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[RoboFu]

As far as I can figure out it was the Supergrafx. An upgrade to the pcengine that could play all the pcengine games and they even release one or 2 that had improvments if played in the supergraphx. One being Darius Plus.
This was released in Dec 1989 but only had like 7 official releases.

does anyone know if any other retro PRO consoles?

 

[PeteBull]

nuff said

 

[64bitmodels]

Wouldn't the new 3ds count? It came out 2 years before either of those pro systems and it enhanced hardware, control scheme, existing games, and had new games you couldn't play on the older hardware.

Nintendo did the pro thing first which is ironic considering their stance on power in the industry

 

[PauloRoberto]

But didn't this Supergrafx had exclusive content? If so, I personally don't think this is a PRO console.

IMHO, a PRO console is a better version of a current one with 100% compat and NO exclusive software.

 

[RoboFu]

nuff said

no not really it didnt enhance the base games in anyways.. its more like 3 different consoles in 1.

 

[Magic Carpet]

It has to have 'Pro' in the name.

 

[Eszti]

For me the Ps4 Pro and One X where the first pro consoles but i am not old enough for anything older than a ps1 or n64 which was my first console.

 

[RCX]

This sort of qualifies?

 

[nial]

Unless some SEGA fans want to correct me, I'm pretty sure that the SEGA Mark III/Master System (to the SG-1000) was the very first one?

 

[Ulysses 31]

The New Nintendo 3DS?

 

[TintoConCasera]

This sort of qualifies?

Unless cartridges using custom chips like the FX one on the SNES counts, I would go with this too.

 

[RoboFu]

But didn't this Supergrafx had exclusive content? If so, I personally don't think this is a PRO console.

IMHO, a PRO console is a better version of a current one with 100% compat and NO exclusive software.

it did but it also had improvements built in for 2 of the regular games. Also the gameboy color would fall under the samecriteria. There were a few gameboy games with improvements if played in a gameboy color.

 

[RoboFu]

This sort of qualifies?

ohh this is interesting. it 100% does the same thing as current pro consoles except there is 1 or 2 games the require it, but definitely is the closest to modern pro consoles!

 

[cireza]

Wouldn't the new 3ds count?

Might as well count the DSi.

Then why not the GBC ?

 

[Bond007]

I count the N64 with regards to successful consoles and an improvement. In fact it was required for the games that used it- or atleast Perfect Dark did.
Then PS4/Xbox One.

I guess Gameboy Color counts too i guess. lol

 

[TintoConCasera]

Then why not the GBC ?

That one had a bunch of exclusive games that wouldn't run on the normal GB. But also, same was with the N64 expasion pack, so...

 

[FoxMcChief]

This sort of qualifies?

Can I counter with this:

 

[64bitmodels]

Might as well count the DSi.

Then why not the GBC ?

Those are fair choices too. Enhanced consoles have been around for a while on the handheld side of things

 

[nial]

Might as well count the DSi.

Then why not the GBC ?

Since everyone is ignoring my post, I need your confirmation here.

Unless some SEGA fans want to correct me, I'm pretty sure that the SEGA Mark III/Master System (to the SG-1000) was the very first one?

 

[cireza]

Unless some SEGA fans want to correct me, I'm pretty sure that the SEGA Mark III/Master System (to the SG-1000) was the very first one?

That's a pretty big visual jump though the MS is indeed BC with SG-1000.

 

[RoboFu]

Unless some SEGA fans want to correct me, I'm pretty sure that the SEGA Mark III/Master System (to the SG-1000) was the very first one?

but did the mark 3 IMPROVE any of the old sg games? Did they make any SG games that had improvements if played on a mark 3.

I know there was a FM sound add on for the mark 3 in japan for Mark 3 games though.

 

[K' Dash]

It was de GameBoy Color.

 

[SHA]

Unless some SEGA fans want to correct me, I'm pretty sure that the SEGA Mark III/Master System (to the SG-1000) was the very first one?

It's Cerny, damn! He's responsible for this shit to happen since the beginning.

 

[cireza]

Even the Game Gear is a beefed up Master System. More colors, stereo sound. Everything else is the same.

 

[RoboFu]

It was de GameBoy Color.

gameboy color didnt come out until 1998.

Even the Game Gear is a beefed up Master System. More colors, stereo sound. Everything else is the same.

not the same . needs to be a game that plays on both but gets enhanced on the "PRO" console.

 

[PauloRoberto]

Im sorry guys, i personally do NOT agree with the PRO definition that is being discussed here (not that this is a big deal or such). A PRO console should be a console that run 100% of the base games and 0% of exclusive content.

 

[Bitstream]

First 'pro' console was probably the Neo Geo, I believe thats the first time top tier arcade hardware was released at the home market
hmm, actually this doesn't fit the pro definition.

 

[RCX]

It was de GameBoy Color.

I like this answer.

Plays all base games and enhances them.

 

[Methos#1975]

Thing about the Supergrafx is that it was designed and released to be the next gen successor to the PC Engine. It just didn't take off and the PC Engine continued on.

 

[Physiognomonics]

Might as well count the DSi.

Then why not the GBC ?

Exactly. GBC is technically the first Pro console. Playing all the games of the OG improved with colors.

 

[Trilobit]

does anyone know if any other retro PRO consoles?

This was the PRO console of its time.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Kinda.

 

[nowhat]

nuff said

More than nuff, it could be argued.

 

[nial]

but did the mark 3 IMPROVE any of the old sg games? Did they make any SG games that had improvements if played on a mark 3.

I know there was a FM sound add on for the mark 3 in japan for Mark 3 games though.

Still, it's kinda in the same boat, the closer you will probably get pre-2000's.
New Nintendo 3DS started the modern Pro console trend as we know it.

 

[Musashipan]

Biggest scam in video games ever

 

[ReyBrujo]

If PRO means playing exactly the same games as the base, Game Boy Pocket. If it can have its enhanced games, Game Boy Color.

 

[Parazels]

Engineers, would it have been difficult for Sony to fix texture warping or increase frequency in later revisions of PSX?

 

[Rudius]

If PRO means playing exactly the same games as the base, Game Boy Pocket. If it can have its enhanced games, Game Boy Color.

A true Pro should be a full console or handheld, not an accessory you plug into the existing one, that plays all the same games the previous one played, has no exclusive games for it, is noticeably more powerful, and offers improvements to at least a good part of the games shared with the base console.

 

[Rudius]

Still, it's kinda in the same boat, the closer you will probably get pre-2000's.
New Nintendo 3DS started the modern Pro console trend as we know it.

The New 3DS almost fits as a Pro machine, but it had exclusive games, so it's not exactly the same thing as a PS4 Pro or Xbox one X: only the same games, but better.

 

[diffusionx]

A pro console would be one that enhances games but has NO exclusive content whatsoever, not a single game. And it's not an accessory to turn the amateur system into a pro (like the Xbox 360 Core if you're old enough to remember that).

By that standard the PS4 Pro is the first pro system.

 

[diffusionx]

If PRO means playing exactly the same games as the base, Game Boy Pocket. If it can have its enhanced games, Game Boy Color.

The thing about the game boy, or DS, or PSP 2000, or whatever, is that they replaced the old systems. The Switch OLED might qualify though.

 

[Ponderling]

There was a memory expansion card for Amiga systems back in the day, similar to the N64.

 

[JGBtypeR]

Neo Geo CDZ? It had a faster CD drive and more cache, so loading speeds were greatly improved.

 

[Hohenheim]

nuff said

Looks like a fever dream. What a mess!

 

[Hohenheim]

The 3DO had some kind of deluxe versions if I remember correctly.
That was a weird console!

 

[digdug2]

The Wii U offered a "pro" version at launch with the options of the Basic (in white with 8GB storage) or Premium (in black with 32GB storage and other goodies such as a gamepad stand and console stands to display it vertical) bundles.

 

[Crowza]

This was the PRO console of its time.

The original Sony PlayStation did not supplement any other Sony system, so you are missing the point of the thread. A "Pro" console would be one released in the same generation to improve the original console in some fashion.

Even if we ignored the framework laid out by the OP, the PS1 couldn't match Virtua Fighter 2 running at 60fps at 704x480 resolution. The PS1 was good because of its cheap price and that it could push crappy 3D for its time, which everyone thought they wanted in the moment, but the technology really wasn't good enough yet for 3D. Every console in that generation had severe limitations in some aspect or another.

I can't remember if the PSOne was released before or after the PS2, but that wouldn't matter since it didn't improve upon the PSX in any significant way.

 

[Trilobit]

The original Sony PlayStation did not supplement any other Sony system, so you are missing the point of the thread. A "Pro" console would be one released in the same generation to improve the original console in some fashion.

Even if we ignored the framework laid out by the OP, the PS1 couldn't match Virtua Fighter 2 running at 60fps at 704x480 resolution. The PS1 was good because of its cheap price and that it could push crappy 3D for its time, which everyone thought they wanted in the moment, but the technology really wasn't good enough yet for 3D. Every console in that generation had severe limitations in some aspect or another.

I can't remember if the PSOne was released before or after the PS2, but that wouldn't matter since it didn't improve upon the PSX in any significant way.

It supplemented the whole console biznez. I can barely hear your arguments over the sound of my snowboard against the ice *does kickflip*

 

[Nonehxc]

Three words.

Backlit.

Game Boy.

 

[lestar]

The gameboy color was the gameboy pro