I was going to ask if it was the first console with internal memory, but then I remembered the Sega CD, and there‘s likely even earlier stuff.
Was it the first game console able to double as a video player? I know the VCD attachment let it play those (though leaving it in while playing games can cause issues with loading on certain titles), and I’m drawing a hard blank on anything earlier that was a dedicated game machine but could also play video media…
No, the 3DO already had a similar « digital video module » accessory which allowed it to read Video CDs. At least Panasonic and Goldstar released one version of the module for their respective 3DO models.
However, the Saturn was obviously a much more popular Video CD player, especially in Asia.
The CD-i (with its proprietary Video CD format) and LaserActive (with Laserdiscs) also had video standards tied to them, if you count them as game consoles.
I count both of them! CD-i has tetris and laseractive has a bunch of laserdisc shooters (including two by my beloved Data West), so they get to count.
@chazumaru#1617 Right. I tend to forget about all of those, which is certainly unfair to them, cause they are all really interesting consoles. It's just one of the many massive gaps in my game system awareness.
@exodus#1630
Laseractive also had Megadrive and PC Engine expansion.
Of course, but those don‘t really count toward laseractive being a dedicated console I’d say.
@exodus#1674 interactivity was the entire point of the system tho, if you consider CDi a console I cannot see a reason to dismiss the Laseractive as one
Oh wait, my bad.
I do apologize for the post above.
heh it's cool!