A fantasy video game console (or simply fantasy console) is an

emulator In computing, an emulator is Computer hardware, hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run sof ...

for a fictitious

video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally ...

. It aims to create the experience of

retro gaming Retro gaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the playing and collection of computer game, personal computers, video game console, consoles, and video games from earlier decades. Usually, retro gaming is based upon syste ...

without the need to emulate a real console, allowing the developer to freely decide what specifications their fictional hardware will have. One popular example of a fantasy console is the

PICO-8 PICO-8 is a virtual machine and game engine created by Lexaloffle Games. It is a fantasy video game console that mimics the limited graphical and sound capabilities of the old 8-bit systems of the 1980s to encourage creativity and ingenuity in ...

, which was used as the platform for the original '' Celeste'' game. Though many fantasy consoles, such as the

, the

TIC-80 TIC-80 is a Free and open-source software, free and open-source fantasy video game console for making, playing, and sharing games on a limited platform that mimics the 8-bit systems of the 1980s. It has built-in code, sprite, map, music, and sou ...

and the Pixel Vision 8, use the Lua programming language, a variety of other languages, such as

JavaScript JavaScript (), often abbreviated as JS, is a programming language and core technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and CSS. Ninety-nine percent of websites use JavaScript on the client side for webpage behavior. Web browsers have ...

and

Python Python may refer to: Snakes * Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia ** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia * Python (mythology), a mythical serpent Computing * Python (prog ...

, are supported by other fantasy consoles. Even if two consoles use the same programming language, that doesn't mean they are compatible. There are often subtle differences in the syntax, and most notably in the

API An application programming interface (API) is a connection between computers or between computer programs. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how to build ...

. There are some tools that aim to interconvert these console's cartridges automatically (including the scripts), but they are not perfect. Another example is the Gigadrive, an imaginary revision of the

Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Sys ...

designed by M2, who also developed an emulator of this system. This console was given double VRAM, four more background layers (and Z-values in each layer), and sprites to archive 3D effects in patched Genesis games. These emulated games were sold in

Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...

under the label Sega 3D Classics Collection. As of November 2021, fantasy consoles

and

are among the top 20 most used game development platforms on

itch.io Itch.io (stylized in all lowercase) is a website for users to host, sell and download indie video games, indie role-playing games, game assets, comics, zines and music. Launched in March 2013 by Leaf Corcoran, the service hosts over 1,000,000 ...

Definition

Joseph White, creator of the

, coined the term "fantasy console", and describes it as follows: As developer Björn Ritzl puts it, fantasy consoles simulate the restricted hardware of an old system packaged into a user-friendly experience with integrated tools for asset creation and game logic programming.

References

Fantasy console {{Videogame-software-stub

Definition

See also

References