Amstrad GX4000 (1990)

The GX4000 is a game system based on the hardware of the Amstrad 464+ and 6128+ computers. One of the causes for his market fail was competition with 4th generation consoles systems.

Features

CPU: Zilog Z80A 4 MHz
RAM: 64 KB
ROM: 32 KB
Graphic Modes: 160 x 200 with 16 colors, 320 x 200 with 4 colors, 640 x 200 with 2 colors
Colors: 32 maximum (in low resolution) among 4096
Sound: General Instruments AY-3-8912 chipset, 3 stereo voices, 8 octaves, +1 noise channel
I/O Ports: Audio output, 2 x digital controller connectors, Analog controller port (IBM standard), Light gun connector (RJ11 socket), Audio & RGB video output (8 pin DIN), Scart connector (audio & video), power supply socket from external PSU, power supply socket from monitor
Controllers: Two controllers with one direction pad and two fire buttons each.
Built In Software: None, but the console was delivered with the cartridge “Burnin' Rubber”
Media: Cartridges (512 KB max.)
Number of Games: Less than 40 cartridges were released

Usage

MESS requires a cart dump (in .bin or .cpr format) in the “cartridge” (cart) device to run gx4000 emulation. You can launch emulation using, at command line

mess gx4000 -cart "C:\pathtogame\gamename.bin"

Also notice that a “snapshot” (dump) feature is available for .sna files.

History and Trivia

The GX4000 is a game system based on the hardware of the Amstrad 464+ and 6128+ computers.

Like Commodore did at the same time with the C64 and the C64 GS, Amstrad tried to enter the gaming market with a console based on its aging but popular 8-bit technology (CPC computers). Sadly, at a time when 16-bit gaming systems like the Sega MegaDrive and Super Nintendo appeared on the shelves, the GX4000 did not stand the comparison and soon disappeared from the market. This also marked the end of Amstrad participation into home-computing world (apart from PC compatible systems).

Like CPC+ computers, the GX 4000 have enhanced graphics and sound (DMA), colour palette of 4096, hardware sprites, hardware scrolling, and used 128 Ko to 512 KB carts. These carts could also be used by 464+ and 6128+ computers.

Only a few cartridge games were released, adding to the frustration of unlucky buyers of this system…

(info from old-computers.com)