Action Max

Many players had become accustomed to using cartridges, so it was curious when Worlds of Wonder took a different approach with their Action Max console. The system used VHS tapes with a light gun to interact with the game, but this limited its interactivity with only a repetitive loop, offering little to no means of altering the game.

Atari Lynx

Atari launched the Lynx in 1989 to rival the popular Nintendo Game Boy and included advanced features that its competitor didn’t have. The Lynx beat the Game Boy in functionality and superior technology, but the system would drain batteries quickly and offered a limited selection of games that couldn’t compete with the “Super Mario” series.

Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 Games System was a reiteration of the older computer model, but it featured a joystick instead of a keyboard. While you could play the same game between the systems, some required the use of the keyboard, and games made specifically for the C64 Games System were sparse, putting it at a major disadvantage to systems like the NES.

Sega Saturn

To beat Sony’s new upcoming gaming system, Sega executives decided to debut the Sega Saturn in 1994, but this rush meant that the system was only available at certain retailers at launch time and lacked a robust game lineup to support the console. What made matters worse was the Sony Playstation launched soon after with a lower price tag.

Virtual Boy

Nintendo’s Virtual Boy’s attempt to deliver immersive 3D gaming was ambitious, but the system had to use red LEDs instead of full color as the graphics would have been unstable otherwise. Like many other failed systems, the Virtual Boy lacked a variety of games, and many games that were offered didn’t work well with the 3D effect.