The

Namco was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company founded in 1955. It operated video arcades and amusement parks globally, and produced video games, films, toys, and arcade cabinets. Namco was one of the most influential c ...

System 246 is a development of the

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

technology as a basis for an arcade system board. It was released in December 2000 on its first game '' Bloody Roar 3''. Like the Sega NAOMI, it is widely licensed for use by other manufacturers. Games such as ''Battle Gear 3'' and ''Capcom Fighting Evolution'' are examples of System 246-based arcade games that are not Namco products.

Specifications

* Main CPU: MIPS III R5900-based "

Emotion Engine The Emotion Engine is a central processing unit developed and manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba for use in the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was also used in early PlayStation 3 models sold in Japan and North Americ ...

64-bit In computer architecture, 64-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 64 bits wide. Also, 64-bit central processing units (CPU) and arithmetic logic units (ALU) are those that are based on processor registers, a ...

RISC operating at 294.912 MHz (

Overclocking In computing, overclocking is the practice of increasing the clock rate of a computer to exceed that certified by the manufacturer. Commonly, operating voltage is also increased to maintain a component's operational stability at accelerated sp ...

to 299 MHz on System 256), with

128-bit General home computing and gaming utility emerged at 8-bit word sizes, as 28=256 Word (computer architecture), words, a natural unit of data, became possible. Early 8-bit CPUs (such as the Zilog Z80 and MOS Technology 6502, used in the 1977 Co ...

SIMD Single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) is a type of parallel computer, parallel processing in Flynn's taxonomy. SIMD describes computers with multiple processing elements that perform the same operation on multiple data points simultaneousl ...

capabilities * Sub CPU: MIPS II R3000A IOP with cache at 33.8688 MHz (Unlike the PSXCPU) * System memory: 32 MB RIMM 3200 32-bit

dual-channel In the fields of digital electronics and computer hardware, multi-channel memory architecture is a technology that increases the data transfer rate between the DRAM memory and the memory controller by adding more channels of communication between ...

(2x 16-bit)

RDRAM Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), and its successors Concurrent Rambus DRAM (CRDRAM) and Direct Rambus DRAM (DRDRAM), are types of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) developed by Rambus from the 1990s through to the early 2000s. The third-generati ...

(Direct

Rambus Rambus Inc. is an American technology company that designs, develops and licenses chip interface technologies and architectures that are used in digital electronics products. The company, founded in 1990, is well known for inventing RDRAM ...

DRAM) @ 400 MHz, 3.2 GB/s peak bandwidth *

Graphics Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of the data, as in design and manufa ...

: "Graphics Synthesizer" operating at 147.456 MHz * Graphics memory: 4MB

eDRAM Embedded DRAM (eDRAM) is dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) integrated on the same die or multi-chip module (MCM) of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or microprocessor. eDRAM's cost-per-bit is higher when compared to equivale ...

(8MB on System 256) *

Sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

: "SPU1+SPU2" * Media: CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Hard Disk Drive, 64 MBit 3.3V NAND FlashROM Security Dongle Namco System 256 is an upgraded version of System 246, but the upgrades are unknown (more VRAM and faster CPU speeds likely). Namco Super System 256 is the same as regular Namco System 256 but it has the gun board integrated, though this variant was only used in ''

Time Crisis 4 ''Time Crisis 4'' is a 2006 light-gun shooter video game developed by Namco Bandai Games and Nex Entertainment , formerly known as GAU Entertainment and , was a Japanese video game developer originally established in 1992. It developed games f ...

''. Namco System 147 is similar to 246 but does not use a DVD-ROM drive, instead it has ROM chips on the system board.

List of System 246 / System 256 / System Super 256 / System 147 games

Released

* '' Ace Driver 3: Final Turn'' (Namco, 2008) * '' Battle Gear 3'' (Taito, 2002) * '' Battle Gear 3 Tuned'' (Taito, 2003) * '' Bloody Roar 3'' (Namco / 8ing / Raizing, 2000) * '' Capcom Fighting Evolution'' (Capcom, 2004) * '' Chou Dragon Ball Z'' (Banpresto, 2005) * ''

Cobra COBRA or Cobra, often stylized as CoBrA, was a European avant-garde art group active from 1948 to 1951. The name was coined in 1948 by Christian Dotremont from the initials of the members' home countries' capital cities: Copenhagen (Co), Brussels ...

: The Arcade'' (Namco, 2005) * '' Dragon Chronicles - Legend of The Master Ark'' (Namco, 2003) * '' Dragon Chronicles Online'' (Namco, 2004) * '' Druaga Online - The Story of Aon'' (Namco, 2006) * '' Fate/Unlimited Codes'' (Capcom / Type-Moon / Cavia / 8ing, 2008) * '' Getchu Play! Tottoko Hamutaro'' (Banpresto, 2007) * '' Gundam Seed: Rengou vs. Z.A.F.T.'' (Capcom / Banpresto, 2005) * '' Kinnikuman Muscle Grand Prix'' (Banpresto, 2006) * '' Kinnikuman Muscle Grand Prix 2'' (Banpresto, 2007) * '' Minnade Kitaeru Zennou Training'' (Namco, 2006) * '' Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam'' (Banpresto, 2008) * '' Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam Next'' (Banpresto, 2009) * '' Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny: Rengou vs. Z.A.F.T. II'' (Banpresto, 2006) * '' Mobile Suit Gundam Z: AEUG Vs. Titans'' (Capcom / Banpresto, 2003) * '' Mobile Suit Gundam Z: AEUG Vs. Titans DX'' (Capcom / Banpresto, 2004) * ''

MotoGP Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events held on Road racing, road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held sin ...

'' (Banpresto, 2007) * '' Netchuu Pro Yakyuu 2002'' (Namco, 2002) * '' Pac-Man Battle Royale'' (Namco, 2011) * '' PrideGP Grand Prix 2003'' (Capcom, 2003) * '' Quiz and Variety Sukusuku Inufuku 2'' (Video System Co., 2004) * '' Quiz and Variety Sukusuku Inufuku 2: Motto Sukusuku'' (Namco / AMI / Hamster, 2007) * '' Quiz Mobile Suit Gundam: Tou. Senshi'' (Banpresto, 2006) * '' Ridge Racer V: Arcade Battle'' (Namco, 2001) * ''

Sengoku Basara is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including three anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, and numerous drama CDs, light novels, manga, and stage plays. Its story ...

X Cross'' (Capcom / ARC System Works, 2008) * '' Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament'' (Namco, 2001) * ''

Soulcalibur II is a 2002 fighting game developed and published by Namco. It is the third installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of weapon-based fighting games as the sequel to ''Soulcalibur'' (1998). Originally intended to be released on Sega's NAOMI arcad ...

'' (Namco, 2002) * ''

Ver.D'' (Namco, 2003) * ''

Soulcalibur III is a 2005 fighting game developed and published by Namco as a sequel to ''Soulcalibur II'' (2002) and the fourth installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 and was followed by an improved arcade ...

Arcade Edition'' (Namco, 2006) * ''

Taiko No Tatsujin is a Japanese video game series created by Namco. In the games, players simulate playing a taiko drum in time with music. The series has released games for the Arcade video game, arcade and for console and mobile platforms including PlayStation ...

7'' (Namco, 2005) * ''

8'' (Namco, 2006) * ''

9'' (Namco, 2006) * ''

10'' (Namco, 2007) * ''

11'' (Namco, 2008) * ''

11 - Asian Version'' (Namco, 2008) * ''

12'' (Namco, 2008) * ''

12 - Asian Version'' (Namco, 2009) * ''

12 - Extra Version'' (Namco, 2009) * ''

13'' (Namco, 2009) * ''

14'' (Namco, 2010) * '' Technic Beat'' (Arika, 2002) * ''

Tekken 4 is a 2001 fighting game developed and published by Namco for arcades. Initially released for Namco's System 246 hardware, it was then ported to the PlayStation 2 home console in 2002. As the fourth main installment in the '' Tekken'' series fol ...

'' (Namco, 2001) * ''

Tekken 5 is a 2004 fighting game developed and published by Namco for arcade game, arcades, before being ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It is the fifth main game in the ''Tekken'' series, marking the tenth anniversary of the series. The game is set ...

'' (Namco, 2004) * '' Tekken 5.1'' (Namco, 2005) * '' Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection'' (Namco, 2005) * '' The Battle of YuYu Hakusho'' (Banpresto, 2006) * ''

The Idolmaster is a Japanese media franchise that began in 2005 with a Life simulation game, raising simulation and Rhythm game, rhythm video game series created by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The series primarily centers on the career of a pr ...

'' (Namco, 2005) * '' Time Crisis 3'' (Namco, 2003) * ''

'' (Namco, 2006) * '' Vampire Night'' (Namco / Sega / WOW Entertainment, 2001) * ''

Wangan Midnight is a Japanese racing manga series written and illustrated by Michiharu Kusunoki. It was first serialized in Shogakukan's '' Big Comic Spirits'' in 1990, but was later serialized in Kodansha's ''Weekly Young Magazine'' from 1992 to 2008. ...

'' (Namco, 2001) * '' Wangan Midnight R'' (Namco, 2002) * '' Zoids Infinity'' (Taito, 2004) * '' Zoids Infinity EX'' (Taito, 2005) * '' Zoids Infinity EX Plus'' (Taito, 2006)

Unreleased

* '' Alien Sniper'' (Namco, 2002) * '' Capcom Fighting All-Stars'' (Capcom, 2003) * '' Samurai Surf X'' (Namco, 2002) * '' Starblade: Operation Blue Planet'' (Namco, 2002)

References

{{PlayStation MIPS architecture Namco arcade system boards PlayStation 2