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Hello everyone. We are moving to a new, bigger premises so website ordering will be closed for the next month while we move everything to our new building, reorganise and do a full stock take. We will not be taking any orders or able to reply to any messages during this time. We will be open again at the start of December. Many thanks. Console Passion

3DO

The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (most commonly referred to as 'the 3DO') was a line of video game consoles released in 1993 and 1994 by Panasonic, Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by Dave Needle and RJ Mical of New Technology Group. The system was conceived by entrepreneur and EA Games founder Trip Hawkins.

Despite a highly-promoted launch and a host of cutting-edge technologies, the system's high price ($699.95 USD at release) and an over-saturated console market brought 'the 3DO' to a speedy demise.

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The consoles had very advanced hardware features at the time: an ARM60 32-bit RISC CPU, two custom video co-processors, a custom 16-bit DSP and a custom math coprocessor. They also featured 2 megabytes of DRAM, 1 megabyte of VRAM, and a double speed CD-ROM drive for main storage, Up to 8 controllers could be daisy-chained on the system at once. In addition to special 3DO software, the system was able to play audio CDs (including support for CD+G), view Photo CDs, and Video CDs with an add-on MPEG video card (released in Japan only). However, few titles utilized the console's full potential.

A noteable feature of the console is that it is one of few CD-based consoles that feature neither regional lockout nor copy protection, scoring it points amongst import gamers and software pirates alike, though reports have suggested that the Goldstar model isn't particularly durable when used for either of those purposes.

It was often said that the 3DO software library exhibited many of the worst aspects of home video gaming at the time. This was the dawn of CD-ROM gaming, so cutscenes of pixelated video footage dominated many titles at the expense of good gameplay. The most well-recieved titles were commonly ports of games from other systems, such as Alone in the Dark, Myst, Out of This World, and Star Control II.

Other notable titles include Need for Speed, Jurassic Park Interactive, Crash N' Burn, Slayer, Killing Time, and the first console port of Super Street Fighter II Turbo, which exceeded the original with its CD-quality audio. Game series that started on 3DO by Electronic Arts, Studio 3DO and Crystal Dynamics established themselves on other 32-bit consoles.

In addition to the consoles, a 3DO Blaster ISA peripheral card for PCs which offered all the features of the home console was manufactured by Creative Technology.

The 3DO Company also designed a next-generation console called the M2, which was to use a PowerPC 602 processor, but the company abandoned the console business and sold the technology to Matsushita who never brought the system to the market.

By the early 1990s, the video game market had become overcrowded. Philips, Sega, Nintendo, Commodore, SNK, and Atari each had a video game system on the market. By 1995, most of these systems had fallen out of the loop and were discontinued. Nintendo's SNES and Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis were the most successful systems. Many consider the final blow to be the overwhelming popularity and affordability of the Sony PlayStation, which not only forced out other CD-based systems like the CD-i, but also laid Sega's Saturn to rest by the end of 1998.

Despite heavy promoting on the YTV variety show It's Alive, and the potential expandability behind the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, third-party support was lacking, and the 3DO system was discontinued in 1995. The 3DO Company then became a software publisher, producing such games as the Army Men franchise, until it filed for bankruptcy and liquidated its assets in 2003.

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Fun N Games

Notes: 
This is the big box version.
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£10.00
Manual: 
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£10.00

Bring out the Artist, Musician, Designer and even the Astronaut in your child! It's four fun zones full of creativity and imagination! Easy to understand icons, colourful symbols and easy to use help screens make it super simple to enjoy!

Gex

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Box: 
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£24.00
Manual: 
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£24.00

Gex's mouth gets him in Trouble, but his thrashing tail that gets him out. Gex gets stuck in the Media Dimension, the place where cheesy 70s television shows and movies go to retire. To escape he's gotta kill a television in each world.

Foes of Ali

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Box: 
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£16.00
Manual: 
yes
£16.00

The golden age of boxing returns on the next generation of gaming console. Muhammad Ali plus ten of his greatest opponents. Multiple camera angles for a high quality TV broadcast style. Fight as or against Ali in Exhibition, Historic or Career modes. Double, blurred vision and seeing 'red' effects for ultimate realism. Authentic crowd noise and arenas. Take on the computer or go head to head with another player.

Flashback

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£12.00
Manual: 
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£12.00

Flashback - the futuristic action adventure that sets you in an alien world where you must battle to find yourself and your way back home. This is the most explosive and intriguing Flashback experience ever. All new cinematic sequences, spine tingling music and sound effects combine to make Flashback one of the greatest adventure games of all time.

Flying Nightmares

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Box: 
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£16.00
Manual: 
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£16.00

Hold on tight because the flight sim engineers at Domark have pushed the limits of 3D technology! A state-of-the-art flight and combat simulator, Flying Nightmares will have your heart pounding and palms sweating. This rockin' romp through unfriendly skies delivers the very best in gaming graphics, speed and smoothness.

Fatty Bears Birthday Surprise

Notes: 
This is the big box version.
Box: 
yes
£12.00
Manual: 
yes
£12.00

Ever wonder if your stuffed animals come to life while you sleep? With Kayla's birthday only hours away, Fatty Bear and the other toys are planning a surprise party. Matilda Rabbit will help with the cake, while Gretchen works on the decorations. Sounds easy? It would be except a pesky puppy keeps taking things you need, and a game of lawn bowling is always hard to resist!

FIFA International Soccer

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yes
£8.00
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£8.00

FIFA International Soccer has it all - experience sheer brilliance: New StadiumSound™ dynamic crowd technology; over two thousand frames of player animation; complete ball control; manage team formations, strategy and coverage.

Family Feud

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Notes: 
This is the big box version.
Box: 
yes
£9.00
Manual: 
yes
£9.00

Family Feud deluxe edition for the 3DO system brings you over 4000 new survey questions taken right from the hit television show. Play alone or with up to nine friends. Full motion video families battle against each other in the fully rendered Family Feud studio. After the hosts digitised voice reads the answer, ring in to guess the top survey responses from people across the country.

Escape From Monster Manor

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£16.00
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£16.00

The powerful Talisman conjured to banish evil spirits from the world has been broken asunder and it's pieces scattered across your manor and gardens. Can you, alone, defeat the powers of evil and restore the Talisman? Battalions of zombies, ghosts, spiders and bodiless heads to defeat - all clay animated in motion video.

Dragon Lore

Notes: 
This is the big box version.
Box: 
yes
£20.00
Manual: 
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£20.00

You are Werner Von Wallenrod, and orphan living in a vivid, surreal realm lost in time. Your father has been murdered by the evil knight, Haagen Von Diakonov, who has sworn to destroy everything you know and love. You are untried, unproven, and now you must take up the sword, shield, mace and battle-axe to defend your homeland. Can you survive Diakonov's challenge? Can you attain the rank of Dragon Knight? Can you rally support and defeat all who oppose you?

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