Loopy, released by Casio, is a 32-bit home video game console. It was available solely in Japan, from October 1995, until 1998, when the company ceased its production. Loopy is one of the strangest consoles of all time. The reason lies in the fact that it was completely targeted to female gamers and it was also a… sticker machine.
Loopy never managed to become popular and Casio, who used to be a legend among electronics brands of that era, wasn’t so happy about it. So, what were the reasons behind its failure?
The Cons
The first problem was the targeted audience. Loopy didn’t only aim at women; it aimed specifically at the very young ones. The second one is that it had only one controller portal, not allowing multi-player gaming, which was a huge thing back then. Last but not least, it wasn’t a remarkable gaming machine.
The Pros
Loopy might have been a mediocre console, with videogames that could make even a unicorn feel dizzy, BUT it was a fascinating idea. The fact that it combined the capabilities of a console with those of a sticker printer, while also connecting to external devices such as DVD Players, using an accessory called Magical Shop, is fantastic! When using Magical Shop, the user was able to create stickers from what he obtained through the VCR or the DVD Player. However, this accessory was very expensive (14,800 yen, while the console cost 25,000) and not so many of these items were sold. So, if you possess one of these, hold it tight, it’s a rare collectible. However, leaving the cost aside, that’s pretty impressive and, yea, that’s all the pros we can think of.
Technical Features
Loopy used a SH7021 CPU, a CPU similar to the one in the Sega 32X (although the 32X contain 2 of theses). The console came in three bundles, the first being the console itself with a controller and no game. The second bundle, the SV100SET-A, included 2 games (Anime Land and Bow-wow Puppy Love Story) and 3 sticker cartridge. The third bundle, the SV100SET-B, was the same thing but included 2 games, Dream Change: Kokin-chan’s Fashion Party instead of Bow-wow Puppy Love Story. The consoles were released along 5 games, all priced between ¥6,000 and ¥7,000.
