Can You Name The Worst Game Consoles In History?

In another discussion, we looked at the top 10 video game systems of all time including the original Nintendo Entertainment system that brought us the Mario Brothers to the Xbox One.

Today are naming the top 10 absolute worst gaming consoles ever made. To be fair clone devices were not included in this list. Whether it was poor marketing, the design, or the price.

Whatever the reason, these gaming consoles could not win the hearts of the gaming community and are for the most part either forgotten or never even heard of.

10 Least Favored & Forgotten Systems 

 1. OUYA. Going small with a micro-console that actually used a version of Android operating system at a fraction of the cost of other 8th generation consoles sounded pretty good at the time.

The OUYA came with big claims including free to play launch titles and accessible developers tools did not make up for the crappy controller design and substandard games and poor internet connectivity.

 2. Sega Saturn. The fourth attempt at a home video gaming console. The digital age of laser disc game producing 3D video processing technology was beginning to gain popularity back in 1995.

Desperate to beat Sony in the race to release the original PlayStaion, it was rushed to market. This would later be the defeat of this console attempt, simply due to its overly complicated to develop for and you guessed it..no Sonic the Hedge Hog release! It thus tanked in the end.

 3. HyperScan. A super small gaming device about the size of a book with a hinge that opened to reveal the drive to insert your CD games.

The Hyperscan released by Mattel in 2006 was a lesson they would never forget. The unique selling feature was its hyper scan technology which was used to RFID cards to load savable content and in-game extras. Unfortunately only having released 5 game titles in total.

Compared to the standards of higher quality and more successful gaming systems, the Hyperscan would prove no match and was discontinued only a year later.

 4. Coleco Telstar Arcade. Even for the gaming standards back in 1977, this system could not compete.

The odd triangular shape of the system would serve a base for 3 different types of gaming peripherals including a steering wheel for driving games, a gun for shooters, and a paddle for pong of course.

With the decline in the interest in pong as better games were developed, it seemed this type of system was a little late in coming.

 5. RCA Studio 2. Already an extremely successful electronics company, RCA would release its own system that featured twin built-in keypads and included 5 games.

Another company that caught up just in time to be left in the dust as other systems were already incorporating color as well as the use of joysticks rather than paddles. Especially thanks to the Atari 2600 which ruled as king during that era.

 6. Game.com and we’re not talking about the web address, as it’s actually pronounced as “game come”. In 1997, an electronics game and toy company by the name of Tiger electronics brought us this short-lived hand-held system that was directed at stereotypical hip young adult.

It came fully loaded as a handheld with built-in PDA function, along with internet capability and touchscreen interface. Beings years ahead of common technology of the time.

Sadly it tanked for reasons that are undeniable. First, it never really trended like most systems, a severely poor display, and the games really sucked. Low sales caused the product to disappear to never return.

 7. Action Max. The toy company Worlds of Wonder were hoping to bring the latest and greatest to the gaming scene back in 1987.

This particular system required that you also own a VCR and came with a light gun that would be used for each of its 5 games. In other words, all of its games were shooters. Even the jet fighter game.

Another flop was that most games had no way of winning or losing. So what’s the point, right? That’s what everyone began to think and poof, it was gone!

 8. RDI Halcyon. A first of its kind, voice activated system and AI that claimed to acknowledge a 200-word vocabulary. Originally retailed priced at $2500 US. It came with a laserdisc player and attached computer.

Of the six games planned only two games were completed before weak investor confidence never allowed for a full-scale launch.

 9. R-Zone. Tiger electronics figured they would capitalize on the whole LCD screen technology.

While attempting to compete in a market dominated by Nintendo GameBoy and Sega’s Game Gear, they tried upgrading their earlier model piece of crap games with a visor that attached to your head while keeping one eye closed to make the game appear larger. For real?

Unlike its competitors, it had neither game save capability nor even volume controls. Due to its inability to compete, off to the trash bin, it went.

 10. Finally, we give you a compilation including Amiga CD 32, Turbo Express, NUON, and the Atari 5200 for its really weird joystick controller that was both awkward and cheaply made.

Conclusion

So it goes with anything in life. There’s the good, the bad, and the OMG what the #$@{72efb0c32e43f5bdedbae15851376fd4ecf028e81305272a05daa31b373c7d97} IS that? This, of course, is an opinion and there are likely much more that could be added to this list, but you have to admit, these are really bad.