The Namco System 21 "Polygonizer" is an

arcade system board An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-opera ...

unveiled by

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 ...

in 1988 with the game '' Winning Run''. It was the first arcade board specifically designed for 3D polygon processing. The hardware went through significant evolution throughout its lifespan until the last game, '' Cyber Sled'', was released in 1993. It was preceded by the Namco System 2 in 1987 and succeeded by the Namco System 22 in 1993.

System 21 specifications

The System 21 consists of four PCBs housed in a metal crate. *Main CPU: 2x

Motorola Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It was founded by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin in 1928 and had been named Motorola since 1947. Many of Motorola's products had been ...

68000 The Motorola 68000 (sometimes shortened to Motorola 68k or m68k and usually pronounced "sixty-eight-thousand") is a 16/32-bit complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor, introduced in 1979 by Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector ...

@ 12.288 MHz * DSP (used for performing 3D math): 4x

Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American multinational semiconductor company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is one of the top 10 semiconductor companies worldwide based on sales volume. The company's focus is on developing analog ...

TMS320C25 @ 24.576 MHz ('' Starblade'' uses 5x TMS320C20 instead) *Sound CPU:

Motorola 6809 The Motorola 6809 ("''sixty-eight-oh-nine''") is an 8-bit microprocessor with some 16-bit features. It was designed by Motorola's Terry Ritter and Joel Boney and introduced in 1978. Although source compatible with the earlier Motorola 6800, the ...

@ 3.072 MHz *Sound Chip: Yamaha YM2151 @ 3.58 MHz * MCU

Hitachi () is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1910 and headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company is active in various industries, including digital systems, power and renewable ener ...

HD63705 @ 2.048 MHz * +

custom chips

Development

It was in development for over three years before release, since around the mid-1980s. According to Phil Harrison (in the September 1989 issue of '' Commodore User''), who visited Namco's

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

office, Atari's '' Hard Drivin''' ran on an earlier, less powerful, version of this hardware, stating that Namco and

Atari Games Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade video games, active from 1985 to 1999, then as Midway Games West Inc. until 2003. It was formed when the coin-operated video game division of Atari, Inc. was transferred by its owner Wa ...

were sister companies at the time and that the System 21 was a shared development.

List of Namco System 21 arcade games

*'' Winning Run'' (1988) *'' Winning Run Suzuka Grand Prix'' (1989) *'' Galaxian³'' (1990) *'' Driver's Eyes'' (1990) *'' Winning Run '91'' (1991) *'' Starblade'' (1991) *'' Solvalou'' (1991) - 3D sequel to '' Xevious'' *''

Air Combat ''Air Combat'' is a 1995 Combat flight simulation game, combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation, and the first title of the ''Ace Combat'' franchise. Players control an airc ...

'' (1993) *'' Cyber Sled'' (1993) *'' Attack of the Zolgear'' (1994)

References

{{Bandai Namco Hardware Namco arcade system boards