the Konix Multisystem

guyjin · 02/11/2009, 07:03 PM

http://www.konixmultisystem.co.uk/index.php?id=home

It's impressive how much information this guy has been able to gather on a game system that never came out. pretty much all the listed games have some video or screenshots.

it's kinda awesome.

Joe Redifer · 02/11/2009, 08:17 PM

I remember reading about that before NEC even renamed the PC Engine into the TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem! The Konix would have sold millions! Billions! Actually it would have tanked really hard as the games looked like ass.

PCEngineHell · 02/11/2009, 09:19 PM

Yea, everything looks like shite. Woulda went no where fast.

Tatsujin · 02/11/2009, 09:27 PM

but i want one.

guyjin · 02/12/2009, 06:17 AM

I don't see how it 'looks like ass'.

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/12/2009, 11:55 AM

Quote from: guyjin on 02/12/2009, 06:17 AMI don't see how it 'looks like ass'.

Me neither; the games that look to be far along in their development look quite colorful and detailed for '89. In fact, they look just as good or better when compared with the Amiga and ST versions. Besides, who wouldn't want to play Attack of the Mutant Camels with such fine quotes as "My nipples explode with delight"? Sign me up!

PCEngineHell · 02/12/2009, 03:11 PM

It all looks like poorly done eurotrash rip offs of other crap from that time,esp from Atari ST and Amiga, and nothing on there looked good enough to compete completely with the arcade, esp afterburner and outrun. I noticed other things too, like the dismal jerkiness movement of the games in some titles. No,this is just fail. One Jeff Minter Defender clone isn't enough to make me think otherwise. Defender 2000 didn't save the Jaguar,did it, and it was awesome. Mutant Camels I don't think could touch Defender 2000 in its best day. One games quality (good or bad) doesn't decide the rest of the titles anyway, in any case what so ever.

guyjin · 02/12/2009, 03:15 PM

You talk about ST and Amiga games like they're bad or something. And besides, we're clearly looking at unfinished software.

PCEngineHell · 02/12/2009, 03:27 PM

Quote from: guyjin on 02/12/2009, 03:15 PMYou talk about ST and Amiga games like they're bad or something. And besides, we're clearly looking at unfinished software.

You talk about ST and Amiga games like they're ALL good or something. And besides, we're clearly looking at failed software like Sailing, Vendetta, Crazy Cars 2 and Bikers....

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/12/2009, 03:44 PM

Quote from: guyjin on 02/12/2009, 03:15 PMYou talk about ST and Amiga games like they're bad or something. And besides, we're clearly looking at unfinished software.

Indeed. Only a few titles are even shown in a playable state (2/3 of 'em don't even have screen shots), but the few that were near complete compare favorably with the ST and Amiga games or early MD and PCE games. I certainly wouldn't say that the Konix hardware was head and shoulders above the established players, but it was at least competitive and may have had a chance with the ~~gimmicky~~ innovative controls (sounds like Wii).

Joe Redifer · 02/12/2009, 05:11 PM

It may have done OK in EU, but this would NEVER fly in the US, guaranteed.

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/12/2009, 05:22 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 02/12/2009, 05:11 PMIt may have done OK in EU, but this would NEVER fly in the US, guaranteed.

Its price certainly wouldn't have helped it sell. A projected launch price of 200 pounds would've been about $300 in '89, but couldn't the Genny and Turbo be had for half that?

Joe Redifer · 02/13/2009, 03:49 AM

I think the Genesis and Turbo were released at $189. At least the Genesis was... I didn't get the Turbo until a year or so later.

termis · 02/13/2009, 04:46 AM

I believe the TG16 came at about that ($189-$199) as well. The price of the TG-CD was a shocker for the time ($399... or was it $499?) I didn't know a single kid with the TG16 CD system until... well, I got it once it went on clearance for $99.

Quote from: guest on 02/12/2009, 05:22 PMIts price certainly wouldn't have helped it sell. A projected launch price of 200 pounds would've been about $300 in '89, but couldn't the Genny and Turbo be had for half that?

I dunno about straight conversion for price. The Europeans (or as a matter of fact, any non-Americans) seem to get the worse end of the price deal when systems are released. If straight conversion for £200 would've been US$300 or at the time, then the more likely final price would've been $250 or so.

Still probably would've failed though. I can't imagine parents plunkin down more money to buy tons of additional accessories.

Joe Redifer · 02/13/2009, 11:54 AM

The TG-CD was $399 and then it dropped to $199 a year or two later. I got it with my TurboGrafx-16.

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/13/2009, 12:01 PM

Here's another site with a couple of interesting videos (Cube Demo and Viktor the Vector Man) showing off its primitive 3D capabilities. The direct link to Viktor is broken, but it can be found under 'more from user' in any of the other videos.

Quote from: termis on 02/13/2009, 04:46 AMI dunno about straight conversion for price. The Europeans (or as a matter of fact, any non-Americans) seem to get the worse end of the price deal when systems are released. If straight conversion for £200 would've been US$300 or at the time, then the more likely final price would've been $250 or so.

Usually that's the case, but I don't know if it'd apply when the console is originating in Europe. Either way the premise rings true, as few will pay substantially more money for something that isn't substantially better than what the competition is offering. Did somebody say PS3?

CrackTiger · 02/14/2009, 09:40 PM

The graphics look somewhere between NES and SMS, only backed by a ton of horsepower. Kinda like the Amstrad GX4000 is supposed to be.

But that control is a horrible idea. If the 360 had launched with the steering wheel only (no pad) and at the price of bigger PS3 it wouldn't have made it past the first holiday season.

esteban · 02/15/2009, 03:59 AM

Quote from: guyjin on 02/11/2009, 07:03 PMhttp://www.konixmultisystem.co.uk/index.php?id=home

It's impressive how much information this guy has been able to gather on a game system that never came out. pretty much all the listed games have some video or screenshots.

it's kinda awesome.

guyjin, thanks for the link

. It was a blast to read and see all the neat stuff about Konix. I love wacky stuff like this, especially the fact that key designers for konix were connected to many other things (like the Super FX chip for SNES!). Awesome.

Mqark · 02/24/2009, 03:30 AM

Hi Everyone,

I'm the guy that created the website you're talking about. For those that have posted kind comments, thanks it makes the hours of devotion worthwhile. I have a life now, so the site is probably as complete as it'll ever be unless someone comes along with some really juicy gossip or fact.

It's amazing that this blip in the history of video games is still being talked about even today, but in some ways it's not so strange, there are still traces of its DNA even in the Xbox 360 (controversial statement I know, but its true). And a lot of the guys that worked on it or games that were going to be launched on it are still working in the industry to this day.

If you want to discuss anything, I'm happy to answer questions and I LOVE the PC Engine! (didn't think much of the PCFX though!).

Mark Campbell.

Keranu · 02/24/2009, 03:43 AM

Welcome aboard, Mark, HAR, HAAARRR, HAAAAAARRRRRR!

Great job on the site, give yourself a pat on the back! I have a question: Has there ever been talk of brining Attack of the Mutant Camels to any other systems?

Mqark · 02/24/2009, 06:05 AM

Quote from: Keranu on 02/24/2009, 03:43 AMWelcome aboard, Mark, HAR, HAAARRR, HAAAAAARRRRRR!

Great job on the site, give yourself a pat on the back! I have a question: Has there ever been talk of brining Attack of the Mutant Camels to any other systems?

Hi, Thanks.

You can get the 8-bit Atari version directly from Jeff Minters website:

http://www.llamasoft.co.uk/lc-8bit.php

There was a C64 version too - The Konix version was re-working of the earlier 8 bit versions. Not quite a sequal, more of a port.
It would be nice if Jeff could make available the code so it could be released or re-ported. He may actually not even have it. But then knowing what he's like it's completely likley he's not hiding it or keeping it to himself, it's just buried in a pile of junk somewhere or it's in a cardboard box in his parents loft.
Keep your fingers crossed, one day he might uncover something...

Nazi NecroPhile · 02/24/2009, 10:21 AM

Welcome aboard Mqark. Thanks for the site; it's good fun reading up on obscure gaming stuff.

guyjin · 02/24/2009, 12:23 PM

I've said it before and I'll say it again: your website is awesome. Good luck on your quest for more multisystem stuff.

JoshTurboTrollX · 02/24/2009, 08:14 PM

I want a Konix T-shirt.

You should send some to me to sell at MGC next month!! lol

Tatsujin · 02/24/2009, 08:43 PM

Campbell, what a great name

btw. welcome aboard & n-joy the forums^^