video games gallery from the last century

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Prototypes

    Handhelds:3     Pongs:3     Computers:9     Consoles:39 ( :4 Games:1 )    Handheld consoles:7     Art


Action Game Master

1991

Apple Iplay

Atari 2000

Atari 2500

Atari 2700

Atari 3200


Atari started work on a 2600 successor called the Atari 3200.
It was to be compatible with 2600 cartridges, and was rumored to be based on a 10-bit processor, although design documents show it was to be based on the 8-bit 6502.
It was unfinished when preliminary game developers discovered that it was difficult to program. Atari cloned the Atari 3200 into the Sears Super Arcade II, but this was never released

Atari 5100


At one point following the 5200s release, Atari had planned a smaller, cost-reduced version of the Atari 5200, which would have removed the controller storage bin.
Code-named the Atari 5100 (a.k.a. Atari 5200 Jr.), only a few fully working prototype 5100s were made before the project was canceled

Atari Game Brain C-700

1978


The Atari Game Brain (Model C-700) is an unreleased dedicated home video game console that was supposed to be released by Atari in June 1978.
It plays 10 particular games, ported from all of Ataris previously released dedicated consoles, such as Pong, Stunt Cycle, and Video Pinball.
Its controllers were built onto the system, with 4 directional buttons, a paddle, and a fire button. Games are inserted in the top of the system by opening a door that also bears a small instruction booklet.

The system was not intended as a big seller for Atari but rather as a clearance of CPUs from unsold dedicated consoles.
By the time the Game Brain was finished, dedicated consoles were becoming obsolete against consoles with removable ROM cartridges, such as the already released Fairchild Channel F, the RCA Studio 2, and Ataris own Atari 2600.
Atari cancelled the Game Brain around 1978.
Three Atari Game Brain consoles and five prototype cartridges are known to exist.

Atari Jaguar Duo


The Atari Jaguar Duo was a proposed console similar to the TurboDuo and Genesis CDX.
It was an attempt by Atari to combine the Atari Jaguar and Atari Jaguar CD to make a new console.
A prototype model, described by journalists as resembling a bathroom scale, was unveiled at the 1995 Winter Consumer Electronics Show, but the console was cancelled before production could begin.

Atari Mirai


 Prototype

Atari Panther Prototype


The Atari Panther is a cancelled 32-bit video game console from Atari Corporation that was going to be the successor to the Atari 7800 and the Atari XEGS.
It was developed by the same ex-Sinclair team, Flare Technology, who were previously responsible for two cancelled console projects: the Flare One and the Konix Multisystem. The Panther was planned to be a combination of the Atari ST and the Atari Transputer Workstation Blossom video hardware.

Work started in 1988 with a planned release in 1991 to directly compete with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis.
Atari abandoned the project in favor of the 64-bit Jaguar after the team at Flare convinced them that they should create 3D Graphics hardware instead.
Prior to its cancellation, development kits for the Panther had already been sent out to several developers.
Several games were in development, which were halted by the consoles cancellation.

Bandai Het

1993

Bandai Portable Super Famicom

1991


Prototipo

Camerica The Express

1991

Ericsson Red Jade

2001


The Red Jade was Ericssons unreleased handheld console, intended to compete with the Game Boy Advance. Originally the developing team for the Red Jade approached Sony and Sega as potential partners but both declined.
Ericsson decided to invest US$10 million in the Red Jade, which was supposed to have PDA functions, wireless connectability, DivX movies, cell phone capabilities, a GPS server, a digital camera, MP3 audio playback, a web browser, the ability to download games from the website, game sharing utilizing Bluetooth technology, and graphics equivalent to the PlayStation.
It was to be released in late 2001 and would have retailed for $150. When overall sales plummeted, Ericsson cancelled the Red Jade before production in April 2001 and cut 22,000 employees to help minimize losses.
The number of existing prototype units is unclear along with possibility of games made for them. Ericssons mobile phone division later divested into joint venture with Sony and rebranded as Sony Ericsson, until Sony acquired Ericssons share and became Sony Mobile Communications.

Hasbro Nemo Control-Vision


The Control-Vision (originally codenamed NEMO) is an unreleased video game console developed by Tom Zito. It is notable for using VHS tapes rather than ROM cartridges, prompting the creation of game content which survived on into much more advanced CD-ROM platforms.

Hasbro Toaster

1996

Indrema L600

2001


The L600 was to be a Linux-based game console/computer and was in the process of being developed by Indrema until Indrema ceased operations in April 2001. Besides game play, it was also to be a CD player, DVD player, web browser, and TiVo-like video recorder. It also would have been an MP3 storage device.

Had the console been released, it would have cost US$299 and would have had 30 games available at launch. It would have had 64MB RAM and 96MB total. Its storage medium would have been 10GB discs. It would have had HDTV support. Indrema would have let regular end-users develop their games via their development kit. Most companies charge more than $10,000 USD for their kits. It would have had a GPU slide bay (it allowed you to slide out the graphics processor when a better one was available), an x86-based microprocessor running at 600 MHz, and it would have been able to process 120-180 million polygons per second.

There was little hope for the L600, however, as its speculated release date of Summer 2001 or later was after the launch of Segas Dreamcast and Sonys PlayStation 2, and very near or after the release of Microsofts Xbox and Nintendos GameCube. The Dreamcast and GameCube had launched at considerably lower prices, and PlayStation 2 and Xbox at the same speculated US$299 despite having bigger budgets and less advanced hardware than the L600 was supposed to have, leading to doubts. It was just one of many independently developed systems that would be unable to take consumer attention and spending from more established, previously mentioned companies already in the market.

Konix Multi System

1989


The Konix Multi-system is an unreleased, British designed, games machine (console) from circa 1989-1991.



Mattel Intellivision III

Microdigital Onyx

1984

Nurve Nano Gear

2003

Panasonic M2


The Panasonic M2 is a video game console design developed by 3DO and then sold to Matsushita, a company known outside Japan by the brand Panasonic.
Initially announced as an add-on chip for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, it was later unveiled as a standalone console. The console was cancelled in 1997, but the M2 technology was incorporated into other devices.

Development kits and prototypes of the machine became very valuable pieces among collectors. M2s technology was integrated in the multimedia players FZ-21S and FZ-35S, both released in 1998.
Both products were aimed at professionals working in medicine, architecture and sales, not home users.
The M2 also became a short-lived arcade board by Konami. The agreement to develop the board was made well in advance of the M2 consoles planned release date, with the understanding that games using the arcade board would be ported to the home console, similar to the relationship between the PlayStation and Namco System 11.
As games ran straight from the CD-ROM drive, it suffered from long load times and a high failure rate, so only five games were developed for it.

The M2 technology was later used in automated teller machines, and in Japan in coffee vending machines.

In the late 1990s and from 2000 on, the system was also sold in the interactive kiosk market. In 2000, PlanetWeb, Inc. began offering software to allow the M2 to be used as an Internet appliance

Phantom

2004


Phantom Entertainment, Inc. (known as Infinium Labs, Inc. until 2006) is a company founded in 2002 by Tim Roberts which makes computer keyboards.
However, Phantom is best known for the Phantom, a video game console advertised for Internet gaming on demand in 2004; it was never marketed, leading to suggestions that it was vaporware.
The companys website was last updated in late 2011

PlayStation SNES

1993


Lo que pudo haber sido una mejora para la Super Nintendo, derivó en la creación de la Playstation.

Prototypes

RDI Halcyon

1985


Halcyon es una videoconsola de RDI Video Systems, planeada para enero de 198, con un precio inicial de US $2500.
Se dice que existen menos de una docena de unidades.
Esta compuesta de un lector de laserdics y un ordenador.
De los seis juegos planeados, solo dos se completaron: Thayers Quest y NFL Football LA Raiders vs SD Chargers.

Se decía que todo el sistema podía ser controlado por voz, y que tendría una inteligencia artificial similar a HAL 9000, de la película 2001: A Space Odyssey.


 Platform Name RDI Halcyon
Short Name HALC
Release Date December 1984
Online Support No
Install Base 0
Original Price $2,500
Producing Company RDI Video Systems
Total Games 4 games

Retro Chameleon

2016


The Retro Chameleon, originally called the Retro VGS then Coleco Chameleon prior to the loss of the Coleco Holdings (owner of the Coleco brand name) license,[1] is a cancelled home video game console. Its creators have stated that it was inspired by the second to fifth generations (1976–1999) of home video game consoles, and like most consoles of those generations, the Retro VGS had planned to run all of its games on individual cartridges, as opposed to optical discs and digital download.
The Retro VGS was not expected to support any manner of online connectivity whatsoever, meaning all hardware and software released would have been the final product, and would not have the ability to update after release.
A Kickstarter campaign was initially planned to raise funds for the project, but this was later moved to Indiegogo one week before the start of the campaign when a physical prototype was not produced.

On March 8, 2016, Retro VGS pulled down their online social media presence after Coleco Holdings had withdrawn their support and involvement from the project.

Sears Super Arcade II


Atari 3200 clone prototype

Sega Chan


Prototipo

Sega Neptune


The Sega Neptune is an unproduced two-in-one Genesis and 32X console which Sega planned to release in fall 1995, with the retail price planned to be something less than US$200.
It was featured as early as March 1995, with Sega Magazine saying the console shows [Segas] commitment to the hardware.
Sega cancelled the Neptune in October 1995, citing fears that it would dilute their marketing for the Saturn while being priced too close to the Saturn to be a viable competitor.
Electronic Gaming Monthly used the Sega Neptune as an April Fools Day prank in its April 2001 issue.
The issue included a small article in which the writers announced that Sega had found a warehouse full of old Sega Neptunes, and were selling them on a website for $199.

Sega Pluton

1997

Sega Saturn Address Checker

1997

Sega VR

1993


The Sega VR is a virtual reality headset developed by Sega in the early 1990s.
Versions were planned for arcades and consoles (Sega Genesis and then Saturn), but only the arcade version was released, and the home console versions were cancelled.

Sony Prototype TV Game Machine


The TV Game Machine is an unreleased prototype console developed by Sony during the first generation of video games


 The TV Game Machine features a slot for cartridge-based software. There are four buttons on its front face: three numbered 1-3 and labled こたえ (kotae) in red, meaning answer and one labled すすめ (susume) in blue, meaning proceed.
With no controller, it is thought that these buttons were how games would have been played. On the right-hand side of the machine is a control wheel.
It is speculated that it could have been used to scroll through text on screen or for inserting and ejecting the game cartridge.

Taito Wowow


Taitos 16 bit machine that was shown at the Tokyo expo. Had capabilities comparable to the Genesis or TG-16.

The Brown Box

1967


This machine paved the way for the video games of today.
In 1967, Ralph Baer and his colleagues at Sanders Associates, Inc. developed a prototype for the first multiplayer, multiprogram video game system.

Since Sanders hoped to license the technology for a commercial venture, Baer understood that the games had to be fun or investors and consumers would not be interested.

In an oral history interview (copies available in the Archives Center at the National Museum of American History), Ralph Baer recalled, “The minute we played ping-pong, we knew we had a product.
Before that we weren’t too sure.”Originally called TV Game Unit #7, much like the Pump Unit before it, it became far better known by its nickname, “The Brown Box.”

The name comes from the brown wood-grain, self-adhesive vinyl used to make the prototype look more attractive to potential investors.
The Brown Box, though only a prototype, had basic features that most video games consoles still have today: two controls and a multigame program system.
The Brown Box could be programmed to play a variety of games by flipping the switches along the front of the unit, as can be seen in the picture. Program cards were used to show which switches needed to be set for specific games.
Brown Box games included ping-pong, checkers, four different sports games, target shooting with the use of a lightgun and a golf putting game, which required the use of a special attachment.
Sanders licensed the Brown Box to Magnavox, which released the system as the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972.

Ultravision VAS

1983


Ultravision VAS (video arcade system), de la empresa con el mismo nombre afincada en Miami, fue anunciada en 1983, pero nunca llegó a comercializarse.
Consistía en una televisión, videojuego y ordenador, todo en uno.

La parte del vidojuego tenía dos joysticks con botón de disparo y seis posiciones, aceptava cartuchos propios pero podrían comprarse adaptadores para Colecovisón y Atari VCS.

Juegos previstos:
Baseball Top
B-52 Bomber
Condor Attack II
Dare Devil Driver
Emergency I
Football
Karate II
Quest for the Idol II
Space War
Spider Kong II
Swimming Contest
Unexpected Dangers