Let's Save the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer

The 3DO could have been so much more thanks to that 2 year head start in North America. Can we take advantage of it this time?

I'm now on Patreon! Help support the channel.

Check out my Sega Lord X merchandise page!

If you would like to support the channel directly:

Head over to Facebook to hear me ramble about various things:

I'm now on Twitter!

Opening "Sega" jingle is from Astal for the Sega Saturn.

Ending Music during the credits is from Batman for the Sega Genesis.

SLX Logo
By: Jan Neves

Intro by Evan S.

Outro Animation by Kevin Bhall

Episode Notes:

1. I tried to pull art for this one from free sources. If something wasn't, please let me know so I can edit it.

2. The chart showing electronics company revenue was for corporations located in Japan.

3. I also feel Panasonic could have benefitted from a relationship with SNK. Neo Geo games were still hot commodities in 1993 and ports to 3DO would have been well received.

4. I do not believe a lot of 2D games would have had a negative impact on the 3DO. Its release in 1993 was well before the 3D console craze began.

5. Other companies had planned on 3DO hardware. AT&T, Samsung, and Toshiba all canceled their plans after sales proved unspectacular.

6. Panasonic did eventually start releasing its own games for the 3DO, but it was too little, too late.

7. I loved my 3DO. For a time, it was an incredible experience.

[EvilToeKnee]

I was one of the brave souls who shelled out $700. I actually bought it from an AT&T store of all places. I would love to share my story somehow. I received dozens of free games from the 3DO company and even a card at Christmas.

[miltonbates]

'Crash 'n Burn' was a fitting title for the first 3DO game.

[physalis]

I love your "Fix the Console" series and your plan is solid! Do the Atari Jaguar next please

[dsgitlin]

My cousin had a 3DO and Need for Speed. In 1994, it was simply incredible.

One thing missing from this video is launching the 3DO without a 6-button controller. They were DOA in an SF world without that.

[RanFire]

Saving the 3DO would involve changing everything they did.

Trip with his game publisher background hated the royalty fees the console makers charged and didn't understand part of the reason they were there was to subsidize the launch cost of the console and the result was a $600 console

[JGKingCrusher]

One of my favorite systems of all time! I absolutely loved it. Wing Command 3, Return Fire, an amazing version of Wolfenstein 3D. There really were some great games for that system! Immercinary was one of my all time favorites for it. I really wish someone would put together a retro compilation of great 3DO games.

[BigSnipp]

In 1993, kids were still getting their first 16 bit console. I thought it was insane to offer some $700 alternative.

[Marc_Araujo]

I got an FZ-1 for cheap in college (circa 2007) and I busted it out like two years ago to see if it still worked and it did. I had a really good time playing Gex and Super Turbo again...I'm really glad the big guy is still kicking.

[Palmer-xedj]

I'd also have their commercials not insult (stereotype) the tens of millions of gamers who purchased the SNES and the Genesis, both of which were affordable and had so many games to choose from. "What are YOU playing with?" Sonic 3 and DKC for starters.

[pinkyskeleton]

I remember me and my dad renting the 3D0 on various weekends. It was such a cool and mysterious machine nobody owned. I have Demolition Man and Pebble Beach Golf etched into my brain.

[SomeOrangeCat]

Oh hell. This would be a herculean effort if there ever was one.

[Retro-Fez]

I wanted a 3DO soooo much back in the day but was way outta my price range, but in 2022 i finally got an FZ1 and i love it a great console ❤

[projectmayhem]

Thanks!
[11:00] Lucienne's Quest is the only 3DO game I have ever beaten.

[detroitotaku]

The 3DO did have Super Street Fighter II Turbo, which some say is the best version of the game.

Armored Warriors is another Capcom arcade title which I don’t think got a console port, and I think it would work on 3DO. Same with Alien vs. Predator. Maybe add in a light gun controller for arcade shooters like Time Crisis from a partnership with Namco? Or how about a partnership with SNK to release Metal Slug, King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and other major arcade hits on the 3DO?

Policenauts was on the 3DO too, and was the first home console version of the game as well. Speaking of which, why not strike a deal with Konami and Kojima to get a port of Snatcher? I did remember reading that Kojima first developed Metal Gear Solid for 3DO. Maybe strike a partnership with Konami to get Castlevania: Rondo of Blood ported to the 3DO, along with an original exclusive Castlevania game.

One idea for RPGs on the console could have been an enhanced port of Tales of Phantasia, which came out on the SNES two years after the 3DO launched. Another idea for RPGs would be to partner with Atlus as well, and perhaps get enhanced ports of the first two Shin Megami Tensei games, and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner before it ultimately became a Saturn exclusive.

Also, did you know Mega Man X3 was supposed to release on the 3DO? It was cancelled just before it was released and there is good reason to believe it may have been completed, and that there are likely copies of the game that may have been made but are sitting in some abandoned warehouse. I think adding games like Mega Man and the MMX series to the 3DO would have worked wonders.

Those are some other ideas for the 3DO library in your alternative timeline.

[Canadian_Gamer]

I definitely remember the price of this thing (and the Jaguar) in period. Even back then, I remember the high price being the topic of conversation. It was just a bad look all around.

[bringbackmys]

Bought the 3DO in 2015, what a cool machine

[roberto]

The thing about the 3DO is that it's not dissimilar to the likes of the CD-i, the CD-ROM craze with multimedia PC kits becoming more and more absorbed by the masses influenced a lot these consoles/devices at the time.

The 3DO did well for what it was and for the price it was offered, it was simply and quickly surpassed by the day-by-day advancements in technology, the 90's was a very crazy decade for technology, by '99-00, PCs were so much more powerful than what we had by '89-90, that it wasn't even comparable, so what was amazing by '93 wasn't nearly as appealing by '95. I don't consider it a flop either, like the NEO GEO AES, it wasn't made for the masses to begin with.

I never owned one but as any other kid into gaming/tech, I'd have loved to own one. My older brother brought home the Saturn that generation and we just made the right choice for us, perfect arcade ports, absolutely brilliant exclusives and new genres to discover, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Shining Force III, Bulk Slash, etc, etc.

[nelsonhernandez]

That interview with Trip, if you pause, you see he talks about Sega...notice what he said, back in 1996 no less, talk about seeing the writing on the wall.

[SirGriefALot]

The first time I saw a Need for Speed game was on the 3DO.
I think it even had more FMV's and detailed information about the cars than the PS1 version.

[marccaselle]

I remember only playing the 3do at media play between 1993 and 1995.

I had fun playing wing commander 3, super street fighter 2, wolfenstien 3d, gex, lucineenes quest, alone in the dark, pga tour 96, fifa international soccer and madden nfl football.