The Video Game Console Library

	Bandai Playdia
	HANDS ON REVIEW by Marriott_Guy DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
	Page content, development and design by Marriott_Guy

Developer	Manufacturer	Release Date	Country(s)	Initial Price	Model Number	Game Releases	Overall Rating
Bandai Digital Ent.	Bandai Digital Ent.	23-Oct-94	Japan	$249 USD	BA-001	33	06
Ratings	Reviews	Pictures\Media	Specs\Manuals	Games\Emulation	Models	Clones	Links

Ratings
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release. Ratings based upon a 10 point scale (10 being excellent\very rare).
Console Design (appearance, functionality)	05
Console Durability (sturdy or frail and fragile)	06
Controllers (design, response, feel, use)	08
Graphics (graphical capability and presentation)	07
Audio (sound, music, speech, effects)	06
Media (game media format, design, durability)	07
Packaging (appeal, durability of packaging)	05
Game Library (quality, quantity of game library)	02
Innovations (technological industrial strides)	06
Gamer Value (good investment for the gamer?)	01
Collector Value (good collector investment?)	08
Games Rarity (general availability of games)	05
Console Rarity (general availability of a system)	04

Reviews

DW FACTS
- by Dark Watcher

The Playdia Quick Interactive System was one of Bandai's next attempt at entering the videogame console industry. It was released in 1994 in Japan only and marketed as a family oriented system.

Geared toward a younger audience, the Playdia was somewhat smaller then most consoles. Its blue casing giving it a more "toy" feel. The Playdia controller used infrared waves instead of cords and was made to be used either on or away from the machine (see images)

Using CD-based games, the Playdia could produce impressive anime style Full Motion Video (FMV). Most of the games were interactive educational titles. Bandai did however make a few interactive games based on their franchise series such as Gundam, Sailor Moon, Ultra Man and Dragon Ball Z. However, the games lacked real game play. Simply being an interactive cartoon, the player simply instructs the onscreen character by selecting prompted menu choices using the Playdia control pad.

Bandai Playdia Dragonball Z

The Playdia did not sell well. Collectors or fans of the cartoon series may have had slight interest in it, but it was not enough to make an impact. The console was a failure for Bandai.

FACT: Bandai, seeing a need to recover losses from this failed system, began publishing Idol CDs in order to sell more Playdia units. Idol CDs were interactive games featuring young Japanese girls that took off their clothes at the players command. This tactic seems rather strange since the Playdia was originally marketed as a 'family oriented system'. Guess daddy needed some fun too. Funny thing is that it worked. Bandai sold enough units to make a small profit.

HANDS ON REVIEW
- by Marriott_Guy (27-Jul-08)

During the early mid 1990s, the video game market exploded due to the new technology available to developers, specifically the jump in processor speed and the release of the CD-ROM format. No longer were game programmers limited by the small canvas standard cartridges provided - the CD-ROM was their dream come true. With this new media format at their disposal, manufacturers began to truly expand the definition of a video game console. Computer hybrids (Commodore 64 GS, FM Towns Marty, Amiga CD32, etc.) and all-inclusive multimedia devices (Philips CD-i, Panasonic 3DO, Pioneer LaserActive, etc.) were designed to target a new, and older, audience. Taking a slightly different approach, popular game developer Bandai decided to enter the foray with their release of the Playdia. Instead of following the current trends, Bandai marketed the Playdia to children and families. Would this Japanese-only release hit the mark? Far from it as you will see.

The Playdia is a rather unsophisticated looking unit. The rectangular chassis is comprised of medium weight plastics, sporting an indigo-blue top section with a leprechaun-green base. The design is simple and to the point. A simple power and reset switch reside on the left top of the console, with a large banana-yellow 'open' button on the right to open the door of top loading CD drive. There is a rectangular recess directly in front of the unit to park the wireless IR controller (the second system ever to have a wireless controller standard). The weight of this unit is a bid odd, with most of the weight residing in the back. A standard composite output and DC 9V power supply jack adorn the rear of the unit. Though simplistic in appearance, I do have to say it does stand out in a collection due to the unique colors used. But that is the only reason it stands out.

Bandai Playdia screenshot With a younger audience in its sights, the library of games for the Playdia is comprised of mostly edutainment titles. All games for this system are interactive FMV movies - there is no real game play with this system with the exception of selecting from an action for your character from a lit of presented options. The FMV titles are really not that bad. The anime sequences are presented well with very little frame rate drop off, but this is easy to accomplish since there is no real-time input from the user during the sequences. Surprising around 40 titles were released for this system. But not all of these were for the kids.

The Playdia was not succeeding at all and Bandai began feeling the fiscal repercussions of a failed system. The Sony Playstation entered the market just months after its debut and sealed this system's fate. Looking to recoup their losses, Bandai released interactive anime adult titles to stem the negative financial losses incurred in the first two years. Odd that a system initially tailored to the family would resort to these measures, but it worked. Bandai was able to get out with minimal losses after all was said and done in 1996. Plus, Bandai had significant resources devoted to a bigger project - the Bandai Pippin. But that is for another article.

The Bandai Playdia was a short lived and unsuccessful system. Even with devoting their efforts to a rather untapped market (children/families), the Playdia could not survive the release of the Sony Playstation. This is definitely not a recommended purchase for the gamer - only for a console collector. Though unique, the unit is not that pricey - it will run you around $100 USD for a CIB system. The Playdia is nice to look at in your collection, not so much when you fire it up and experience it.

Pictures & Media

Various picture\media for this console. Click pictures to enlarge.

Specs & Manuals

For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.

Processor Type	Processor Speed	Other Processor Information	RAM \ Video RAM
Toshiba TMP87C800F (8 Bit)	8 MHz	NEC PD78214GC (8 Bit)	256 KB \ 512 KB
Screen Resolution	Color Palette	Polygons \ Sprites	Audio
640 x 480	16.7 M	Unknown	Rohm BU3052BCF - Dual 4 Channel Analogue Multiplexer
Media Format	Media Capacity	Games Released	Other Supported Formats
CD-ROM	700 MB	33	None
Internal Storage	External\Removable Storage	Game Controllers	Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
Unknown	None	Wireless D-Pad	None
Controller Ports	Network Ports	Other Ports	Audio \ Video
One (1)	None	None	Composite
Power Supply - External	Other Outputs	Other Details \ Notes
Input: 100V, 50/60Hz, 13VA Output: DC 9V, 850mA	None	None
Manuals
Not available. Can you help us out? You will receive full credit in addition to keeping the history of video gaming alive for all! Please contact me.

Games & Emulation

Games, media format, emulators and screen shots for titles released on this system.

Bandai Playdia - Game Box Software for the Bandai Playdia was distributed in the CD format. Most games were distributed in a white, clam-style packaging that were a bit larger (length x width) that the standard jewel case.

The depth of the packaging is approximately 1" and most games included a rectangular stryofoam insert to protect the game and chew up some of this extra space. See the picture to the left for an example.

Games are not that hard to acquire, though they can be a little pricey compared to the overall quality of the actual title.

Bandai Playdia Game Boxes

Bandai Playdia Game Screenshots

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S:
Quiz Taiketsu! Sailor Power Kesshuu

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SS:
Sailor Moon to Hajimete no Eigo

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SS:
Sailor Moon to Hiragana Lesson!

Dragon Ball Z:
Shin Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku: Uchuu-Hen

SD Gundam
Daizukan

Third Party Emulators
Program	Website	Description
None available at this time.

Models

Additional authorized releases for this console.

No other models were released for this system.

Clones

Non-licensed releases (clones).

No clones were released for this system.

Links

Highly recommended additional sites\resources for this system.

Name	Website	Description
In Retrospekt	http://www.retrospekt.com.au/.../...playing-the-playdia/	Nice hands-on review from a gaming collector

visitors since 01-Apr-2008
Page last updated 11-Dec-2011

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