WONDER SWAN

Catalog Spec

DeveloperBANDAI
Release date in Japan4th March 1999
MediaROM cartridge
CPUV30MZ core 16bit (3.72 MHz) built in ASWAN (one chip LSI)
LSIASWAN, a LSI chip for WONDER SWAN
RAM16 KB
GraphicFSTN reflective LCD
224*144 dots (dot matrix)
2.49 inch dot matrix
Monochrome 8 gradations
SoundDigital tone generator 4ch stereo (waveform memory tone generator, 1ch is available for PCM tone generator)
List price in Japan4,800 yen

Catalog Spec

DeveloperBANDAI
Release date in Japan9th December 2000
MediaROM cartridge
CPUV30MZ core 16bit (3.72 MHz) built in ASWAN (one chip LSI)
LSIOne chip LSI “SPHINX” for WONDER SWAN
Main memory 64KB
RAM16 KB
GraphicFSTN refrective LCD
224*144 dots (dot matrix)
2.49 inch dot matrix
Monochrome 8 gradations
SoundDigital tone generator 4ch stereo (waveform memory tone generator, 1ch is available for PCM tone generator)
Other featureDMA (Direct Memory Access) installed
Hyper voice installed
List price in Japan6,800 yen

WONDER SWAN is a handheld videogame console released by BANDAI in March 1999. This console is famous for the launch-up project participation of Gunpei Yokoi, an engineer who developed GAME&WATCH series, GAMEBOY and VIRTUAL BOY. In 1997, the year before Wonder Swan was released, NINTENDO already released GAMEBOY COLOR. Also, SNK released NEOGEO POCKET in the same timing. Therefore, BANDAI decide the product with monochrome display to priotize the battery life and the low cost. However, the color display in the low cost already became the standard of the handheld gaming device at that time, finally BANDAI released WONDER SWAN COLOR in 2000. BANDAI focused on the young generation as the users and came up with the strategic policy to create the fashionable and stylish images. As a result, the gaming console could succeed to gain its share in the handheld gaming device market. Later GAMEBOY ADVANCE almost dominated the market, WONDER SWAN could not but withdraw from the market. In 2003, BANDAI officially announce that the manufacturing would be switched to the order produced “WONDER SWAN CRYSTAL”, and the console was discontinued literally.

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