The Bandai Playdia

By David Law (@myretrogamehub) 

Reading Time: 9 minutes 

24th August 2024 

The Forgotten Console

Founding and Early Years

Bandai was founded on July 5, 1950, by Naoharu Yamashina in Tokyo, Japan. Originally named "Bandai-ya," the company began as a small toy manufacturing business. The name "Bandai" itself is derived from the Japanese term "Bandai Fueki," which roughly translates to "eternally unchanging," reflecting the company's commitment to long-lasting quality.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Bandai focused on producing plastic toys and models. One of its first major successes was tin toy cars, which became popular in Japan and international markets. Throughout the 1960s, Bandai expanded its product line to include plastic model kits, particularly popular among children and hobbyists.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Bandai became one of Japan's top toy manufacturers. The company introduced various toys and models based on popular TV shows, movies, and original ideas. Their notable products include the Mazinger Z Robot Chogokin and the Space Battleship Yamato.

Bandai's Entry into the World of Gaming

As video games became increasingly popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Bandai saw an opportunity to expand its business beyond traditional toys and models. The company recognized the potential of combining its expertise in toy manufacturing with electronic entertainment.

Bandai's first foray into the video game industry was by producing simple handheld electronic games. However, Bandai didn't make a more significant impact until the release of the 'TV Jack' series of consoles in 1977. The TV Jack series was a line of early home video game consoles that played simple Pong-style games, marking Bandai's initial steps into the gaming world.

In 1982, the company released the Bandai LCD Solar Power series, the first solar-powered gaming device. Some of its games, such as the horror-themed Terror House, featured two LCD panels stacked on top of each other. This unique design allows the game to change backgrounds by switching between the two screens, creating a more dynamic and layered visual experience than typical handheld games of that era.

Bandai and the Famicom

In the early 1980s, Bandai's involvement in the video game industry deepened when it began developing games for the Nintendo Famicom (the NES in the West). The Famicom was a massive success in Japan. Bandai saw an opportunity to create games based on its popular toy and anime franchises.
Some early titles Bandai produced for the Famicom included games based on popular anime and manga series like "Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match" in 1985 and "Gundam: Hot Scramble". These games helped Bandai become a significant player in the video game industry, particularly in licensed games.
Bandai's strategy of creating games tied to popular franchises helped Bandai and Nintendo reach a broader audience, particularly among anime and manga fans.
This collaboration began a long relationship between Bandai and Nintendo, with Bandai continuing to develop games for various Nintendo platforms over the years.

Bandai's Iconic Franchises

Mobile Suit Gundam

One of Bandai's most significant and enduring franchises is Mobile Suit Gundam. First airing in 1979, Gundam was a groundbreaking anime series that introduced the concept of "real robots"—mecha depicted as realistic machines controlled by humans rather than invincible super robots like the Transformers.

Bandai acquired the rights to produce Gundam plastic model kits (known as Gunpla), which became a massive success. The popularity of Gunpla kits helped Gundam become a multi-billion dollar franchise, with Bandai producing not only model kits but also video games, toys, and various other merchandise.

Gunpla are scale models of giant robots from the long-standing Mobile Suit Gundam series. Bandai has produced these model kits, which have been a vital part of the Gundam franchise since 1980.

Bandai has been involved with numerous other popular franchises over the years, including:

• One Piece
• Naruto
• Power Rangers (known in Japan as "Super Sentai")
• Ultraman
• Kamen Rider

Each of these franchises has generated significant revenue for Bandai by selling toys, collectibles, and video games.

The Bandai Playdia: A Forgotten Chapter in Gaming History

When we think of the video game console industry giants, names like Nintendo, Sony, and Sega often come to mind. However, while less successful, several lesser-known consoles still hold a unique place in gaming history. One such console is the Bandai Playdia—a device many gamers might not even know existed.

Released exclusively in Japan in September 1994, the Bandai Playdia was an ambitious attempt by Bandai, a company better known for its toys and anime-related products, to break into the video game console market. Unlike many contemporaries, the Playdia was designed as a multimedia console, emphasizing interactive educational content and anime-based games aimed at a younger Japanese audience.  

 The early 1990s were a time of experimentation in the gaming industry. As CD-ROM technology became more affordable, many companies began exploring the potential of multimedia experiences that combined video, audio, and gameplay. The Playdia was Bandai's answer to this burgeoning trend.

The Playdia was marketed as a "Multimedia Console," which was a fancy way of saying it was designed for games and interactive learning. The console itself was a small, sleek device with a distinctive blue colour scheme that set it apart from the more traditional grey or black consoles of the time.

A key feature that set the Playdia apart was its wireless controller, which was ahead of its time. While most consoles still relied on wired connections, the Playdia's infrared wireless controller brought a new level of convenience and design innovation. Oddly enough, the system only came with one controller, and a second one was never released or made available for purchase.

The console was underpowered compared to its contemporaries, like the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn, which were released just a few months later.

When it was released in 1994, the Playdia was marketed toward a younger Japanese audience. Bandai recognized that the console couldn't compete directly with the more powerful and gaming-focused systems like the Nintendo and Sega consoles. Instead, Bandai positioned the Playdia as a multimedia system focusing on educational content and interactive anime experiences rather than as a traditional gaming console.

Bandai's strategy was to carve out a niche market rather than compete with the industry's big guns, which dominated the gaming industry with their more advanced hardware and extensive game libraries. Playdia's content was tailored specifically for children, featuring interactive storybooks, quizzes, and anime tie-ins, which set it apart from the more game-centric offerings of its competitors.
So, in essence, the Playdia knew its limitations and focused on a specific demographic rather than attempting to compete directly with the more powerful consoles of the time.

The Game Library: A Niche Appeal

The content on the Playdia wasn't what you'd typically consider "games" in the traditional sense. Instead, most of the Playdia's offerings were akin to interactive FMVs (Full-Motion Videos) with minimal gameplay elements. Many of these titles were essentially interactive movies where players would watch animated sequences and occasionally make choices that would affect the outcome of the story. While this was a novel approach, it didn't resonate with the broader gaming audience, who were more interested in the action-packed, graphically intense games other consoles offered.

Only around 33 titles were released during its short lifespan. Playdia's games were primarily based on popular anime series. Titles like "Dragon Ball Z: Shin Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku," "Sailor Moon S," and "Ultraman Powered" were designed more as interactive video experiences rather than traditional games.

Inevitable downfall

The Bandai Playdia's failure can be attributed to several factors, including the fact that it faced several challenges that ultimately limited its success. Unlike Nintendo and Sony, the console struggled with a lack of third-party developer support, resulting in a limited library of titles, most of which were based on Bandai's intellectual properties. The console was primarily marketed towards children and Bandai's anime fans, giving it a narrow appeal and restricting its reach within the broader gaming market.

Technically, the Playdia was underpowered compared to its competitors, focusing more on interactive video content rather than the graphically impressive and gameplay-intensive titles seen on other consoles. Released during a fiercely competitive time in the gaming industry, with heavyweights like the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and even the 3DO all battling for market share, the Playdia simply couldn't stand a chance in such a competitive field.

Following Playdia's commercial failure, Bandai found a new use for the leftover consoles by repurposing them for Kinescopes in 1996. Kinescopes were interactive multimedia coin-operated kiosks in Japanese toy stores and shopping centers. These kiosks allowed users to watch animated clips for a small fee. The Playdia's hardware, especially its FMV playback capabilities, made it an ideal choice for these promotional displays.

Bandai began working on a new project with Apple soon after Playdia's commercial failure. While Playdia was not officially "retired" in the traditional sense, its lack of success led Bandai to move on quickly to other ventures. The Playdia's successor, the Bandai Apple Pippin, was officially released in 1996, meaning that the transition from Playdia to the Pippin project happened within a year or so after Playdia's disappointing market performance. In contrast, the Pippin was marketed towards an older and more tech-savvy demographic.

Bandai's Collaborations with Gaming Giants

Bandai and Nintendo

Bandai and Nintendo collaborated extensively during the Famicom era. Bandai continued to develop and publish games for subsequent consoles, such as the Super Famicom (SNES), Game Boy, and Nintendo 64.
One of the most notable collaborations between the two companies was the 'Sufami Turbo' released in 1996, an add-on for the Super Famicom that allowed smaller cartridges to be inserted into a larger base unit. This device was designed to reduce manufacturing costs and provide a cheaper alternative for gamers. When inserted simultaneously, the device lets two cartridges interact with each other, unlocking additional content or features in compatible games. Although the Sufami Turbo didn't achieve widespread success, it was an interesting experiment in modular gaming.

Bandai and Sony PlayStation

With the emergence of the Sony PlayStation in the mid-1990s, Bandai quickly adapted to the new platform. The PlayStation's CD-ROM format allowed for more complex and visually impressive games, which Bandai utilized to create titles based on its popular franchises.

Some of the notable Bandai games on the PlayStation included:

• Gundam Battle Assault series
• Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22
• Digimon World series

These games were well-received and further solidified Bandai's status as a major publisher in the video game industry.

Bandai Namco: A New Era

In 2005, Bandai merged with Namco, another major player in the gaming industry, to form Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. This merger combined Bandai's strength in toys and character goods with Namco's arcade and video game development expertise. The new company, often called Bandai Namco, became one of the world's largest and most influential entertainment companies.
Since the merger, Bandai Namco has continued to produce games based on its vast array of franchises and original titles. The company has also expanded into various other forms of entertainment, including amusement parks, anime production, and more.

The Legacy of the Bandai Playdia

While the Playdia was not a commercial success, it is remembered today as a curious footnote in gaming history. It represents a time when companies were experimenting with new types of interactive media and exploring the potential of CD-ROM technology.

For collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts, the Playdia is a fascinating piece of history. Its limited library of games, unique design, and the novelty of its wireless controller make it an interesting console to explore, even if it never reached the heights of its more successful competitors.

In hindsight, the Playdia's failure was almost inevitable, given the factors stacked against it. However, it remains an essential reminder of the diversity of ideas and approaches that have shaped the video game industry over the years. Even the consoles that didn't succeed have contributed to the rich tapestry of gaming history, and the Bandai Playdia is no exception.

Stay Retro!

David - My Retro Game Hub

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