New 8-Bit Console?

[kokovec]

Saw this in the news today.
Retro Console
I'd only be interested in this if I could code games for it.

[VectorX]

I think this pretty much sums it up:

But the notion of spending $150 on a throwback console (which does have modern amenities like four USB ports and an HDMI-out) isn't exactly an easy pill to swallow.

Right. It's a nice idea but I'd say it's a bit of an iffy market (look at mixed to poor reviews for various Atari Flashback units, for example).

[50tbrd]

The original concept was much better. A universal console that could pretty much play any classic video game and could also be used to develop new games in the same style. Now it's kind of just a steambox with the idea that you should build classic style games instead of aiming at a particular market (such as a2600 or SNES). What will convince someone to buy it in the first place and if no one buys it, why make games for it especially when you could sellout a game marketed for any platform that people already collect for.

It is unpresidented. It's not a better mousetrap and it's not aimed to play games that already exist.

[gliptitude]

I like the idea of a new cartridge based console but it seems like all of these "retro" systems are stuck between two markets and they always fail to satisfy either one. .. I really get tired of phrases like "8-bit inspired".

Maybe a new old-style console could be justified if there was an incredible novelty involved - dedicated holographic display?

.. I really like the Nintendo 3DS and i still think the glasses-free 3D effect is great, but all indications seem to be that 3D is a fad on its way out. .. Maybe in the future the tech and patents etc would be cheap enough for a bigger tabletop (third party) 3D console. .. That could be great for arcade style gaming!

[TrekMD]

OK, this is not something I was expecting to see so I wanted to share it. This Kickstarter is for a book titled: Smoke and Mirrors: The Rise And Fall Of A Video Game Antipreneur The official story of the Retro VGS and Coleco Chameleon.

Do you guys remember the Chameleon? This is an official account of events that led to the evolution of GameGavel, RETRO magazine, the RETRO VGS, and the Coleco Chameleon written by somebody who was involved and had inside information that has never been published before.

[VectorX]

Sounds interesting! Geez, beans to spill there (obviously since he wrote the book).

And he already surpassed his goal too, with plenty of days to spare.

[TrekMD]

People want to learn the dirt behind the console!

[VectorX]

It's a good thing he hired an attorney to go over things before release. Too bad that wasn't done before the "console" was supposedly in development (that's in sarcastic quotes in regards to the Kickstarter page, giving a bit of a summary of all the crap that went on with fake prototypes and all. A bit sad, really, especially those that lost all kinds of things, financially when dealing with those crooks who were supposed to release it).

[TrekMD]

It was a good concept but the whole thing just went down South pretty fast.