Game Wave Family Entertainment System

The Game Wave Family Entertainment System, commonly abbreviated as Game Wave, is a hybrid DVD player and home video game console manufactured by ZAPiT Games. It was first released in Canada in October 2005.[2] It is part of the seventh generation of video game consoles.[3] It was released in the United States at an MSRP of $99. The Game Wave saved manufacturing costs by adding an Altera MAX II Complex Programmable Logic Device to an inexpensive DVD player. It was packaged with the pack-in game 4 Degrees: The Arc of Trivia, Vol. 1 (later changed to Veggie Tales: Veg-Out! Family Tournament).[4]

Game Wave Family Entertainment System
ManufacturerZAPiT Games
TypeDVD player
GenerationSeventh generation
Lifespan2005–2009
Discontinued2009
Units soldCa. 70,000 (as of 2008)[1]
MediaDVD-ROM
Online servicesNone
PredecessorNone

Hardware

The Game Wave was packaged with both RCA and S-Video cables, along with 4 IR-based wireless controllers (modeled after typical DVD remote controllers) and a case that holds up to 6 controllers. The case and console are designed to sit side-by-side on a shelf to form a complete wave shape.[4]

Controllers

The Game Wave controller has 4-directional navigational buttons used for menu navigation and DVD playback control. The controller has 4 alphabetical buttons along the top labeled "A", "B", "C", and "D" designed primarily for selecting responses in trivia games. A numeric keypad lines the bottom of the controller with Menu and Setup buttons.[5]

The Game Wave controllers came in 6 colors: blue, yellow, green, red, purple, and orange. Blue, yellow, green, and red come packaged with the console, whereas the purple and orange controllers could be purchased separately for an MSRP of $30.[6] Each controller color has a different IR beat frequency, allowing the console to differentiate the different controllers for multiplayer gameplay for up to 6 players (if the game in question supports it).[4]

Software library

Due to the shape of the controller and marketing concerns for a "Family Entertainment System," no heavily action-based game genres are present within the Game Wave's 13 game library. Rather, the software library consists mainly of trivia and puzzle games. In addition, many Game Wave games are heavily inspired by other video games and TV shows.

Title Released Genre Inspired by
4 Degrees: The Arc of Trivia, Bible Edition 2006[7] Trivia Trivial Pursuit
4 Degrees: The Arc of Trivia, Vol. 1 2006[7] Trivia Trivial Pursuit
4 Degrees: The Arc of Trivia, Vol. 2 2006[7] Trivia Trivial Pursuit
Click! 2007[7] Word Wheel of Fortune
Gemz 2007[7] Puzzle Bejeweled
Letter Zap! 2006[7] Word Boggle
Lock 5 2006[7] Strategy Yahtzee
Rewind 2007[7] Trivia N/A
Rewind 2005 2006[7] Trivia N/A
Rewind 2006 2006[7] Trivia N/A
Sudoku October 2007[7] Puzzle Sudoku
Veggie Tales: Veg-Out! Family Tournament December 10, 2007[7] Minigame collection Mario Party
Zap 21 2006[7] Card Blackjack

[4]

References
  1. "VP Final - MP4". 2008-12-20. Archived from the original on 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  2. "Surf the Game Wave to Fun" (Press release). ZAPiT Games. October 2005. Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  3. "Video Game Console Media". Museum of Obsolete Media. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  4. "Home Page". Video Game Console Library. Archived from the original on 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  5. "Image of Game Wave Controller". Archived from the original on 2016-10-06.
  6. "Game Wave (Platform)". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  7. "Game Wave Games - Giant Bomb". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on 2018-04-04. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
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