10/12/05
01. Sega Genesis 32X
Here it is. One of the biggest video game market failures of all time, Sega's infamous 32X add-on for its Genesis console. Released in late 1994 (about the same time that Sega's Saturn was released in Japan,) the 32X piggybacked on the Genesis and turned it into a 32-bit machine. So why did it do so poorly in the marketplace? Well, most of the games were rushed and, as such, contained bugs or - more commonly - were just plain shitty. Also, Sega's own 32-bit Saturn was soon to be released in America and gamers saw no need for a $150 add-on to their soon-to-be-phased-out Genesis when a "true" 32-bit system was just around the corner. The 32X was quickly abandoned by Sega (and gamers) and video game and toy stores were soon lined with unwanted, unsold boxes of them for as low as $19.95. The old Stop-Gap Syndrome strikes again (see Nintendo Virtual Boy.)
Even so, there's gotta be at least one good 32X game out there, right? A few, yeah, but just owning such a monumental failure of a system is good enough for me. I'm weird like that.
By the way, can you believe America's Thrift Store keeps coming up with systems I've never even seen in New Orleans thrifts? This was $1.98.
02. Mattel Electronics Baseball
I love old LED handhelds like this. Just look at it. Even if there were no electronics inside of its shell, it would still function as an objet d'art, at least in my eyes. Am I the only one who finds this thing extremely aesthetically pleasing? The raised, silver Mattel Electronics font, the iconic representation of a baseball field, the color scheme, the descending, ridged "bleachers" surrounding the playing field... I dunno, man, it's just real pretty is all.
Released in 1978, Baseball was one in a series of similar electronic handhelds from Mattel around this time. 98 cents at ATS. Bonus points for still having the battery cover.
03. Texas Instruments Speak & Read
Released in 1980, the Speak & Read is (as you've probably guessed) another entry in Texas Instruments' fondly-remembered line of educational toys from the late 70s and early 80s. It's basically a Speak & Spell that teaches you reading instead of spelling with the help of its 250 word vocabulary. Apparently a series of plug-in expansion modules (totaling eight in 1986) were also released for the Speak & Read. There's a socket for an AC adapter and another random socket next to it, so I'm assuming that's where these modules were plugged in.
As with the Speak & Spell and Speak & Math, several musicians have incorporated the sounds of the Speak & Read into their compositions (especially those Speak & Reads which have been circuit bent.) $1.98 at ATS.
04. Star Command PC game
I never owned or played this original 1988 version of Star Command for IBM-compatible PCs, but - despite the fact that my computer has no floppy drives and I can never play it - there are a few (good?) reasons I picked this up:
1. The box art. I just dig it. This is my idea of apartment decoration fodder.
2. It's a classic, respected game from a classic, respected company (Strategic Simulations, Inc.)
3. It's complete (all inserts and disks.) There's an SSI product catalog from Fall 1987 in there. It acts as sort of a time capsule for me, I guess.
4. I started feeling nostalgic over the "requirements" label on the front which states: "Requires CGA or EGA to run," and "Runs on PCs, XTs & ATs with minimum 256K." If you know about CGA and EGA, you're probably an old fart like me.
5. It was 99 cents at ATS.
05. Sega Saturn "Not For Resale" Virtua Cop game
I don't know if this came with the Saturn when you bought it, if it was for product demos at video game stores, if it was a give-away or premium offer or what. At any rate, it's the second game I've bought for the system I own but hardly ever play. 99 cents at ATS.
© 2005 seawall
