Is the Philips CD-I Actually that Bad?

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 มิ.ย. 2024
  • Not quite. It's rather misunderstood, and here's why...
    Update: RetroArch has since added a new CD-i core, thus emulation is far simpler now.
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    0:00 - What's the CD-I about?
    2:55 - Timekeeper battery
    3:48 - Infamous controller
    4:27 - Lightgun controller
    4:40 - Computer on TV?
    5:08 - Official gamepad
    5:57 - Anti-piracy and burning CDs
    7:30 - Apprentice, The
    8:13 - Family Games II
    10:38 - Flashback
    11:27 - Flintstones/Jetsons: Timewarp
    12:47 - The Flowers of Robert Mapplethorpe
    13:20 - Hanna-Barbera's Cartoon Carnival
    14:05 - Hotel Mario
    15:18 - Mutant Rampage: Bodyslam
    16:31 - Pinball
    16:57 - Tetris
    17:43 - Zelda Games
    18:35 - Zenith
    19:32 - Conclusion
    Outro Music: Launch Base Rearranged - Savaged Regime
    Background Music:
    Medieval Tower - The Apprentice OST
    World 1 - Fast Food OST
    Flowers of Mapplethorpe OST
    World 4 (Variation 2) - Hotel Mario OST
    #philipscdi #zeldacdi #mariocdi
  • เกม

ความคิดเห็น • 646

  • @The_Boctor
    @The_Boctor 2 ปีที่แล้ว +299

    There used to be a secondhand games shop in Chicago, named People Play Games. One day I walked in, and Hotel Mario was on a shelf right next to The Joy of Sex. They denied it was a true sequel, but I'm still not sure.

    • @poposterous236
      @poposterous236 2 ปีที่แล้ว +42

      The Joy of Sex is a sequel to Hotel Mario? That makes so much sense

    • @ChuckE.CheesesIllinois
      @ChuckE.CheesesIllinois 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      OHH i remember People Play Games, so sad i never got the chance to go inside there

    • @derekg5006
      @derekg5006 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Finally, all my questions have answers! The sequel really explains a lot

    • @pushin90
      @pushin90 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Mario teaching people how to lay pipe lmao

    • @ccricers
      @ccricers 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      It's based on Nintendo's love hotels.

  • @dannymac653
    @dannymac653 2 ปีที่แล้ว +227

    Man, growing up, I remember wanting a CD-i so bad. As it turns out, the best part of the CD-i were their infomercials, sadly. Just think if the CD-i actually was successful... Nintendo would have inadvertently spawned two competitors.

    • @bradybrapples
      @bradybrapples 2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      same here. those informercials and nintendo properties on it had child-me wanting one BAD. later on, my brother got obsessed with the 3do and tried to talk me into selling the snes to buy one. so glad i didn't agree

    • @mangleman25
      @mangleman25 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Imagine a world where Phillips, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo were all at each other's throats

    • @soundred1254
      @soundred1254 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@mangleman25 that would be cool. Imagine all the exclusives Sega and Phillips would have today. Heck even add on the 3DO and see what they would do.

    • @mangleman25
      @mangleman25 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      @@soundred1254 I do think of any of the failed systems / game companies that we saw in this era, 3DO / Panasonic had the best chance of entering into the big boy ring of console developers. 2 million sales might be abysmal, but that still means the 3DO sold as much as the Sega CD, and they still were able to beat many other companies who were directly competing, like Atari with the Jaguar and Sega with the 32x.
      Or maybe this is all my bias for the 3DO, idk

    • @soundred1254
      @soundred1254 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@mangleman25 really if the 3DO was just done better and they didn’t make as many mistakes as they did then the 3DO would have been successful.

  • @LeftyPem
    @LeftyPem 2 ปีที่แล้ว +242

    Tetris got a licensed vinyl soundtrack in 2019. Fully endorsed by the composer. It’s fantastic proto-chill wave .

    • @SonicBoone56
      @SonicBoone56 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I regularly listen to it on TH-cam. Definitely one of the best game soundtracks period.

    • @skybite
      @skybite 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Holy crap that’s awesome

    • @skibalovesya
      @skibalovesya 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Makes me think of 90s workout or infomercial music.

    • @JessHull
      @JessHull 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Are you talking about the Tetris Effect vinyl set? That has teh music from teh CD-i version of tetris on it? If So I may have to buy it, I've seen it at my local record store but it was kind of expensive.

    • @joeaglow
      @joeaglow ปีที่แล้ว

      Mmwjheeehb

  • @TheAlexSchmidt
    @TheAlexSchmidt 2 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    The really funny thing about The Flowers of Robert Mapplethorpe is that if they'd included Mapplethorpe's other photography, the game would've certainly gotten an Adults Only rating. At least the game would've been more interesting that way.

  • @rars0n
    @rars0n 2 ปีที่แล้ว +41

    The CD-i does digital video exceptionally well, which I think is a testament to both Philips' technological prowess back then and their entirely shortsighted focus on selling it as a multimedia player. Later on in its life, they heavily marketed it as a gaming machine (with Phil Hartman of all people in the TV commercials), but by then it was way too late and those who knew about it (I saw a CD-i kiosk regularly as a kid when my mom would go to Sears and I'd wander off in the electronics section, only to be mesmerized by the Sega CD sitting right next to it) knew that its library was mostly non-gaming junk, and the games that were available were not even second-rate.
    As it was, the CD-i was a couple years late to market, and I think like the 3DO (which also was mostly marketed at first as a multimedia machine), the concept was just a bit too far ahead of its time. The hardware definitely has some limitations, but it could have been a competent 16-bit competitor, had Philips had any marketing cachet and more importantly, good games. The CD-i desperately needed quality third-party support, since they didn't have killer titles like Sega and NIntendo did.
    Having said that, it's hard to see how even under the best circumstances it could have ever significantly competed with the SNES and Genesis. It was too expensive and couldn't really offer enough from a gameplay perspective over the competition to warrant a purchase. Philips made a valiant attempt to keep the system alive, and there are a handful of games that are, at the very least, curiosities that might tempt at least one play-through. My favorite game is Burn:Cycle, which luckily saw a PC release which is what I owned back then (I still would like to try playing the CD-i version some day). It's got a rather Johnny Mnemonic cyberpunk vibe to it that I totally love, and the acting isn't even that bad. It's one of the better examples of FMV integration in games, especially for the time, even if the gameplay still ends up being a bit on the shallow end. I'd probably buy a CD-i for Burn:Cycle alone (for the right price).
    And that's what I think the CD-i ends up being: a curiosity of a console that you buy for maybe 4 or 5 peculiar games that you like in spite of their flaws (Thunder in Paradise, anyone?). It's like the 3DO, but with older technology and a far more limited and mediocre library. Still, it has its diehard fans (just ask Yahel) and it will always have a cult following.

  • @Lupin-kf1fy
    @Lupin-kf1fy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    The soundtrack for Tetris for the CDI changed my life. It's the best vaporwave album I've ever heard - years before it's creation. Absolutely fantastic, super dank. Happy to see it mentioned.

  • @thefifthdoctor6780
    @thefifthdoctor6780 2 ปีที่แล้ว +46

    I have a soft spot for my CDi 210, 450 and 470. I also pretty much have all the games, mods and accessories. I also fixed my time keeper chips on all of them. Ace 😎

    • @zachreddy
      @zachreddy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I thought Ace hung out with the seventh doctor

    • @ShawnJonesHellion
      @ShawnJonesHellion 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Did you like Escape From Cyber city?
      that arcade game is what drew me to it the most

  • @gamesbloke
    @gamesbloke 2 ปีที่แล้ว +132

    Answer: Yes. And that's why it's worthy of historical archiving and preservation for future generations... No one sets out to make a crap games console. The missteps on the CD-I journey are worthy of discussion and note. Might even make a great film lol. All the best.

    • @UkeofCarl
      @UkeofCarl 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@darthkai8242 That’s not the ONLY reason!

    • @goldcd
      @goldcd 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@darthkai8242 It's one of the few 'devices' I'd happily let slide unacknowledged into history.
      The 'sole' thing anybody would want to use it for is to play VideoCDs (not anything CDI specific) - and there were so many other devices that could do this (and as VideoCd was mainly an asian piracy standard, nobody was buying that CDI to play them)

    • @ScooterinAB
      @ScooterinAB 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The funny thing is that you're right. It's always the trash that ends up being the rarest. Since no one really cared about the console, there isn't as much documentation for it, nor great ways to get the system running again (that battery shit looks horrifying). And since it was a commercial failure, any console or media for it is going to be increasingly rare.

    • @ShawnJonesHellion
      @ShawnJonesHellion 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      escape from cyber city alone was worth playing if you found it used considering how much you would spend at the arcade on it.

    • @ShawnJonesHellion
      @ShawnJonesHellion 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@darthkai8242 i agree 👍. the cdi was marketed to rich people. It was more expensive than a Neo Geo iirc. At store I seen it at they had a huge area set up an the golf game was on. It wasn't a store with childrens toys. It might have been the long gone *Service Merchandise*
      It was a cd player in times when A. People knew what CDs were an B. times when they may be very expensive.

  • @theunbearablejuan
    @theunbearablejuan 2 ปีที่แล้ว +98

    I am surprised you didn't showcase The 7th. Guest. It actually got better music than the PC release.

    • @jay1185
      @jay1185 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I love 7th guest on PC. I did not know it came out on the CD-I!! 😲

    • @rars0n
      @rars0n 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      7th Guest is a terrible "game." I made the mistake of buying into the hype and getting it off of GOG. I don't understand why people like it so much.

    • @theunbearablejuan
      @theunbearablejuan 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@rars0n The puzzle designs, the soundtrack and the corny 90's FMV aesthetic.

    • @jay1185
      @jay1185 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@rars0n I guess you had to be there for the original CD-ROM era experience.

    • @rars0n
      @rars0n 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@jay1185 I wouldn't have liked it back then, either. There's zero interactivity in the game, the puzzles don't make any sense, and the FMV clips are annoying and repetitive. There's no spooky atmosphere to the game whatsoever. The best (and simultaneously most annoying) thing about the game is Stauf.
      7th Guest is a prime example of a game that takes individual game elements from various games and puts them together, only to fail at making them into a cohesive whole. It doesn't execute any of the particular game elements well at all. What grates me the most is it's often categorized as an adventure game, which it most certainly is not. It's a puzzle game at best.

  • @myname6482
    @myname6482 2 ปีที่แล้ว +70

    Was always hoping for a sequel called "The OTHER Pictures of Robert Mapplethorpe" 😉

    • @FerintoshFarmsPhotography
      @FerintoshFarmsPhotography 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Robert Mapplethorpes pictures of your mom

    • @TheAlexSchmidt
      @TheAlexSchmidt 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Dang I wasn't the only one to comment on that

    • @Sandman_Slim
      @Sandman_Slim 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      You must be a BDSM fan.

    • @MLBlue30
      @MLBlue30 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Nothing else like a good bullwhip sticking out of someone's butthole.

    • @ChaseMC215
      @ChaseMC215 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Possibly pictures from the time he was around, likely mountainscapes, gardens, and pretty scenery.

  • @cinemint
    @cinemint 2 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    The Phillips CDi had PHENOMENAL graphics and sound capabilities for the time period. It's a shame it didn't get any quality software. I'm sure a talented developer could have really made this hardware pop. Remember, this was in the league of the Genesis and SNES.

    • @douglasmurphy3266
      @douglasmurphy3266 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      While the CDI had vastly more processing power, system memory, vram, available colors, and other technical advantages from being both newer and in a higher pricing class, it was not designed to be a videogame console primarily, and as such, didn't have proprietary graphics modes specific to scrolling layers of graphics and sprites like an SNES, Genesis, or arcade hardware. Look how shitty and choppy that Zelda game looks. Early 90s MS-DOS games had this disadvantage as well. Programmers had to write software to draw sprites and scroll backgrounds in painstakingly slow fashion where consoles with 1/10th or less power handle with ease.

  • @sixersfan105.
    @sixersfan105. 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Nice CD-i overview! One note, and it's super minor, but worth pointing out: the CD-i release of The Joy of Sex did not have any ESRB rating. Note that the screenshot you provided was of the cover of the Macintosh computer version. The CD-i release pre-dated ESRB ratings. Other than that, thanks for continuing to show the CD-i some love!

  • @Jobby_James
    @Jobby_James 2 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    So it's all led up to this, it is amazing how much has been collected for this video. Considering the fact that (at least in Europe) is hard to come by most of the consoles, games and accessories covered in this video, especially the genuine games and without burning your wallet. And the fact that some of the games were burned, shows how rare and hard to get these games are. It is a shame that not as many people will experience playing games on the CD-I, compared to it's competitors and contemporaries of the time due to it's rareness and value.

    • @johanoberg1157
      @johanoberg1157 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Really? I've had 3 in 10 years (Sweden) and I imagine Netherlands being a good place to look too

    • @nickrustyson8124
      @nickrustyson8124 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Honestly in American they aren't easy either since that Watch Battery they have, and because not too many bought them, and even less took care of them

  • @Isaacfess
    @Isaacfess 2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    The CD-I was such an.....interesting system. It's like it didn't exist in our reality, it seems like so many other devices that I confuse it with them.

  • @KajetSeifert
    @KajetSeifert 2 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    I remember a couple of decently interesting games on the CD-i, Namely Laser Lords and Mutant Rampage Bodyslam, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few other hidden ""gems"" on the CD-i just waiting to be found honestly.

    • @AmaroqStarwind
      @AmaroqStarwind 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      You seem familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?

    • @KajetSeifert
      @KajetSeifert 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AmaroqStarwind I'm not sure, The only Amaroq that I recall is a character in "No Evil" by Betsy Lee...

  • @ZeroB4NG
    @ZeroB4NG 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    i tried emulating the CD-i, after several attempts i got it running through MAME of all things.
    That was years ago and i was told that there was ONE developer working on CD-i emulation in MAME and he was the only one actively working on it, period.
    Which means you need the roms in CHD format, not in .cue + .bin like you would get from a REDUMP set.
    I think either Sound or Videos was completely missing, some specific module was completely un-emulated and un-documented anyway (i think it was sound), but i managed to walk through a few Zelda levels... and that was all that i bothered to do.

  • @KingKrouch
    @KingKrouch 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    That Mutant Rampage opening got me bursting out laughing as soon as I heard "radically altered the gene pool" with the image of the bird baby.

    • @FoxUnitNell
      @FoxUnitNell 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Took me a bit that he was 0utting the video into the Rick and morty clip because as he had said it would fit right into the interdementional channel concept.

  • @bad.sector
    @bad.sector 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for shedding some light into this machine! There are surely not many other videos like this out there, and none of them has shown the beauty of some games you showcased here... I am tempted to try them out some day!

  • @AltimaNEO
    @AltimaNEO 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    My friend had a CD-I back in the day. My mind was blown by the animation and voice clips in Link. I thought the game was pretty amazing. Granted, up till then I had only played NES and SNES games.

  • @PSPMan
    @PSPMan 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    this video was so worth waiting for. I just knew the CDI had to have something good on it

    • @PSPMan
      @PSPMan 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @RazorBackX PSP has a bunch of good stuff on it that's still exclusive to it to this day

    • @ShawnJonesHellion
      @ShawnJonesHellion 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      also try escape from cyber city. It was a game that actually used the video so it would be specific to cdi. Altho if it was ever ported To MAME it might be better there

  • @mangleman25
    @mangleman25 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Gotta say, I really love these videos of yours covering obscure systems like the CD-i. It was your videos on it that convinced me to get a 3DO, keep it up and you might convince me to cop a refurbished CD-i.

    • @arturocevallossoto5203
      @arturocevallossoto5203 ปีที่แล้ว

      The CD-i is the unholiest grail of any videogame collection.

    • @mangleman25
      @mangleman25 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@arturocevallossoto5203 That would be the Game-Com. Not the CD-i

  • @SHGames97
    @SHGames97 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    That "The Ultimate Showdown" reference was amazing.

    • @ChrispyDubstep
      @ChrispyDubstep 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I hadn't heard that in like 15 years, I completely forgot it existed, so immediately went to watch it

  • @PsychicSwoop
    @PsychicSwoop 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    15:42 that line was a true test of my maturity

    • @ztoshgd
      @ztoshgd 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      LOL

  • @dana1828
    @dana1828 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I found an old CDI controller in a garagebox. As a 2000-baby who grew up with the ps2, I had no idea what it was, so thanks for the video!

    • @Denny_1776
      @Denny_1776 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Very cool

  • @EnigPartyhaus
    @EnigPartyhaus 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Surprised you didn't bring up the surprisingly lewd easter eggs in Apprentice, really unexpected for a cutesy platformer from the mid 90s

  • @nicolaspeter1679
    @nicolaspeter1679 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Oh man, that bit about Interdimensional Cable cracked me up. The edit was perfect!

  • @bencheshire
    @bencheshire 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Im trying to create some CD-I backups but no dice. My dvd drive only writes as low as x10. do you think thats a potential barrier?

  • @LusRetroSource
    @LusRetroSource 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Wow! That Flintstones game really makes me want to try out a CD-I!

  • @TheWizardOfJim
    @TheWizardOfJim 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    At 9:24, the "Super Exploding Pizza II" logo is a direct parody/reference to Super Street Fighter II, specifically the box art. With that and the Room/Doom parody, I'd be curious if the other games also had title screens that were parodies of popular contemporary games.

  • @DavidPCM
    @DavidPCM 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I haven't watched your content in a while but I did enjoy this video as well as the other CD-i ones, they're well made and I liked that in this video covers these games in a relaxed tone.
    I still don't necessarily agree with your opinion on Hotel Mario but it is what it is, I suppose. Have you ever considered covering the Mario's Wacky Worlds prototype by chance? Granted, I don't know how much content could be made out of it, but it would be neat to hear what you think of it.
    Also I feel I should mention that CD-i emulation isn't too bad when it comes to certain versions of MAME (version .216 is the one I use). It is a bit of a complicated setup process, trying to find all the necessary .chd files, putting them in the right folders and all, but I've had more success with using that as opposed to standalone CD-i emulators. The Nintendo games I tried through it all played swimmingly.

  • @bitwize
    @bitwize 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Tetris does go with mellow music -- look to Tetris Effect on PS4. Zenith reminds me of some games on C64 and Amiga that also involve controlling a forward-moving, bouncing ball.

  • @TimeLoopProductions
    @TimeLoopProductions 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I’m glad I got to do the intro for a really awesome video

  • @Produkt_R
    @Produkt_R 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    My granddad had pinbal and van Goch on the CDI.
    In the pinbal game we got the bal stuck between two of those bouncy things which had resulted in a high score if not for the required reset.

  • @hyrulehero2773
    @hyrulehero2773 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I remember you mentioning that you bought your CD-i from a specific seller who dealt with its ticking time bomb and a couple other things and that doing so, selling CD-i consoles after modifying them, was kind of his thing. Do you know if he's still doing this and, if so, where to find him? I've been seriously thinking about getting one of these, but I only want to do so if I can find one that's in this more ready-to-go condition.

    • @FrameRater
      @FrameRater  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'm not sure, but if this helps his name was "sellingmycollection78" on eBay

  • @MrWatts-sp5vm
    @MrWatts-sp5vm 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Good old times. In 1994-1995 I worked on CD-I productions for Philips at the first Interactive agency in The Netherlands. This was just before internet was a “thing”. Fun fact: When the CD-I for 2 Unlimited was made the two singers / artists where not on speaking terms anymore with each other and that is why they where recorded separately. We made many other CD-I’s, Philips paid well :)

    • @noop9k
      @noop9k 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      One of my friends knows people who worked on the Zelda games. They are Russian.

  • @de1018
    @de1018 ปีที่แล้ว

    I know I'm commenting on an old vid, but I feel most compelled to mention:
    DAMN GOOD JOB ON THIS VID, SIR!!!
    This is the best video practical-summary of the CD-i console and many of its products. I used to work in a Philips semiconductor fab once upon a time, and I understand why the CD-i was a promising system turned mediocre ultimately by incompetence within the company. But that is beside the point. Thank you so much for this vid!

  • @Zernium
    @Zernium 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Oh my god, I've seen the Mutant Rampage cutscenes before, but I never thought about how they sound exactly like an interdimensional cable clip from Rick and Morty. That edit had me in stitches.

  • @JessHull
    @JessHull 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Wow you answered a life long nagging memory question I had been living with. When I was a kid in the early 90s I had played a video game console at a block buster that was on display. It was that Tetris you showed! I have been wondering what console it was for years. I had assumed it was an early playstation or maybe a sega saturn version of Tetris but when I would look through their library of games nothing like it I could fine. I remember just being so mesmerized by the music and background scenery. I can't thank you enough! Not knowing what version of Tetris and what console I had played that on has bugged me my whole life. I was really young (like 7-9?) so I couldn't remember or probably didn't even know at the time what console it was. This kind of makes me want to get a CD-i so I can get it. I hadn't actively looked for what version of Tetris it was in probably a decade but its always been a memory that has stuck with me.

  • @milnky
    @milnky 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Missed out the giant multi coloured Roller Controller. Always used that in my local electronic shop playing the games.

  • @554account
    @554account 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    im remember commercials for this when i was a kid and wanted one so bad. cd-i, compact disc interactive. we had an american pirate sattelite and infomercials would come on late at night for this

  • @SamuelBrownFilms
    @SamuelBrownFilms 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    The music in Tetris for the CD-i is incredible. I really wish there was a remastered soundtrack from the original source material.

  • @wfrandles
    @wfrandles 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Did ypu try Dragons' lair and Space Ace? That's what I bought mine for back in the day I certainly couldn't aboard the $1 a play in the Arcades.

  • @chfgn
    @chfgn ปีที่แล้ว

    1:58 This is the same way the Sega CD Model 2 works. I really like it, it's nice to just set the disc in and pick it up instead of snapping it down and popping it off. That said, I did break the wobbly thing on top once and it was a pain in the neck to repair.

  • @cicabeot1
    @cicabeot1 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Zenith reminds me of that one unreleased Virtual Boy game about the bouncing ball. Bound High. Looks like at least one variation of that idea saw the light of day. That makes me happy.

  • @wbarry1970
    @wbarry1970 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I see people cutting away at the chip to replace the battery and this works but seems wrong. If you can solder or know someone who does just solder a socket in place and buy a new chip. With a socket you can easily replace the chip again if needed. I have always been curious if a mod could be done to allow using interchangeable chips mounted on boards. They timekeeper is still sold and last time I bought one it was like 8 bucks. There is a chip shortage so maybe they have went up. Still seems the better option.

  • @WillKeaton
    @WillKeaton 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Been looking forward to the Mutant Rampage Body Slam entry ever since you announced you got a CD-i.

  • @NordkapSounddesign
    @NordkapSounddesign 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I own one back in the days. I loved my genesis and later Saturn, but playing the 7th guest, burn cycle and lost eden on the cdi was great as a 12 year old. Ahh the memories.

  • @ChrisNeptuneMusic
    @ChrisNeptuneMusic ปีที่แล้ว

    2:22 - You’re a Level 42 fan?? I now love this channel even more. ❤

  • @stevew8513
    @stevew8513 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I'm shocked that emulation of the CD-i is so difficult. It's not an overly complicated machine. The 68000 used in it is fairly weak - there was a couple of years delay between designing the hardware and actually getting production started, and the new models of the 68000 had gotten a higher clock speed by that point but they didn't integrate that into the design.
    I have a 450 model, with the bad disc eject issue, along with a bunch of accessories I'd picked up here and there. I do have the Apprentice along with Hotel Mario and the two Link games (which are those "demonstration only - not for sale" kind). I picked it up just for the novelty of it. Back when I really hunted thrift stores like crazy I'd find software for it but there weren't a lot of games in the mix. There just wasn't a market for that kind of multimedia machine. Instead of spending $300 for something that's sort of computer-like, most people would rather spend $1200 to get an actual computer.
    You could always look into the Memorex VIS next. It was a consolised 286 PC sold through Radio Shack stores, so it sold like garbage. But at least it'd be easier to emulate.

    • @TheTurnipKing
      @TheTurnipKing 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      iirc it's a 68010.

    • @calzonemaniacsvideocorner0804
      @calzonemaniacsvideocorner0804 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I think part of is because there's simply a lack of interest in emulating it. The PSVita has a similar problem, it's not an overly complex system (definitely easier to work with than, say, the PS3). Until recently, there wasn't an Xbox emulator despite every other 6th gen system (including the Wii which is about as powerful) having one.

    • @TheTurnipKing
      @TheTurnipKing 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@calzonemaniacsvideocorner0804 the Xbox is probably an excellent point of comparison.
      In theory it's not a hard system to emulate, but there's not much software that makes it worth the time or effort. The Xbox is slightly better served than the CDi in that regard, but a lot of the exclusives - particularly the "heavy hitters" like Halo, were natively on PC.

    • @thegearknob7161
      @thegearknob7161 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I think the main part of the problem is lack of doccumentation.
      A 68k is easy to emulate sure, but what the graphics? Obviously people have worked around it since Mame has at least some support, but I can't imagine it was trivial. Another sticking point will be the Digital Video Cartridge. Good luck finding documentation on that.

  • @GarryGri
    @GarryGri 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Nobody ever mentions that you can use a simple backup cable to save your save games to a PC.
    You also don't need to dremmel out the battery, just wire up a new battery to the pins.

  • @megamanfan3
    @megamanfan3 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Films on the CD-i makes me think that that format was the prototype for the DVD.
    5:38 That controller was, indeed, made by Gravis for use for the CD-i.

  • @brazilian_oak
    @brazilian_oak 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You say that CD-i emulation is still difficult, but I remember running some games on MAME, and they ran quite good. That was around 2-3 years ago. I even remember having to convert the ISOs to CHDs so I could boot them up properly.
    I know that running things on MAME isn't the easiest thing, but it worked well enough for me to play both Zeldas and Hotel Mario.
    The only thing it lacks is, of course, the Digital Video Cartridge, but that's only a matter of time and resources.

  • @marklechman2225
    @marklechman2225 ปีที่แล้ว

    We had a demo unit at the video store I used to work at, for a short while we rented out PC/Mac CD ROMs as well as some 3DO and CDi titles, not many though. Most of the gaming shelves were taken up by SNES, Genesis and PC titles. I remember being impressed by the full motion video available on the unit, but then my boss told me how much the thing cost. I was like - yup, no thanks. Amongst my peer group at the time, that was the general consensus, and I imagine most of the rest of the market as well

  • @digi_056
    @digi_056 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I managed to get The Faces of Evil working on MESS a few years ago, setting it up wasn't too bad, but getting an iso to go to to chd wasn't great.

  • @ChrisLincoln
    @ChrisLincoln 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love how often I hear the door opening sound from original Doom in other places.

  • @Nukle0n
    @Nukle0n 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It's maybe a bit more secured by the 3 spring-loaded ball bearings in the spindle, but the disc tray in the PS3 Super Slim works pretty much the same way. It's pretty universal that it's the last cost reduction to an optical drive, saves you a motor. On the plus side it's more reliable in the long term because of one less part that can break, its' why so many 1st generation Sega CDs are dead but the 2nd generation ones with the spring loaded lid are still going.

  • @Multifacted_Brotha
    @Multifacted_Brotha 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Is there an actual CD-I emulator that works and what's the name of it?? I wouldn't mind downloading and playing some of the games listed on here.

  • @Trusteft
    @Trusteft 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The game you mentioned, Zenith, is clearly a "child" of the game Wizball (1987 various computer systems) and another title which I just can't for the life of me remember now the title. Where you have a "ball" running in 3D track (think of Space Harrier without the flying, the shooting, the aliens, the humans, etc, or think of Klax in terms of how the game looks) where there are gaps and special tiles etc.
    Good view, thank you for sharing.

  • @dallase1
    @dallase1 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    In Mutant Body Rampage was that supposed to be Doc Brown and Marty Mcfly?
    What was good about the CDi? Not the FMVs, games,controller or price of the system. Even that Genesis looking controller only had 2 actual action buttons since the third one according to what you said about it was just linking to 2 others so when you mashed it it was just like mashing button 1 and 2 at the same time.
    I guess the one good thing abut it it at least it had better FMV than the Sega CD.

  • @chrisdelaney926
    @chrisdelaney926 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Anybody know what the format of the movies is? Thanks for the fun video.

  • @jamesruggeri2695
    @jamesruggeri2695 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    the rick n morty intergalactic tv joke had me legit laughing aloud, well done!

  • @katieblackmore2004
    @katieblackmore2004 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    For the short period i owned one, and also the time period (90s), i remember the weekend of watching a movie on disc 'Alive', and thinking it was amazing, then playing 7th Guest, Burn Cycle and Cannon Fodder.
    That for me, even though it was short lived, was one of the best gaming weekends i had, because the experience was so different.

    • @humansrants1694
      @humansrants1694 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I had one it was all new playing interactive video loved it but when I got a PlayStation 1 that made me realise the gameplay that was missing.

  • @simbacartoonfan2787
    @simbacartoonfan2787 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Happy Halloween

  • @arostwocents
    @arostwocents 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Does Retroarch have a cdi core and how much power do you need to run it? If you can run ps1 and psp will it be fine?

    • @arostwocents
      @arostwocents 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Flintstones x Jetsons looks incredible I want to play that so hoping there is a working emu

    • @AdmiralBison
      @AdmiralBison 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      good luck trying to get it work.
      have tried either Retro Arch 'Same CDI' or 'Mess'
      So many people have problems trying to play CDI emulation and even if they manage to there are only a handful of games that actually run.
      CDI emulation needs a renaissance like the Jaguar emulator 'BigPEmu'
      Jaguar CD games for the longest time were not emulated and someone came along and not only made an incredible jaguar emulator with all the modern features and then some but shortly after got Jaguar CD games running great.
      this is what many of the older systems need.
      there is plenty of demand and support for later systems like the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 3, GameCube and an infinite number of NES and SNES emulators already.
      Best to close out all the oldest systems first and then all resources can be focused on recent and current systems.

    • @AdmiralBison
      @AdmiralBison 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Finally came across a solution that actually works... well for me anyway.
      Check out the video 'Steam Deck: Philips CD-i Emulation (EmuDeck / ES-DE / RetroArch)'
      For me it has to do with the Bios files and this uploaded guides you to get the correct ones.
      I just tested some CDI games with Retro Arch + Same_Cdi emulator core.
      Burn Cycle
      Hotel Mario
      Caeser's Palace
      Space Ranger
      all work
      However FMV games do NOT work as apparently the 'Video cartridge' that the CDI uses has not be emulated yet.
      So many of the bigger games and FMVs will not work until this has been emulated.

  • @arostwocents
    @arostwocents 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    My grandma had the cdi and i hope its still somewhere in her loft

  • @kizunadragon9
    @kizunadragon9 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    best thing about the CD-I.. we get to see Phil Hartman in one more commercial.

  • @LordMetalSonic1987
    @LordMetalSonic1987 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Where'd you get that Launch Base Zone remix?

  • @pyrofur_nx
    @pyrofur_nx 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    where can i find the launch base remix you use for your outro

  • @AfroRyan
    @AfroRyan 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have a guilty pleasure in liking most old HB cartoons. I had NO idea there was a Flintstones/Jetsons point and click game on the CDi. Now I feel like I have to play it.

  • @sentientricecake3125
    @sentientricecake3125 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love these types of videos, great job!

  • @aageon
    @aageon 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Still have my CD-i 220 from back in the day. If you used it as a multimedia device it was great. Playing Music CD's, video-CD's and playing games while connected to a good sound setup was excellent and quite revolutionary at the time here. Still games weren't great but I still have fond memories of Dragons Lair and Burn:Cycle.

  • @LordHorst
    @LordHorst 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Flashback totally reminds me of Another World for the Amiga (I think it also had a SNES port).
    And a quick look at Wikipedia tells me: Yep, it's from the same studio.

  • @isaaclammers7266
    @isaaclammers7266 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Cdi was my first system actually lol. I have alot of childhood memories with it. I feel it had alot of potential for its time if they focused more on gaming

  • @aegisofhonor
    @aegisofhonor 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    the CDi was a very competent CD player, it performed extremely well compared to a ton of mid range to high end CD players at that time making it a very good deal and the very last CDi produced, the CDi-740 is one of the best CD players of the entire decade with it's advanced features and high build quality (very rare model, rarely ever comes up for sale).

  • @ArtoPekkanen
    @ArtoPekkanen 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    An idea: port LZDoom to CD-i, with an utility application which enables the user to burn a custom LZDoom CD with specified maps and mods :) that would be pretty cool

  • @bladerunner752
    @bladerunner752 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    7th guest, Dragon's lair, Space Ace were my favorite games to play on this system, it was nice to play those games again after not seeing them for years in the arcade

  • @Firguy
    @Firguy 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Animation Magic were also working on a Warcraft adventure game and it had respectable voice actors like Tony Jay and Clancy Brown playing characters instead of the people they had on hand for the CD-i Zelda games.
    17:49 I love Vaporwave.

  • @SmeddyTooBestChannel
    @SmeddyTooBestChannel 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    MAME's actually been updating their CD-i emulation accuracy as of late. It's still not perfect, but a lot more stuff works.
    No video cart yet, though. 😔

  • @douglasspende929
    @douglasspende929 ปีที่แล้ว

    I had this system before the PS1 came out I took it back. I had golf game for it CBS golf. The power meter sucked. It was a rectangle box that went outward fast to. Putting and driving was a pain.

  • @michaeldarkwolf9726
    @michaeldarkwolf9726 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I Own both CDI consoles and all 3 Zelda games. Hoping to stream them some day once I work out all the bugs.

  • @MakoTenseii
    @MakoTenseii 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ooo secret Retro Pals shoutout. Ngl I get your channels confused in my feed sometimes

  • @TimeLoopProductions
    @TimeLoopProductions ปีที่แล้ว

    R.I.P yeah framerater intro I will forever remember you

  • @quasimodo1749
    @quasimodo1749 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    i'd like to see internet demonstrated (or at least simulated) on the more advanced CD-i consoles. i know one of them even had printer support, even online shopping. just interesting to see how a cd-i was attempting to make the PC experience into a TV console experience. for $400-800, it really wasn't a bad price considering PCs at the time ran between $1500-2800. the CD-i was just badly designed and could have been so much more. liken it to someone buying an xbox one S and using it for doc/web/print (yes it can do all this) for about $250 vs a $1200 desktop from best buy (sadly the days of DIY for under $300 are over).

  • @ohmlord
    @ohmlord 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    yo fr cant wait till next video i absolutely love the channel

    • @FrameRater
      @FrameRater  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      On November 10th, a video similar to this will be published about the Atari 5200. :)

  • @DeafOnAllFronts
    @DeafOnAllFronts 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    PlayStation games amd some pc games had that feature where if you put them in a cd player it will play the OSt, I used to play midtown madness for the pc and twisted metal 3 for the ps1 to listen to the Rob zombie soundtrack on my car cd player

  • @Trillyana
    @Trillyana 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have a lot of CD-i games since we got them for free through my dad's job when I was little. We actually enjoyed the CD-i so much that when it stopped working we bought another (refurbished) one. The games I remember playing most were probably Crayon Factory and The Wacky World of Miniature Golf with Eugene Levy. We probably didn't even play most of the games since we have so many.

  • @jameshoward351
    @jameshoward351 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    He did not talk about Thunder in Pardice with Hog Hogan 🤣 a must for light gun

  • @jeffpett
    @jeffpett 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I remember seeing a late night infomercial on CD-i and thinking to myself it looked kinda interesting. About a month later it was DEAD. Seems making the infomercial was the last ditch effort to sell more units. Glad I didn't take the bait!

  • @MRW2276
    @MRW2276 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Do you have a contact for the guy who replaced your CDI battery?

  • @xenoranger79
    @xenoranger79 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Gotta love the Mortal Kombat arcade game at 9:15

  • @wilcoleijdens9895
    @wilcoleijdens9895 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great video, one of the best CD-I videos I’ve seen!

  • @kurtwinter4422
    @kurtwinter4422 ปีที่แล้ว

    CDi's lack of hardware MPEG codecs as standard might have been its Achilles Heel. The PS2's defining feature was its DVD player. The abundance of Video CDs would have enhanced the value proposition in the days before ubiquitous and cheap DVD players, which ironically, were the first off the shelf method to play Video CD (MPEG-1 video)

  • @advancedpro7608
    @advancedpro7608 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Where did you buy this CD-I and the Controller

  • @gunnadahun
    @gunnadahun 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Where’ve you been bro? Missed your uploads

  • @ScooterinAB
    @ScooterinAB 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The first and only time I saw a CD-I was at a trade show. I distinctly remember seeing a 3D Zelda game, or at least something that made a good show of it. What I remember looks nothing like the 3 games that everyone laughs at, so I'm not sure if this was a fever dream or something.

  • @monterrang1
    @monterrang1 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I dunno if whoever did the Zelda cd-i remaster is still out to make more but a remaster of mutant rampage bodyslam sounds like a must-have!

  • @AmaroqStarwind
    @AmaroqStarwind 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    2:43 I think you mean Video Cassette Recorder (VCR)
    6:28 Now I want to know if the Phillips Laser Lens Cleaner CD will work on the Phillips CD-i.

    • @FrameRater
      @FrameRater  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not every VHS player is a VCR. Most, but not all. Nonetheless I say it this way to make it simpler to understand for modern generations.

    • @AmaroqStarwind
      @AmaroqStarwind 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@FrameRater Oh, right... I sometimes forget that some people were born after the 2000's.

  • @aaronmerkel5216
    @aaronmerkel5216 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I had a CD-I back in the 90’s. Cost me $550. I got it so I could play Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace. Then I also came to love Kingdom. I liked the fact that not many had the system and it was like a secret. Ha. The games weren’t always good but I had a lot of fun. I did enjoy Zelda’s Adventure.

  • @PIKACHUxSNEASEL64
    @PIKACHUxSNEASEL64 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I didn't know the CD-I had quite a few hidden gems. I wonder if some of them will get rereleased?