History Platform / PlugNPlayGame

These are commonly called TV Games after toy maker Jakks Pacific's ubiquitous line of them. Jakks began the line with units containing compilations of classic games like {{VideoGame/PacMan}} and vintage games by {{Creator/Atari}}. It soon expanded to include original games based on licensed properties, and other companies got into the act as well. Name an IP that was popular with children in the first decade of the 2000s, and it's almost guaranteed that Jakks or some other toy company created a unit with newly developed retro-style games for said franchise. Some of the later ones even feature motion controls in response to the popularity of the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii.

* Creator/{{Sega}} released their own plug 'n' play console, the Sega Genesis Mini, with help from game developer and emulation experts M2. The device comes with 42 Sega Genesis games, including a few that had limited releases the first time around. A second version, with a new slate of games and modeled after the second-model Genesis, was released in 2022. The Astro City Mini, released in 2020, focused on the company's arcade output and came with 37 preloaded games. While it has HDMI output, the Astro City Mini's screen is fully functional and can be played by itself.

* Creator/{{Sega}} released their own plug 'n' play console, the Sega Genesis Mini, with help from game developer and emulation experts M2. The device comes with 42 Sega Genesis games, including a few that had limited releases the first time around. A second version, with a new slate of games and modeled after the second-model Genesis, was released in 2022.
* Sega's Astro City Mini, released in 2020, focused on the company's arcade output and came with 37 preloaded games. While it has HDMI output, the console's screen is fully functional and can be played by itself.

* {{Creator/TigerElectronics}}, best remembered for their [=LCD=] handhelds in the 80s also produced some of these consoles.

* Nintendo released its "Classic Edition" series, which are plug 'n' play consoles that emulate retro Nintendo titles that look like miniature versions of the original. The NES version was an unexpected hit, and the Super NES version a year later also sold out. They're credited with keeping the company afloat after the failure of the {{UsefulNotes/WiiU}} until the release of the {{UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch}}.
* Sega released their own plug 'n' play console, the Sega Genesis Mini, with help from game developer and emulation experts M2. The device comes with 42 Sega Genesis games, including a few that had limited releases the first time around. A second version, with a new slate of games and modeled after the second-model Genesis, was released in 2022.
* The UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 Mini was released by Creator/{{Konami}} in 2020 with a selection of 58 games for the Japanese version (PC Engine Mini) and 57 games for the international versions. (Konami acquired {{Creator/HudsonSoft}}, the designer of the original hardware, in 2012, giving them the rights as successor.)

These are commonly called TV Games after toy maker Jakks Pacific's ubiquitous line of them. Jakks began the line with units containing compilations of classic games like {{VideoGame/PacMan}} and vintage games by {{Creator/Atari}}. It soon expanded to include original games based on licensed properties, and other companies got into the act as well. Name an IP that was popular with children in the first decade of the 2000s, and it's almost guaranteed that Jakks or some other toy company created a unit with newly developed retro-style games for said franchise. Some of the later ones even feature motion controls in response to the popularity of the {{UsefulNotes/NintendoWii}}.

The other form of plug-and-play systems are [ShoddyKnockoffProduct cheap knock-offs] made to look like well-known consoles but nothing like them in reality. Unlicensed bootlegs of older games are often included on some of these consoles, especially if they're mimicking the NES or the Wii. There are dozens of these consoles in existence, each with different selections of games to play.

These sorts of plug-and-play battery-powered controllers petered out in the early 2010s. Instead plug-in units with separate controllers and larger licensed game libraries (that drew on later generations of games) became fairly common. The later part of the decade saw a new wave of retro consoles from the original console makers themselves, instead of by licensees. These are much more advanced devices than the previous generation, containing dozens of authentic game ROMs being emulated while allowing saves on games that never had them, rewinding of play, and other deluxe features.

%%Note: This isn't covered by ShoddyKnockoffProduct because not all of them are knockoffs (the ones by Jakks Pacific aren't imitations of anything). This isn't covered by LicensedGame because some aren't based off of licensed properties. So I decided to write this page that explains what these consoles are.%%

With the popularity of the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}, this practice fell in disuse and most game consoles from the second generation onwards have accepted games stored on removable media,[[note]]from ROM cartridges to [=CDs=] to [=DVDs=] to Blu-Ray to much-smaller ROM cartidges. And when that's not enough, downloading games from the Internet. [[/note]] with the only "dedicated" consoles remaining being handhelds (from ''VideoGame/GameAndWatch'' to Tiger Electronics to ''Toys/{{Tamagotchi}}''). However, dedicated consoles found a new opening in the nostalgia market, now housing compilations of second- to fourth-generation games.

Also known as TV Games, plug 'n' play games are game consoles that plug directly into a TV. The most notable difference between a plug 'n' play console and a regular console is that all of the games are contained within the console itself. These consoles usually have screens that allow players to select the different packaged games on the system. Cartridges are rarely used, though they are used in some consoles such as the Sport Vii.

Some of these consoles are packaged directly into their game controller (known as handheld TV games), while others have separate console and controller parts. The former kind are what typically comes to mind when a such a game is mentioned in the US, especially the joystick games of Jakks Pacific. Name an IP that was popular with children in the 2000s, and it's almost guaranteed that Jakks created a console for said franchise.

{{Unlicensed game}}s are included on some of these consoles, especially if they're micmicking the NES or the Wii. There are several upon several of these consoles in existence, each with different selections of games to play. Some, nicknamed "famiclones", are based on NES hardware, and they occasionally feature hardware changes that allow for more colors and more built-in games than the original NES. Some of the Famicom's patents expired in 2003, making it legal to produce and sell hardware based on the NES. However, it is still illegal to load copyrighted games on these systems. On the flip side, entirely original games can and have been sold on these devices, which technically means new games are still being made for the NES to this day, even if they aren't exactly on a proper cart. That isn't to say there aren't licenced games on these consoles as well: major game companies have licensed their older titles for plug 'n' play retrogaming collections, such as the outsourced consoles of [=AtGames=] or the in-house systems of Sega and Nintendo. Companies like Jakks Pacific were also known for making licenced games for their systems, typically coming with a unique themed controller.

* GameMod: Unlicensed consoles will usually change the graphics or other minor features of the games being copied, likely in an attempt to avoid copyright issues.
* LicensedGame: Several children's series have received plug 'n' play games. Many of these were made by Jakks Pacific. These games are usually marketed as toys rather than full-blown consoles. Some retro consoles are officially licensed by the original manufacturers.
* RecycledScript: Some manufacturers re-use old games on new consoles, but they usually add in a few new games or at least change the graphics.
** This also happens within the consoles themselves; a single console might contain ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman}}'', ''Bomberman 3'', ''Bomberman 9'', and ''Bomberman 24'', even if they are all the exact same game.
* {{Retraux}}: Usually, these consoles contain 32-bit hardware at best, and the most common consoles are either 8-bit or 16-bit. Because of this, they often feel reminiscent of classic video game consoles, despite how new they actually are.
* ShoddyKnockoffProduct: Many unlicensed consoles imitate the aesthetic of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} or the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, despite having vastly inferior hardware. The latter are often called [=PolyStations=].
* UpdatedRerelease: (Well, kinda) Some companies package a "Greatest Hits" compilation of beloved older titles onto a plug 'n' play built to look like a mini-version of the console associated with the games, such as the Genesis, SNES, or [=PS1=]. However, these are usually a "WartsAndAll" version from the company's master disc.

!!!First and early-second generations

!!!Later consoles
* Atari has their series of Atari Flashback consoles which let you play UsefulNotes/Atari2600 games. The first version used a chip, but the second version used actual Atari hardware. From the third version onwards, they emulate the 2600.
* [=AtGames=] produces official plug 'n' play consoles based off Creator/{{Sega}} and Creator/{{Atari}} hardware under their "[=AtGames=] Flashback" label (this includes the Atari Flashback line since 2011), and they also allow for players to use their own cartridges. While the hardware is licensed from the copyright holders, some of the games are not, meaning these consoles are simultaneously licensed and unlicensed.
* Nintendo has its modern-day "Classic Edition" series, which are plug 'n' play consoles that emulate retro Nintendo titles.
* Jakks Pacific has produced several licensed plug 'n' play consoles based off of ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'', ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', and more.
* Creator/{{Sony}} created the Playstation Classic as a 20th anniversary milestone. Like the NES Classic, it came pre-loaded with 20 games and emulated the source hardware.
* Sega developed their own plug 'n' play console, the Sega Genesis Mini, with help from game developer and emulation experts M2. The device comes with 42 Sega Genesis games, including a few that had limited releases the first time around.
* The UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 Mini was released by Creator/{{Konami}} in 2020 with a selection of 58 games for the Japanese version (PC Engine Mini) and 57 games for the international versions.
* In the mid-2000's, Radica produced a series of Plug N' Play games that featured built-in UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis games, namely first-party titles from Creator/{{Sega}}. Most of them had one controller, but there was one that had two controllers to play ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' and ''[[VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins Ghouls and Ghosts]]''. There was also a {{Light Gun|Game}} variant that had games designed to work with the Sega Menacer peripheral.

* The VideoGame/{{Samuri}} is a plug 'n' play console made by Hummer Team. It features Hummer Team's mascot, The Hummer, in some of its games, including a hack of ''VideoGame/{{Somari}}''.
* The VideoGame/SportVii is a 16-bit plug 'n' play console and one of the first to be modeled after the Wii. It features various arcade and sports games with motion controls. Some of its games were later used on the [[VideoGame/ZoneConsoles Zone 60]] console, which was developed by the same company.

* Jakks Pacific has produced several licensed plug 'n' play consoles based off of ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'', ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', and more.

* UpdatedReRelease: (Well, kinda) Some companies package a "Greatest Hits" compilation of beloved older titles onto a plug 'n' play built to look like a mini-version of the console associated with the games, such as the Genesis, SNES, or [=PS1=]. However, these are usually a "WartsAndAll" version from the company's master disc.

Some of these consoles are packaged directly into their game controller (known as handheld TV games), while others have separate console and controller parts. The former kind are what typically comes to mind when a such a game is mentioned in the US, especially the joystick games of Jakks Pacific.

With the popularity of the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}, this practice fell in disuse and most game consoles from the second generation onwards have accepted games stored on removable media,[[note]]from ROM cartridges to [=CDs=] to [=DVDs=] to Blu-Ray to much-smaller ROM cartidges. And when that's not enough, downloading games from the Internet. [[/note]] with the only "dedicated" consoles remaining being handhelds (from ''VideoGame/GameAndWatch'' to Tiger Electronics to ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}''). However, dedicated consoles found a new opening in the nostalgia market, now housing compilations of second- to fourth-generation games.

* ''WebVideo/{{Rerez}}'': Shane has a series titled "Worst Console Ever" in which he a reviews a console and most, if not all of the games contained on it. He always hopes that he'll find at least one good game on the console he's reviewing, but he usually only finds shovelware titles and hacks of existing games.

With the popularity of the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}, this practice fell in disuse and most game consoles from the second generation onwards have accepted games stored on removable media,[[note]]from ROM cartridges to [=CDs=] to [=DVDs=] to Blu-Ray to much-smaller ROM cartidges. And when that's not enough, downloading games from the Internet. [[/note]] with the only "dedicated" consoles remaining being handhelds (from ''UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch'' to Tiger Electronics to ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}''). However, dedicated consoles found a new opening in the nostalgia market, now housing compilations of second- to fourth-generation games.

Back in TheSeventies, videogame consoles were invented. But [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness unlike subsequent generations]], [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames First-generation consoles]] did not store games on removable media that could be swapped out to play different games: Instead, game(s) were stored (or hardwired) directly into the console itself.

The obvious consequence was that you never purchased games separately: Just buy the console, hook it to your TV and power, plug the packaged-in controllers if they're not already connected, and you're all set.

With the popularity of the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}, this practice fell in disuse and most game consoles from the second generation onwards have accepted games stored on removable media[[note]]from ROM cartridges to [=CDs=] to [=DVDs=] to Blu-Ray to much-smaller ROM cartidges. And when that's not enough, downloading games from the Internet. [[/note]], with the only "dedicated" consoles remaining being handhelds (from ''UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch'' to Tiger Electronics to ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}'').

However, dedicated consoles found a new opening in the nostalgia market, now housing compilations of second- to fourth-generation games.

* LicensedGame: Several children's series have received plug 'n' play games. Many of these were made by Jakks Pacific. These games are usually marketed as toys rather than full-blown consoles.

With the popularity of the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}, this practice fell in disuse and most game consoles from the second generation onwards have accepted games stored on removable media[[note]]from ROM cartridges to [=CDs=] to [=DVDs=] to Blu-Ray to much-smaller ROM cartidges. And when that's not enough, downloading games from the Internet. [[/note]], with the only "dedicated" consoles remaining being handhelds (from ''UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch'' to ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}'').

** Additionally, Atari has their series of Atari Flashback consoles which let you play UsefulNotes/Atari2600 games. The first version used a chip, but the second version used actual Atari hardware. From the third version onwards, they emulate the 2600.
* [=AtGames=] produces official plug 'n' play consoles based off Creator/{{Sega}} and Creator/{{Atari}} hardware under their "[=AtGames=] Flashback" label (this includes the Atari Flashback line since 2011), and they also allow for players to use their own cartridges. While the hardware is licensed from the copyright holders, some of the games are not, meaning these consoles are simultaneously licensed and unlicensed.

** Nintendo also has its modern-day "Classic Edition" series, which are plug 'n' play consoles that emulate retro Nintendo titles.

* UpdatedReRelease: Some companies package a "Greatest Hits" compilation of beloved older titles onto a plug 'n' play built to look like a mini-version of the console associated with the games, such as the Genesis, SNES, or PS1.

{{Unlicensed game}}s are included on some of these consoles, especially if they're micmicking the NES or the Wii. There are several upon several of these consoles in existence, each with different selections of games to play. Some, nicknamed "famiclones", are based on NES hardware, and they occasionally feature hardware changes that allow for more colors and more built-in games than the original NES. Some of the Famicom's patents expired in 2003, making it legal to produce and sell hardware based on the NES. However, it is still illegal to load copyrighted games on these systems. On the flip side, entirely original games can and have been sold on these devices, which technically means new games are still being made for the NES to this day, even if they aren't exactly on a proper cart. That isn't to say there aren't licenced games on these consoles as well: major game companies have licensed their older titles for plug 'n' play retrogaming collections, such as the outsourced consoles of [=AtGames=] or the in-house systems of Sega and Nintendo.

[[UnlicensedGame Unlicensed games]] are included on some of these consoles, especially if they're micmicking the NES or the Wii. There are several upon several of these consoles in existence, each with different selections of games to play. Some, nicknamed "famiclones", are based on NES hardware, and they occasionally feature hardware changes that allow for more colors and more built-in games than the original NES. Some of the Famicom's patents expired in 2003, making it legal to produce and sell hardware based on the NES. However, it is still illegal to load copyrighted games on these systems. That isn't to say there aren't licenced games on these consoles as well: major game companies have licensed their older titles for plug 'n' play retrogaming collections, such as the outsourced consoles of [=AtGames=] or the in-house systems of Sega and Nintendo.

* In the mid-2000's, Radica produced a series of Plug N' Play games that featured built-in UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis games, namely first-party titles from Creator/{{Sega}}. Most of them had one controller, but there was one that had two controllers to play ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' and ''[[VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins Ghouls and Ghosts]]''. There was also a LightGun variant that had games designed to work with the Sega Menacer peripheral.

A plug 'n' play game is a game console that plugs directly into a TV. The most notable difference between a plug 'n' play console and a regular console is that all of the games are contained within the console itself. These consoles usually have screens that allow players to select the different packaged games on the system. Cartridges are rarely used, though they are used in some consoles such as the VideoGame/SportVii.

Some of these consoles are packaged directly into their game controller, while others have separate console and controller parts.

[[UnlicensedGame Unlicensed games]] are included on some of these consoles, especially if they're micmicking the NES or the Wii. There are several upon several of these consoles in existence, each with different selections of games to play. Some, nicknamed "famiclones", are based on NES hardware, and they occasionally feature hardware changes that allow for more colors and more built-in games than the original NES. Some of the Famicom's patents expired in 2003, making it legal to produce and sell hardware based on the NES. However, it is still illegal to load copyrighted games on these systems.