The HyperScan is a home video game console from the toy company Mattel. Marketed towards tweens, the console is unique in that it includes a 13.56 MHz radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner that reads and writes to special cards called "IntelliCards" which, in turn, activate features in and save data from the game. Players are able to enhance the abilities of their characters by scanning cards.[3][4]
Games retailed for $19.99 and the console itself for $69.99 at launch, but at the end of its short lifespan, prices of the system were down to $9.99, the games $1.99, and booster packs $0.99. There were only five titles known to have been released, with two canceled games.
The HyperScan became critically panned upon its release for having outdated 2D-only graphics, a weak game library, and being less capable than other similar consoles such as the VTech V.Flash, which was released the month prior. Critics also raised concerns about the number of IntelliCards needed to complete a set, and the potential financial burden towards its target audience. Following disappointing sales, Mattel discontinued the HyperScan the following year, and canceled all upcoming game and card releases.[5]
Hardware
The HyperScan is based on the Sunplus SPG290A system-on-a-chip.
RFID storage: 96 bytes of user memory + 8 bytes unique ID + 6 bytes of one time programmable memory. The HyperScan's RFID systems were provided by Innovision Research and Technology plc, a fabless semiconductor design house based in the UK which specializes in RFID systems and chip design.[9]
The console uses UDF format CD-ROMs and has two controller ports.
Software
A partly disassembled HyperScan, showing the RFID scanner
Only five games were released, with two games having been canceled due to the system's poor sales and reception.
The games for the system were sold as $20 "Game Packs", which consisted of a game disc accompanied by six game cards (seven for Spider-Man). Additional cards which contained characters, abilities, moves and levels when scanned were part of a six-card "Booster Pack", available for $10/pack. As with most trading card packs, the cards were randomized.[citation needed]
Multiple booster packs were intended for certain games. X-Men intended to have 102 cards to unlock parts of the game in separate "red" and "black" series; the latter went unreleased due to the console's cancellation.[citation needed]
Fighting game in which two characters face off against each other in self-contained matches similar to Street Fighter. It is the only game on the console to be rated T for "Teen".
56 released (6 included + 50), 46 unreleased
9 packs $159.99 ($69.99 console and game + $90 packs)
Avatar: The Last Air Bender (cancelled)
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Nick Extreme Sports (cancelled)
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Though not much development for homebrew games was done on the console, several programmers have created demos and proofs-of-concepts. Some of the programs include a CD-Door demo, 3D wireframe demo, and a Bluescale demo.[10]
Retail
The system was sold in two varieties: a cube and a 2-player value pack. The cube box version was the version sold in stores. It included the system, controller, an X-Men game disc, and 6 X-Men cards. Two-player value packs were sold online (but may have been liquidated in stores)[original research?] and included an extra controller and 12 additional X-Men cards.[11]
The included game was rated "T" and the remaining titles were rated "E10+" by the ESRB.
Reception
The system was universally panned by critics for its clunky design, broken controls, poor library, long loading screens, and the unnecessary usage of cards to select characters, and was officially discontinued in 2007.[12] It is featured as one of the ten worst systems by PC World magazine.[13]
References
^Amos, Evan (2021). The Game Console 2.0: A Photographic History from Atari to Xbox (published September 8, 2021). p. 236. ISBN9781718500617.
