Today’s review is of the Top 10 worst video game consoles. Only the functionality of the consoles is being reviewed here, not the hardware problems that some of the consoles have demonstrated over the years (the Xbox “red ring of death” has caused a lot of problems, but the Xbox 360’s gameplay was a critical and commercial success, so don’t expect anything like that on this list.)
10. 3DO
This system released back in 1993 made the use of full motion video like the Sega CD. This system went out of its way to insult Nintendo and Genesis by saying those were just baby’s toys, but this system flopped miserably mostly because of its retail price of $700.
9. Pippin
Are you a die hard Apple fan hoping they make a game console? Released in 1996 the Apple Pippin system cost $600, and what would justify such a price? The web browser upped the price, but even with this feature, it fell hard.
8. N Gage
Released in 2003, this thing was portable game system/phone, but it flopped hard because it was a phone then a game system.
7. Gizmondo
Released in 2005, this Tiger Electronic game was another portable game system, but it also flopped very badly. Only 8 games were released during its short life span, and the retail price was $450, but people could pick up the $299 version but be forced to watch ads. That’s right, you would be forced to watch ads to compensate for the lower cost.
6. Laseractive
This system had the weirdest CD’s ever - about 1 foot in length and width - and you couldn’t really play your games without a boatload of expensive extra’s, putting the total cost to $2,500. Yeah, you read me right, $2500 dollars. This thing fell hard.
5. Sega CD and Sega 32X
Meant to expand the life of the Genesis, these were released in 1993 and 1995. They ran off their own power adaptors, but the Sega CD did in fact have a great Sonic Game, Sonic CD, which is considered the best of the Sonic Games.
4. Magnavox Odyssey
This was the very first home video game console released in 1972, and it looked like it. The graphics are overlays which you put on your tv. That’s pretty weird.
3. Atari Jaguar
This thing was released in 1993, and it was a “64 bit” system where the ads depicted gamers as morons. Does that make you want to buy? And don’t get me started on the Jaguar CD, which when attached to the Jaguar made it look like a toilet.
2. Virtual Boy
Nintendo’s first shot at 3D was horrible. It was released in 1993 and gave people head strains. It was also a “portable” system. But you could barely find a comfortable place to play it at home it needs a head strap.
1.Philips CDi
Oh, brother. I really don’t want to talk about this but I have to. Some backstory: Nintendo was working with Sony to make a CD based add on for the SNES which never came to be. Nintendo then broke partnerships with Sony, and Sony thought, “Why can’t we make our own video game system and kick major butt by ourselves?” We all know what came next was the PlayStation. You read me right - Nintendo inadvertently created the PlayStation. Nintendo then partnered with Philips for the same concept, and Phillips, with the “right to use” Nintendo Characters, made a subpar system that had horrible games and horrible graphics, and not to mention the god awful cut-scenes.