The most promising system?

[JamesD]

As for the CoCo, Radio Shack's whole marketing system was its enemy; Independant stores couldn't sell the machine so they didn't carry the software, and Radio Shack stores carried the machine, but were not allowed to carry third-party software or hardware. There was third party stuff, but it was ghettoized into mail order through ads in CoCo magazine. Would have been cool to have seen this machines quirky hardware pushed to the limit. Was there ever a CoCo demo scene?

Demo coding in the US was never really what it was in Europe and the CoCo was never really popular outside of the US... at least the actual CoCo.

Part of the reason the CoCo wasn't that popular outside the US is that most of the games that came from the US took advantage of NTSC color artifacting in the 256x192 mode... but those games were B&W on PAL systems. Plus, Radio Shack's policies for not allowing other stores to sell machines didn't help. They made a half hearted attempt with the TDP-100 but I think pricing kept it from catching on.

There were several clones that sold ok but I've only seen a couple demos and they were for the CoCo3.

[the maddestman]

The Amiga and the Dreamcast get my votes.

[videogamesbook]

Coleco experimented with the Super Game module, vibrating controllers and computer images superimposed over video via the RCA VideoDisc player. If they hadn't tried to set up a separate "Coleco Electronics" computer division with ADAM and kept their focus on gaming...

 

(1984) Just in time for Christmas, it's the all new Expansion Module #4 - the VideoDisc Super Game Module, exclusively for your Coleco Vision. Now you can play Dragon's Lair at home, just like you do at the arcade!" We put YOU in the game, now more than ever! Actual screens shown.

[misspent_youth]

Maybe not for the system itself, but I think that Trip Hawkins and the 3DO bunch deserve some credit for thinking of a different model for consoles (okay, I know that they actually ripped the idea off from Emerson with the Arcadia), whereby you provide the specs and let others build it. This way, more niche markets may have been addressed, such as those looking for built-in Wi-Fi when the 360 launched. Somebody might have decided to release a PS3 that looks like the Millennium Falcon or something. An idea that had promise, but didn't go anywhere.

 

Oh, and apologies if anyone already pointed this out, since I initially read this thread when it first started and couldn't be bothered to go back and re-read it all.

[nonner242]

The Amiga and the Dreamcast get my votes.

I agree