Worst. Console. Ever.
The GX4000 was to be the console that would open doors for the Amstrad in the video game console world.
The GT4000 is known as the one of the least successful consoles of all time, if you’ve even heard of the thing.
In the beginning, it had respectful reviews – the graphics and sound were impressive, and it had a large color palette (A palette larger then even the Mega Drive, I might add). So what happened, you ask? Read on.
Video Game Console…
Or Home Computer?
The GX4000 is, basically, a computer that’s called a gaming console – it even had almost the exact same architecture as their CPC6128+, expect for a few small things that have been added, or changed. It supports more colors than the PC, and the hardware sprites could be directly manipulated or even zoomed in on, but for all intents and purposes, it was the same machine.
A good thing about the console that the PC didn’t have was color 0, a transparent mode. It allowed games to load much faster then normally, which allowed maximum gaming time.
Gaming…
Or Lack Thereof?
There were about forty games for the console, which would be a surprising number, considering how short-lived it was.
However, this is just another area where the line between home computer and vide game console is blurred, and not in the good way. The games that were on the GX4000 were literally the same games that were on the computer counterpart!
That means that if you had an Amstrad computer, there wasn’t really a point to buying the console – nearly every game could be found and played on the computer. The catch, though was that the CPC6128+ was able to use disks and tapes, while the GX4000 could only use cartridges, which were actually more expensive, so in the end you’re paying extra for the same software that can be played on a computer that was extremely popular at the time!
Surprisingly enough, two of the game development companies that worked with Amstrad for the console went on to be quite successful. Although I’m sure you don’t recognize the name of the company, Ocean was bought out by Infogrames, and is now owned by Atari. They’re responsible for such hits as Neverwinter Nights (PC), Neverwinter Nights 2 (PC), and a number of popular Dragon Ball games.
The other company, US Gold, became Eidos, who is well known for a number of massive titles like Tomb Raider, Thief. Legacy of Kain, Deus Ex, and many other popular titles.
Death of the Console
Amstrad honestly couldn’t have chosen a worse time to enter the gaming console world. While it was an extremely powerful machine, and capable of better graphics then any 8-bit console on the market, it was released just before the 16-bit Sega Mega Drive, and SNES. These consoles, who engaged in a bloody war for control of the market, left little to no room for any console, let alone one with a library of games that it had. It was forgotten.
It wasn’t long, simply a few months, until production ceased and Amstrad completely withdrew from the console market.
