Gizmondo
Note: This page was copy pasted from the Crappy Games Wiki on Miraheze instead of imported due to the Qualitipedia wikis being deleted.
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""That's some cool-lookin' design. It looks just like a toilet. Yeah, it's a f**king toilet! What a perfect analogy.""
The Gizmondo is a handheld console that was launched in 2005 by Tiger Telematics (not to be confused with Tiger Electronics, developers of Game.com and R-Zone) and took on the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS. It had unique features such as Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel camera, SMS & MMS, GPS, and GPRS. Only 25,000 units were sold in its short, 1-year long lifespan which makes it the worst-selling handheld console of all time.
Why It Gizmonwoed
- Limited advertising in the United States with only eight games released in the region.
- The Gizmondo cost US$400/£230 at launch. Its competitors, the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS went for $250 and $150, respectively. You could buy the Gizmondo for $230/£130, with the downside of having to watch so-called "Smart Ads". Yes, you'd be forced to watch advertisements, which would be loaded into the system, to subsidize the cost. Now, the ad servers ultimately never went online during the console’s lifespan, and while the people who bought the cheaper version got off with a bargain, you could say those who bought the pricier version got ripped off.
- It was mostly sold in shopping mall kiosks. As such, it was hard to find, as it wasn't sold in game stores.
- Stefan Eriksson, one of the people involved in its development, and Carl Freer, the founder and CEO of Tiger Telematics, had criminal records in the past that surfaced a year after they resigned from Tiger Telematics and after the Gizmondo was released.
- Shortly after the Gizmondo was released, Freer announced a wider-screened Gizmondo, which may have made gamers hesitant to purchase the original. This wider-screened Gizmondo was never released.
- Only 14 games were released for the system before Tiger Telematics went bankrupt. They were all launch titles in North America.
- Believe it or not, some games were never released, like the GTA-esque game Colors.
- The chassis that was used for it was a rubber case with no plastic underneath, meaning that this console slowly melts with time. Fortunately, you can easily scrub it off with some rubbing alcohol.
- The phonebook and SMS features require a SIM card.
Redeeming Qualities
- Sticky Balls is the best game on the system. Sticky Balls was also released on iOS in 2014. Due to the game's popularity on iOS, it came with a sequel, Sticky Balls Soccer.
- With only 8 or 14 games, it's very easy to get the entire library of the Gizmondo.
- The console has a ton of features ahead of its time, including Bluetooth, SMS, and GPS. It has quite a bit in common with the PlayStation Vita in terms of features.
- Then again, Tiger never activated the system on the $230.00 version that played the advertisements, meaning that you could essentially save $170 by buying this version.
- A SIM card came free with the system, meaning you wouldn't have to buy one yourself.
Reception
Because only 25,000 units were sold, Gamepro called it the worst-selling handheld of all time and in 2007, Gametrailers listed it as the worst console of all time.
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