 32-bit console, the Sega Saturn. Even though the 32X was a 32-bit system, the games did not appear to take full advantage of 32 bit processing; many games were rushed and produced in 2D. Many were just slightly-enhanced ports of Genesis or old arcade games such as Mortal Kombat II and Space Harrier.
Due to successful marketing, customers perceived the Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation as the true next-generation consoles, due to their rich launch titles and 3D graphics. Also, customers perceived that Sega abandoned the 32X despite promises to the contrary, due to the launch of the Saturn.
Console makers, prior to the launch of PlayStation 2, would often abandon platforms and offer no backwards compatibility with older systems. For this reason Sega's 32X customers felt cheated because of the apparent lower quality of the game, and the inevitability of obsolescence.
Store shelves became littered with unwanted Sega 32X systems, and prices for a new one dropped as low as $19.95. Sega planned a console named the Sega Neptune, which would have been a Genesis and 32X in one. However, by the time a prototype was developed, the Sega Saturn was going to be released, and Sega cancelled the Neptune.
The situation became so bad that the 32X was actually mocked on Saturday Night Live, as well as in the gaming magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly, which likened the 32X to a 'waffle maker' and the games as 'batter'. The Sega 32X fiasco is now considered one of the most poorly planned console releases ever.
The last game made for the 32X in the US was Spider-Man: Web of Fire (1996). The last ever 32X game was Darxide, which had been intended by Frontier Developments to be a launch title for the ill-fated Neptune. Both these games now command a high value from collectors — but especially Darxide (up to $1000) due to its scarcity, reputation and auspicious creator (David Braben, co-writer of the groundbreaking game Elite). Nevertheless, it is exceeded in rarity by the European PAL versions of the games Primal Rage and T-Mek. For obscure reasons a mere handful of copies of these games are known to be in circulation - with T-Mek being so scarce that until a copy surfaced on eBay in late 2005, it was widely held that the PAL release was only a rumour. The appearance of a copy has fuelled speculation that other rumoured but unconfirmed PAL games may also exist, in particular BC Racers.
For many years prior, console makers promised devices like the 32X (for consoles such as the Colecovision, Intellivision II, and some Atari systems) that would extend and enhance the original system. The 32X was the first product released that fundamentally altered the original console's abilities. However, deficient in software titles and lacking the 3D capabilities the gaming community demanded, the add-on represented a technological dead end, ultimately punishing early adopters. Ignorant of the idea that console systems' primary strength is in standardization, Sega had created three different platforms (the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, and the Mega-CD/Sega CD and the 32X add-ons) all under the same banner, stealing valuable shelf space from itself and confusing both vendors and consumers in the process. The entire episode demonstrated that producing such add-ons is likely to have detrimental effects on a system's brand marketing strategy.
The system ended production worldwide in 1996.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.Subject to disclaimers.

Ms. Pac-Man Trivia

A Ms. Pac-Man machine has a storyline based around it in the Friends episode The One Where Joey Dates Rachel. The plotline revolves around Chandler entering rude words onto the game's high-score screen and then attempting to beat his scores (thus removing them) before Ross's seven year old son arrives. In reality, Ms. Pac-Man doesn't have a high-score screen, displaying only the single best score, and the game doesn't allow players to enter their initials.
In one series of strips in Bill Amend's popular newspaper comic strip FoxTrot, Jason Fox, who is in fifth grade and still detests girls, has a nightmare in which he is romanced by Tomb Raider heroine Lara Croft. In one of these strips, Lara keeps trying to persuade Jason to play her game, and Jason declares that he'll never play a video game starring a girl. At this point, Lara says, "Permit me to reintroduce you to someone," and Ms. Pac-Man appears: "Hi, Jason. Remember me?"
A Ms. Pac-Man unit appears in the 1983 movie "WarGames", in the 1983 movie "Joysticks", in the 1984 movie "Tightrope" (the cabinet appears in the background of the bar scene), in the 1990 movie "The Grifters", in the 1999 movie "Man On The Moon" and in the 2002 movie "Van Wilder".
A Ms. Pac-man machine is seen in Scrubs in the episode My Own Private Practice Guy. Todd comments "Oh Ms. Pac-man I would sex that bow right off your head. Eat those dots you naughty, naughty girl."
The Ms. Pac-Man world record of 933,580 points was achieved by Abdner Ashman, of Queens, NY, on Thursday, April 6, 2006 at the Apollo Amusements showroom in Pompano Beach, FL, as verified by official referees from the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard, who were present to witness the accomplishment.
Some versions of the game had an "expert" level, where if you hold the joystick up while pressing the start button, the whole game speed doubled (including music and sound effects). Others have Ms. Pac-Man going twice her speed while the rest of the game went normal speed. The latter allowed for people to obtain much higher scores.
Many people have mistakenly called the game Mrs. Pac Man, which can upset many a video game purist.
In the 1980's cartoon version of Pac-Man, she was named Pepper (while the male Pac-Man was often called Packie) because she was never given a name.
In 1982, R. Cade and the Video Victims recorded a song titled "Ms. Pac-Man", using sound effects from the game, and released it on the album "Victim of the Video", a lesser-known video game song album.
While not inspired by the game, the song Game Over by rapper Lil Flip samples heavily from it.
In the movie Are We There Yet?, Lindsay tells Nick that Kevin had a bad dream playing Ms. Pac-Man at the mall but refers to her as Lady Pac-Man.
There is an obscure glitch in the original arcade game. If the player inserts a coin at the title screen, before Blinky appears, and begins, the walls of the first maze will be blue instead of pink.
At least one version of the game (found in a diner near the Kansas-Nebraska border) has the monsters turn into blue mice when Ms. Pac-Man eats the energizers.

Activision History

Prior to the formation of Activision, software for video game consoles was published exclusively by the makers of the systems for which the games were designed. For example, Atari was the only publisher of games for the Atari 2600. This was particularly galling to the developers of the games, as they received no financial rewards for games that did well, and didn't even receive credit in the manuals. After watching a number of games turn into multi-million-dollar best sellers, a number of programmers decided they had had enough and left. Activision became the first third-party game publisher for game consoles.[1]

The company was founded by former music industry executive Jim Levy and former Atari programmers David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead. Atari's company policy at the time was not to credit game creators for their individual contributions; Levy took the approach of crediting and promoting game creators along with the games themselves. This was an important draw that helped the newly formed company attract experienced talent. Crane, Kaplan, Levy, Miller, and Whitehead received the Game Developers Choice "First Penguin" award in 2003 in recognition of this step.

The departure of the four programmers, whose titles made up more than half of Atari's cartridge sales at the time, caused legal action between the two companies which was not ultimately settled until 1982. As the market for game consoles started to decline, Activision branched out, producing game titles for home computers as well, and acquiring smaller publishers.

In 1982, Activision released Pitfall!, which is considered by many to be the first platform game as well as the best selling title on the 2600. Although the team's technical prowess had already been proven, it was Pitfall! that turned them into a huge success. This not only resulted in a legion of clones, including stand-up arcade games, but can be said to have launched the entire platform genre which became a major part of video games through the 1980s.

In 1985, Activision merged with struggling text adventure pioneer Infocom. Jim Levy was a big fan of Infocom's titles and wanted Infocom to remain solvent. However, about six months after the "InfoWedding", Bruce Davis took over as CEO of Activision. Davis was against the merger from the start and was heavy-handed in management of them. He also forced marketing changes on Infocom which caused sales of their games to plummet. Eventually, in 1989, after several years of losses, Activision closed down the Infocom studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts extending to only 11 of the 26 employees an offer to relocate to Activision's headquarters in Silicon Valley; five did.

In 1988 Activision started to get involved in other types of software besides video games, such as business applications. As a result, Activision changed its corporate name to Mediagenic in order to have a name that would globally represent all its fields of activities.(Mediagenic is often mistaken to be a company that purchased Activision but in reality it was only Activision with a different name). Despite this change, Mediagenic continued to largely use the Activision brand on its video games of the various platforms it was publishing for, notably the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sega Master System, the Atari 7800, Commodore 64 and Amiga. The decision of the company to get involved in various fields at the expense of video gaming proved to be a move so bad that in 1992 Mediagenic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The new Activision
The failure of Mediagenic resulted in a reorganization and merger with The Disc Company with Mediagenic again being the acquirer. After emerging from bankruptcy, Mediagenic officially changed its entity name back to Activision in the state of Delaware on December 1992. At that point Activision moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Southern California. While emerging from bankruptcy, it continued to develop games for PCs and video game consoles and resumed making strategic acquisitions. Activision chose from then on to only concentrate itself in video gaming and nothing else.

In 1991 Activision packaged 20 of Infocom's past games into a CD-ROM collection called The Lost Treasures of Infocom sans most of the "feelies" Infocom was famous for. The success of this compilation led to the 1992 release of 11 more Infocom titles in The Lost Treasures of Infocom II.

In 2003, Activision, along with several other game software publishers, was investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its accounting practices, namely the use of the "return reserve" to allegedly smooth quarterly results.

In 2004, the company marked its 25th anniversary, and stated that it had posted record earnings and the twelfth consecutive year of revenue growth.

In 2006, Activision secured the video game license to make games based on the world of James Bond from MGM Interactive. An exclusive agreement between the two begins in September 2007 with Activision's first game set to be released in May 2008.

Pong TV Game - History

The paleolithic ‘pong’
in the beginning, there was nothing. well, actually, there was
pinball, some shooting gallery games, a few nickel peep-show
machines and those mechanical genies that would guess your
weight and give a glimpse of your future. but it was probably
pretty hard trying to beat your buddies at who weighs less.
(there was bell, there was edison, there was fermi. and then there was higinbotham)

---
'tennis for two' on an oscilloscope
working at brookhaven national laboratory, a us nuclear research
lab in upton, new york, william a. higinbotham, a chain-smoking,
fun-loving character and self-confessed pinball player, wants to
develop an open house exhibit at bnl that will entertain people as
they learn. his idea is to use a small analog computer in the lab to
graph and display the trajectory of a moving ball on an oscilloscope,
with which users can interact.
missile trajectory plotting is one of the specialties of computers at
this time, the other being cryptography.
along with technical specialist robert v. dvorak who actually
assembles the device, to create in three weeks the game system they
name tennis for two, and it debuts with other exhibits in the
brookhaven gymnasium at the next open house in october 1958.
in the rudimentary side-view tennis game, the ball bounces off a long
horizontal line at the bottom of the oscilloscope, and there is a small
vertical line in the centre to represent the net.
the game was simple, but fun to play, and its charm was infectious.
http://www.pong-story.com/inventor.htm
brookhaven national laboratory - www.bnl.gov
tribute to william higinbotham, inventor of 'pong' - fas.org/cp/pong_fas.htm

---
'spacewar!'
at MIT circa 1961 there's a group of hard core computer nerds calling
themselves the tech model railroad club : wayne witanen and j. martin graetz,
along with 25 year-old steve russell, they develop the idea to pit two spaceships
with limited fuel supplies against each other in a missle duel. the program
becomes 'spacewar !', the world's first fully interactive videogame, with russell
as main programmer (1962).
two spaceships called the wedge and the needle, according to their shapes, are
rendered in rough outlined graphics. it causes a sensation at MIT's annual
science open house, and a scoring system must be introduced to limit people's time
at the control switches used to play. it is such a huge hit with the computer
community that copies are quickly spread around to other educational facilities in
the u.s. across the then burgeoning internet precursor ARPAnet.
and once again, just like willy higinbotham, russell doesn't seek to copyright or
patent his work. most likely because the system 'spacewar !' is running on is the
size of a refrigerator and costs us$120,000. due to its public domain status, the
game will end up being one of the most copied concepts in videogame history.
'spacewar !' ? http://lcs.www.media.mit.edu/groups/el/projects/spacewar

---
who really invented the videogame ?
in 1949, a young engineer named ralph baer, was given an assignment
to build a television set.
in 1966 with the help of bob tremblay and bob solomon they are
ready to demonstrate a system that allows spots to be moved around
on a tv screen. in january of 1967 baer puts technician bill harrison
to work to build the first multi-game unit. it plays 'chase' games, has a
'light gun' and a variety of other simple games. they call the system the
‘home tv game’. in early 1968 baer files for the first videogame patent,
and by the end of that year they again demonstrate the system,
capable of switching between ping-pong, volleyball, handball, hockey
and even several shooting games to be used with a newly designed
‘light-gun’.
during many years of litigation defending his patent, baer learns of
higinbotham's creation, and he describes it as a simple, oscilloscope-
based ballistics demonstration.
unfortunately, the man at the centre of this controversy cannot speak for
himself: william higinbotham, owner of 20 patents concerning electronic
circuits, passes away on november 10, 1995, at the age of 84.
after further developing the system was released as the first ever
commercially available home videogame to magnavox dealers as the
‘odyssey’ in may of 1972.
the graphics are so rudimentary that the system comes with a set of two
sizes of colour mylar overlays to put on the television screen to represent
the various playfields, including tennis and hockey.

---
the arcade
in the footsteps of pioneers william higinbotham, ralph baer and steve russel
nolan bushnell, the zeus of the videogame industry, is about to create an
entire entertainment industry, which in a few short years will eclipse even the
80 year old movie business.
at 19 years old, he becomes convinced of the commercial viability of a videogame
like 'spacewar', if only the system that ran it could be scaled down from university
mainframes and into a more reasonably compact version. he begins an eight year
odyssey to do just that: produce an arcade version of 'spacewar'.
1971 bushnell leaves ampex to work on the computer space game full time and
when he finally completes it that year he finds a buyer in nutting associates,
a manufacturer of coin-op trivia games. 1,500 of the units are built, with a futuristic
design and fiberglass cabinet, but the game does not sell well.
bushnell comes to the conclusion that the procedures of using various buttons for
the thrusting and rotating of the ships are just too complicated for half-pissed bar
patrons to comprehend. he becomes convinced that any successful video arcade
game has to be extremely easy to understand from the get-go.
at least the futuristic fibreglass cabinet is a hit...

---
'pong' released
bushnell, cofounder of atari in 1972 (a term from the japanese game go, whose
meaning is equivalent to "check" in chess.) bushnell hires al alcorn to program
games.
since alcorn is inexperienced, bushnell has him program a simple video tennis
game as an exercise. they call the game 'pong', for two reasons:
1) 'pong' is the sound the game makes when the ball hits a paddle or side of the
screen, and
2) the name 'ping-pong' is already copyrighted. 'pong' is but a polished variant
of the game willie higinbotham displayed on his oscilloscope.

---
ROM chips
now the arcade is about to get a whole lot more crowded, between 1971 and 1973,
30 videogames are produced for the arcade by 11 manufacturers.
in 1974 the company kee games, headed by joe keenan releases 'tank',
designed by scott bristow. gameplay consists of two tanks facing off in a maze,
while trying to avoid land mines scattered about. the game breaks new technical
ground by incorporating ROM chips to hold graphics memory, enabling it to display
more complicated detail on-screen than the simple blocks of 'pong'.
'tank' becomes the biggest hit of 1974, kee and atari 'merge' back into
one company.

---
'pong' is a tv based game
in 1974 atari employees bob brown and harold lee propose a home version of 'pong',
able to be hooked up to any tv set. retailers are skittish over the short life of magnavox's
tv-based 'odyssey' game and the system languishes in the atari labs.
in 1975 they cut a deal to sell the system under the sears tele-games label.
the order is for 150,000 units. bushnell has nowhere near the facilities to produce that
many in the time sears wants them, so he taps a venture capitalist for a $10 million
line-of-credit to expand. by christmas, atari's US$100 home 'pong' console becomes sears
biggest selling item, with reports of people waiting outside stores for hours to get one.
and once again dozens of manufacturers swarm out with myriad versions of home 'pong'
games. almost all of these machines are based on the new 'pong-on-a-chip' circuit
developed by general instruments.

US 32X Game List

US 32X Game List


Afterburner - 32X Version of the Sega Arcade Classic

Blackthorne - Enhanced version of the Rough-Tough Interplay Sidescroller.

Cosmic Carnage - Stupid Futuristic Boxing Game 32X Style!

Doom - 32X Version the PC Shooter (32X version doesn't even run full screen tho..)

Evander Hollyfield 'Real Deal' Boxing - Beatdown by Hollyfield

Knuckles Chaotix - 32X's Sonic title

Kolibri - It's got a hummingbird on the cover.

Mortal Kombat 2 - Better graphics than the SNES version, but terrible sound.

Motocross Championship - Dirt bikin' fun, just like ESPN2!

NBA Jam: Tournament Edition - Coo B-bal game, this version second only to Jaguar and PSX.

NFL Quarterback Club - Football Game

Night Trap (32XCD) - Cheezy FMV and a whip-cream bikini, woohoo!

Pitfall: the Mayan Adventure - Sidescroll Adventure, the Jaguar version is better =)

Primal Rage - Dino-Fighting!, by Atari, Jag CD version is also good.

R.B.I. Baseball '95 - Sega Sports Baseball Game

Slam City With Scotty Pippin (32XCD) - All FMV B-Ball game over 4CD's Yeehaw!

Space Harrier - 32X Version of the Sega Arcade Classic

Spider-Man: Web of Fire - THE Spidey Game, my spider sense is tingling!

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Star Trek bridge sim, snooze-fest.

Star Wars Arcade - 32X Version of the Atari Arcade Classic

T-Mek - 32X Version of the Atari Arcade Semi-Classic

Tempo - Happy, kiddy sidescroll adventure.

Toughman Contest - Cool 32X boxing Game

Virtua Fighter - Best Home Version of the Sega Arcade Classic

Virtua Racing Deluxe - 32X Version of the Sega Arcade Classic

WWF Raw - Idiotic wrestling game.

WWF WrestleMania - See above.

32X Games Reviews Part 1

AFTERBURNER (1 PLAYER) 60%

Afterburner is based on a late 80's arcade jet fighter game of the same name, you view the action from behind your plane, which is equipped with machine guns and lock-on missiles. Gameplay is strictly arcade and the graphics and sound are much better than the Megadrive version, (due to faster scaling and more colors) but gameplay is where it fails ... miserably, there is no skill or technique required for playing, the action is so fast and frantic that if you think\look at what your shooting, you'll be dead! and you wont know what hit you. The only way to make any progress in the game is to, turn the difficulty right down, put your guns on auto fire, and wobble the D-pad around like a nutter! WHERE'S THE FUN IN THAT! This coupled with an over responsive cross hair, and hit or miss controls, seals the games fate.


B

BC RACERS (2 PLAYERS) 40%

BC Racers is a Mario Kart style game set in the stone age, the characters are funny, colorful and well drawn, each have their own strengths and weaknesses. So the graphics are o.k, what about gameplay and sound? Well the sound is rubbish, and it's practically unplayable because it skips and stutters and jumps about so much, that you cant gage punches properly at other players or tell wether your turbo is on or not. This problem is greatly magnified in the split screen 2 player mode. In the end this is a poor port of an average game, and if you really have to own it, get the Mega CD or SNES versions instead.

BLACKTHORNE (1 PLAYER) 90%

Wow! a great 32X game! (rub your eyes) Blackthorne is a 2D platform adventure game in the same vein as Flashback and Abe's Odessy, only cooler. In the game you have to rescue slaves from an army of evil Ork type monsters by strategic gunning and puzzle solving. The graphics and sound are very good , with sharp digitized sprites, nicely drawn backdrops and silky smooth animation. Gameplay and control is intuitive and easy to use, your character can run, jump, roll, shoot, throw bombs and hide in the shadows to take cover from incoming fire. Enemy AI is spot on, and hapless slaves often get shot up in a gunfight. Blackthorne was released on other consoles too, (GBA being the most recent) but 32X owners will be happy to know that this is the best console version out there.

BRUTAL UNLEASHED (2 PLAYERS) 50%

Brutal is a 2D fighting game. You main characters are martial arts animals, dogs, rabbits and the like. There is nothing drastically wrong with the game except it's so stale and boring ... that and the fact that it doesn't offer anything new over the Megadrive, Mega CD and SNES versions. The graphics are nice, colorful and well animated, but gameplay is hampered by you having to choose a character and EARN your attack moves by competing in a series of one on one fights ... big mistake, fighters of this type should be fun and fast paced, (like Street Fighter) not drawn out and tedious like this one.

COSMIC CARNAGE (2 PLAYERS)45%

Cosmic Carnage is a 2D one on one fighter in which alien fighters battle choose different body armour before each round to increase their fighting potential, the characters are large and colorful and there is a lot of sprite scaling going on, as you punch, kick, grapple and rip limbs off each other ... and this is where it goes wrong. I'm pretty sure that this game was designed to show off what the 32X could do, because the extra color pallete and mode 7 style scaling is gratuitously over used, to the extent that the game looks silly, the colors are gaudy and the sprite scaling simply scales too much, bringing large, ugly pixels right up to the screen. To make matters worse the fighters are restricted to only a handful of stiff, awkward attacks, the gameplay has all but been forgotten, in a quest to showcase the 32X extra capabilities over the Megadrive ... could this have been done on the Megadive? ... No ... And who cares.

D

DARXIDE (1 PLAYER) 60%

Darxide is a 3D polygonal space shooter viewed from behind your ship. The ship is equipped with the usual lasers and rockets needed to blast all those alien ships and asteroids that cross your path. The graphics are some of the nicest you'll see on the 32X, it's done in proper 3D textured polygons and they all animate and scale very smoothly (probably achieved by not having to do much background ... space is black y'see) and the draw distance isn't an issue because objects fade nicely into view from the dark void, adding to the feeling of being in deep space. The sound is o.k, with minimal sound effects and a passable trippy-techno sound track playing in the background. But poor gameplay and bad controls spoil all of this. Targeting enemies is a tricky affair , due to an over responsive cross hair and a rubbish radar that is just a load of colored dots at the top of the screen do nothing to convey a sense of distance. Could have been a great game ... but is just mediocre.

DOOM (1 PLAYER) 88%

Needs no introduction really. Doom is THE original first person shooter, now other reviews have given the 32X version a hard time for not having full screen (there is a border around the edge of the screen) I on the other hand think this is a pretty good conversion for loads of reasons. The game features levels from both Doom 1 and 2, the graphics are sharp, smooth and colorful, the controls are tight and easy to use, and the sound is exactly the same as it was in the original PC Doom. Nothing has been lost from the gameplay, it's still fast, frantic, fraggin' fun, and you'll forget the smaller screen size after about 5 minutes play anyway.

K

KNUCKLES CHAOTIX (1 PLAYER) 79%

This is yet another 32X title to recieve unfair criticism by reviewers. I suppose that Sonic 1,2 & 3 fans might be a little dissapointed because Chaotix doesn't really play like a classic sonic title. You play as Knuckles over Sonic style stages, and you are always attached to various buddies by an invisible bungee type force who helps (hinders) your progress through the game, so team work is the order of the day here. The graphics are lush and colorful, with sprite scaling effects (albeit a bit blocky on the knuckles sprite) and a 3D polygon sub level where you must collect blue orbs (Tempest stylee). Not being a huge sonic fan I judged the game with an unbiased view, I'm not saying this is a great game, but the 32X is short on decent titles, and this is one of the better ones.

K

KOLIBRI (1 PLAYER) 20%

Strange game Kolibri, it's a shoot 'em up that see's you take control of a humming bird. So what's wrong with it then? Well first of all the gameplay, it's hard to know what you're supposed to do, and when you do complete a mission, you still don't know. The control of your humming bird while being quite authentic is annoying, like swimming against a strong tide, the graphics are pretty, but boring (flowers, plants, trees and the like) and it slows down qite a bit when there are too many sprites on screen, most noticeable when you are rescuing your humming bird brethren from the evil insects, in which case you cant tell which one is your bird because they look exactly like you do, and they follow you around the place, leading to you getting killed. Kolibri sucks ... nuff said!

Nintendo 64 - Ultra 64 - Brief history (Wikipedia)

The Nintendo 64 (Japanese: ニンテンドウロクジュウヨン Nintendō Rokujūyon), commonly called the N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. The N64 was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan; September 29, 1996 in North America; March 1, 1997 in Europe/Australia, September 1, 1997 in France, October 15, 1997 in Brazil (the system also saw a release in Latin America, albeit an unofficial one). It was released with three launch games in Japan (Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64 and Saikyou Haniu Shogi), and two in North America and PAL region (Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64). The Nintendo 64 cost $199 at launch in the United States.
The N64 was first publicly introduced on November 24, 1995 as the Nintendo Ultra 64 at the 7th Annual Shoshinkai Software Exhibition in Japan (though preview pictures from the Nintendo "Project Reality" console had been published in American magazines as early as June 1993). The first published photos from the event were presented on the web via coverage by Game Zero magazine two days after the event.[2] Official coverage by Nintendo soon followed a few weeks later on the nascent Nintendo Power website, and then in volume #85 of their print magazine.
During the developmental stages the N64 was referred to by its code name, Project Reality. The name Project Reality came from the speculation within Nintendo that this console could produce CGI on par with then-current supercomputers. Once unveiled to the public the name changed to Nintendo Ultra 64. Nintendo dropped "Ultra" from the name on February 1, 1996, just months before its Japanese debut, because the word "Ultra" was trademarked by another company, Konami, for its Ultra Games division.

After first announcing the project, two companies, Rareware (UK) and Midway (USA), created the arcade games Killer Instinct and Cruis'n USA which claimed to use the Ultra 64 hardware. In fact, the hardware had nothing to do with what was finally released; the arcade games used hard drives and TMS processors. Killer Instinct was the most advanced game of its time graphically, featuring pre-rendered movie backgrounds that were streamed off the hard drive and animated as the characters moved horizontally.
Nintendo touted many of the system's more unusual features as groundbreaking and innovative, but many of these features had, in fact, been implemented before by the Atari Jaguar. Regardless, the Nintendo 64 was the first popular system to combine these features and make a significant impact upon gamers.
The system was designed by Silicon Graphics Inc., and features their trademark dithered 32-bit graphics. The early N64 development system was an SGI Indy equipped with an add-on board that contained a full N64 system.

All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Specifications of Atari Jaguar

A. Physical dimensions:

Size: 9.5" x 10" x 2.5"
Controls: Power on/off
Display: Programmable screen resolution. Horizontal resolution is
dependent on the amount of scanline buffer space given to the
"Tom" graphics processor. Maximum vertical resolution varies
according to the refresh rate (NTSC or PAL). Reportedly, a
stock Jaguar (without additional memory) running NTSC can
display up to 576 rows of pixels.
24-bit "True Color" display with 16,777,216 colors
simultaneously (additional 8 bits of supplimental graphics
data support possible)
Multiple-resolution, multiple-color depth objects (monochrome,
2-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit) can be used
simultaneously
Ports: Cartridge slot/expansion port (32 bits)
RF video output
Video edge connector (video/audio output)
(supports NTSC and PAL; provides S-Video, Composite, RGB
outputs, accessible by optional add-on connector)
Two controller ports
Digital Signal Processor port (includes high-speed synchronous
serial input/output)
Controllers: Eight-directional joypad
Size 6.25" x 5" x 1.6", cord 7 feet
Three fire buttons (A, B, C)
Pause and Option buttons
12-key keypad (accepts game-specific overlays)

The Jaguar has five processors which are contained in three chips. Two of
the chips are proprietary designs, nicknamed "Tom" and "Jerry". The third
chip is a standard Motorola 68000, and used as a coprocessor. Tom and
Jerry are built using an 0.5 micron silicon process. With proper
programming, all five processors can run in parallel.

- "Tom"
- 750,000 transistors, 208 pins
- Graphics Processing Unit (processor #1)
- 32-bit RISC architecture (32/64 processor)
- 64 registers of 32 bits wide
- Has access to all 64 bits of the system bus
- Can read 64 bits of data in one instruction
- Rated at 26.591 MIPS (million instructions per second)
- Runs at 26.591 MHz
- 4K bytes of zero wait-state internal SRAM
- Performs a wide range of high-speed graphic effects
- Programmable
- Object processor (processor #2)
- 64-bit RISC architecture
- 64-bit wide registers
- Programmable processor that can act as a variety of different video
architectures, such as a sprite engine, a pixel-mapped display, a
character-mapped system, and others.
- Blitter (processor #3)
- 64-bit RISC architecture
- 64-bit wide registers
- Performs high-speed logical operations
- Hardware support for Z-buffering and Gouraud shading
- DRAM memory controller
- 64 bits
- Accesses the DRAM directly

- "Jerry"
- 600,000 transistors, 144 pins
- Digital Signal Processor (processor #4)
- 32 bits (32-bit registers)
- Rated at 26.6 MIPS (million instructions per second)
- Runs at 26.6 MHz
- Same RISC core as the Graphics Processing Unit
- Not limited to sound generation
- 8K bytes of zero wait-state internal SRAM
- CD-quality sound (16-bit stereo)
- Number of sound channels limited by software
- Two DACs (stereo) convert digital data to analog sound signals
- Full stereo capabilities
- Wavetable synthesis, FM synthesis, FM Sample synthesis, and AM
synthesis
- A clock control block, incorporating timers, and a UART
- Joystick control

- Motorola 68000 (processor #5)
- Runs at 13.295MHz
- General purpose control processor

Communication is performed with a high speed 64-bit data bus, rated at
106.364 megabytes/second. The 68000 is only able to access 16 bits of
this bus at a time.

The Jaguar contains two megabytes (16 megabits) of fast page-mode DRAM,
in four chips with 512 K each. Game cartridges can support up to six
megabytes (48 megabits) of information, and can contain an EEPROM
(electrically erasable/programmable read-only memory) chip to save game
information and settings. Up to 100,000 writes can be performed with the
EEPROM; after that, future writes may not be saved (performance varies
widely, but 100,000 is a guaranteed minimum). Depending on use, this
limit should take from 10 to 50 years to reach.

The Jaguar uses 24-bit addressing, and is reportedly capable of accessing
data as follows:

Six megabytes cartridge ROM
Eight megabytes DRAM
Two megabytes miscellaneous/expansion

All of the processors can access the main DRAM memory area directly. The
Digital Signal Processor and the Graphics Processor can execute code out
of either their internal caches, or out of main memory. The only
limitations are that

(1) "jump" instructions in main memory have certain restrictions; the JMP
(unconditional jump) command is longword-aligned, while the JR
(jump-indexed-by-register) command must be either word- or longword-
aligned. And
(2) running out of the cache is much faster (up to four times faster) and
efficient.

Some believe that the inability to jump/branch in main memory makes the
main memory feature useless.

Swapping data between the caches and the main memory is a quick, low
overhead operation, and therefore the main memory is often used as "swap
space" for cache code. The RISC compiler included in the latest Jaguar
developer's kit produced code that transparently swaps code through the
cache. This effectively allowed developers write RISC code without
concern for the cache size limits.

Compressed cartridge data can be uncompressed in real-time, and ratios of
up to 14:1 have been cited. In theory, a Jaguar cartridge can store up to
84 megabytes (672 megabits) of data, though actual results will vary
widely (most often, images are compressed, while sound and code are not).
Compression is performed with BPEG, an enhanced JPEG image decompression
mechanism. BPEG supercedes the former JagPEG algorithm, working up to 10
times faster and with more flexibility.

Other Jaguar features:
- Support for ComLynx I/O for communications with the Atari Lynx hand-held
game system and networked multiconsole games (on DSP port, accessible
by optional add-on connector). Networking of up to 32 Jaguar units
available.
- The two controller ports can be expanded to support "dozens" of
controllers
- Digital and analog interfaces
- Keyboards, mice, and light guns are possible
- Expansion port allows connection to cable TV and other networks
- Digital Signal Processor port allows connection to modems and digital
audio peripherals (such as DAT players)
- One megabyte per second serial interface
- 9600 baud, RS-232 serial port (accessible with optional interface)
- General-purpose I/O bits via the cartridge port
- Can accomodate future expansions of different processor types, I/O
types, video types, and memory types and/or quantities.

The 7th Guest - Philips CD-i Review - History Collection

The 7th Guest




Released
1993

Genre
Adventure

Publisher
Philips Interactive Media

Developer
Trilobyte

Catalog ID
811 0040

DVC Required
Yes

Players
1
Description
A stunning interactive drama of mystery and intrigue... You don't know why you're in the mansion of the long-gone master toy maker, but you do know that you're not alone... The 7th Guest on CD-i promises to keep you on the edge of your seat with a combination of vivid imagery, special effects and cinematic shocks. The 7th Guest on CD-i features CD-i Digital Video, terrifyingly real virtual environments, haunted rooms to explore - complete with live actors - bizarre puzzles to solve, games to play and a chilling soundtrack.

Review
Hasn't been reviewed yet

Game Media
Front - Back - Disc1 - Disc2

Tips & Tricks
Walkthrough

Cheats

Nintendo GameCube Review

With Microsoft's Xbox targeting the mature audience and Sony's Playstation 2 dominating the mainstream, Nintendo's GameCube seemed content to appeal to its traditional fan base and the younger demographic. Lightweight and compact, this cube-shaped console resembled a Fisher Price toy with its indigo color scheme and large plastic handle. Under the hood however, the Gamecube was nearly as powerful as the Xbox, and had a technical edge over the PS2. One odd design quirk was its use of small, proprietary disks instead of DVDs. While this helped curb piracy and allowed for a more compact design, the system's lack of DVD movie playback was considered a drawback.
Much like the Nintendo 64 that came before it, the GameCube boasted many superb first-party (Nintendo) titles, but lagged behind Sony and Microsoft in terms of third-party support. Still, one could argue that the GameCube library emphasizes quality over quantity, with smash hits like Mario Sunshine, Zelda the Wind Waker, Donkey Konga, Wave Race Blue Storm, and Metroid Prime. Most of these titles were ideal for multi-player action and family-oriented fun. Although many third-party software developers ignored the GameCube, there were a few big-name exceptions. Sega put its full weight behind the Cube, publishing a series of quality Sonic titles, and LucasArts provided several Star Wars exclusives. The system lacked mature titles, but Eternal Darkness and Resident Evil 4 were notable exceptions.
Due to its compact, lightweight design, Nintendo could undercut its competitors in terms of price. Unlike Sony and Microsoft which were taking a loss on each machine sold (made up quickly in software sales, of course), Nintendo actually made money on each console. Still, the system's selection of games was meager, with most third-party games simply ports of PS2 titles. In the end, Nintendo settled into third place in the competitive console wars, closely behind Microsoft's Xbox.
Console design: A-. Often described as "cute", the diminutive GameCube features four controller ports, two memory card slots, and a pop-top lid. The top of the unit features power, open, and reset buttons. A large gray handle protrudes from the back of the unit, but I always questioned its usefulness. Unlike the PS2 and Xbox, a component video cable for the system is not available in North America, although it can be imported. The GameCube saves its game data via tiny memory cards. Initially, the capacity of these cards was ridiculously small, but thankfully, third-party companies stepped in to provide cards with huge capacities. I own one third-party memory card, and that has been sufficient to hold my entire GameCube collection of 50+ titles.
Console durability: B. The GameCube tends to be more durable than the PS2, putting it on par with the Xbox. For certain games, I've encountered issues with intermittent "clicking" noises, but these have been rare occurrences.
Controllers: C. While the Nintendo controller appears innovative on the surface, closer scrutiny reveals a button layout very similar to the Xbox controller. There are two analog thumbsticks, but the yellow one on the lower right is small and feels uncomfortable. The tiny digital pad also feels a bit awkward. The main buttons include easy-to-press A and B buttons, but the bean-shaped X and Y are counter-intuitive. Triggers on the back of the controller exhibit a lot of range, but this feature is rarely put to good use. Finally, the ill-conceived Z button, located on the back-right of the controller, is both hard to reach and easy to forget. Overall, the controller is fair but far from optimal. On a positive note, Nintendo was the only console maker to release a first-party wireless controller, and this well-constructed "Wavebird" is a must-have for any serious GameCube player. Its only flaw is the lack of force-feedback.
Media: B. The small GameCube disks are interesting, and probably more durable that DVDs. One drawback is the fact that they have less capacity, necessitating some games (like Resident Evil 4) to come packaged with two disks.
Packaging: B. While similar in shape and size to normal DVD cases, the proprietary GameCube cases use less plastic and don't feel quite as sturdy.
Games: B. Due to a lack of support from third-party publishers, the Gamecube was often left out in the cold as hit titles like Silent Hill 2 and Grand Theft Auto 4 were released for the PS2 and Xbox. What the GameCube did possess was its recognizable stable of franchises including Zelda, Mario, Metroid, F-Zero, Wave Race, and Donkey Kong. The Cube also boasted the best selection of games suitable for young players, including Mario Kart Double Dash, Mario Party, Super Smash Brothers Melee, and Super Monkey Ball. The console was lacking in several other genres however, including RPGs and fighting games.
Graphics: A-. The GameCube's graphics are slightly better defined than the PS2, and virtually indistinguishable from the Xbox. However, the GameCube does not provide the same degree of high-definition support that Xbox gamers enjoy.
Collectability: A-. Compared to the Xbox and PS2, the Cube has a modest library, but many enjoyable first-party exclusives. The GameCube consoles are extremely cheap and durable. Outstanding titles like Mario Kart Double Dash, Zelda the Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and Star Wars Rogue Squadron more than justify owning this system.
Innovations: Mini disk format, handle on console, wireless controller

3DO History (1993 - 1994)

As the first 32-bit game system and arguably the most over-hyped machine in video game history, the 3DO promised to be much more than just a game console. Eschewing the "video game" label altogether, the system was marketed as an "interactive multiplayer", offering the ability to play audio, video, and photo disks in addition to games. It was the first (but not the last) attempt to deliver an "all-in-one box" to fulfill the age-old promise of "multi-media convergence". Despite its ambitious claims, the 3DO was ultimately exposed as an overrated game console that couldn't even compete with the 16-bit machines.
Unlike the other major console vendors of the day, the 3DO company never actually manufactured a system. Instead, it licensed its hardware technology to companies like Goldstar, Sanyo, and Panasonic, which produced different versions of the 3DO. One downside of this scheme was that the manufacturers had to make their money from the hardware itself (unlike Sega or Nintendo who could make up a loss with software sales). Consequently, cutting-edge gamers found themselves shelling out an astounding $700 for the system when it was first introduced. The 3DO amassed a respectable library of software, but it was mostly comprised of PC ports, full motion video (FMV) titles, and primitive polygon shooters. There were precious few arcade-style titles like those enjoying popularity on the 16-bit systems. Many of the 3DO's "exclusive" titles tanked, and the price of the system tumbled dramatically. By the time the Saturn and Playstation hit the scene, the 3DO had already faded into obscurity.
In concept, the 3DO was replete with flaws that would doom it from day one. The system was equipped with only one controller port, at a time when other systems were releasing multi-taps to accommodate a four and eight-player games. 3DO controllers could be "daisy-chained" together, but this was awkward. The next mistake was designing the original controller with only five buttons, despite the fact that six buttons were required to play some of the more popular games of the time. The 3DO had the ability to save games (and high scores) to memory, but its limited capacity could not be easily expanded (if at all). While all 3DO systems were supposed to be compatible, certain games didn't run well (or at all) on particular brands of consoles. The premise of an "all-in-one" multimedia center never materialized, because 3DO never really offered any legitimate entertainment options outside of games. Then there was the cost factor. Very few kids - who comprised the bulk of the game-playing market - could afford the system. Finally, 3DO falsely assumed that better looking, cutting edge games would be more fun to play, which of course is not necessarily the case.
The 3DO did produce a few notable hits, including superb versions of Madden Football, Road Rash, Need For Speed, and Samurai Shodown. Gex, a fun side-scroller starring a smart-aleck gecko lizard, provided the 3DO with an unofficial mascot. If you enjoy full motion video (FMV) titles, the 3DO produced some the best versions of these games, including Night Trap and Dragon's Lair. In the final analysis however, the 3DO failed to make a lasting impact on the video game industry.
Console design: D+. Several varieties of 3DO consoles were produced, but all resemble generic black boxes with few external controls. Some of the more heavy-duty models featured motorized CD trays, while other lightweight versions had cheap, pop-top lids. The single controller port is an unforgivable flaw that's almost comical. To its credit, the systems did support high-quality audio and video output, including S-video and surround sound.
Console durability: C-. Since the 3DO is basically a glorified CD player, dirty lenses issues can lead to disk read problems. Unfortunately, these problems are often confused with incompatibility issues exhibited by certain combinations of games and system models.
Controllers: D. The 3DO controllers are remarkably mediocre. With only five buttons (not counting the tiny "X" and "P" buttons), it was insufficient for many popular games (including Street Fighter 2), necessitating six-button alternative controllers. In addition, the controllers are cheaply constructed, with "loose" directional pads that make it too easy to accidentally hit the diagonal angles.
Media: B. It's hard to criticize the CD media for storing video games, but most 3DO titles misused the extra capacity of the medium by included gratuitous cut-scenes and generic pre-recorded soundtracks. 3DO games have varying load times, but in general it's not an issue.
Packaging: D. The tall boxes used to house 3DO games are definitely overkill, and they will waste a lot of room on your shelf.