For every console success story, there’s one that bombed. They didn’t merely perform below par like theNintendo 64orSega Dreamcastor have mixed success like theAtariST andSega Saturn. These machines turned up on retail shelves and got toasted by the competition quicker than a hiccup.
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Even so, their owners found ways to make lemonade out of these lemons, as their releases still had some winners among them. These good games made these failed consoles worth investing in.
8Atari 7800: Commando
After the North American Game Crash of 1983, Atari tried to get back into the market with the Atari 7800. In a vacuum, it could’ve been a contender to theNES. But that ship had long since sailed by the time it came out. The 1980s belonged toNintendo’s white toaster. That said, it still had a fair roster of solid and enjoyable titles.
Its best game has to beCapcom’s vertical run & gunnerCommando. The original arcade game inspired the likes ofIkari WarriorsandRambo, and it was reproduced quite faithfully on the 7800. The only downside is that it lacks the in-game music that the arcade and NES ports had. Gameplay-wise, it was still a winner.
7Sega CD: Snatcher
For a failed add-on, the Sega CD does have its fans. TheSega GenesisMini 2 actually got some extra buzz when it was announced it would featuresome of the Sega CD’s libraryon it too. In a perfect world, it would’ve also hadSnatcher, a port of Hideo Kojima’s cyberpunk visual novel that saw Junker agent Gillian Seed and his buddy Metal Gear go after identity-thieving robots called Snatchers.
The Sega CD version was the only version localized for the West, complete with surprisingly solid voice acting for the 1990s. Instead, its only official modern release was on the TurboGrafx-16 Mini, where it was all in Japanese no matter what version of the machine people bought.
6Sega 32X: Star Wars Arcade
This mushroom-like add-on for theSegaGenesis bombed harder than the Sega CD. The device was abandoned almost as soon as it was released, as the Sega Saturn was due out within its first year. It had a few winners, as its port ofVirtua Fighterwas better than the Saturn’s launch port, and its version ofSpace Harrierwas the first truly arcade-perfect release of theYu Suzuki classic.
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Still, if there was any reason to pick the 32X up, it would have to beStar WarsArcade. The game was a spiritual successor to the vector-based 1983 arcade game. Players flew around in an X-Wing or Y-Wing against the Imperial Forces in levels based on the original trilogy. The controls could get convoluted but played much better on a 6-button Genesis pad.
53DO: Star Control II
If co-foundingElectronic Artswasn’t enough for Trip Hawkins, he also helped produce the 3DO. Unlike some of its more infamous rivals, the 3DO actually got some international traction. It gained some solid ports ofSuper Street Fighter 2 TurboandSamurai Shodown 2that appealed to the Asian markets. Still, the writing was on the wall for the console, and it said “ThePlayStationis cheaper and has better performance.”
It would be easy to recommendPolicenauts, another Kojima game, as its best title. However, it got pipped to the post byStar Control II. The player had to recruit allies across the cosmos to escape the clutches of Ur-Quan in this free-roaming, strategic space adventure. Originally released on MS-DOS, the 3DO port gave it new life with improved graphics, presentation, and voice actingthat really showed off the machine’s potential at the time.
4Philips CD-I: The Apprentice
The CD-I technically wasn’t Philips trying to enter the video game market. They were entering the multimedia market, as it had newfangled features like email access and online capabilities alongside educational material likeThe Flowers of Robert Mapplethorpe. Even so, the games ended up being its legacy, leaving it better known for itsterribleZeldagamesand its subsequent YouTube Poops.
At least it hadThe Apprentice, a vertical platform game made by futureGod of Warprogrammer Tim Moss and Dutch developers Vision Factory. Marvin, the titular apprentice, has to perform a series of tasks for the wizard Gandorf in a game that combinesBubble Bobble-esque gameplay with a European sense of humor. It was fun and funny at the same time, with some interestingMortal Kombat-themed easter eggs hidden along the way.
3Atari Jaguar: Tempest 2000
With its complicated hardware, dodgy controller, and even worse CD add-on, the Atari Jaguar was a joke on arrival. Its commercials implored people to “do the math” by putting its 64 bits against the PlayStation’s 32 bits. But power isn’t enough when it can’t be harnessed to make good games. The Jaguar’s line-up was so underwhelming it’s why most fans know it as “theTempest 2000machine.”
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This sequel to the 1980s arcade game featured the same, snappy gameplay, where players zipped from one lane to another to blast enemies. Designer Jeff Minter (ofTxKandPolybiusfame) just spiced it up with new power-ups, bonus levels, a 2-player mode, and psychedelic “Melt-O-Vision” graphics. It’s since been re-released on the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC onAtari 50: The Anniversary Collection.
2Ouya: Knightmare Tower
To think this tiny white box got on the cover of magazines as a step forward for gaming. It was an Android-based console that would’ve given developers a platform to be as experimental as they like, and players the chance to try them before they bought them. In the end, it was more of a backward step, putting games designed for smartphones on TV screens.
Its roster had a few diamonds among a lot of rough.Knightmare Toweris one of the brighter examples. Originally a Flash and iOS game, players went up the titular tower to save 10 princesses by hacking away at a wide variety of monsters across 70 levels. As simple as it was, it was addictive to play and had plenty of content on offer.
1Wii U: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD
Maybe it’s a little strong to put theWii Unext to the Jaguar and CD-I. The Wii U feels more comparable to the Dreamcast with its strong selection of games. While most got ported to the Switch, others likeSuper Mario MakerandThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HDare still exclusive to Nintendo’s first HD machine. Still, they weren’t enough to make up for the design flaws and lagging sales.
If it is ultimately a bona fide failure, owners could cry all the way to the proverbial bank withTheLegend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD. Itimproved upon the original gamewith the Swift Sail speed and streamlined controls. The GamePad could even be used to aim the bow, and it worked fairly well. But it still supported the regular Pro Controller for those who’d rather control the action directly. For a “failure,” it sure feels like a winner.
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