Fifth generation of video game consoles

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The fifth generation era (also known as the 32-bit era, the 64-bit era, or the 3D era) refers to computer and video games, video game consoles, and handheld gaming consoles dating from approximately October 4, 1993, to March 23, 2006. [note 1] The best-selling home console was the Sony PlayStation, followed by the Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, and Atari Jaguar. The PlayStation also had a redesigned version, the PSone, which was launched on July 7, 2000.

Contents

Some features that distinguished fifth generation consoles from previous fourth generation consoles include:

This era is known for its pivotal role in the video game industry's leap from 2D to 3D computer graphics, as well as the shift in home console games from being stored on ROM cartridges to optical discs. This was also the first generation to feature internet connectivity: some systems had additional hardware which provided connectivity to an existing device, like the Sega Net Link for the Sega Saturn. The Apple Pippin, a commercial flop, was the first system to feature on-board internet capabilities.

For handhelds, this era was characterized by significant fragmentation, because the first handheld of the generation, the Sega Nomad, had a lifespan of just two years, and the Nintendo Virtual Boy had a lifespan of less than one. Both of them were discontinued before the other handhelds made their debut. The Neo Geo Pocket was released on October 28, 1998, but was dropped by SNK in favor of the fully backward compatible Neo Geo Pocket Color just a year later. Nintendo's Game Boy Color (1998) was the most successful handheld by a large margin. There were also two minor updates of the original Game Boy: the Game Boy Light (released in Japan only) and the Game Boy Pocket.

There was considerable time overlap between this generation and the next, the sixth generation of consoles, which began with the launch of the Dreamcast in Japan on November 27, 1998. The fifth generation ended with the discontinuation of the PlayStation (specifically its re-engineered form, the "PSOne") on March 23, 2006, a year after the launch of the seventh generation.

History

Transition to 3D

The 32-bit/64-bit era is most noted for the rise of fully 3D polygon games. While there were games prior that had used three-dimensional polygon environments, such as Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter in the arcades and Star Fox on the Super NES, it was in this era that many game designers began to move traditionally 2D and pseudo-3D genres into 3D on video game consoles. Early efforts from then-industry leaders Sega and Nintendo saw the introduction of the 32X and Super FX, which provided rudimentary 3D capabilities to the 16-bit Genesis and Super NES. Starting in 1996, 3D video games began to take off with releases such as Virtua Fighter 2 on the Saturn, Tomb Raider on the PlayStation and Saturn, Tekken 2 and Crash Bandicoot on the PlayStation, and Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64. Their 3D environments were widely marketed and they steered the industry's focus away from side-scrolling and rail-style titles, as well as opening doors to more complex games and genres. 3D became the main focus in this era as well as a slow decline of cartridges in favor of CDs, due to the ability to produce games less expensively and the media's high storage capabilities.

CD vs cartridge

After allowing Sony to develop a CD-based prototype console for them and a similar failed partnership with Philips, [3] Nintendo decided to make the Nintendo 64 a cartridge-based system like its predecessors. Publicly, Nintendo defended this decision on the grounds that it would give games shorter load times than a compact disc (and would decrease piracy due to a certain chip in the ROM cartridge). [4] [5] However, it also had the dubious benefit of allowing Nintendo to charge higher licensing fees, as cartridge production was considerably more expensive than CD production. Many third-party developers like EA Sports viewed this as an underhanded attempt to raise more money for Nintendo and many of them became more reluctant to release games on the N64.[ citation needed ]

Nintendo's decision to use a cartridge based system sparked a debate in the video game magazines as to which was better. The chief advantages of the CD-ROM format were (1) larger storage capacity, allowing for a much greater amount of game content; [6] [7] (2) considerably lower manufacturing costs, making them much less risky for game publishers; [7] [8] (3) lower retail prices due to the reduced need to compensate for manufacturing costs; [6] [7] [9] and (4) shorter production times, which greatly reduced the need for publishers to predict the demand for a game. [10] [11] Its disadvantages compared to cartridge were (1) considerable load times; [6] [8] [10] (2) their inability to load data "on the fly", making them reliant on the console RAM; [6] and (3) the greater manufacturing costs of CD-ROM drives compared to cartridge slots, resulting in generally higher retail prices for CD-based consoles. [6] [8] A Nintendo Power ad placed a Space Shuttle (representing cartridges) next to a snail (representing a CD), as an analogy for their respective speeds, stating that "the future doesn't belong to snails". [12]

Almost every other contemporary system used the new CD-ROM technology. Consequent to the storage and cost advantages of the CD-ROM format, many game developers shifted their support away from the Nintendo 64 to the PlayStation. One of the most influential game franchises to change consoles during this era was the Final Fantasy series, beginning with Final Fantasy VII , which was developed for the PlayStation instead of the N64 due to storage capacity issues; [13] prior Final Fantasy games had all been published on Nintendo consoles – either the NES or Super NES, with the only other entries being on the Wonderswan, or computers like the MSX.

Overview of the fifth-generation consoles

The fifth generation was characterized by an unusually high number of console formats. More competing consoles comprised this generation than any other since the video game crash of 1983, leading video game magazines of the time to frequently predict a second crash. [14]

Major consoles

The Atari Jaguar was released in November 1993 and was marketed as the world's first 64-bit system. However, sales at launch were well below the incumbent fourth generation consoles, and a small games library rooted in a shortage of third-party support made it impossible for the Jaguar to catch up, selling below 250,000 units. The system's 64-bit nature was also questioned by many. Its only add-on, the Jaguar CD, was released in 1995 and was produced in limited quantities due to the low install base of the system.[ citation needed ] The 32-bit Atari Panther, set to be released in 1991, was canceled due to unexpectedly rapid progress in developing the Jaguar. [15]

The Sega Saturn was Sega's entry into the stand-alone 32-bit console market. It was released in Japan simultaneously with the 32X in November 1994, although it would not have a North American release until six months later. [3] It became Sega's most successful console in Japan. In America and Europe however, a disastrous launch and an MSRP of $399 compared to the PlayStation's $299 caused it to be a commercial failure, [16] selling far fewer units than the Master System and Mega Drive/Genesis before it.

The PlayStation, released in early December 1994, was the most successful console of this generation. With attention given by third-party developers and a more mature marketing campaign aimed at the 20–30 age group enabling it to achieve market dominance, it became the first home console to ship 100 million units worldwide.[ citation needed ]

The Nintendo 64, originally announced as the "Ultra 64", was released in 1996. The system's delays and use of the expensive cartridge format made it an unpopular platform among third-party developers.[ citation needed ] Several popular first-party titles allowed the Nintendo 64 to maintain strong sales in the United States, but it remained a distant second to the PlayStation.[ citation needed ]

Other consoles

The Amiga CD32 was released in September 1993 and sold in Europe, Australia, Canada and Brazil. It was never released in the United States due to Commodore's bankruptcy and court-ordered import restrictions. [17] [18] Despite promising initial sales, the console was hampered by poor software quality with many titles being simply re-releases of older games. [19] Production of the Amiga CD32 was discontinued after only eight months. [18]

The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer was one of the earliest fifth generation consoles and was released in October 1993. Despite having massive third-party support and an unprecedented amount of hype for a first-time entrant into the industry, it had early difficulties due to software development delays and its high price. For its initial release, the 3DO had a $700 retail price tag and only a single available game ready for market. The 3DO would be discontinued only three years later. While generally regarded as a failed system, the 3DO was this generation's fourth best-selling console in a crowded field with sales of 2 million units.

The Sega 32X, an add-on console produced by Sega for the Genesis, was launched in November 1994. The Sega Neptune, a standalone version of the 32X, was announced but ultimately canceled. Sega failed to deliver a steady flow of games for the 32X platform. With customers anticipating the PlayStation on the horizon, and with Sega's more technically advanced Saturn already competing on the market in Japan, sales of the 32X were poor. [20]

NEC, creator of the TurboGrafx-16 of the previous generation, entered the market with the PC-FX in late December 1994. The system had a 32-bit processor, 16-bit stereo sound, and video capability. Despite its impressive specifications, it did not have a polygon processor and was marketed as a platform for 2D and full motion video games. The PC-FX game library was criticized for being low in quality, and having titles that relied more on animation than gameplay. [21] [22] Due to low expected sales, it was never released outside of Japan.

In 1995, Nintendo released the Virtual Boy, a supposedly portable system capable of displaying true 3D graphics, albeit in monochromatic red and black. Despite being marketed as a portable system, it is not actually portable in practice due to the lack of a head strap. [23] Also, because of the nature of its display, the system reportedly caused headaches and eye strain. [23] It was discontinued within a year, [24] with fewer than 25 games being released for it. [23] Although it sold over 750,000 units, Nintendo felt that it was a failure compared to consoles such as the Super Nintendo, which sold over 20 million. [24]

Aftermath of the fifth generation

By the end of the 1995 Christmas shopping season, the fifth generation had come down to a struggle between the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, and the upcoming Nintendo 64. The Amiga CD32 had already been discontinued; the Jaguar, Genesis 32X, and Virtual Boy were still on the market but were considered a lost cause by industry analysts; the Neo Geo CD had proven to appeal only to a niche market; and industry analysts had already determined that the yet-to-launch Apple Bandai Pippin was too expensive to make any impact in the market. [25] Moreover, even the leading fifth generation consoles were still facing sluggish sales. Combined sales for the PlayStation, Saturn, and 3DO barely topped 1 million units for the Christmas shopping season, as compared to combined sales of 4 million for the Sega Genesis and Super NES. [26] Focus groups showed that most children under 12 years old were equally happy playing on fourth generation consoles as they were playing on fifth generation consoles, making the fourth generation consoles more appealing to adults buying gifts for children, since they were cheaper. [8] Industry analysts began putting forth the possibility that the fifth generation of consoles would never overtake the fourth generation in sales, and become superseded by a new generation of DVD player consoles before they could achieve mass acceptance. [27]

1996 saw the fifth generation consoles' fortunes finally turn around. With the Saturn, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 all showing dramatic increases in sales over the previous year, they claimed a combined 40% of the retail market for hardware and software, putting them in position to finally overtake the fourth generation consoles in 1997. [28]

The Sega Saturn suffered from poor marketing and comparatively limited third-party support outside Japan. [3] Sega's decision to use dual processors was roundly criticized, as this made it difficult to efficiently develop for the console. [29] Sega was also hurt by the Saturn's surprise four-month-early U.S. launch of their console; third-party developers, who had been planning for the originally scheduled launch, could not provide many launch titles and were angered by the move. Retailers were caught unprepared, resulting in distribution problems; some retailers, such as the now defunct KB Toys, were so furious that they refused to stock the Saturn thereafter. [30]

Due to numerous delays, the Nintendo 64 was released one year later than its competitors. By the time it was finally launched in 1996, Sony had already established its dominance, the Saturn was starting to struggle, and the 3DO and Jaguar had been discontinued.[ citation needed ] Its use of cartridge media rather than compact discs alienated some developers and publishers due to the space limits, the relatively high cost involved, and a considerably longer production time.[ citation needed ] In addition, the initially high suggested retail price of the console may have driven potential customers away, and some early adopters of the system who had paid the initial price may have been angered by Nintendo's decision to cut the price of the system by $50 six months after its release. [31] However, the Nintendo 64 turned out to be a commercial success, particularly in the United States, where it sold 20.63 million units, nearly two thirds of its worldwide sales of 32.93 million units. It was also home to highly successful games such as Star Fox 64 , Mario Kart 64 , The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time , The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask , Super Mario 64 , GoldenEye 007 , Banjo-Kazooie , and Super Smash Bros. While Nintendo 64 sold far more units than the Sega Saturn, Atari Jaguar, and 3DO combined, it posed no challenge to the PlayStation's lead in the market.

By 1997, 40% to 60% of American homes played on video game consoles.[ further explanation needed ] 30% to 40% of these homes owned a console, while an additional 10% to 20% rented or shared a console. [32]

Changes in the industry

After the dust settled in the fifth generation console wars, several companies saw their outlooks change drastically.

Atari

Atari Corporation, which was not able to recover its losses, ended up merging into JTS Corporation in 1996. [33] [34] This caused the Atari name to virtually disappear from the gaming market until 1998, when Hasbro Interactive purchased the Atari assets from JTS for $5 million. [35]

On May 14, 1999, Hasbro Interactive announced that all rights to the Atari Jaguar were released into the public domain, [36] thus declaring the platform open; this allowed anyone to freely create and publish games for the Jaguar without endorsement or licensing from Hasbro Interactive. Since then, homebrew developers began to release uncompleted Jaguar games as well as several brand new titles to satisfy the system's cult following. [37]

Sega

Sega's loss of consumer confidence (coupled with its previous console failures), along with their financial difficulties, set the company up for a similar fate in the next round of console wars.

Home systems

Comparison

Comparison of fifth-generation video game home consoles
Name 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Sega Saturn PlayStation Nintendo 64
Manufacturer The 3DO Company Sega Sony (SCE) Nintendo
Image(s)
3DO-FZ1-Console-Set.jpg

3DO-GDO-101M-Console-Set.jpg
Sega-Saturn-Console-Set-Mk1.jpg

Sega-Saturn-JP-Mk1-Console-Set.jpg
PSX-Console-wController.jpg

PSone-Console-Set-NoLCD.jpg
N64-Console-Set.jpg

64DD-Attached.jpg
Top: Panasonic FZ-1 R·E·A·L
Bottom: GoldStar GDO-101M		Top: North American Saturn Model 1 and controller
Bottom: Japanese Saturn Model 1 and updated controller		Top: Original PlayStation with DualShock controller
Bottom: Revised PSOne with DualShock controller		Top: Nintendo 64 with controller and game cartridge
Bottom: Nintendo 64DD
Release date
  • NA: October 4, 1993
  • JP: March 20, 1994
  • EU: June 11, 1994
  • JP: November 22, 1994
  • NA: May 11, 1995
  • EU: July 8, 1995
  • JP: December 3, 1994
  • NA: September 9, 1995
  • EU: September 29, 1995
  • AU: November 15, 1995
  • JP: June 23, 1996
  • NA: September 29, 1996
  • EU: March 1, 1997
  • AU: March 1, 1997
Launch price US$ US$699.99(equivalent to $1,480 in 2023)US$399.99(equivalent to $800 in 2023)US$299.99(equivalent to $600 in 2023) [38] US$199.99(equivalent to $400 in 2023)
GBP £399.99 [39] (equivalent to £970in 2023)£299 [40] (equivalent to £730in 2023)
A$
JP¥ ¥44,800 (equivalent to ¥46,530in 2019)¥39,800 (equivalent to ¥41,330in 2019)
Media Type CD-ROM
  • CD-ROM
  • Cartridge (limited, Japan and Europe only)
CD-ROM
Regional lockout UnrestrictedRegion lockedRegion lockedRegion locked
Best-selling game Gex , 1+ million [41] [42] Virtua Fighter 2 , 1.7 million [43] Gran Turismo , 10.85 million [44] [45] Super Mario 64 , 11.62 million [46] [47]
CPU ARM60 (32‑bit RISC) @ 12.5 MHz (8.75  MIPS [48] )
  • LSI LR333x0 (labelled as the Sony CXD8530CQ on the package) (based on the MIPS R3051 core) @ 33.8688 MHz (30 MIPS [53] )
  • System control coprocessor (inside CPU)

NEC VR4300 (64‑bit RISC) @ 93.75 MHz (125 MIPS) [54] [55]

GPU
  • 2× accelerated video co-processors
  • Math co-processor (inside CPU)
  • Sega VDP1 (32‑bit video display processor) @ 28.63 MHz (sprites, textures, polygons) [56]
  • Sega VDP2 (32‑bit video display processor) @ 28.63 MHz (backgrounds, scrolling) [57]
  • SCU DSP (inside SCU (32‑bit Saturn Control Unit)) [52]
Reality Co-Processor (64‑bit MIPS R4000 based, 128‑bit vector register processor) @ 62.5 MHz
Sound chip(s) 13 channel unnamed custom 20‑bit DSP embedded in the CLIO chip [59] Sony SPU (sound processing unit) Reality Signal Processor (DSP)
Memory 3  MB RAM 4.5  MB RAM 3587 KB RAM
  • 2 MB DRAM
  • 1026 KB VRAM (1 MB frame buffer, 2 KB texture cache, 64  bytes FIFO buffer)
  • 512 KB sound RAM
  • 1 KB non-associative SRAM data cache
4 MB RDRAM (8 MB with Expansion Pak)
Video
  • Resolution: 256×224 to 640×240 (progressive), 256×448 to 640×480 (interlaced)
  • Colors: 153,600 (640×240) on screen, out of 16,777,216 (24‑bit) palette
  • Polygons: 90,000/sec (textured, lighting, Gouraud shading) [65] to 360,000/sec [66] (flat shading)
  • Sprites/textures: 4,000/frame [67] (bitmap objects [58] ), scaling, rotation, texture mapping
  • Background: 1 bitmap plane
Audio Stereo audio, with: Stereo audio, with: [60]
  • 32 sound channels on SCSP
  • FM synthesis on all 32 SCSP channels
  • 16‑bit PCM audio with 44.1 kHz sampling rate on all 32 SCSP channels
  • 1 streaming CD-DA channel (16‑bit PCM, 44.1 kHz)
Stereo audio, with:
  • 24 ADPCM channels on SPU
  • 16‑bit audio and 44.1 kHz sampling rate on all 24 ADPCM channels
  • 1 streaming CD-DA channel (16‑bit PCM, 44.1 kHz)
  • Optional Dolby Surround support
Stereo audio, with:
  • Variable number of channels (up to 100 if all system resources are devoted to audio)
  • Capable of playing back different types of audio (including PCM, MP3, MIDI and tracker music)
  • 16‑bit audio and 44.1 kHz sampling rate on all channels
  • Optional Dolby Surround support
Accessories (retail)
Online servicesNone
  • US: Lightspan Online Connection CD
  • JP: i-mode Mobile Phone Connection Cable

Other consoles

These consoles are either less notable, never saw a worldwide release, and/or sold particularly poorly, and are therefore listed as 'Other'.

Name Atari Jaguar 32X Virtual Boy Pippin
Manufacturer Atari Sega Nintendo Apple/Bandai
Image(s)
Atari-Jaguar-Console-Set.jpg

Atari-Jaguar-CD-wPro-Controller.jpg
Sega-Genesis-Model2-32X.jpg
Virtual-Boy-Set.jpg
Pippin-Atmark-Console-Set.jpg
Top: Atari Jaguar and controller
Bottom: Atari Jaguar CD connected to the console and ProController		32X connected to a model 2 Genesis Virtual Boy with controllerJapanese Pippin Atmark with a wireless AppleJack controller. The model released in America was named @WORLD and was colored black.
Release date
  • NA: November 23, 1993
  • EU: June 27, 1994
  • AU: August 1, 1994
  • JP: December 8, 1994
  • NA: November 21, 1994
  • EU: November 1994
  • JP: December 3, 1994
  • JP: July 21, 1995
  • NA: August 14, 1995
  • JP: March, 1996
  • NA: June, 1996
  • EU: March 17, 1997
Launch price US$ US$249.99(equivalent to $530 in 2023)US$159.99(equivalent to $330 in 2023)US$179.95(equivalent to $350 in 2023)US$599(equivalent to $1,160 in 2023)
GBP
A$ A$700(equivalent to $1,460 in 2022)
JP¥ ¥29.800(equivalent to ¥30 in 2019)
Media Type
  • ROM cartridge
CD-ROM
Regional lockout UnrestrictedPartialUnrestrictedUnrestricted
Best-selling game Alien vs Predator , more than 50,000 [69] Unknown Mario's Tennis (US pack-in game)Unknown
CPU
GPU
  • Tom chip: GPU, object processor, blitter
  • Jerry chip: DSP
32x Specific:
  • Sega 32x VDP (Sega Custom LSI) @ 23 MHz

Megadrive:

  • Yamaha YM7101 VDP (Video Display Processor)

Sega CD Add-on:

Video Image ProcessorTaos 8/16-bit VGA
Sound chip(s) "Jerry" chip: DSP, 2× DAC (converts digital data to analog signals)32x Specific:

Megadrive:

Sega CD Add-on:

VSU (Virtual Sound Unit) chip
Memory 2 MB FPM DRAM (4× 512 KB chips)32x Specific:
  • 256 KB main RAM
  • 256 KB video RAM

Megadrive:

Sega CD Add-on:

  • 512 KB RAM
  • 256 KB VRAM
  • 64 KB ARAM
  • 16 KB cache
  • 8 KB Internal Back-up
Video
  • Resolution: 320×220 to 360×220 (progressive), 320×440 to 720×440 (interlaced) [70]
  • Colors: 79,200 (360×220) on screen, out of 16,777,216 (24‑bit) palette
  • Polygons: 10,000/sec, [71] flat shading, Gouraud shading support
  • Sprites/textures: 1,000/frame [72] (blitter objects), [70] scaling, rotation, texture mapping
  • Background: 1 bitmap plane
32x Specific:

Megadrive:

  • Sprites: 80 on screen, 20 per scanline, 8×8 to 32×32 sizes, 16 colors per sprite, integer sprite zoom, sprite flipping
  • Tilemaps: 2 parallax scrolling planes with line & row scroll effects and tile flipping
  • Colors on screen: 64 to 75 (standard), 192 (shadow/highlight), 512 (160×224 resolution)
  • Color palette: 512 (standard), 1536 (shadow/highlight)
  • Resolution: 640x480
  • 8-bit and 16-bit color
  • Brooktree Bt856KPJ
Audio Stereo audio, with: Stereo audio with:

Sega CD Add-on:

  • 8 PCM channels (16-bit, 32 kHz)
  • 1 streaming CD-DA channel (16-bit, 44.1 kHz)
Virtual Sound Unit with:
  • Five wave channels
  • One noise channel
  • 32 PCM samples
16-bit, 44 kHz
Accessories (retail)
  • Jaguar TeamTap
  • Jaguar Pro Controller
  • Jaguar MemoryTrack Cartridge
  • Jaguar JagLink Interface
 Megadrive peripherals supported
  • Virtual Boy AC Adapter
  • Virtual Boy Stereo Headphones
  • Pippin Atmark Floppy Unit
  • Deltis 230 MO Docking Turbo
  • Pippin Atmark keyboard
Online servicesJaguar Voice/Data Communicator 19.2k modem (no mass production)NoneNoneAtworld.Net

Worldwide sales standings

Bar chart showing the sales of the main 5th generation consoles Fifth generation console sales bar chart.png
Bar chart showing the sales of the main 5th generation consoles
SystemUnits sold
PlayStation 102.49 million shipped (74.34 million PlayStation, 28.15 million PSone) (as of March 31, 2005) [73]
Nintendo 64 32.93 million (as of March 31, 2005) [74]
Sega Saturn 9.26 million [75] [76]
3DO 2 million
32X 800,000 [77]
Virtual Boy 770,000
PC-FX 400,000
Atari Jaguar 250,000 (as of May 15, 2007) [78]
Amiga CD32 100,000
FM Towns Marty 45,000 (as of December 31, 1993) [79]
Apple Bandai Pippin 42,000 (as of May 4, 2007) [80]

From 1996 to 1999 (when the PlayStation, N64 and Saturn were the major 5th-generation consoles still on the market) Sony managed a 47% market share of the worldwide market, followed by Nintendo with 28% (with a percentage of that figure from the 16‑bit Super NES), while Sega was third with 23% (with a percentage of that from the Dreamcast). [81]

Production of the Sega Saturn was discontinued in 1998. Its demise was accelerated by rumors that work on its successor was underway; these rumors hurt the systems' sales in the west as early as 1997.[ citation needed ] The N64 was succeeded by the GameCube in 2001, but continued its production until 2004; however, PlayStation production was not ceased as it was redesigned as the PSone, further extending the life of the console around the release of the follow-up PlayStation 2. The PlayStation console production was discontinued in 2006, the same year that the PlayStation 3 was released in Japan and North America.

Handheld systems

Handheld comparison

Name Genesis Nomad Game Boy Color Neo Geo Pocket Neo Geo Pocket Color
Manufacturer Sega Nintendo SNK
Console Sega-Nomad-Front.jpg Nintendo-Game-Boy-Color-FL.jpg Neo-Geo-Pocket-Anthra-Left.jpg Neo-Geo-Pocket-Color-Blue-Left.jpg
Release dates
  • NA: October 1995
  • JP: October 21, 1998
  • NA: November 18, 1998
  • EU: November 23, 1998
  • AU: November 27, 1998
  • JP: October 28, 1998
  • JP: March 16, 1999
  • NA: August 6, 1999
  • EU: October 1, 1999
Launch price US$ US$180(equivalent to $360 in 2023)US$79.95(equivalent to $150 in 2023)US$69.95(equivalent to $130 in 2023)
GBP £59.99(equivalent to £130 in 2023)
A$
JP¥ ¥7,800(equivalent to ¥7,910 in 2019)
Discontinued
  • WW: March 23, 2003
  • NA: June 13, 2000
  • EU: June 13, 2000
  • JP: October 22, 2001
MediaTypeROM cartridge Game Boy Game Pak
Game Boy Color Game Pak 		ROM cartridge
Regional lockout Region lockedUnrestrictedUnrestrictedUnrestricted
Backward compatibility Sega Genesis Game Boy ——
Best-selling game Sonic the Hedgehog , 15 million [note 2] Pokémon Gold and Silver, 23 millionUnknown
CPU Motorola 68000  @ 7.6 MHz Sharp SM83 @ 4 / 8 MHz Toshiba TLCS900H  @ 6 MHz
Memory
  • 32 KB RAM
  • 16 KB video RAM
  • 2 KB ROM
  • 127 B High RAM
  • 12 KB RAM
  • 4 KB audio RAM
  • 64 KB ROM
Display3.25-inch backlit LC display 2.3-inch (diagonal) TFT LCD
32,768 colors, up to 56 simultaneously		Monochromatic2.7-inch (diagonal)
4,096 colors, up to 146 simultaneously
Audio Yamaha YM2612 sound chipNintendo Audio Processing Unit generating:
  • Two square wave channels
  • One waveform channel
  • One noise channel
 Zilog Z80  @ 3 MHz controlling SN76489 sound chip generating:
  • Three square wave channels
  • One noise channel
  • Dual 8-bit DACs
Resolutions384 × 224160 × 144160 × 152
Battery life4 hoursUp to 10 hours40 hours
Units sold 1 million118.69 million (including Game Boy)2 million

Other handhelds

Milestone titles

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The fifth generation of video game consoles began when Panasonic released the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer on October 4, 1993, in the American market. [1] Then the fifth generation of video game console ended when the last console of the generation, the Sony PlayStation, was discontinued on March 23, 2006. [2]
  2. ↑ Shared with Sega Genesis

Related Research Articles

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The 32X is an add-on for the Sega Genesis video game console. Codenamed "Project Mars", it was designed to expand the power of the Genesis and serve as a transitional console into the 32-bit era until the release of the Sega Saturn. The 32X uses its own ROM cartridges and has its own library of games. It was distributed under the name Super 32X in Japan and South Korea, Genesis 32X in North America, Mega 32X in Brazil, and Mega Drive 32X in all other regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sega Saturn</span> Home video game console

The Sega Saturn is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it is the successor to the successful Genesis. The Saturn has a dual-CPU architecture and eight processors. Its games are in CD-ROM format, including several ports of arcade games and original games.

<i>Virtua Fighter</i> (video game) 1993 video game

Virtua Fighter is a fighting game developed and published by Sega for arcades. It was developed for the Sega Model 1 arcade platform by AM2, a development group within Sega headed by Yu Suzuki. An early prototype version was location tested in Japan by August 1993, before the complete game was released worldwide in December 1993. It was the first arcade fighting game to feature fully 3D polygon graphics. The game was ported to Sega Saturn as a global launch title in 1994 and 1995, and also received a port to the Sega 32X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3DO</span> Video gaming format

3DO is a video gaming hardware format developed by The 3DO Company and conceived by entrepreneur and Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins. The specifications were originally designed by Dave Needle and RJ Mical of New Technology Group, and were licensed by third parties; most hardware were packaged as home video game consoles under the name Interactive Multiplayer, and Panasonic produced the first models in 1993 with further renditions released afterwards by manufacturers GoldStar, Sanyo, Creative Labs, and Samsung Electronics.

The history of video game consoles, both home and handheld, began in the 1970s. The first console that played games on a television set was the 1972 Magnavox Odyssey, first conceived by Ralph H. Baer in 1966. Handheld consoles originated from electro-mechanical games that used mechanical controls and light-emitting diodes (LED) as visual indicators. Handheld electronic games had replaced the mechanical controls with electronic and digital components, and with the introduction of Liquid-crystal display (LCD) to create video-like screens with programmable pixels, systems like the Microvision and the Game & Watch became the first handheld video game consoles.

<i>Virtua Racing</i> 1992 racing game

Virtua Racing or V.R. for short, is a Formula One racing video game developed by Sega AM2 and released for arcades in 1992. Virtua Racing was initially a proof-of-concept application for exercising a new 3D graphics platform under development, the "Model 1". The results were so encouraging that Virtua Racing was fully developed into a standalone arcade title.

<i>Primal Rage</i> 1994 arcade video game

Primal Rage is a fighting game developed and released by Atari Games for arcades in 1994. The game takes place on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth called "Urth". Players control one of seven prehistoric beasts, that battle each other to determine the planet's fate. Matches feature many of the conventions of fighting games from the era, including special moves and gory finishing maneuvers. Ports were released for home video game consoles and personal computers. Efforts to perfectly emulate the arcade original have been unsuccessful due to the use of an unusual copy protection method. Toys, comics, a novel and other merchandise tie-ins were produced. More than 1.5 million copies of the game were sold.

1996 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Mario 64, Duke Nukem 3D, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Super Mario RPG, King's Field III, Virtua Fighter 3, along with new titles such as Blazing Heroes, NiGHTS into Dreams..., Crash Bandicoot, Pokémon Red/Green/Blue, Resident Evil, Dead or Alive, Soul Edge, Quake and Tomb Raider.

Homebrew, when applied to video games, refers to software produced by hobbyists for proprietary video game consoles which are not intended to be user-programmable. The official documentation is often only available to licensed developers, and these systems may use storage formats that make distribution difficult, such as ROM cartridges or encrypted CD-ROMs. Many consoles have hardware restrictions to prevent unauthorized development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sega Genesis</span> Home video game console

The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan as the Mega Drive, and in 1989 in North America as the Genesis. In 1990, it was distributed as the Mega Drive by Virgin Mastertronic in Europe, Ozisoft in Australasia, and Tectoy in Brazil. In South Korea, it was distributed by Samsung Electronics as the Super Gam*Boy and later the Super Aladdin Boy.

Import gamers are a subset of the video game player community that take part in the practice of playing video games from another region, usually from Japan where the majority of games for certain systems originate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ROM cartridge</span> Replaceable device used for the distribution and storage of video games

A ROM cartridge, usually referred to in context simply as a cartridge, cart, cassette, or card, is a replaceable part designed to be connected to a consumer electronics device such as a home computer, video game console or, to a lesser extent, electronic musical instruments.

The 1990s was the third decade in the industry's history. It was a decade of marked innovation in video gaming. It was a decade of transition from sprite-based graphics to full-fledged 3D graphics and it gave rise to several genres of video games including, but not limited to, the first-person shooter, real-time strategy, survival horror, and MMO. Arcade games, although still very popular in the early 1990s, began to decline as home consoles became more common. The fourth and fifth generation of video game consoles went on sale, including the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color and the Sega Dreamcast. Notable games released in the 1990s included Super Mario World, Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Tekken 3,Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, Final Fantasy VII, Unreal Tournament, Star Fox, Half-Life, Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario 64, Pokémon Red and Blue, NBA Jam,Daytona USA, GoldenEye 007, System Shock 2, Civilization,Ridge Racer, Sonic Adventure, Gran Turismo, Super Mario Kart, Pokémon Gold and Silver,Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, Silent Hill, Dead or Alive 2, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro The Dragon, Fallout, Metal Gear Solid, Diablo, Virtua Fighter, Tomb Raider,Sega Rally Championship, Wing Commander,Super Smash Bros, Secret of Mana,Thief: The Dark Project, Age of Empires, Nights into Dreams, Panzer Dragoon, Gunstar Heroes, EverQuest, Chrono Trigger, Battletoads, Worms, Myst, Micro Machines, Streets of Rage 2,Baldur's Gate,Donkey Kong Country, Wipeout, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins,Lemmings, EarthBound, StarCraft, Banjo-Kazooie, PaRappa the Rapper, Resident Evil, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Soulcalibur, Command & Conquer, and Dance Dance Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super NES CD-ROM</span> Unreleased video game console add-on

The Super NES CD-ROM is an unreleased add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) video game console. It was built upon the functionality of the cartridge-based SNES by adding support for a CD-ROM-based format known as Super Disc.

In the video game industry, a console war describes the competition between two or more video game console manufacturers in trying to achieve better consumer sales through more advanced console technology, an improved selection of video games, and general marketing around their consoles. While console manufacturers are generally always trying to out-perform other manufacturers in sales, these console wars engage in more direct tactics to compare their offerings directly against their competitors or to disparage the competition in contrast to their own, and thus the marketing efforts have tended to escalate in back-and-forth pushes.

This is a list of cancelled video game lists, sorted by platform.

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