WonderSwan Color
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The WonderSwan Color is a handheld game console designed by Bandai. It was released on December 30, 2000 in Japan, and was a moderate success.
The original WonderSwan had only a black and white screen. Although the WonderSwan Color was slightly larger and heavier (7 mm and 2 g) compared to the original WonderSwan, the color version featured 512K of RAM and a larger color LCD screen. In addition, the WonderSwan Color is compatible with the original WonderSwan library of games.
Prior to WonderSwan's release, Nintendo had virtually a monopoly in the Japanese video game handheld market. After the release of the WonderSwan Color, Bandai took approximately 8% of the market share in Japan partly due to its low price of 6800 yen (approximately $65 U.S. Dollars).
Another reason for the WonderSwan's success in Japan was the fact that Bandai managed to get a deal with Squaresoft to port over the original Famicom Final Fantasy games with improved graphics and controls. However, with the popularity of the Game Boy Advance and the reconciliation between Squaresoft and Nintendo, the WonderSwan Color and its successor, the Swan Crystal quickly lost its competitive advantage.
Technical specifications
- CPU: SPGY-1002, a 3.072 MHz 16-bit NEC V30MZ Clone
- Memory: 512Kbit VRAM/WRAM (shared)
- Screen:
- * FSTN reflective Liquid crystal display
- * 2.8 inch (71 mm) diagonal
- * no backlight
- * resolution: 224x144 pixels
- * colors: 241 out of 4096 colors
- Sound: Built-in mono speaker or stereo with optional headphones adapter
- Link: Two players (adapter needed)
- Power: one AA battery (~20 hours of game play)
- Size: 128 by 74.3 by 24.3 mm
- Weight 95 g (3.35 oz) including battery
See also
| Handheld game consoles
|
| Early units |
|---|
| see Microvision and Handheld electronic games
|
| Nintendo handhelds |
| Game & Watch > Game Boy line | Game Boy | Game Boy Color | Game Boy Advance | Nintendo DS | |
| Bandai handhelds |
| WonderSwan > WonderSwan Color | Swan Crystal
|
| GamePark/Holdings handhelds |
| GP32 > GP2X | XGP | XGP Mini | XGP Kids
|
| SNK handhelds |
| Neo Geo Pocket > Neo-Geo Pocket Color
|
| Sega handhelds |
| Game Gear | Nomad | Mega Jet
|
| Sony handhelds |
| PocketStation > PlayStation Portable
|
| Other handhelds |
| Atari Lynx | Watara Supervision | Game.com | Gizmondo | N-Gage | TurboExpress | Pepper Pad | GameKing | iRiver G10 |
| Comparison |
External links
- [Official website] (English)
- [Official website] (Japanese)
- [WonderSwan Emulator for the Sony PSP]
- [Open source SDL Bandai Wonderswan Color emulator.]
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