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Thread: Favorite Failed Consoles

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    Default Favorite Failed Consoles

    While it is difficult to define the term "failed" as there are so many different ways to define it (for examples: hardware unit sales, software sales, marketplace percentage, mind-share, gameplay genre variety, the presence of your favorite genre, and limited or non-existent worldwide success versus local territorial success), we all know when a console is considered a "failure" or a "second runner." For two examples, though many people like them or the games for them, the Nintendo Virtual Boy and the SEGA 32X might be considered failures by the overall popular mindset of gamers.

    There are so many underappreciated consoles to choose from that I won't list them all here. But I will say that some of my favorite under-performing consoles include the SEGA Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, and the SEGA Dreamcast. Sure, there were consoles that sold worse than these so they aren't failures per se; however, they definitely weren't the best-selling consoles of their respective generations though they are all well worth playing with excellent games for their console libraries.

    All that being said, which consoles are your "favorite failures?"

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    The 32X because it was easily the most idiotic video game product ever conceived.

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    I believe the Atari 7800 was considered a failure; originally intended for release around the time of the video game crash, it ended up being shelved for three years before inexplicably being released in the midst of the NES onslaught and getting buried. I had no idea it existed before one of my brother's friends gave me one in the late '90s, but I was quickly impressed by the superior graphics compared to the 2600, which was easy since it was easily backwards-compatible with its games, which were also fun. I was less impressed by the 7800 power supply, which was eventually killed by frayed wires going to its proprietary connector, but I eventually found a replacement.

    My second favorite failure would be the mighty Vectrex. It was released before the crash occurred, but still ended up being affected. I first came across one of these relics at a flea market, where I was blown away by the sharp vector graphics of the built-in game even though it didn't have the overlay. It could've been mine for $10, but I'd run out of money that day; I went back the next weekend with cash in hand, but predictably it was gone. Fortunately, a friend eventually found me another one at a record store for $45; it didn't work properly at first, but somehow managed to fix itself. Games have been hard to find, but I've been able to find a couple of them over the years, and also have a multi-cart for it.
    -Adam

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    I've always loved the Atari Jaguar. I've got the majority of the library and appreciated the system for what it was trying to do.

    I really liked the Gizmondo. A surprisingly capable machine that was hampered by the fact that the founders of the company were criminals who siphoned off development funds into their own pockets. A huge amount of potential that never got utilized.

    I'd say the Dreamcast would be the most obvious console on most people's lists. It had a mostly solid library and real innovation put into its design (VMU, built-in modem swappable with an ethernet port) but Sony's PS2 hype machine just brainwashed everybody into bypassing Sega's console.

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    Turbografx 16 and Sega Saturn hey they were commercial failures in the u.s and fair better in japan.Beside the wealth of releases they had in japan compared to the u.s.
    Last edited by Tron 2.0; 11-06-2020 at 12:54 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tron 2.0 View Post
    Turbografx 16 and Sega Saturn hey they were commercial failures in the u.s and fair better in japan.Beside the wealth of releases they had in japan compared to the u.s.
    Definitely the PC-E and Saturn. Those are two fantastic consoles with poor legacies in the states.

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    I dont consider the Dreamcast a failure. It was extremely popular in its first year and as soon as the PS2 was released, Sega killed it a few months later. Prematurely I would say. I think they saw the writing on the wall. But they sold a lot of units

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    The Dreamcast was absolutely a failed console. I liked it, but commercially it failed, and led to Sega never releasing a console again.

    My pick would probably be Vectrex followed by the Sega Saturn. Of all the really old consoles, the only one I really will boot up every now and then to play a game on, is the Vectrex.

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    I cant be the only one who thinks its weird to put the Dreamcast in the same category as the likes of the Game.com, N-Gage, Jaguar, CD-i. If the Dreamcast was a failure, then so was the Wii U, which still sold a decent amount of units and had a good amount of 3rd party support.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gbpxl View Post
    I cant be the only one who thinks its weird to put the Dreamcast in the same category as the likes of the Game.com, N-Gage, Jaguar, CD-i. If the Dreamcast was a failure, then so was the Wii U, which still sold a decent amount of units and had a good amount of 3rd party support.
    Consoles don't fail for the same reason; there are numerous factors that can cause a platform to stumble. Here are a few of them:

    1. Flawed hardware/design
    2. Crappy games
    3. Lousy marketing/company support
    4. Juggernaut opponent
    5. Outside forces (market crashes, etc.)

    To me, the Dreamcast would fall under 4), possibly with a side of 3) since it was company brass pushing for Sega to abandon the hardware market and focus on third party software development. CD-i and Game.com would be more along the lines of 2), possibly with a side of 1). Consoles like the Atari 7800 and the Vectrex would fall under 4) and 5) (more the latter with the Vectrex).
    -Adam

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    Quote Originally Posted by gbpxl View Post
    If the Dreamcast was a failure, then so was the Wii U
    Yes. The system was available for less than 5 years from launch to discontinuation. The NES was about 10 years and the SNES was about 8 years. Most of the good games on the Wii U were rereleased on the Switch because they sold poorly on the Wii U, it really didn't sell well.

    I don't think it really matters whether or not the Dreamcast was a failure as I don't consider it a good console anyway. There were barely any good games on it and all of the good ones were rereleased on better consoles so there's really no reason to own a Dreamcast now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gameguy View Post
    Yes. The system was available for less than 5 years from launch to discontinuation. The NES was about 10 years and the SNES was about 8 years. Most of the good games on the Wii U were rereleased on the Switch because they sold poorly on the Wii U, it really didn't sell well.

    I don't think it really matters whether or not the Dreamcast was a failure as I don't consider it a good console anyway. There were barely any good games on it and all of the good ones were rereleased on better consoles so there's really no reason to own a Dreamcast now.
    Seaman and Sega Marine Fishing/Bass Fishing. and the Chao stuff for Sonic Adventure. all those games required accessories. and Speed Devils was never rereleased. or Suzuki Alstare Racing. and if you prefer to play games on the first console they appeared on like I do, there's that too

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    i love the dreamcast...great system...games are still playable online to this day....really enjoyed the 2d fighters and sports games on the system as well as staples like sonic adventure and crazy taxi

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    Dreamcast. Fave system of all time. I worship the damn thing and changed me as a gamer forever.



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