What is the rarest video game console

[Sonicwolf]

I have heard that the JVC X'Eye is pretty damned rare. Only number I have heard thrown around was 10000 units. I'm pretty happy to own one.

[tubeway]

Not absolutely the rarest, because it's quite recent and not too hard to find, is the GP2X from Korea (Korea features a lot in this thread!). There were about 60,000 made.

I bought one new (",)

Yep, it's a neat little machine, and if you want to make your own games, I believe Game Maker supports it.

[danny_galaga]

Yep, it's a neat little machine, and if you want to make your own games, I believe Game Maker supports it.

I bought i for mame specifically, as it has a TV out (",)

[InsaneDavid]

I've said it before (not in this thread) but for production stuff I'd put my money on the HeartBeat Personal Trainer. Sure, it's just a Genesis 1 with a different top on it and some extra stuff for connection to a stationary bike - oh, and a game that was only ever released with it - but how many of these have you seen boxed complete? Counting the one I had (since sold - right here on these forums) pictured below, that makes two that I know of.

http://www.classicplastic.net/junk/HeartBeatPersonalTrainer001.JPG

http://www.classicplastic.net/junk/HeartBeatPersonalTrainer007.JPG

http://www.classicplastic.net/junk/HeartBeatPersonalTrainer023.JPG

Currently an R10 (http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=9585) but as it was a production piece, I'd say it's more of an R9.

[Rickstilwell1]

I saw some pretty obscure video game systems on infomercials as a kid and they were only available through order. I wonder if anyone ever bought those? There was one that was a C64 clone with built in roms, and an even older one that had a normal gamepad and light gun. Probably I wanna say around 1994-1995?

Of course are probably considered more modern pongs as they had many built in games.

[Sonicwolf]

I've said it before (not in this thread) but for production stuff I'd put my money on the HeartBeat Personal Trainer. Sure, it's just a Genesis 1 with a different top on it and some extra stuff for connection to a stationary bike - oh, and a game that was only ever released with it - but how many of these have you seen boxed complete? Counting the one I had (since sold - right here on these forums) pictured below, that makes two that I know of.

Currently an R10 (http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=9585) but as it was a production piece, I'd say it's more of an R9.

I have never even heard of that before. Very interesting and weird.

[slapdash]

Yeah, the Heartbeat Personal Trainer is rare, but who else has a Fitness Station out there? Similar idea, but PC cards for media.

[njb12287]

I have Cartridge 12 for the original Odyssey. Not many of these but mine may be the only one signed by Ralph Baer himself

[Matt-El]

A working Atari Cosmos was put on eBay recently, but no one bought it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-ATARI-COSMOS-THIRD-DIMENSION-SYSTEM-ASTEROIDS-GAME_W0QQitemZ320475467312QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo _Games

[Zap!]

A working Atari Cosmos was put on eBay recently, but no one bought it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-ATARI-COSMOS-THIRD-DIMENSION-SYSTEM-ASTEROIDS-GAME_W0QQitemZ320475467312QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo _Games

Wow, that is a very cool and interesting system. Too bad it was a BIN for over 12k.

BTW, that guy has some damn nerve charging $15 for shipping when the system is 12k+. Really? No free shipping?

[Swamperon]

Wow, that is a very cool and interesting system. Too bad it was a BIN for over 12k.

BTW, that guy has some damn nerve charging $15 for shipping when the system is 12k+. Really? No free shipping?

I'm surprised it wasn't pick-up only. If I was to spend 12K on one console, I'd most definitely go pick it up in person.

[boatofcar]

I'm surprised it wasn't pick-up only. If I was to spend 12K on one console, I'd most definitely go pick it up in person.

Not to mention it's listed under Platform:3DO :roll:

[boatofcar]

I'm not so sure about how rare it is but I have Hyundai Super Comboy and can honestly say, I've never seen once since. It's even hard to find pictures of it on the web.

It's just a Korean SNES but does anyone else have one of these units?


I had one.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/1869743727_bed644406e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnshawler/1869743727/)







Like other people have said, I think it's difficult to say that systems like the Zemmix or Super Comboy are really very rare. They may be rare in the U.S., but much less so in Korea.

They're incredibly rare in Korea. I traveled the country up and down two years looking for them and found exactly two, one of which I wasn't able to buy, the other of which I sold to a collector here on DP. I never even saw an original Comboy. People just tend to junk old stuff in Korea much more frequently than in Japan. I did find a Samsung Saturn game, but not the system.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3187708980_5b384170a7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnshawler/3187708980/)

[njb12287]

An odyssey clone only sold in Sweden. The Kannal 34. Only one found to date.

http://www.magnavox-odyssey.com/Kanal%2034.htm

[tom]

An odyssey clone only sold in Sweden. The Kannal 34. Only one found to date.

http://www.magnavox-odyssey.com/Kanal%2034.htm

Did the buyer had to bang up their own casing? That looks so selfmade.

[Steve W]

Did the buyer had to bang up their own casing? That looks so selfmade.

It said that it was a rebuilt import. Which would mean that there wouldn't be any others, since it wasn't a production kind of thing. And man, the guy who did that site couldn't spell worth anything. So who knows if the console was really named Kanal 34 or not.

[njb12287]

http://www.pong-picture-page.de/catalog/images/Sw_Odyssey%20Kanal%2034_www.JPG

Well here is an advertisment for it at the time. I think it was a poorly made clone system but none the less a legitimate system. Only one ever found makes this the rarest of all

Oh and the person that made that site is Swedish and speaks and spells very well considering this

[Twitami]

What was that Memorex game system? I was the size of one of those 80s era VCRs, iirc. It was the big bitch. Can't remember its name.

-Rob

The Memorex VIS (Video Information System). I have one, and about 30 games for it. And wow, is it lame.

[Sonicwolf]

The CD32 is pretty rare, especcially in the USA. Also, if you count the Commodore CDTV as a game console what with the controller and all, it would be considered pretty damned rare. I doubt they sold many of those.

Anyone know anything about the Super A'Can?

5000th Post, yay!

[Twitami]

The CD32 is pretty rare, especcially in the USA. Also, if you count the Commodore CDTV as a game console what with the controller and all, it would be considered pretty damned rare. I doubt they sold many of those.

Anyone know anything about the Super A'Can?

5000th Post, yay!

I have all three of those actually :)

[mr obscure]

panasonic gamecube

[portnoyd]

The Q? No way.

[physics223]

With its price and all, I think it's probably the RDI Halcyon.

[ReTrO-pLaYeR]

The AdventureVision is noteworthy. It's similar in structure to the Coleco Tabletops, but it wasn't commercially successful and ending up being disregarded. They're worth a large amount on auction sites.

[physics223]

The AdventureVision is noteworthy. It's similar in structure to the Coleco Tabletops, but it wasn't commercially successful and ending up being disregarded. They're worth a large amount on auction sites.

It will actually pale to what an RDI Halcyon will fetch. Since they never come out, however, it's moot. I think the Palmtex Super Micro is even rarer than the Adventure Vision.

[Zap!]

It will actually pale to what an RDI Halcyon will fetch. Since they never come out, however, it's moot. I think the Palmtex Super Micro is even rarer than the Adventure Vision.

True. There are two numbers being floated around when it comes to AV's. You either hear 50,000 were sold, or 10,000. No idea which is true, but neither would make it the rarest.

[Oldskool]

Where does everyone get this 10,000 number for the X'Eye? I'd like to know the source for this.

[physics223]

True. There are two numbers being floated around when it comes to AV's. You either hear 50,000 were sold, or 10,000. No idea which is true, but neither would make it the rarest.

I'm not sure what the numbers are for the Super Micro, but I'm sure they don't reach into the ten thousands, since if I remember correctly the company who manufactured the system wasn't exactly a big one. The RDI Halcyon is extremely rare, though, since there were more or less only twenty systems made, and some of those have been trashed.

I don't think the Atari Cosmos counts since it's just a prototype, but it can compete as one of the rarest systems since there were only about five made.

[Oldskool]

I don't recall the M2 being mentioned. And I think it's pretty darned rare.

It was actually released, but more as a kiosk machine, not sure if it would qualify as a game console even though that was it's original intent. Actually a game or two was made using M2 technology as arcade games.

[Sly DC]

Hi Folks,

You've mentioned some quite rare ones and some of them prototypes. What about one that were really released (not a protoptype) in United States in 1978 and is estimated about only 500 made ?

It's called the Unisonic Champion 2711. It's a programmable cartridge-based system and has a CP1610 CPU like the Mattel Intellivision. If you don't believe me, go here:

http://www.ccjvq.com/slydc/2711/index.htm

I have one boxed with all 4 cartridges to either sell or trade. I don't say that's the ultimate rarest one but damn it's rare & obscure. Only 8 has surfaced yet.

[diskoboy]

Hi Folks,

You've mentioned some quite rare ones and some of them prototypes. What about one that were really released (not a protoptype) in United States in 1978 and is estimated about only 500 made ?

It's called the Unisonic Champion 2711. It's a programmable cartridge-based system and has a CP1610 CPU like the Mattel Intellivision. If you don't believe me, go here:

http://www.ccjvq.com/slydc/2711/index.htm

I have one boxed with all 4 cartridges to either sell or trade. I don't say that's the ultimate rarest one but damn it's rare & obscure. Only 8 has surfaced yet.

http://www.ccjvq.com/slydc/2711/datafiles/main_fichiers/jimmy2.jpg Jimmy The Greek for the win!

Ah, the 70's! :)

[Raging Prawn]

I think the CPS Changer is pretty rare. I have seen less of these in years of active hunting than I have the AdventureVision or the Super A'can. I think the Halcyon is more rare, but this one was a tough grail to get and I think I've only seen one on ebay in the last 10 years of searching (and it was loose).

It took me years to find mine (CIB :D)and I still haven't found a single game for it... and I do a lot of looking.

[Suikoman444]

I know it's not the rarest, but I thought the Action Max deserved some mention. It's a pretty funky system that uses VHS game tapes and a VHS player.

[tom]

Hi Folks,

You've mentioned some quite rare ones and some of them prototypes. What about one that were really released (not a protoptype) in United States in 1978 and is estimated about only 500 made ?

It's called the Unisonic Champion 2711. It's a programmable cartridge-based system and has a CP1610 CPU like the Mattel Intellivision. If you don't believe me, go here:

http://www.ccjvq.com/slydc/2711/index.htm

I have one boxed with all 4 cartridges to either sell or trade. I don't say that's the ultimate rarest one but damn it's rare & obscure. Only 8 has surfaced yet.

Wow, that is so neat, I want one. Amazing, this hobby still keeps coming up with surprises. Bet they go for a nice $.

Basically, the first 16-bit console, predating Intellivision.

.

[Kiddo]

Do hardware add-ons mix into this? Again, while not the rarest, the 64DD is a real expensive get (Or rather, an I-can't-get-yet for me), and I can count the amount of people I know of who still have a "Complete" Satellaview (with all the hook-ups and connections, and the BS-X cartridge) on one hand (And I'm one of them.)

As for some actual hardware... hrm.... whatever the heck Hi-Ten Bomberman ran on, assuming it even ran on actually identified hardware.

[todesengel]

As for some actual hardware... hrm.... whatever the heck Hi-Ten Bomberman ran on, assuming it even ran on actually identified hardware.
Hi-Ten Bomberman was a PC-FX game, just not a retail one if I'm remembering correctly.

[Kiddo]

To my knowledge, the PC-FX does not have the technical ability to output the HD Graphics Hi-Ten Bomberman displayed.

[todesengel]

To my knowledge, the PC-FX does not have the technical ability to output the HD Graphics Hi-Ten Bomberman displayed.
You're right, the game seems to have been running on custom hardware. I got mixed up because the game was supposed to come to the PC-FX in some form but was canceled.

[Marriott_Guy]

98PaceCar and I collaborated on a Top 20 list for rare hardware around a month or so ago. We did not include dev/LE/SE/protos/clones at all - just the standard retail releases of a system. Might be a good read to those following this thread.

Part 1 - The Minors (consoles 11-20)
http://videogameconsolelibrary.com/blogs/mg/?p=435#comments

Part II - The Majors (consoles 1 - 10)
http://videogameconsolelibrary.com/blogs/mg/?p=437#respond

Comments always welcomed.

[98PaceCar]

I didn't realize you had published the majors already. Looks great as always!!

I guess now that the CPS is home, I can turn my attention to the Zemmix. Hopefully it will come up sooner than the CPS did!!

[Marriott_Guy]

I didn't realize you had published the majors already. Looks great as always!!

I guess now that the CPS is home, I can turn my attention to the Zemmix. Hopefully it will come up sooner than the CPS did!!

Glad you like D! Yes - the Zemmix would be the next one I would seriously target if I were in your shoes. I had the opportunity to grab this beast when I was collecting hardcore. If I remember correctly, I believe the price was 750 British pounds (around $1000 USD) for a loose system. Obviously, I passed on this hoping to score a boxed system in the future. Sad to say but that day never came.

Maybe bojay1997 has one of these? I do not know of anyone else who might have this oddity.

[tom]

98PaceCar and I collaborated on a Top 20 list for rare hardware around a month or so ago. We did not include dev/LE/SE/protos/clones at all - just the standard retail releases of a system. Might be a good read to those following this thread.

Part 1 - The Minors (consoles 11-20)
http://videogameconsolelibrary.com/blogs/mg/?p=435#comments

Part II - The Majors (consoles 1 - 10)
http://videogameconsolelibrary.com/blogs/mg/?p=437#respond

Comments always welcomed.

Pretty neat. Love the Bandai SUperVision 8000, wow Japan's first programmable.

I believe the Unisonic Champion 2711 should be in the Top5 for sure

Maybe the Teradrive should be included, kinda like a C64GS reversed.
http://www.videogamecollectors.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=193634&g2_serialNumber=2

What about programmable handhelds, will there be an extra handheld section?

[Marriott_Guy]

@tom - The TeraDrive is a good call, but these seem to pop up all the time in my experience (though they will run you a few bucks). I was not a huge handheld collector - 98 has many more units than I do/had. We had not planned on doing a Handheld Top 20 since our site is dedicate to consoles. I owe him a call anyway and we'll chat about it.

Thanks for the feedback tom - it is appreciated.

[ccatalyst]

Terry, im amazed you did not include these
My Vision Nichibutsu KH-1000
Commodore 64GS
Toshiba Visicom Model Com-100
Voltmace Database

Rick.

[Bojay1997]

Terry, im amazed you did not include these
My Vision Nichibutsu KH-1000
Commodore 64GS
Toshiba Visicom Model Com-100
Voltmace Database

Rick.

I don't know, the 64GS had at least 20,000 units released and it hasn't been particularly hard to find on Ebay.UK until probably the last 2-3 years. Numerically, it is probably about as rare as the US version of the Bandai Pippin. The Visicom and My Vision regularly pop-up on Yahoo.JP auctions. I would say they are equally numerically rare to the Casio PV1000 and Supervision 8000, but in a lot less demand and far less valuable. I can't speak to the rarity of the Voltmace, but it's another one of those sort of clone machines that really only appeals to a small group of collectors.

[tom]

@tom - The TeraDrive is a good call, but these seem to pop up all the time in my experience (though they will run you a few bucks). I was not a huge handheld collector - 98 has many more units than I do/had. We had not planned on doing a Handheld Top 20 since our site is dedicate to consoles. I owe him a call anyway and we'll chat about it.

Thanks for the feedback tom - it is appreciated.

They seem to come up a few times but always or mostly without the original Sega monitor.

The Videobrain (1977) is a very rare computer, actually the first computer to use carts, and it also contained 4 joystick ports (pre-Atari 8-bit)

[MarioMania]

How about the Hello Kitty Xbox??