Making the Ultimate Combo Console

Post by **racketboy** » Sat May 12, 2007 6:08 pm

I was browsing through some of my old blog posts and came across this little gem:
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/02/ ... -full.html

It's a concept that I have had in my head for years, but this is one of the few examples of someone actually executing the idea at least a little bit.

This particular example is only combining an NES and Genesis, but why stop there? Wouldn't it be cool to have a single machine that can play SMS, NES, Genesis, SNES, 32X, TG16, and maybe even Neo-Geo?

Or maybe even have a CD-based one that has a device the takes a disc from a single CD slot and feeds it to the proper hardware (Sega CD, 3DO, Neo-Geo CD, Saturn, Playstation, Dreamcast) based on a button selected on the machine.

Sure, without some serious engineering smarts, it might be a pretty large machine, but it would still be pretty cool.

Is there anybody out there that is up to the task???

Post by **lordofduct** » Sat May 12, 2007 7:38 pm

I wanted to combine all my Sega consoles into one... this was the first sketch I did of it... It looked very PC'ish with a vertically mounted DC GD-ROM.

Post by **Daigr** » Sat May 12, 2007 10:46 pm

My combo system would include Nes, SNES, Genesis , N64, TG 16, GC , and Neo Geo

And as a bonus the system itself would have it's own set of games.
Also I would limit supply for months on end.

Post by **aaron** » Sat May 12, 2007 11:48 pm

just make a pc emulation box.

with a saturn and dreamcast nearby until the emulators get better

Post by **fastbilly1** » Sun May 13, 2007 1:21 am

Actually I was trying to figure out how I could fit a pc into a SNES multitap and use it as a fully functional "Super" SNES. But I cant think of enough five player games to justify it so I might just mod a multitap to make it work with my pc. I would much rather buy another super smartjoy or two, but I am not willing to pay more than double the price to get one.

Post by **racketboy** » Sun May 13, 2007 7:42 am

aaron wrote:just make a pc emulation box.

with a saturn and dreamcast nearby until the emulators get better

Which I what I already have. You're just missing the point.
It's just a "cool factor" thing and "I wonder if I can" thing.

Post by **aaron** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:21 am

well i get the point, i guess i just don't see the allure in it.

maybe it's just because i own so few original games (mainly because i only buy games that i really like anymore).

save the saturn, i guess.

Post by **ImportBoy** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:30 am

I think it is a cool idea, but the case would just be to big without doing some modification. As lordofduct's model suggested having one power supply for each system would be great. As for the CD-ROM based systems it would be interesting to try to have one drive for all of them. I think the Dreamcast's would be the one to work from - as it is fast (12x) and can read GD-ROMs. Getting the other systems to regonize it would the challenge.

Post by **carslayer** » Sun May 13, 2007 1:30 pm

What if we just combined a sega CD, Saturn and DC?

Getting them all to share a laser would be near impossible, so I would just remove the motor that spins the disk from the sega cd and saturn, and arrange it so that the dreamcast motor would be connected to all of the system drives, while eachsystem would have it's own lazer, arranged like this a big T, with the motor where all the tracks join and each arm of the T representing the lazer track for a different system. then integrate them to shate a single video port with a built in switchbox and a shared power supply.
just a thought. easier than getting them to share a drive, anyway

Post by **neohx_7** » Tue May 15, 2007 5:07 pm

Call it the Sega Neptune for fun.