Biography
In July 1991, Sega of Japan and JVC Musical Industries, Inc. joined forces to design a combination system that could play both Mega Drive (Genesis) and Mega CD (Sega CD) titles. Since JVC had the expertise in delivering high quality audio, and Sega was no stranger to video games, the all-in-one console offered enough added features to make it stand out from other gaming platforms. The Wondermega, as it was called, debuted in Japan on April 1, 1992 for a price of 82,800 yen ($620 U.S.) The system was more than a standard Mega Drive and Mega CD in one compact unit. JVC used their experience in the audio industry to design special chips to deliver sound on par with the finest CD players available at the time.
JVC created a Digital Audio Processor that could take compressed music found in software and increase its dynamic range. This meant the processor could make notes sound softer or louder, depending on the musical arrangement. A bass enhancer was also added to the system, allowing for a more noticeable difference in games that emphasized effects such as explosions or gunfire. The one area of sound JVC couldn't improve was the audio played from cartridges, as the company didn't want to risk potential incompatibility issues with older software. Yet for those gamers owning a sizeable CD library, the Wondermega delivered an audio experience like no other console before it.
JVC wasn't content in boosting the audio features of their combination system, however. A Super VHS output on the back of the unit allowed for sharper images to be displayed on TVs that supported this feature. For those who were missing the Super VHS input, a standard video jack was located adjacent to two stereo audio outputs. Next up on JVC's enhancement list was support for Karaoke, an extremely popular form of entertainment in Japan at the time.
The unit included two microphone jacks on the front that allowed players to sing along with music. To further enhance the experience, the Wondermega offered a digital echo switch, adjustable pitch control and masking feature to remove vocals from CDs. Budding musicians would appreciate the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) output on the back, and a modem port was also included with the system. Since JVC's console would be available at electronics stores, Sega decided to release the system under their own name for toy and game stores. Aside from a color difference and slightly lower price (the Sega unit was cheaper since it didn't include a game), the systems were identical.
The pack-in game for JVC's Wondermega was a compilation CD with four titles: Flicky, Pyramid Magic (a platform game), Paddle Fighter (a top-down air hockey game) and Quiz Scramble (an educational title that tested gamers on their knowledge of animals). Flicky was the same game as the cartridge released in the U.S., while the remaining titles were exclusive to the Japanese market. The Wondermega was also packaged with four Karaoke programs that could display images as the music played (thanks to the Mega CD's ability to read CD+G discs).
The Wondermega even had an official mascot for promotion, something that all systems secretly desired in order to establish brand recognition. The mascot was a beige dog sporting a white tee-shirt and blue overalls, who was ready to star in his own CD game in June 1992. The name of the character was also the name of the game, the aptly titled Wonder Dog. Cut in the same mold as Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, Wonder Dog would feature 2D platform action set across colorful planets.
JVC released their Wondermidi software package in June 1993, which let musicians attach a separate keyboard called the Piano Player so they could create different sound effects, musical scores and even light shows (each note on the keyboard produced an image on the screen). The software package also taught consumers how to play the piano through a series of lessons, and it even supported Karaoke features as well.
August 1993 saw the release of a redesigned Wondermega, featuring several changes to reduce the cost to 59,000 yen ($520 U.S.) The new model featured a CD cover that popped up instead of the motorized drawer found in the original. In addition, both the MIDI and Super VHS outputs were no longer included, although a six-button controller replaced the original's three-button pad. This new Wondermega would be introduced in the United States as the JVC X'EYE in September 1994.
The $499.99 system included a three-button controller, a full-motion video boxing game called Prize Fighter (also available for the Sega CD), Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia and a Karaoke CD. Yet the JVC X'EYE, like so many systems before it, suffered from poor timing and a high price tag. Adding to the problem was Sega's smaller, more compact Genesis CDX system, which came out months earlier (in April 1994) for $100 cheaper. Since JVC's system didn't offer a significant amount of features over a Sega Genesis and Sega CD combination, the X'EYE simply wasn't exciting enough for the average game consumer.
