Retro Game Consoles – Apple Bandai Pippin

Apple Bandai Pippin
1995-1997

Above: Apple Bandai Pippin game console

The Apple Bandai Pippin, known in Japan as Pippin Atmark, is a multimedia platform designed by Apple Computer but produced by Bandai in 1995. It uses a 66 MHz PowerPC 603 processor, a 14.4 kbit/s modem and ran a stripped version of the System 7.5.2 operating system.

Above: Apple Bandai Pippin game console back

The goal was to create an inexpensive computer aimed mostly at playing CD-based multimedia titles, especially games, but also functioning as a network computer. It featured a 4x CD-ROM drive and a video output that could connect to a standard television display.

Above: Apple Bandai Pippin firmware board

Bandai manufactured fewer than 100,000 Pippins before discontinuing the system some two years after the console was introduced. As much as the Amiga CD32 is a full functional Amiga, the Apple Bandai Pippin, is a Macintosh Computer. In fact, most Pippin software will run on a Macintosh running OS 9.0.

Above: Apple Bandai Pippin controller

For those that look for Apple to release a game console one day, well all they have to do is to look to the past as it was already created. FOr the future, one never knows. There are no rumours of such, but with each year, Apple continues to take market share away from Nintendo and SONY through their portable devices that also double as game units.