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| Manufacturer | Bandai |
|---|---|
| Product family | WonderSwan |
| Type | Handheld game console |
| Generation | Sixth Generation |
| Retail availability | JP July 12, 2002 |
| Media | Cartridge |
| Backward compatibility |
WonderSwan, WonderSwan Color |
| Predecessor | WonderSwan Color |
Released in Japan on July 12, 2002[1] the SwanCrystal (Suwankurisutaru) is the third and final release in Bandai's WonderSwan handheld game console series, succeeding the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color.
Contents |
Features
The SwanCrystal was a 16-bit handheld game console that like its' predecessors ran off one AA battery. It allowed the input of personal data such as name, birth date, gender, and blood type by holding the Start button while turning the system on (this was possible in both the previous consoles as well). It was compatible with all previous games for both the WonderSwan Color and the original WonderSwan.[2] It came available in four different colors: Skeleton Blue, Skeleton Black, Blue Violet and Red Wine.
Improvements
One of the largest improvements to the SwanCrystal was the use of a TFT LCD monitor, which was superior in response time to the FSTN monitor used previously by the WonderSwan Color. This gave the screen a much crisper look during gameplay, due to sharper contrast and significantly reduced ghosting. As a result, the SwanCrystal does not possess the contrast adjustment dial found on the other consoles.
Other possible improvements are the four selectable volume settings (compared to three on both the WonderSwan and WonderSwan Colour), and a face-mounted power button (compared to a side-mounted switch on the WonderSwan).
Drawbacks
One possible drawback of the SwanCrystal is that the new TFT LCD monitor required more power than the WonderSwan Color's FSTN monitor, thus lowering its play time from 20 hours to 15 on one AA battery.
Sometimes, when the game cartridge is inserted all the way in (which would be normal for most consoles), the game will not load properly, or not turn on at all. A solution for this was to leave a little gap between the system and the cartridge. This doesn't seem to be the case with the two previous systems.[original research?]
Hardware specifications
- CPU: SPGY-1003, at 3.072 MHz 16-bit NEC V30MZ Clone
- Memory: 64Kbyte VRAM/WRAM (shared)
- Screen:
- TFT reflective Liquid crystal display
- 2.8 inch (71 mm) diagonal
- no backlight
- resolution: 224x144 pixels
- colors: 241 out of 4096 colors
- Sound: Built-in mono speaker or stereo with optional headphones adapter
- Four volume settings selectable via button: loud, medium, soft, mute
- Link: Two players (adapter needed)
- Power: one AA battery (~15 hours of game play)
- Size: 127.7 by 77.5 by 24.3 mm
- Weight 95 g (3.35 oz) including battery[3]
References
- ^ http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/25304/japan-hardware-sales-07-14-02/ GamePro: SwanCrystal
- ^ http://www.game-machines.com/consoles/swancrystal.php
- ^ http://everything2.com/?node_id=1342173 Everything2.com: SwanCrystal
See also
External links
- Bandai Asia
- Official Web site (Japanese)
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