1990

From WE Computers Museum
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1990 was a year of continued expansion of the computers and video game console markets.

Home computers

Apple released several Macintosh computers, including the Macintosh Classic, Macintosh IIfx, Macintosh IIsi, and the Macintosh LC.

Atari Corporation released a model of Atari ST known as the Atari TT030.

Commodore International released the Amiga 3000 which introduced the Enhanced Chip Set.

IBM released three models of the IBM PC Compatible IBM Personal System/55 computers in Japan based on the IBM PS/2 architecture. The IBM 5535-S was a 16 MHz i386SX laptop, the 5540-T was a 20 MHz i386SX desktop, the 5545-T was a 20 MHz i386SX smart television, the 5560-W was a 25 MHz Intel i486 desktop, and the 5580-Y was a 30 MHz i486 tower.

Intel released the i386SL, a low-powered version of the i386 DX. It also released an update to the i486DX which fixed a bug that could cause computers to hang.

Video game market

Video game consoles

8-bit video game consoles

Commodore International released the Commodore 64 Game System, based on the 8-bit Commodore 64 computer, exclusively in Europe.

Nintendo released the monochrome portable video game console, Game Boy, in Europe.

Samurai Electronics, the official distributor of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in India, began selling Family Computer (Famicom) clone systems from TXC Corporation. The Micro Genius IQ-501 was rebranded as the Samurai IQ-501 and the Micro Genius IQ-2000 was rebranded as the Samurai IQ-2000.

Sega released the Master System II in Europe, North America, and Oceania.

16-bit video game consoles

NEC released the PC Engine in Spain.

Nintendo released the Super Famicom in Japan.

Philips and Sony introduced the Compact Disc-Interactive format that extended CDDA and CD-ROM to combine audio, text, and graphics. CD-i systems would not be released for home consumers until 1991, however, Sony released hybrid home and portable Intelligent Discman branded CD-i systems for the professional market.

Sega released the Mega Drive in Brazil, Europe, Oceania, and South Korea.

Video games

Several series premiered their first video game in 1990. This included Dr. Mario, which received both a NES version and a Game Boy version. Other franchise firsts were Fire Emblem with the then-Japan-only release of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light for the Famicom, StarTropics with its title game for the NES, the NES adaptation of the Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers animated television series, and the F-Zero title game for the Super Famicom.

Arcade market

Nintendo released the last game to use the VS. System arcade boardset, VS. Doctor Mario.

Games for Nintendo's timer-limited NES-based PlayChoice-10 arcade boardset also continued to be released, including Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Mega Man 3, and Yo! Noid by Capcom, Super C and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game by Konami, Dr. Mario by Nintendo R&D1, Super Mario Bros. 3 by Nintendo R&D4, Captain Skyhawk, Pin Bot, and Solar Jetman by Rare, Rad Racer II by Square, Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos by Tecmo, and Nintendo World Cup by Technōs Japan.

Sega introduced the System 32 arcade board with the release of Rad Mobile. This game marked the first appearance of Sonic the Hedgehog, as an ornament hanging on the rearview mirror.

Due to a law enacted in Japan that required all arcade cabinets to be shipped with a working game so that purchasers could plug it in and immediately test whether the cabinet was functional, Sega created Dottori-kun as a simple game with a cheap 4Mhz Zilog Z80 CPU, limited graphics, and no sound. This game was intended to be included in the cabinet and then discarded by the purchaser.

Companies and organizations founded

On October 24, 1990, North Korea opened the Korea Computer Center (조선컴퓨터센터, Chosŏn Computer Center), the front-facing information technology research center run by the isolated nation.

In October 1990, the Japanese film company Matsushita Promotion was founded.

The American multimedia company, Lucasfilm, consolidated Lucasfilm Games, Industrial Light and Magic, and Skywalker Sound into LucasArts.

Rare purchased Zippo Games, which Rare had subcontracted to develop NES games, and renamed it Rare Manchester.

Companies and organizations closed

Hasbro closed Axlon, a toy maker and video game developer that Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell founded in 1980.

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