The

Namco was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Namco Taiwan in Kaohsiun ...

System 246 is a development of the

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

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

technology as a basis for an arcade system board. It was released in December 2000 on its first game ''

Bloody Roar 3 ''Bloody Roar 3'' is a 2000 fighting arcade video game developed by Eighting and Hudson Soft. It is the first of the ''Bloody Roar'' series to appear on the Sony PlayStation 2. Gameplay The main feature of ''Bloody Roar 3'' is the ability to t ...

''. Like the

Sega NAOMI Sega is a video game developer, publisher, and hardware development company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with multiple offices around the world. The company's involvement in the arcade game industry began as a Japan-based distributor of coin-o ...

, 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 A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, a ...

MIPS III MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipelined Stages) is a family of reduced instruction set computer (RISC) instruction set architectures (ISA)Price, Charles (September 1995). ''MIPS IV Instruction Set'' (Revision 3.2), MIPS Technologies, ...

R5900-based " Emotion Engine",

64-bit In computer architecture, 64-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 64 bits wide. Also, 64-bit CPUs and ALUs are those that are based on processor registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. 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

SIMD Single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) is a type of parallel processing in Flynn's taxonomy. SIMD can be internal (part of the hardware design) and it can be directly accessible through an instruction set architecture (ISA), but it shoul ...

capabilities * Sub

: MIPS II R3000A IOP with cache at 33.8688 MHz (Unlike the PSXCPU) * System memory: 32 MB RIMM 3200 32-bit dual-channel (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 Incorporated, founded in 1990, is an American technology company that designs, develops and licenses chip interface technologies and architectures that are used in digital electronics products. The company is well known for inventing ...

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 data, as in design and manufacture, ...

: "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 equivalen ...

(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 ...

: "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 rail shooter and the fourth installment in the main series. It was released as an arcade game in 2006, and was ported with the GunCon 3 light gun peripheral for PlayStation 3 in 2007. It features a new first-person shooter ...

''. 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

* '' Battle Gear 3'' (Taito, 2002) * '' Battle Gear 3 Tuned'' (Taito, 2003) * ''

'' (Namco / 8ing / Raizing, 2000) * ''

Capcom Fighting Evolution , released in the US as ''Capcom Fighting Evolution'', is a 2004 head-to-head fighting game from Capcom. It was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Namco System 246 hardware and ported to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The g ...

'' (Capcom, 2004) * '' Chou Dragon Ball Z'' (Banpresto, 2005) * '' Cobra: The Arcade'' (Namco, 2005) * ''

Dragon Chronicles - Legend of The Master Ark A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted ...

'' (Namco, 2003) * ''

Dragon Chronicles Online A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted ...

'' (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 ' is a series of fighting video game developed by AKI Corporation, based on the popular Kinnikuman manga and anime series from Weekly Shonen Jump. Muscle Grand Prix It includes 16 wrestlers, and 11 stages. Muscle Grand Prix Max It is the hom ...

'' (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 premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...

'' (Banpresto, 2007) * '' Netchuu Pro Yakyuu 2002'' (Namco, 2002) * ''

Pac-Man Battle Royale is a 2010 maze battle-royale arcade game in the ''Pac-Man'' series. Developed by Bandai Namco Studios and manufactured by Bandai Namco Amusement, it was made in celebration of Pac-Man's 30th Anniversary. The game sees up to four players control ...

'' (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 is an arcade racing game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2, and was a launch game for that platform. Focusing on high-speed drift racing in the fictional Ridge City, the game features 7 courses, 15 vehicles and 6 modes of pl ...

: 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 four anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, a magazine series, a trading card game, and numerous drama CDs, light nov ...

X Cross'' (Capcom / ARC System Works, 2008) * ''

Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament ''Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament'', known in Japan as , is a video game created by Namco for the PlayStation 2 in 2002. Reception The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, ''Famitsu ...

'' (Namco, 2001) * ''

Soulcalibur II is a 2002 fighting game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco and the third installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of weapon-based fighting games. It is the sequel to ''Soulcalibur'', which was released in July 1998. Originally in ...

'' (Namco, 2002) * ''

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

Soulcalibur III is a fighting video game produced by Namco as a sequel to ''Soulcalibur II'' and the fourth installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. An improved arcade version, ''Soulcalibur III: Arca ...

Arcade Edition'' (Namco, 2006) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 7'' (Namco, 2005) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 8'' (Namco, 2006) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 9'' (Namco, 2006) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 10'' (Namco, 2007) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 11'' (Namco, 2008) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 11 - Asian Version'' (Namco, 2008) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 12'' (Namco, 2008) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 12 - Asian Version'' (Namco, 2009) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 12 - Extra Version'' (Namco, 2009) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 13'' (Namco, 2009) * '' Taiko No Tatsujin 14'' (Namco, 2010) * ''

Technic Beat is an arcade music video game developed by Arika. It is a sequel to the PlayStation 2 game Technictix. The PlayStation 2 version of ''Technic Beat'' was published in North America by Mastiff. It was released in Japan in 2002 and the United St ...

'' (Arika, 2002) * ''

Tekken 4 is a fighting video game developed and published by Namco as the fourth main and fifth installment in the ''Tekken'' series, following the release of the non-canon crossover titled '' Tekken Tag Tournament'' in 1999. It was released as an arcade ...

'' (Namco, 2001) * ''

Tekken 5 is a fighting game developed and published by Namco for the arcades in 2004, and for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It is the fifth main and sixth installment, 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 ''Time Crisis 3'' is a rail shooter, released for the arcade in 2002 (JP) and 2003 (NA), the third instalment of the ''Time Crisis'' series. Like its predecessor, ''Time Crisis II'', it allows for two players to cooperate in a link play environmen ...

'' (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. T ...

'' (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 Fighting All-Stars: Code Holder'' was a 3D fighting game planned for the arcade and PlayStation 2 that was to be developed by Capcom. Like '' KOF: Maximum Impact'', it was designed to translate a 2D fighting game series into 3D. This was ...

'' (Capcom, 2003) * '' Samurai Surf X'' (Namco, 2002) * '' Starblade: Operation Blue Planet'' (Namco, 2002)

References

{{PlayStation MIPS architecture Namco arcade system boards PlayStation 2