10 Video Game Consoles The World Wasn't Ready For

8. Atari Lynx

Dreamcast console
Wikipedia

The Atari Lynx was the most innovative handheld gaming systems ever made when it was released in 1990. It hit the market just two months after Nintendo dropped the Game Boy, and despite the competition, it looked like the Lynx would dominate the market.

This was the first handheld system to feature a color LCD display, and compared to the Game Boy, the graphics were years ahead in terms of advancement. It also featured an innovative ambidextrous layout, which enabled players to flip it around and play it with whichever dominant hand they preferred.

Unfortunately, despite being way ahead of its time, the Atari Lynx didn't sell well. Ultimately, it sold a paltry three million units. While that may sound like a lot, the Game Boy sold 118 million, which left the Lynx in the dustbin of console history simply in comparison to the competition.

The reason such a powerful handheld failed in comparison to the much less-powerful Nintendo offering has everything to do with content. The games for the Lynx were comparatively sub-par, and only about 30 were ever released. There wasn't enough developmental support to sustain the platform after launch, and the world was happy to play the monochrome offering from Nintendo, which also cost half as much as the Lynx.

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Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com