While reading through some old ACE magazines the other day, I was struck by an interesting idea: what would a console designed using '80s and '90s conventions but modern technology look like if released today?
I was inspired to think this by ACE's "Pink Pages" section, which, among other things, provided a "buyer's guide" for all the then-current computers and consoles, including tech specs about graphics modes, hardware sprites, scrolling and suchlike.
These days, modern consoles are effectively custom built PCs, and thus have very generic technology inside them. This means that they're theoretically capable of anything within reason, but also extremely boring. There's nothing unique about them.
Look back at the 16-bit gen, for example, and all the consoles available then had a very distinct personality about them due to their technology — and the games that were released on them reflected that sense of personality. I wonder what that approach would look like today?
Can you imagine how many hardware sprites a modern system would be capable of pumping out without a hint of slowdown today? Can you imagine how slick 1080p or 4K hardware scrolling would look? Can you imagine what a dedicated sound chip created today would be able to synthesise without using samples?
Of course, there's absolutely no need for a system like this today because that generic PC style hardware used for everything can turn its hand to whatever you want it to. But I still think it would be interesting; I'd certainly give a system like that a shot!
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