Tec Toy's new Mega Drive comes with Guitar Hero clone and guitar!

[thom_m]

I don't know if I hate or love Tec Toy for this, seriously. I wanna know what you guys think.

Here's the thing: their new "Mega Drive IV - Guitar Idol" (http://www.tectoy.com.br/produto_interna.php?id=39) comes with a guitar controler and a Guitar Hero clone with named - duh -Guitar Idol.

According to their site, it comes with 50 songs, mixing brazilian and international artists - a nice selection, I gotta say (tracklist here (http://www.tectoy.com.br/pagina.php?tag=jogosmdgi50)).

It still comes with 80+ games built in (http://www.tectoy.com.br/pagina.php?tag=jogosmd87), and with no cart slot, as it's predecessor. The classic six button pad is back, although a little too colored; still, it's better than the last version's abomination of a controller.

I don't know what to think about this. Sometimes I think it's anice way to keep the good ol' MD alive and competitive. Most of the times, however, I just think it's another attempt too fool unaware parents looking for a console for their kids and, as so, they should quit with this bullshit, let the MD rest in piece and focus on that goddamn Zeebo (http://www.tectoy.com.br/produto_interna.php?id=32) thingy of theirs.

The price? R$ 329 (http://www.americanas.com.br/AcomProd/1858/2828302) - 299, if you have this particular store's credit card. Very, very, very, VERY expensive, as usual - so no, it's not an option for poor parents who can't afford a newer gen system, but most likelty a n00b parent trap, like I already stated.

So, what do you guys think about it?

EDIT/UPDATE: Some interesting links:

Video (in portuguese) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyJJ3zmmoS8) with Tec Toy's marketing manager, Vanessa Artea, talking about the new product. She says that, while the MD is still widely accepted by their target demographic (kids and pre-teens), these very customers demanded a guitar simulator, and so they developed one (Yes, sir, I'd hit that very much, by the way. Vanessa, I love you. Please call me).

Some of the tracks (http://youtube.com/results?search_query=guitar+idol+mega+drive&search_type=&aq=f). Surprisinngly, their sound like recorded versions of the songs, covered by some generic bands. I don't know how the do this but, since the brazilian has been a GOAC for quite some time now, I guess they just shove a media player and mp3 files in there.

[chrisbid]

a mega drive port of the sims 2? hmm

[Steve W]

I wonder what hardware happens to be inside this version, considering that the Mega Drive isn't all that well known for having good music capabilities.

I like that they're keeping Sega's legacy alive, but I don't know about this one. They could have just made it a plug-and-play guitar without the console attached if they wanted to.

The list of games that's included with the console is what startled me... The Sims 2? Since when was the Sims ported to the Mega Drive? And can someone crafty enough copy the ROMs and make a Genesis compatible version?

[Gapporin]

The price? R$ 329

...or $190 USD. Ouch.

It looks like what would happen if you crossed Guitar Hero with a V.Smile.

[izarate]

The Guitar Idol game has been on sale in Mexico since August if I'm not mistaken. There's even a Band variation (drums, bass, guitar). I haven't seen it in action so I can't comment on how good/bad it is. I've seen it for sale at Soriana (a supermarket chain).

I'll try to get more info (maker, tracklist, etc).

[Kitsune Sniper]

The Guitar Idol game has been on sale in Mexico since August if I'm not mistaken. There's even a Band variation (drums, bass, guitar). I haven't seen it in action so I can't comment on how good/bad it is. I've seen it for sale at Soriana (a supermarket chain).

I'll try to get more info (maker, tracklist, etc).

What.

The hell?

I'll ask my buddies to see if they've seen it. (I don't go to supermarkets :P)

[ReBirFh]

The guts of this montrosity is just a java emulator, those ''new'' games (the sims, FIFA and nedd for speeed.) are ports of games that came out on cell phones.

[A Black Falcon]

The guts of this montrosity is just a java emulator, those ''new'' games (the sims, FIFA and nedd for speeed.) are ports of games that came out on cell phones.

Right, they're not actually new Genesis games, they're running on other hardware in the same box.

[portnoyd]

Yikes.

[izarate]

What.
The hell?
I'll ask my buddies to see if they've seen it. (I don't go to supermarkets :P)


I managed to find a blog post about it:
http://eltable.blogspot.com/2009/06/lo-mas-nuevo-de-lo-nuevo-xstation-y.html

It's in spanish but you can see the picture. It seems to be marketed by x-station (of PowerStation fame). Also, apparently I was wrong, it has been on sale since June.

It would be "interesting" to have one but it's almost the same price as the Guitar Hero 3 + guitar bundle, if I recall correctly.

I'll try to get some info about the Band one.

[thom_m]

The Mexican Gutar Idol seems different from the brazilian one...it's a plug and ply guitar only, like Steve W suggested.

My beloved Vanessa Artea claims on the video that Tec Toy developed the game and produced the game tracks themselves. Taking it from the the tracklist and the looks fo the game, it might be true. The name might be a coincidence...I'd love to see a screenshot of the Mexican version to be sure.

Dammit, could Vanessa be lying to me?

[NayusDante]

The PS2 launched in Brazil (Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5407941/today-in-brazil-sony-officially-launched-the-playstation2)) last week at R$799. From this (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://www.gizmodo.com.br/conteudo/made-brazil-sony-traz-playstation-e-jogos-oficialmente-para-o-brasil-nao-comemore&ei=MfILS6jALIGXtgeN_rzZAg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DDepois%2Bde%2Benrolar%2Bmeses%2B(ou%2 Banos)%2Bpara%2Blan%25C3%25A7ar%2Bos%2Bseus%2Bvide ogames%2Boficialmente%2Bno%2BBrasil,%2Ba%2BSony%2B finalmente%2Bcolocou%2Bseus%2Bprodutos%2Bna%2Bloja %2BSony%2BStyle.%2BNada%2Bde%2BPlayStation%2B3%2Bp or%2Benquanto.%2BMas%2Btudo%2Bbem,%2Bem%2Bseu%2Blu gar,%2Bpoderemos%2Bcomprar%2Bum%2BPS2%2B(possivelm ente%2Bcom%2Bmanual%2Bem%2Bportugu%25C3%25AAs%2Bco m%2Bcapa%2Bde%2Bouro%2Bmaci%25C3%25A7o)%2Bque%2Bto ca%2BCD/DVD,%2Bcomo%2Bvoc%25C3%25AA%2Bv%25C3%25AA%2Bna%2Bd escri%25C3%25A7%25C3%25A3o%2Bdo%2Bproduto,%2Ba%2BR %2524%2B800.%2BVoc%25C3%25AA%2Bpode%2Bcomprar%2Bjo gos%2Bde%2BPS2%2Ba%2BR%2524%2B99%2Bou%2Bde%2BPlayS tation%2B3%2Ba%2BR%2524%2B250%2B(lan%25C3%25A7amen tos)%2Bou%2BR%2524%2B199%2B(velhos).%2BH%25C3%25A1 %2Bum%2Bselo%2Bdo%2BMinist%25C3%25A9rio%2Bda%2BJus ti%25C3%25A7a%2Bem%2Bportugu%25C3%25AAs,%2Bque%2Bd eve%2Bcustar%2Bum%2Bbocado.%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1C1C HME_enUS354US354)news article, it doesn't look like it includes any games.

This is certainly an interesting console lineup for Brazil... The MD4 certainly sounds like the best "value," but it's certainly dated.

MD4 - R$329 with 80 "games" (not sure how many are Genesis vs Java)
Zeebo - R$599 with Quake I, Quake II, Evil Prey, and Action Hero 3D (?)
PS2 - R$799 console only, games are R$250, R$199 for kids titles
Xbox 360 - R$2999 with 3 games, games are R$179


So the 360 is insanely expensive, but the games are cheaper.

I believe someone commented on the Kotaku article that the Brazilian console market is seriously screwed up in terms of pricing. If they only imported components and not built systems, the tariffs would be lower. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but wouldn't that make more sense? I'm sure that Brazil would appreciate more jobs being created for it...

[thom_m]

The PS2 launched in Brazil (Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5407941/today-in-brazil-sony-officially-launched-the-playstation2)) last week at R$799. From this (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://www.gizmodo.com.br/conteudo/made-brazil-sony-traz-playstation-e-jogos-oficialmente-para-o-brasil-nao-comemore&ei=MfILS6jALIGXtgeN_rzZAg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DDepois%2Bde%2Benrolar%2Bmeses%2B(ou%2 Banos)%2Bpara%2Blan%25C3%25A7ar%2Bos%2Bseus%2Bvide ogames%2Boficialmente%2Bno%2BBrasil,%2Ba%2BSony%2B finalmente%2Bcolocou%2Bseus%2Bprodutos%2Bna%2Bloja %2BSony%2BStyle.%2BNada%2Bde%2BPlayStation%2B3%2Bp or%2Benquanto.%2BMas%2Btudo%2Bbem,%2Bem%2Bseu%2Blu gar,%2Bpoderemos%2Bcomprar%2Bum%2BPS2%2B(possivelm ente%2Bcom%2Bmanual%2Bem%2Bportugu%25C3%25AAs%2Bco m%2Bcapa%2Bde%2Bouro%2Bmaci%25C3%25A7o)%2Bque%2Bto ca%2BCD/DVD,%2Bcomo%2Bvoc%25C3%25AA%2Bv%25C3%25AA%2Bna%2Bd escri%25C3%25A7%25C3%25A3o%2Bdo%2Bproduto,%2Ba%2BR %2524%2B800.%2BVoc%25C3%25AA%2Bpode%2Bcomprar%2Bjo gos%2Bde%2BPS2%2Ba%2BR%2524%2B99%2Bou%2Bde%2BPlayS tation%2B3%2Ba%2BR%2524%2B250%2B(lan%25C3%25A7amen tos)%2Bou%2BR%2524%2B199%2B(velhos).%2BH%25C3%25A1 %2Bum%2Bselo%2Bdo%2BMinist%25C3%25A9rio%2Bda%2BJus ti%25C3%25A7a%2Bem%2Bportugu%25C3%25AAs,%2Bque%2Bd eve%2Bcustar%2Bum%2Bbocado.%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1C1C HME_enUS354US354)news article, it doesn't look like it includes any games.

This is certainly an interesting console lineup for Brazil... The MD4 certainly sounds like the best "value," but it's certainly dated.

MD4 - R$329 with 80 "games" (not sure how many are Genesis vs Java)
Zeebo - R$599 with Quake I, Quake II, Evil Prey, and Action Hero 3D (?)
PS2 - R$799 console only, games are R$250, R$199 for kids titles
Xbox 360 - R$2999 with 3 games, games are R$179


So the 360 is insanely expensive, but the games are cheaper.

I believe someone commented on the Kotaku article that the Brazilian console market is seriously screwed up in terms of pricing. If they only imported components and not built systems, the tariffs would be lower. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but wouldn't that make more sense? I'm sure that Brazil would appreciate more jobs being created for it...

Actually, you can buy an illegal PS2 with one controller and no games for less than 400 bucks in Paraguay or some flea markets. This is what most people do here, actually. So I really don't understand why there's people buying the Mega Drive to this day, aside from my teory of uninformed parents giving their kids the wrong console for birthdays, Christmas and the like.

As for the screwed up pricing...it's true. Like I said somewhere, consoles were always seen as "expensive eletronics" here, and as long as companies like Tec Toy and importers can make a profit from it, they'll ever be. Why would you go as far as importing components and setting up a factory to build an XBOX 360 here...if you can import it, put an immoral profit margin over it, and sell it anyways because the morons buying it will say "the price is high, but it's fair! Look and how advanced this thing is!"

Legal sellers blame the high taxes for the prices, but as we can see in the 360 case, it's not just the taxes alone. The prices are indeed abusive. No wonder piracy is so rampant here.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I managed to find a blog post about it:
http://eltable.blogspot.com/2009/06/lo-mas-nuevo-de-lo-nuevo-xstation-y.html

It's in spanish but you can see the picture. It seems to be marketed by x-station (of PowerStation fame). Also, apparently I was wrong, it has been on sale since June.

I've seen those Wii knockoff things on sale at Sears (formerly Dorian's, a local chain that got bought out recently).

Oh and I'm Mexican too. Quiubo. :p

[Juganawt]

I wonder what hardware happens to be inside this version, considering that the Mega Drive isn't all that well known for having good music capabilities.


That z80 chip the Megadrive houses, while ancient (afaik it was created in 1980), is a musical powerhouse. In many regards it was superior to the super nintendo's audio chips, even if it outputted at a lower hertz. In many regards, it was hailed as the next SID chip (which, in my opinion, is still the best sound chip of all time).

Listen to stuff like the Streets of Rage games and Sonic 3 to see what that ageing chip could do.

[NayusDante]

That z80 chip the Megadrive houses, while ancient (afaik it was created in 1980), is a musical powerhouse. In many regards it was superior to the super nintendo's audio chips, even if it outputted at a lower hertz. In many regards, it was hailed as the next SID chip (which, in my opinion, is still the best sound chip of all time).

Listen to stuff like the Streets of Rage games and Sonic 3 to see what that ageing chip could do.

SNES had a MIDI-style implementation, with predefined instruments, from what I understand. The Zilog Z80 was a general-purpose microprocessor, which had previously been used as the main processor in the SMS. Using it as a dedicated sound chip in the Genesis allowed it to be used with the PBC for SMS games, but it meant that there could be no predefined instruments and everything had to be defined in cartridge ROM. Please correct me if I'm wrong.