Who owned one of these bad boys? A touch-sensitive GameBoy-like system with two more face buttons, built-in PDA functions and internet connectivity? I remember thinking this beast was really cool when it came out, but it didn’t take off and I never bought one. Still, it had Duke Nukem and Sonic games so surely it had potential, right?

I’ve read about this. Apparently it was trying to do so much it was only mediocre with all of its functionality. Especially the screen was bad – it’s an LCD you’d find in such items as the novelty “1001-in-1 Tetris” console, meaning that any scolling on the screen left a constant fade because the previous pixels took some time powering down.

It’s still a cool concept, though.

I’ve got one… not too bad, except the LCD sucked. I helped hack it a little bit a few years ago. Heh, the game.commies site is still up: http://gamecom.guruwork.de/ .

DogP

I have it and I hate it! And because it is one of worst handhelds I love it. In Europe it’s an uncommon system and the game titles promised a lot of fun (Duke Nukem, Jurassic Park, Resident Evil, Virtua Fighter, Sonic etc.). So I gave it a try and was shocked! I own three games: Jurassic Park The Lost World and Sega Fighters Megamix, they are unplayable bad. The best game is Lights Out, it makes really fun.

Didn’t know that the Game.com has an internet connectivity function :rolleyes

Haha, that was supposed to be the biggest selling point of the system (internet connectivity). That’s why the name of the system is “Game.com”. Of course, the internet functionality required an extra modem adapter, and if you actually wanted to get on the internet you also needed the browser cartridge. And internet browsing was text-only and apparently really lousy. Plus you had to pay for the internet service and there was no actual online gaming, so very few people ever used it for that.

Yes, the LCD screen was bad, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the exact same LCD the original Gameboy used. The re-release of the Game.com (called the Pocket Pro) had a better LCD with better refresh rates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game.com

Heh, no… this screen is MUCH worse than the original Gameboy (I played them side by side a few years ago to make sure it wasn’t that I was spoiled by new hardware). The spinach display is still perfectly playable… even if it is kinda ugly. And I also have the Pocket Pro, and the screen isn’t any better (at least not noticeably).

DogP

Weird, everything I have read said the screens were comparable, and that the pocket pro was close to the GB Pocket. I think it even says that last part on the wiki.

I’ve got 2 of these bad-boys. Fighters Megamix is pretty awesome. Yes, the screen is horrid. Trying to play Sonic Jam with such a slow screen is an exercise in futility. I’ve always thought it would be cool to homebrew though, it’d be nice to program with the touchscreen functionality. The best part of the system is, without a doubt, the dual cartridge slots. Much, much better than Tigers attempt to capitalize on the Virtual Boy, the R-Zone! LOL

OMG the R-Zone!!!! HAHAHAHAHA. What a POS, but I remember thinking it looked so cool and futuristic at the time. Didn’t it retail for like $30?

I own a game.com

I remember getting a couple Game.com games in a clearance bin at Walmart for $3 each (Fighters Megamix and Batman & Robin, I think), resolving to track down a system and start collecting things for it, too. Then a friend lent me his, and after about five minutes with it I very quickly altered those plans. 😯 They should have issued eyestrain warnings for THAT screen!

I agree about the screen being horrid.
I did however enjoy playing Monopoly, Centipede, and Resident Evil on it at a point in my life.

I bought one of the big boys for $10 at my local bookmans, and bought a collection of like 15 sealed games on ebay for $30 to play. I do regret opening half of them as they provided no enjoyment at all.

I would still play a few games today, but lines are displayed on my screen whenever turning it on.

It did have a really good d-pad imo, it gave an arcade-y feel.

Game.com have the same problem that virtual boy- some people like it, but most hate. I’m on the like side. And Lights Out is one of best games evah!

lastkill3r wrote:
Game.com have the same problem that virtual boy- some people like it, but most hate. I’m on the like side. And Lights Out is one of best games evah!

Comparing the Game.com to the Virtual Boy is Blasphemy! 😀

One of the problems with Game.com was because it was made by the notoriously crap company Tiger Electronics, and also because the screen was SO bad.
I think pretty much every Best Buy had a display unit up too.

The problem with VB is that everyone complaining never played it, just jumped on the Hate bandwagon as news spread like wildfire that the VB would give you headaches/make you color-blind/cause your child to explode etc etc. The problem with Game.com is that people did play it. 😉

Well, my cousin played virtual boy and say it’s horrible. I played both and both are suprisingly too good.