3DO ZONE Forums

What hath science wrought!
As of a few days ago, I'm now the proud owner of perhaps the most ungodly amalgamation of both fail and awesome in gaming history. Amid its nest of wires, on a shelf in my bedroom, is a device I henceforth dub The Creature.
This Frankensteinian creation consists of a Sega Genesis Model 2 (my original $22 pride and joy, my very first REAL game console), a Sega CD Model 2, and, unholy of unholies, a Sega 32X.
So, yes. I can now truthfully say that I own a 32X CD. There were only 6 CD games made for this thing, ALL FMV, and when it was new, when you tally up what each component cost new it was probably only outdone by the 3DO itself in terms of price.
I still think it's awesome, though. I mean, it weighs at least 20 pounds and has THREE AC adapters!
Now then, let me get to my point.
I realize that the 32X CD is a completely different animal than the 3DO. The 32X is jumbled together from parts, whereas the 3DO is simply one console. Complicated as it was, the 32X CD was made by only one company, whereas the 3DO was made by several.
But, let's review the facts.
What do these two machines have in common?
32 bit processor (2 in the case of the 32X) - Check.
Polygonal 3D graphics capabilities - Check.
Decent quality FMV capabilities and a glut of games in that genre - Check.
General lack of what would be called good games, save for a few exceptions - Check.
High price-point and low market acceptance - Check.
General disdain from gamers then and now - Check.
Only limited support from today's homebrew community, unlike many other CD-based consoles of the era - Check.
So, they've got that in common. How would you say they stack up against each-other, then? Hardware, software and retro appeal-wise, mind.
Discuss!

Can't comment on the few cd titles, but the 32X itself was very dissapointing to me. I bought into the hype (and there was a lot before launch) about how it was gonna be Sega's priority and the Saturn was more for a niche market, but boy did that talk end quickly after release.

VR Racing was good (better than the Sat version actually) and Virtua Fighter got attention (too late though) but really it was clear that the machine wasn't being taken seriously by developers or even Sega themselves (something they admitted to after the fact) For an upgrade, the main thing I was looking for was 32 bit graphics. Scanning the tiny library of the 32X (how many games, less than 50 I bet) I could count on 1 hand the numer of games that look 32 bit to me.

So, 3DO wins easily for me. True 32 bit power w/games to prove it. A couple dozen truly excellent games imho (3DO has more good games than 32X has games period) A longer lifespan (both machines were too short though) Audio, absolutely no contest. Import support, etc...

For collectors though ... the Sega name is more well known and respected. And the 32X is tiny on the shelf (something I've heard is a key factor oddly enough) If 3DO homebrew can get going though ...

The hit boxes on the Star Wars game were INCREDIBLE... LY BAD

The quality of the video on some of the 32X CD games (Corpse Killer in particular) was quite good. Unfortunately, the CD games themselves were just ports of games that weren't very good to begin with. It's really too bad considering they had announced non-FMV 32X CD games like Alone in the Dark, Descent and Primal Rage (a planned CD version, not the cart release). It would be interesting to see how those possibly could have turned out.

All in all though, much like similar less-popular systems of the day (3DO, Jaguar, etc.), I have fond memories of the 32X. It's especially good, IMO, for its abundance of quality arcade-style action games, something the 3DO and Jag didn't have as much of.

Granted, this was also my first "32-bit system". I purchased it for all of $30 brand-new with Virtua Fighter as a pack-in. First 32-bit system + first experience with a 3D fighting game = awesome memories. Needless to say, I wasn't one of the ones that felt burned on it. I can see where early adopters may feel otherwise though.

I often wonder how much the 32X hurt Sega w/the Saturn & DC?

I always quite fancied a 32X. Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racer and Star Wars. I'd like to have a look at its port of Doom too

Personally, I think the 32X (with some changes made to the architecture) was the route Sega should have gone during the 32-bit era. The Saturn, powerful as it was (and freaking AWESOME as it was. Still my favorite retro console of all, with 3DO a close second), was complicated and 'SPENSIVE. The 32X, meanwhile, was probably the cheapest 32-bit console (and I use the term loosely) of its day at $199 at launch (PlayStation being $299 and Saturn $399).
Of course, it would have needed some tweaking. The weird "overlay" graphical display method was unnecessary and overly complicated to programmers. Also, the sound (which the 32X actually DID enhance slightly) improvements could have been much easier to access, or at least have had better documentation.
And, a lot more power could have been wrung out of those twin SH2s.
It could have been released in "Neptune" form, with a built-in CD drive (which might have upped the price slightly, but even so) rather than cartridges, and with the right marketing it could have at least kept up with PS1.
All this would have pushed the launch back a bit, obviously, but even so.

I don't wish to dive into the anti-sega realm but the PS1 was the console to have. The saturn was an echo of a failing empire. The PS1 was powerful, exciting, trendy, new, and the Saturn frankly wasn't.

Still, I would have a 32X.

The Saturn was fine... had a few great games, too. Plus they pushed Shenmue off until the Dreamcast, leaving the system relatively untarnished.

The controllers, on the other hand, were another in a long line of sense-butchering monstrosities.

i hated the 32x untill i got corpse killer, but then 3do version knocked the 32x off my sega, also the 32x wouldnt save my NHL hockey game seasons. took off the 32x and problem fixed

i loved all the Sega controllers except for the Dreamcast
also i hate all things Sony (just thought i would throw that in there incase new people havent heard that from me yet)
i have like 25+ games for the playstation and i think ive played 3 of them, and the controllers suck

Lemmi wrote:i hated the 32x untill i got corpse killer, but then 3do version knocked the 32x off my sega

That takes good aim.

Why is it I only realise controllers are bad after the event?

I dunno... I always kinda liked the Dreamcast controller.
Guess I just have the right sized hands for it or something.

I loved the Dreamcast controller, one of the best. PS controllers were good except for the 4 left and right buttons, major folly. And why two analog sticks??? The only game I have ever found them good for was rowing a boat, other than that a second it totally worthless. Plus they needed a proper directional pad.

Personally, I think the worst designed controller of the 32-bit era had to be the Nintendo 64 controller. It's big, awkward, and the control stick is right in the middle of the pad where my thumb can barely reach. Same goes for the Z button.
What confuses me is how it got such rave reviews from the press of the day.

Well yeah, but it's like the Wii's controller. The media worshipped it as the second coming initially and then it seemed to take for ever for it to emerge that for anything but a Nintendo game it was rubbish, and even at doing-what-it-does it was a bit rubbish with poor accuracy.

It's a bit like the 3DS. I for one am absolutely gagging to see a 3DS in action, and that's fine, as long as I never lose sight of the fact it is completely pointless.

Nintendo have an absolute gift when it comes to dressing up the naked emperor.

That was for Kid.

To Fox: you are supposed to move your hand to grab the middle and use the stick. However I do think it was a crappy controller, even if it matches the ones for the M2.

I have been ban requested

3DOKid wrote:I have been ban requested

The novelty wears of quicker than you might think.

Trev wrote:

3DOKid wrote:I have been ban requested

The novelty wears of quicker than you might think.

Insubordination and criticising an administrator: Ban Request.

(no, you're right, it's much more fun from this side!)

Trev wrote:

3DOKid wrote:I have been ban requested

The novelty wears of quicker than you might think.

I could freshen it up by following through.

3DO Experience wrote:

Trev wrote:

3DOKid wrote:I have been ban requested

The novelty wears of quicker than you might think.

I could freshen it up by following through.

I LOL'd

Nintendo practices what I call "Shot in the dark" innovation. After huge initial and well-deserved success, they invented in no order: The Power Glove, the Super Scope Six, that fucking Rob robot, the e-reader, that damn disk drive, and Virtual Boy. I can't imagine how ANY of these got made without somebody at Nintendo going "Well, people liked the Zapper, we should make it bigger!" and then getting stabbed.

And the N64 controller, the only controller out there designed specifically to pleasure three rabbits at once.

Vance wrote:Nintendo practices what I call "Shot in the dark" innovation. After huge initial and well-deserved success, they invented in no order: The Power Glove, the Super Scope Six, that fucking Rob robot, the e-reader, that damn disk drive, and Virtual Boy. I can't imagine how ANY of these got made without somebody at Nintendo going "Well, people liked the Zapper, we should make it bigger!" and then getting stabbed.

And the N64 controller, the only controller out there designed specifically to pleasure three rabbits at once.

I wept.

It's f**king true mind.

I watched the movie "The Wizard" which is odd at many levels (i loved it mind!) but the line, "I love the Power Glove. It's so bad." was particularly prophetic. It was indeed very bad.

But since as nintendo always seems to say (Virtuaboy/3DS, Powerglove/Wiimote) never let a bad idea fade away, or die, or just plain old f**k-off...

Before anybody starts, the Power Glove is a much beloved cultural icon, yes. People wear them to E3 and whatnot, I won't fault anybody for loving the thing. It had a central display in my store and people oozed over it.

But it sucked as a controller, so if you want to get wound up over that, we can dance.

i had a power glove but my TV was to big to use it right, so i took the controller off the back of it and just used that

Vance wrote:And the N64 controller, the only controller out there designed specifically to pleasure three rabbits at once.

I can't get that image out of my head now, although my mind substituted guinea pigs for rabbits for some reason

Scarlettkitten wrote:I can't get that image out of my head now, although my mind substituted guinea pigs for rabbits for some reason

That's because you are a pervert my dear.

I have four Power Gloves. An American one, a Canadian one, a Japanese version and an American one I chopped up to use on a computer. I think the only reason people didn't like the way it worked because they never paid attention to any of the codes. You can play pretty much any game with one of four main codes. It's no full-time replacement for a controller but they are tons of fun. Oh and if you have one get Super Glove Ball!!! OMG I can't stress that enough!

But Nintendo did know what they were doing with R.O.B. It was designed from the start as a trojan horse to get the NES in to stores that were scared after the 83' crash. They never did plan to support it beyond Gyromite & Stack up. For what it was, it was brilliant!

Virtual Boy was a fabulous idea imho, but was too early, too expensive, and launched at a time when the market was bloated. I'm glad I have mine though.

I've never owned any of the other accesories mentioned.

Trev is correct about R.O.B. except there were to be four games. He was just a marketing ploy. I also agree with you on the VB. Too soon, too much, and two colors. I still love it though.