Panasonic 3DO FZ-1 System - Video Game Console Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Background:
The 3DO interactive Multiplayer system was one of the first dedicated CD-ROM based game systems.Launched in 1993, at a price point of $699.99, it was intended as a standard from which various manufacturers and developers could work from. The 3DO company did not manufacture the game units, instead they licensed out the idea for a small fee in royalties.

Ahead of its time, it boasted a CD-ROM drive (capable of playing games and photo and music CDs) as well as powerful 3D graphics capabilities. The system could be used as a CD player, and had standard AV outputs including component and S-video. Among other innovations were controllers that could be daisy chained together (physically linked together through a connector port on the back of each controller), and a built in game save ROM.

Some reviewers state that the 3DO was only slightly less powerful than the Sony Playstation, a system that came out two years later. In this, the 3DO was definitely ahead of its time.

The 3DO system sold a significant number of units, but never gained enough traction to compete with the main players at the time (which included SNES and the Sega Genesis). The high cost of the system made it out of the price range of most of its potential audience.

Over 130 games for the 3DO were produced. At the time, Full Motion Video (FMV) was considered the latest advance in video games. There are a good number of FMV games available for the 3DO, many of them fairly cheesy. Towards the end of the system's life cycle, a number of adult themed games were produced, making it one of the few major consoles to feature adult oriented content.

But FMV were not all the games produced for the system. The 3DO also featured numerous 3D based FPS's, space based shooters, racers and a few fighting games.

Sadly, the system faired poorly in the market and was canceled in 1996. The 3DO Company went on to become a software publisher.

The system:
The FZ-1 is the first version of the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer that Panasonic produced. Physically, it bears a very close resemblance to the alternate Goldstar model, the main physical diferance being the embossed Panasonic logo on the top. I've read that the Panasonic FZ-1 is preferable over the Goldstar model because it has fewer compatability issue with certain games.

Both units are fairly heavy. The later FZ-10 used a top loading tray similair to the Playstation. The original FZ-1 form factor is nicer in some regards because one is able to stack other equipment/consoles on top of it, a bonus when space is limited.

The FZ-1 features a front loading CD Tray and standard AV outputs (meaning that standard AV cables may be used.) This includes standard an RF connection, Composite video, stereo and, unusual for the time, S-video.S-video is extremely nice to have as it was the best display standard available at the time and has the cleanest image. Unlike the updated "slim" version in the FZ-10, the FZ-1 requires the use of a program CD to access the system's game save rom.In this the FZ-10 is superior as it's a lot less tedious to delete save files, and used units these days will often be sold without the needed CD.

The Games:
The 3DO has a fairly small library of games compared to other systems, though the games cover the full range of genres from RPG, FPS and space shooters to fighting and racing games.A number of games such as Star Control II and The Need For Speed are especially memorable. The 3DO was also the platform for the only strategy based tie-in game for the movie Jurassic Park entitled Jurassic Park Interactiveand the 3DO version of the infamous Night Trap is considered by some to be the best available. Overall, a good number of the 3DO's games are entertaining and ahead of their time, though there's some garbage on the system (Plumbers Don't Wear Ties).

Many developers went out of their way to use the CD capabilities of the 3DO and as the result, the system's games often boast CD quality music. Street Fighter 2 Turbo is an example of this. The music in the 3DO port is actually better than in the arcade version. This sets it apart from the systems it competed against early in its life cycle.

In addition, a good number of games use Full Motion Video cut scenes or high quality pre-rendered animations, both available due to the additional space allowed on a CD. Along the same lines, a good number of the games feature FMV gameplay, but this type of game covers only a small portion of the game library.

PROS:
* AV connections use standard cables including S-video.
* Native S-video support makes this system display better on modern flat panel TVs than many of its contemporaries.

CONS:
* Limited game collection (about 140 games), many of them mediocre or worse.
* Small consumer base makes games harder to find now.
* Controllers could be better.
* Many 3DO games were ported to other systems after the 3DO's demise.

BOTTOM LINE:
The 3DO is a good system, but the limited catalog of games makes it less desirable to the average gamer.An interesting footnote in gaming history, it's likely to appeal only to the vintage gaming enthusiast. It certainly lacks the legs of the NES, Genesis or SNES.

The FZ-1 is a good model though I would say it's a toss-up between this one and the FZ-10.The game save program manager of the Fz-10 is a nice feature, but the FZ-1's form factor gives it a little extra appeal. Since both systems contain much the same hardware, it's mostly the cosmetic differences that purchasers will need to decide on.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic 3DO FZ-1 System - Video Game Console

Product Description:
The original edition of the console, the FZ-1, was referred to in full as the 3DO REAL Interactive Multiplayer. The console had advanced hardware features at the time: an ARM60 32-bit RISC CPU, two custom video co-processors, a custom 16-bit DSP and a custom math co-processor. It also featured 2 megabytes of DRAM, 1 megabyte of VRAM, and a double speed CD-ROM drive for main CD+Gs or Photo CDs (and Video CDs with an add-on MPEG video module).[2] The 3DO included the first music visualizer in a game console, converting CD music to a mesmerizing color pattern. The controller was also original for its time; a headphone jack and volume dial was available at the bottom of the initial version.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Panasonic 3DO FZ-1 System - Video Game Console now ?