Video Games on a LaserDisc?! The Pioneer LaserActive | Erin Plays

Let's take a look at a super rare and weird video game console from the '90s. . . the Pioneer LaserActive! Join me as we find out what it is and check out some awesomely bad games!

Where to find me on social media! -

#erinplays #laseractive #retrogaming

[Iankill]

This video was great probably my favorite now. Pyramid patrol and rocket coaster looked like fever dreams and it was hilarious to see Erin play a Japanese porn game intended for lonely salarymen

[Develitate]

I owned one of these about 10-15 years ago. I remember seeing it at a local electronics shop when I was a kid in the early 90's when it first debuted. It was playing a demo LD showing off some gameplay with snippets of popular movies mixed in (I vividly remember seeing Terminator 2). I always thought it was so cool, but the price was insane! IIRC a Sega Genesis was going for around $150 at the time and the Laseractive was $999 plus $299 for each pack. I was fortunate enough to find one on eBay for around $200 shipped with the Sega pack and a handful of laserdiscs. Fun fact: none of the Sega CD units have copy protection, so any model (including this one) can play burned Sega CD games with no modification. Unfortunately I never owned any of the Mega LD games (they were too expensive and had terrible reviews), but it's neat to see them in action. It's a shame none of the OG LD games from the early 80's made it to the Laseractive (I'm looking at your Dragon's Lair). Anyway, great video. It brought back a lot of memories.

[dongeraci]

It was really refreshing to see something "new" in the retro community that I hadn't heard about or seen a bajillion times before. Great video, Erin!

[AdmiralBison]

The graphics looks pretty incredible for its time, I just hope the Laser Active gets emulated for the purpose of game preservation.

[Flowmystic]

In the early 90s I remember a Dragon's Lair arcade game that was on laserdisc. It was the biggest quarter-eater I have ever seen and looking back now it's only like a 12 minute game if you can manage to beat it, lol. I would pay good money to see Erin play that if she could find it

[eaguru]

This is too big and expensive. I'll just wait for the Pioneer Laseractive Classic.

[deckofcards]

GREAT video. In the early 80s my grandad had a Laserdisc player he bought in Hong Kong, one of the original Pioneer models. He was a futuristic grandad. I remember he had Dragon's Lair, and one Easter me and my 3rd grade buddy and my cousin played it and our minds were blown that we were practically controlling a movie. My NES paled in comparison. What's so amazing is that so many people aren't aware that this technology existed as early as the 70s.

[BrIaNMeRcY]

I like to think consoles like the LaserActive, 3DO, and even the Phillips CD-i were just poorly executed experiments in Video Game history. Having watched several of your videos, Erin, your videos are informative and easily make anybody laugh. I appreciate your work!!!

[stphinkle]

Laserdiscs are pre-recorded analog video and often in games are more used for backgrounds where the game console overlays sprites and characters and score displays on top of the video.

[johnpenguintherd]

At 10:02, Erin enters stage 1 of RAGE QUIT mode... At 14:28, Erin enters stage 2 of RAGE QUIT the rage.... the rage.... LMAO!!

[GameSack]

Noooo!!! PYRAMIDS ARE FOR HUMANS ONLY!!!! MARS HAS NO RIGHT TO HAVE PYRAMIDS!

[MrTrueBleu]

that dragon is breathing Listerine you know how much that burns your throat, what kind of dragon breaths fire.

[MegaHarv]

This system doesn't look half bad for 1993, this might have actually evolved into something good if it was like 1/4 the price.

[jarrodm]

F-Zero references and dropping
F-bombs, awesome.

[newwavejunkie]

Thanks for another great video, Erin! I can’t believe so many weird consoles like this existed that I’d never heard about.

[DamaramuHQ]

I bought a LaserActive about a decade ago for about $60. It came with the Genesis pack, the LaserActive branded remote control and 6-button Genesis controller. The guy even sent me all the original paperwork that came with it as well as the little pack port cover that goes on the front of the system. He shipped it all in a PC monitor box filled with tissue paper and packing peanuts. A couple of years back, I stumbled across two LaserActive LD games in the wild (Hyperion and Space Berserker) for $5 a pop at a local Half Price Books of all places. Good times!

[aaronboothproduction]

They actually made a pretty successful movie based on that Britney Spears video. I think it was called The Martian. Matt Damon played Britney.

[andymore]

I learned something new. What an adventure. Thank you!

[boseyjones]

My next door neighbor had this because his father was a huge movie guy and bought everything Pioneer. He must have been sold the Laseractive as part of a home theater bundle. He had the Sega pack but no Genesis games so he would ask me to bring some over but sadly I never realized it could play Sega CD games. He had maybe 2 or 3 Laserdisc games I was blown away by them at the time.

[ryanyoder]

Awesome that you have one. I bought a Pioneer Laser Disc player in 1994 when I was in college. I was the cool kid.