Did The Sega Pico Fail!? - Sega's Other System! - Rare Console History

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

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[@borntoworkanddie6708]

Great video top hat...i subscribed !

[@vasili1207]

Nah

[@AcornElectron]

It did what it was supposed to, I had one about ten years ago with a dozen of the carts/books. My daughter was about 3 and found it entertaining the few times she played it.

[@EngineerOfChaos]

I remember really wanting one of these when I was very young because they had a, to me at the time, neat looking Berenstain Bears game which I was a REALLY big fan of back then.

[@tawdryhepburn4686]

David Cinciruk you ARE a big fan: you spelled it right!

[@astral2048]

You mean Berenstein right?

[@angrytheclown801]

@@astral2048 Mandella effect!

[@cabbusses]

Of course, nowadays almost any Sega Pico video on KZbin uses some footage from my channel when they dig into the Japanese library. Does anyone want any suggestions on games worth playing?

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

I do!

[@cabbusses]

@@TopHatGamingManChannel Alrighty, some picks of different flavors. A game I actually found kinda legit fun: Gegege no Kitaro. One of the few Pico games with some stuff having straight-up arcade design. Technical impression: the second Ken-chan to Pepe game "Bokura no Kuma de Daibouken" uses psuedo-3D and scaling/rotation not seen in amy other Pico game. On the audio side, "Minna de Odoryou - Oz no Mahoutsukai" somehow churns out full vocal songs! Lastly, a lot of late-gen Pico titles do cutscenes that are very Sega CD style, particularly anything Mahou Shoujo genre like Precure or Doremi. For "WTF is this doing on a children's edutainmejt console?": somehow, Cutey Honey has a Pico game. Also, the Tokusatsu genre stuff is mostly just toyetic fighting, especially the crossover "Kamen Rider Agito and Kuuga" and "Hurricanger and Gaoranger" games. Also, the Mojars game "Vegas Dream" is a total glorification of gambling. Last but not least, the officially licensed McDonald's game "McDonald de Asobo" which teaches you how to work a minimum wage burger flipping job. It also has a Hello Kitty variant.

[@OnlyEpicEmber]

@@cabbusses Damn, the Pico has way more depth than I thought

[@Choralone422]

I remember seeing that device in the US at Toys R Us once or twice. I always wondered what the story behind it was. Thank you for this video!

[@Tur713]

Yeah! I saw on on display there too!

[@elizabethsuvoy4507]

Bought this in it first came out and had about 17 books for it. Loved the educational part and the fun way it taught. Took it to my kids school and played certain games to coincide with what they were learning in class at that time. It was a great learning tool.

[@MrRom92DAW]

My first game console! I guess that officially makes me a sega kid. I think I practically got the entire US library maybe with a couple of exceptions, still have em all CIB but I haven’t touched the system in over 20 years lol. I really loved playing with this thing, it introduced me to so many classics. That Tails music game, Ecco, the scarytown game were probably my faves

[@TonyLikeGames2]

I have 3 different Sailor Moon games for the Pico.

[@chariotgoblin8060]

This reminds me of the leapfrog leap pad I had as a kid. The way these games are played look like a precursor to the Wii U.

[@Caun-88]

I had one of these when I was a kid, I remember the weird interactive book game things, I remember really liking this mini game thing drawing lines to make electrical connections (I think this was Mickey Mouse themed) and I remember the Busytown game fondly. Cool video, blast from my personal past. Didn't know there were that many games though; we had maybe 5 and I never remember seeing others advertised here in North America. Edit: and wow did that brief clip of Tails jumping on the lilly pads with the frogs hit me with sudden forgotten nostalgia.

[@jadedheartsz]

some of those games actually got released on the Genesis as well weirdly enough.

[@TheMadCroctor]

I'm pretty sure that there wasn't just a Pokémon game on the Pico, but also a limited edition console with a Pikachu on it

[@Asobitech]

There is indeed a Pikachu Sega Pico console out there.

[@igorgiuseppe1862]

8:05 the music playing is mezase pokémon master, the japanese opening from the first season of the anime. this music also plays on pokémon pinbal, the 4th seasson (as an new version) and in one of the sun moon seasons.

[@tawdryhepburn4686]

igor giuseppe Pokémon pinball nostalgia came rushing back when that came on.

[@SuiteLifeofDioBrando]

This is the second time I heard of the Sega Pico. It released before my time.

[@TechieWidget]

I owned a Sega Pico when I was a kid. I don’t have much memory about it, but I remembered having fun with it. It was the only Sega console I have ever played, if you count it as one.

[@Faapu]

I really appreciate the Sonic R music in the background

[@zanegandini5350]

Strangely enough, I actually did find Pico cartridges, system, and power supply in a mom and pop shop up the street (no longer in business, sadly). I remember thinking it was rather bizarre that it found its way to such a small town. Obviously I had no interest in this little kid's device, but the cartridges struck me as very strange. Also I love that 8-bit rendition of Mezase Pokemon Master! Never thought I'd hear a Sega system playing Pokemon music.

[@theespers5263]

We had one for my sister who was a toddler at the time, but I enjoyed poking around at the drawing parts.

[@theespers5263]

@Kyle Miller I know we had The Lion King, I think a Richard Scary one, might have been a Mickey one. If I had to guess, probably like 4 or 5. It's really hard to remember for sure.

[@ZILtoid1991]

The Sega Pico Lacked the YM2612 sound processor, thus making it sounding less like a 16 bit platform.

[@astral2048]

They stripped it off of many features the MD had to reduce costs.

[@iced_coffeelvr1069]

The Pico was my first console! I loved it as a kid! I need to find another one, guess I'll check eBay.

[@mixedhairless]

I have a couple of Ultraman game carts for the Pico.. Now since your video I need to acquire that Pokémon. Well done video, as always..

[@mightyfilm]

I'd blame the marketing and small game library as well. They couldn't exactly import and localize more of the Japanese games since they seem to be mostly properties that weren't introduced to the US at that point, if at all. Ones that did wouldn't have been big in the 3-7 demo anyway. Not to mention the biggest problem, edutainment games featuring licensed video game characters were poorly made cash grabs. The home PC was starting to become a thing, and there were so many option made by competent companies at the time that the console based educational game never caught on.

[@remixchild]

Yeah that’s true. sega and educational don’t mix.

[@mightyfilm]

Except it was a massive, long running success in Japan to the point they even had Nintendo license out a Pokemon game to a Sega system(!) It was just terribly marketed over here and didn't get much third party support. Besides, educational gaming has always had a rough spot over here outside of personal computers. Cheaper software on 50 + dollar carts? Edutainment titles trying to be platformers and failing at it? At best, the Pico was a cheaper alternative to a home computer, but the software was pretty pricey for what you got.

[@scottbradley8195]

I was able to pick up a Pico a few years ago along with 2 of the storyware titles. Wonderful world of Richard Scary and a Crayola title. It is a nice system and honestly its fun to hunt titles for it.

[@abbygiroux9097]

The Sega Pico had a succror the pico beena.

[@ChronikSpartan]

This has to be the first time I've ever fancied playing an edutainment system! Is there anything AsobiTECH doesn't have 🤔

[@Asobitech]

there's still a handful I don't own.

[@ChronikSpartan]

@@Asobitech how's Mao Mao going buddy?

[@Asobitech]

@@ChronikSpartan 🥴 don't ask. Gamescom broke me.

[@ChronikSpartan]

@@Asobitech haha saw some of your tweets! Great Mao baby giveaways!

[@DehnusNorder]

@10:33 NOW THAT'S A COMBOVER! wooooo.. Almost makes you go "Comb over yeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" :P.

[@vidlink]

I remember seeing this in stores when I was really young. It was a curiosity to which I played with the store's demo units but ultimately, it couldn't hold my attention like the SNES and Genesis.

[@time4manmode945]

There's something about the way you say "hello ladies and gentlemen" in this video that cracks me up

[@nikkimeyer37]

I absolutely loved my pico as a kid and it got me into video games at a young age. I even had that Pooh cartridge and Richard scary’s. Everyone thinks I’m crazy when I talk about it and for the longest time I had no idea it was made by sega. I miss it!

[@alvarochaves1999]

(Edit: Fixed) The Sega Pico was only a success in Japan and South Korea.

[@alvarochaves1999]

@Kyle Miller Since Samsung distributed the console there...

[@sonicmario50]

Here in Brazil there are many Master clones

[@hannahisapalindrome44]

I have really fond memories of our Pico. My sibs and I had hours of fun with Winnie the Pooh and Richard Scary. I really wish we had kept it and been able to get other games second hand. :(

[@hannahisapalindrome44]

@Kyle Miller Yes, though I remember playing the Lion King demo at the store. I've got a sega genesis collecting dust already I don't need a pico to lol

[@SproutyPottedPlant]

Great video(apart from the ads I muted and skipped)😀It sounds like it has the master system sound chip!

[@StuffWePlay]

Great video, helped in part by the incredible Sonic R soundtrack!

[@hellhammerCCCP]

Slopes brought me to your channel. We love sega in south america.

[@OnlyEpicEmber]

An 8 (16?) bit demake of the Japanese Pokémon theme is something I never knew I wanted but absolutely did

[@sogero2]

Thank you for sharing this! I was always curious about the Pico, but it hardly had any coverage in magazines here in the US. I didn't even know the cartridges are also books, and the games were slammed as inferior versions of popular Genesis/MD titles for little kids (read: not edgy and cool).

[@germanname1990]

I'm actually an owner of two Pico systems, one of them being American, which I got in 2017, and the other being Japanese, which I got last year. Although I understand they were meant for the youngsters, the reason why I got them is because I love collecting SEGA systems. Besides, I found the Pico to be a very interesting slice of SEGA history. Despite it not doing so well here in the States where I live, I remember seeing one many years ago at a dentist's office, though at the time I really didn't know what it was. Recently, however, I met a few people who had a Pico system or had bought one for their child, and when I told them that SEGA made it, they were surprised. The main reason why I got the system was for Sonic GameWorld as well as Tails and the Music Maker. I can imagine those rank among the most coveted titles for that system. Music Maker was undoubtedly an edutainment device. GameWorld may not have been as much as an edutainment device as Music Maker was, but it was meant to improve kids' hand-eye coordination skills. I got the Japanese Pico system as I heard the Japanese version of GameWorld was quite different from the American version and that I also read the in the American version's instruction booklet that it was meant to be played ONLY on an American system. Even so, I read just now that the Pico is region-free. If what I read just now is true, then that means I have a spare Pico system. I heard a little about the Beena as well. I'll see what I can do about adding that to my collection, but since there are no Sonic games on it (or any titles that would be appealing for me) from what I read, I'm left to wonder if getting one would end up being a waste of space and money for me. For a while, I've been interested in learning more about this system. So I appreciate you telling us about it. I'm looking forward to seeing that video about the Beena. Who knows? Maybe that'll make me interested in getting one.

[@chiroquacker2580]

I wonder if it can be modded to play Mega Drive / Genesis cartridges. ;-)

[@lelsewherelelsewhere9435]

6:45 that's a classic physical arcade game/ fairground game! Skeeball I think.

[@khaimk4r4su]

Good lordi! It's Alcione/Alanis from Magic Knight Rayearth!!!

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

idk about Sega Pico but I do know about boku no pico........................

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

🙊

[@Consoletronix]

I've often heard of this system but never really looked into it, very informative video as always.

[@angrytheclown801]

I remember seeing these. But I was too old for the system at the time. Looking at old ads from time to time I still see the name. I keep forgetting it was by Sega.

[@Tolbat]

Bought one for my oldest son second hand. He loved it.

[@juiceala]

It’s worth pointing out that the Japanese version of Sonic’s Gameworld has an entire page dedicated to casino style minigames which was replaced in the international verstion with the coloring page instead. And to answer your question, yes, the Pico uses the same exact hardware as the Mega Drive, in fact you can run Pico Roms on Mega Drive emulators and they would work but you’ll be stuck in the title screen since you won’t be able to switch through pages, also you’ll be messing the touch bad as well as a couple of added sound channels... Now the question is, can you do that on real hardware? Running a cartridge from one console to the other? I can’t check since I don’t own any. Such a shame, though, you didn’t talk about the Doraemon one after all the hype in the video, I wanted to know more about it as I’m such a big fan of Diraemon but sadly most games in the franchise suck aside from the ones by SEGA surbrinsingly, the Mega Drive one is really really good!

[@MrFeelGoodJson24YTP]

The only differences from Sega Mega Drive/Genesis is the sound chip. It uses the same Texas Instruments sound generator as the Master System rather than the Yamaha one from Mega Drive but also has a NEC PCM sound chip, maybe used for voice tracks.

[@emmettturner9452]

What's so strange about the Bible Adventures cart for NES? I got mine during the first run in the early '90s and it wasn't any different from some other unlicensed games. Got Spiritual Warfare back then too. Sadly, I saw Noah's Super 3D Ark sit at the same shop, unsold, for well over a decade and I never bought it. *sigh* Hindsight is 20/20. Now THAT was a strange cart!

[@baroncalamityplus]

Could it failed in the West and Europe was because parents were more willing to buy full functioning computers (PCs, Commodores, Spectrums) instead of this limited toys? Computers in japan weren't considered family devices in the early and mid 90s.

[@maroon9273]

It would have been better if sega would have develop learning software for the EU and NA regions.

[@SAM-ru4vx]

its no different than the leapfrog vtech products. its a toy for elementary school age kids yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[@remixchild]

Actually it failed because of well … In the west SEGA had a different personality, and no one wanted to mix sega with homework.

[@coyoteartist]

I actually remember this being advertised. I thought it looked pretty cool.

[@xyz2theb]

1:05 sega doing ray tracing way before nvidia. lol

[@astral2048]

Sega does what others do decades later.

[@pnsmexico]

Very awesome mate! But did u say there was a Sega Beaner?😂😆

[@duckywenselcomedy]

Ive always to review this. Someday I will!!!! Thank you!!!

[@Lownamebrand]

Am I the only one who says yeah with the top hat connoisseur a video games?

[@jobananas3052]

i loooved my pico because i could draw on my tv

[@mr.vidjagamez9896]

there was a time when i couldn't go to a thrift store without tripping over at least 3 picos per visit

[@Retro_Royal]

Good take on the topic

[@leeratner8064]

Plus, we had a lot of edutainment video games in the West. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Simcity, Oregon Trail, etc. They were popular but seem to be overall less fun for kids than Japanese edutainment games, which based on this video play a lot more like traditional video games with an educational function than Western edutainment games.

[@tomelliott73]

Another great video I don’t know how you do it

[@ThaClipKeepah]

Bro the pico was dope when I was a kid lol

[@bluecoolboy4755]

Well i've arleady heard of sega pico games from the catalog and i watch other videos like : 1. Ojamajo Doremi series like Dokkan , Sharp and motto 2 . Sailor moon series 3 . Sanrio characters series like hello kitty , Keropi , My melody and the little twin stars 4. Ongaku daisuki snoopy ( based of the peanuts characters by charles schulz ) 5 . Futari wa Precure 6 . Disney characters and movies Well that's all i can hear about the sega pico in japan.

[@brianoconnell6459]

I recall a scene from The Simpsons where Bart and the other kids are at a garage sale, find a bunch of gaming cards, and then Ned pops up and says "Ah, you found the game cards! That there is (forgot the Bible character's name), he once slew the Hittonites!", then Nelson chimes in, "Uh oh, this game's trying to teach us things, run!". Or something to that account. That's probably why the Pico failed in the US. On top of which, it looked a lot like all those shovelware "edutainment computers" that Tiger Games kept foisting on the American public for almost the entire decade.

[@leeannewillson7342]

i remeber this system back in the day , nowadays we have the company vtech doing stuff like

[@VeritasKonig]

Enjoy your videos immensely! Where do you get the anime/manga figures for your video covers on KZbin??

[@wtffy204]

I think it's of magazine covers.

[@VeritasKonig]

@@wtffy204 which ones though

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

@@VeritasKonig Depends on the video, I cut this one straight out of a screenshot from the anime Magic Knight Rayearth, since the Pico has a Magic Knight Rayearth game.

[@josephfrye7342]

as a geek or nerd whole in general about this unit I think think wiki or other site might explain about this system but I never heard of pico or have I?

[@SalivatingSteve]

4:38 Top Hat Gaming Man imitating the Angry Video Game Nerd! LOL

[@CC_2617]

I’d like to find one for my kids to use, it looks fantastic

[@SianaGearz]

Pico is not a Megadrive. It reuses the graphics and system management chip from the Megadrive along with the main processor, but ditches the Z80 CPU (which is used for Master System compatibility and as sound management chip) and the Yamaha FM synthesizer IC. The PSG (Programmable Soundwave Generator) which was present on the Master System is part of Megadrive's graphics chip so it is present - so for cost reasons, this is the one remaining of the two sound chips of the Megadrive, plus a voice/wave soundchip is added because of its educational purpose.

[@urbanmidnight1]

Not sure I have the skills to use a Pico but I'm sure my kids would love using it. Looks very educational, would you invest in them for your class?

[@dominikheiderer9161]

I love your post! 🤟🏻

[@RocketboyX]

I'm more excited to see Oddity Archive on a THGM video than I am to see a THGM video!

[@Lightblue2222]

Tad too young for Megadrive? I have just the thing.

[@DarksaberForce]

What is the soundtrack playing at 1:50?

[@STOPH3R01991]

What was that console that's built into a TV in the beginning?

[@johnaziz4464]

The CDi was an edutainment device? I just remember playing Mad Dog McCree on it, and those hilarious Zelda "games".

[@critchblackpoolful]

Yes it had a few educational games

[@critchblackpoolful]

Music/films

[@edgardeitz2784]

13:18 - Who's the star bear character?

[@gman7911]

I think they made Sega pokemon dog treats. They were called picochews.

[@megagrey]

Heh heh, Alcyone the queen bitch of MKR on the thumbnail. ;) I want a Pico for the novelty of that Pokemon game now, too.

[@Lachlant1984]

Hold on, that music at the end of the video, is that from Rayman?

[@lewistaylor8869]

These episodes why you stand out nobody else smart enough to mention bandai wonder swan

[@time4manmode945]

There's something about the way he says "hello ladies and gentlemen" in this video that cracks me up

[@jzcasey]

I wonder if the pico games / roms would work on a Sega Megadrive?

[@maxwelsh6121]

I'd really like to see what the stickers look like on the Casio Loopy, is this one of those machines you plan on reviewing? It's obscure , it's Japanese and it's one of the few consoles ever made that was directed at girls, if you're going to be covering the Sega Pico, you absolutely need to cover the Casio Loopy! Pretty please?

[@zanegandini5350]

Octav1us covered that one if you haven't seen her review already.

[@ivgentis]

If I ever play on this console I'd probably suck at the games on it as well 😔.

[@hicknopunk]

Pico is life!

[@GeekHero_Bubba]

"Whack a bloody mole!"

[@diantoxentar5236]

This is a good system for kid

[@jimmyhoffa2530]

My sister and I had Socrates if anybody remember that one

[@sinicalypse]

#BigDaddyTopHat in the house! #PayTheManShirley

[@TG_Sponge]

Hat Top Man Gaming here

[@khaimk4r4su]

Tophat Gaming

[@b3h8t1n]

I need to get a pico for my kiddo. He keeps trying to destroy my Wii and genesis 😅

[@astral2048]

So you live in 2006?

[@b3h8t1n]

Cynical Kazu 🤣🤣🤣

[@harounalkanderi5128]

BEST CHANNEL

[@anotherperson6146]

Do the Vtech smile.

[@tardistime6857]

How does the system feel? It it made of really cheap plastic?

[@dallase1]

If it's the same hardware as the Genesis why not just make a add on tablet controller for the Genesis so you don't have to have multiple systems?

[@daxxhex8546]

Got an idea why not sega sony Nintendo and Microsoft work together on one console hardware that play all software games

[@jesuszamora6949]

... They called the update to the Pico the "Beener?"

[@nickdraco8435]

Beena :3

[@zanegandini5350]

LMAO it's because it was outside the US. There was a coffee chain here in the midwest called "Beaner's" that had to change it's name to "Biggby" because it was deemed too offensive to Mexicans.

[@maxwelsh6121]

8 minutes 52 seconds that's not how you pronounce debuted. It's a French word and it sounds like day-byued , you don't pronounce the T, I even checked a couple of British pronunciation sites to make sure it wasn't a British- English thing... although I was sure it wasn't since you guys are so much closer to France. I do adore being pedantic and I do adore your videos.

[@hicknopunk]

The Brittish seem to pronounce French as though they were Russian. I always assumed it was to piss off the French.

[@albertnortononymous9020]

POKÉMON?!?!? ON SEGA?!?!

[@mikejenkins4924]

A bit ahead of it's time me thinks. Parents back then didn't understand the benefits to younger children this would have given.

[@mikejenkins4924]

@Kyle Miller Because parents were largely ignorant to new technology back then. Probably if it had launched a decade later, it wouldn't have flopped.

[@Lightblue2222]

whats the funnest pico game?

[@mrmysterious8124]

Can you look at the first Mario RPG Game🐢