8 Video Game Revolutions We Don't Need Anymore
6. Console Add-Ons
During a time where video games were very quickly changing and the cutting edge of technology was always moving, the companies at the top had to be shrewd. Rather than a whole new system, there were accessories and add-ons for existing consoles to make them more appealing.
Sega were particularly known for the practice, turning the Mega Drive into a potential Frankenstein’s monster of a machine for the most loyal consumers on their side of the console war. The 32x slotted into top to run 32-bit games and the Sega CD sat underneath to facilitate disc-based software.
They weren’t alone in trying this kind of thing either as Nintendo did get in on the action. The 64DD foresaw the future of games on optical hardware rather than cartridges although the company eventually decided not to release it. However, for their next system, they did include a rare and sought-after peripheral. The GameBoy Player slotted under the GameCube and whilst it didn’t give players access to brand new games it did let them play handheld titles on the big-screen, like the SNES had done before.
Overall, the console add-on is a long gone thought in part to more standardised tech and rigid release cycles. Instead, it is far more common for systems to be updated with higher power siblings that, rather than came as an additional purchase, ask consumers to pay full price for a new system.
In that light, maybe the SegaCD wasn’t so bad after all.