The SwanCrystal Console

[retro junkie]

Just thought I would share. Had mine out this past week. Initially designed by Gunpei Yokoi. 15 hours of gaming on a single AA battery. Reflective screen technology. Graphics, gameplay and animation that rivaled the GBA.  This was a 16bit system. It had a short life but it was good while it lasted. It was an RPG gamers dream come true console. Had tons of them, but never left Japan. Even though I do have the Final Fantasy series, I can't play anything but English friendly stuff like fighters, puzzle, and platformers. The Digimon stuff that was ported to the GBA is better gaming on this system, graphics, gameplay, feel. And not everything was ported.

My English Friendly game list:
Digimon Battle Spirit
Digimon: Zero Two
Digimon Battle Spirit 1.5
Battle Spirit: Digimon Tamers
Digimon: Veedraman Verson
Buffers Evolution
Guilty Gear Petite 1
Guilty Gear Petite 2
Puyo Puyo
Puyo Puyo 2
Bust-A-Move
Klonoa: Moonlight Museum
One Piece Swan Colosseum
Lime Rider Keroikan
SD Gundam Operation UC (repetitive shooter action)
Pocket Fighter
Gundam Seed (There is a need to know Japanese to get the most out of the story, other than that it serves as a shooter. I do have the anime movie so I do know sort-of what is going on.)

[targetrasp]

is that two D pad type button configurations on the left hand side of the system? was it designed to play in two different orientations?

[retro junkie]

Yes it was designed to play in two different directions. Puzzle Bobble and Tetris would be played long ways. There is a shooter that is also played that way. Puyo Puyo doesn't seem to use that option. Or I don't know how to change the orientation.

[targetrasp]

Do you make trips to Japan or are you having this stuff shipped over? I only ask because I've yet to find an economical way to get started with the Japaneese stuff. The games seem cheaper on eBay (except for those rare must have, not released in the US type games) but the systems are nuts.

[retro junkie]

I started collecting this stuff back years ago (15?) when the prices were still reasonable. There used to be a lot of stuff up on ebay back then. Back then they were giving the consoles away. I have a Final Fantasy edition WonderSwan Color which did not cost hardly anything back then. I don't think I paid over $30 for a SwanCrystal console, free shipping. And games were not that bad either. Never been to Japan. None of this stuff came over here except by import. Maybe some stores in big cities, I don't know. I have always purchased my WonderSwan stuff over eBay. My Daughter and I both got into it back then. One if the best fighters on the console is One Piece Swan Colosseum. And you can still find that one at a reasonable price, I am surprised. I would like to pick up the megaman games, sometimes I can catch that one for around $40. Even at that price, and I know it can be higher, still haven't pulled the trigger. The Guilty Gear games were not that much back then, but now, wow, prices are through the roof.

[BLUEVOODU]

I regret not buying up  a lot of this stuff and holding it when I Was 1st in business. LOL...  Hindsight is 20/20.   Maybe some of my old documents still exist to reference... but I remember there were a couple vendors at the time offering loads of Wonderswan stuff for cheap.  I don't remember exactly what they offered.  At the time, I had NO CLUE what the wonderswan is and there wasn't a big demand for it.  It was an interesting little system and one that was never added to my collection.

I also had a TON of Faselei US Neo Geo Pocket Color games... I Wish I would've bought all the vendor had and held onto them.   They fetch a very nice penny these days.  I had a corner on the market at that time... and I think I had over 100 in stock at one point.   Hindsight... I Would've bought them all and held them.  In fact, all the NGPC games.  But there is a cost to holding as well.   Another topic, another time.

Cool Post @retro junkie - It's very interesting to read on this system.  Not a lot has been mentioned about it over the years... maybe that's changed now?  I remember it being a super obscure system.