History Literature / PlayerTwoStart

* QuestionableCasting: InUniverse, Adam Sandler as Maximus in ''Film/Gladiator2000'' detracted from the film to the point where Gene Siskel gave it thumbs down.

An AlternateHistory work by [=RySenkari=] and Nivek on WebSite/AlternateHistoryDotCom, ''[[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/player-two-start-an-snes-cd-timeline.280151/ Player Two Start]]'' is a pop culture timeline that focuses on the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars with one significant change, a change that promises to not only impact the landscape of gaming, but all of pop culture and beyond.

** The development of the internet also changed ITTL; for example, Website/{{Reddit}} is instead known as '''[=Rootalk=]''' (with "roots" instead of subreddits), while Website/{{Tumblr}} is known as '''[=Skywave=]'''.

* DoubleBlindWhatIf: OTL is a pop culture timeline on TTL's version of Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom.

** On the Japanese home video release of Film/JamesandtheGiantPeach some of the insect characters was somewhat recast with actual voice actor due to fan and staff requests to have some changes for James and the Giant Peach in home video release with Creator/KoichiYamadera voicing Mr. Centipedes, Creator/AiOrikasa Voice Mr. Earthworm and Creator/AtsukoTanaka Voiced Miss Spider, while Katsuhiko Sasaki, Creator/HisakoKyoda and Roko Takizawa have retained their roles as Mr. Grasshopper, Mrs. Ladybug and Miss Glowworm.

As everyone well versed in the gaming world knows, Creator/{{Nintendo}} partnered with Creator/{{Sony}} to release a [[UsefulNotes/{{SNESCDROM}} CD add-on]] for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem, only to break off the deal after Nintendo discovered a clause in the contract that would have given Sony's 100% of the software royalties for every CD game sold. Sony would eventually launch the Platform/PlayStation, causing Nintendo to struggle to stay relevant in the console space, but would also contribute to Creator/{{Sega}} leaving the hardware market and becoming a third-party developer, and lead to the rise of Platform/{{Xbox}}. Now many have wondered what if Nintendo decided to continue working with Sony and made the Super Nintendo CD a reality?

** When [[spoiler:Steve Jobs]] hears that [[spoiler:the Nintendo Reality]] will have VR capabilities, he takes it seriously because "in what reality would Nintendo ever willingly release [[UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy a bad VR product?]]"

** At launch, the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn's killer apps are the so-called "Virtua Trio" of ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'', ''Virtua Racing'', and ''VideoGame/VirtuaCop'', with the latter two games also helping to sell the Saturn's steering wheel and light-gun peripherals respectively. (A bundle of the Saturn, all three ''Virtua'' games, and both peripherals is a top seller around Christmas '95.) To a lesser extent, ''VideoGame/RidgeRacer'' is also a killer app, though its greatest legacy is in helping to build a working relationship between Sega and Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment. But it wouldn't be until the April 1996 release of ''VideoGame/{{Resident Evil|1}}'', combined with a price cut a month earlier, that the Saturn would begin to outsell the Genesis in North America and get closer to the SNES-CD in sales. Following that is the late August 1996 release of ''Virtua Fighter 2'', where for the first time the Saturn beats the SNES-CD in weekly sales, and the release of ''VideoGame/TombRaiderI'' in October. Finally, ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4'' is released in November, at which point the Saturn consistently outsells the SNES-CD on a monthly basis. Other killer apps include ''VideoGame/BloodOmenLegacyOfKain'', ''[[VideoGame/{{Turok}} Turok: Dinosaur Hunter]]'', ''VideoGame/FightersMegamix'', and ''Vintage Speed Series'' (a racing sim revolving around classic cars).

** The UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor's killer app is a puzzle game called ''World of Color''.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' get released for SNES-CD with improved graphics and sounds In the case of ''IV'', it also has multiple difficulties (the original difficulty, the Easy Type version, and a new harder difficulty), the ability to switch party members for the endgame (introduced in OTL's UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance version), and for the West, a new localization from Ted Woolsey (while retaining "Spoony Bard").

As everyone well versed in the gaming world knows, Creator/{{Nintendo}} partnered with Creator/{{Sony}} to release a [[UsefulNotes/{{SNESCDROM}} CD add-on]] for the UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem, only to break off the deal after Nintendo discovered a clause in the contract that would have given Sony's 100% of the software royalties for every CD game sold. Sony would eventually launch the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, causing Nintendo to struggle to stay relevant in the console space, but would also contribute to Creator/{{Sega}} leaving the hardware market and becoming a third-party developer, and lead to the rise of UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}. Now many have wondered what if Nintendo decided to continue working with Sony and made the Super Nintendo CD a reality?

* GoneHorriblyWrong: Bandai decides to go all in as a competitor to Nintendo/Sony and Sega, using the UsefulNotes/{{Pippin}} technology from Apple. The Bandai Solaris becomes a massive money sink for Bandai, ultimately failing in 1996, and would later lead to the company's liquidation.

** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} still happens, except that with [[ForWantOfANail Polly Klaas's influence]] and [[HeelFaceTurn Dylan Klebold refusing to participate]], Eric Harris's attempt fizzles out with only two deaths, one of them being himself.

[[folder: Tropes impacted by the Timeline]]

From there, [[ForWantOfANail countless things change]].

* ForWantOfANail: There are many changes to the world's timeline over the simple deal made by Nintendo and Sony and the creation of the Super Nintendo CD. But the video game console itself changes several lives:
** James Jordan, father of Michael Jordan, is spared his fatal mugging when the muggers that would've gone after him instead target a delivery truck full of game consoles.
** Polly Klaas's kidnapping is foiled by her kidnapper tripping over her Super Nintendo CD console and knocking himself out.
** Tonya Harding's sabotage of Nancy Kerrigan falls through when the attacker Harding's ex-husband hired to cripple Kerrigan forgets to carry it out, because he was too busy playing video games.
** The creator of the SNES-CD game ''Frederico'', Carlos Delgado, calls his friend Chris Perez about a SideBet they had on ''Frederico'''s success, meaning that Chris is awake when his wife Music/{{Selena}} tries to go to her fateful meeting with Yolanda Saldivar. He tags along for her safety and is able to stop Yolanda from shooting Selena.

* CanonWelding: ''VideoGame/StarFox'', ''Super Squadron X'', and ''Squad Four'' would be established to be taking place in the same galaxy. ''Super Squadron X: Critical Dawn'' for the SNES-CD would hint at a shared universe, but it wouldn't be until the '00s that the series officially cross over (in 2006’s Star Fox: Heroic Universe).

[[/folder]]

---> "Not really a big Manticore fan but I think I speak for every Xbox owner here when I say fuck Konami."\\

** Creator/TommyWiseau is an author who wrote several bad novels, including Film/TheRoom, which is a novel ITTL.

* FullMotionVideo: Having ''two'' major optical-disc consoles in the early '90s leads to a larger boom in the FMV industry. Unlike OTL, where "FMV" became a byword for UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}}, some of these games are actually pretty good, most notably ''VideoGame/{{Star Fox|1}}'' made as a collaboration between Nintendo and the Creator/JimHenson Company that leads to further partnerships down the road (including a popular FMV [[Franchise/TheMuppets Muppets]] game in 1995). The popularity of FMV also produces an entire genre of "detective games" that are known for their sharp writing and crafty puzzles, and which outlasts the medium of FMV, enjoying a renaissance in the '00s. The novelty wears off by the end of the Fourth Generation, with the 1996 detective game ''Dark City: A Death In The Family'' considered the last great FMV game as pre-rendered cutscenes took over, though it doesn't become [[invoked]]CondemnedByHistory like it did in OTL. That said, there is still quite a bit of notorious crap; some games that only exist in TTL are bad enough to give [[WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd the Nerd]] nightmares.

*** Creator/ChrisFarley, Music/TupacShakur, Jonathan Brandis, Kurt Cobain, Owen Hart, [[spoiler:Creator/RobinWilliams, Princess Diana, Creator/MiyuMatsuki and John F. Kennedy Jr.]] avoid their historical deaths.

-->The next day, Bill's boss would be hearing all about what he'd seen his son and his friends having so much fun playing together. Bill's boss? Senator Joseph Lieberman.

-->I have a feeling it's all going to depend on Donkey Kong, said Arakawa, forcing himself to smile. Just like it did 13 years ago.

-->Announcer: Coming up next, the award for Favorite Male Athlete of the year! And remember to stick around after the Kids Choice Awards for a special preview episode of our newest Nicktoon, ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''!

-->“[[Creator/RoosterTeeth Burnie]], help me get this mattress over us!” screamed Michael's[[labelnote:*]]Burnie Burns'[[/labelnote]] friend over the rapidly loudening roaring of the tornado.

-->Across town, Eric Harris was sitting in his room, flipping through a magazine. He saw an ad for next month's ''Doom: Inferno'' for the Ultra Nintendo, and his eyes lit up.\\

-->“There is a man working with one of Nintendo's software companies, Rareware. He has acute business sense and is very talented at promoting games and may be just what we need to get people excited about the Katana. Under his leadership, Rareware's games have been extremely profitable.”\\

“Do you think this man would leave Rare and Nintendo to come and work for Sega?” asked Nakayama.\\

“The position of chairman at Sega of America is far more lucrative than what he's making at Rare,” said Irimajiri. “A generous offer would easily prompt him to jump ship.”\\

“His contract with Rare doesn't expire until the end of March 2000,” said Nakayama.\\

“Which is only a few weeks before we'll be unveiling the Katana to North America at the E3 trade show.”\\

“Reggie Fils-Aime.”

--> "Not really a big Manticore fan but I think I speak for every Xbox owner here when I say fuck Konami."\\

--> Anderson Cooper: And now out of Minnesota, an incredible story of heroism as an alert truck driver helped to save the life of a kidnapped woman. Here's ABC's Donnie Williams with the story.\\

Man: George Floyd, ma'am.\\

--> '''BREAKING: Creator/HideoKojima dead at 56'''

** ''Film/Scream3'' was released in 2000 with a plot followed by a fanclub of Stab led by Stu from prison to target Sidney Prescott.
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' is released in 2009, much earlier than OTL with few minor changes.

* CelebrityEndorsement: UsefulNotes/AlGore mentions in an interview that he saw the redeeming value of video games after trying out ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'', and hopes there would more games like it rather than ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1}}''.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' and ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest Final Fantasy: New Generation]]'' are this for the SNES-CD at launch. Later killer apps for it include ''Super Mario World 2'', ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Star Fox|1}}'', ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'', ''Squad Four''[[note]]A sci-fi shooter that's described as a mix of OTL's ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'', ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishment'', and ''Star Fox''[[/note]], ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' and ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest 2]]'', ''Ballistic Limit''[[note]]An alien invasion action/first-person shooter game that plays somewhat like a more linear, level-based ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM''[[/note]], and ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Dreams''.

* MurderSimulators: The Senate hearings over video game violence still happen, three months earlier than OTL thanks to the uncensored release of ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1}}'' on the SNES-CD. ''VideoGame/{{Resident Evil|1}}'' also attracts controversy of a sort that it never saw in OTL due to its status as one of the big [[invoked]]{{killer app}}s on the Saturn, with Bob Dole criticizing it during a 1996 Presidential debate with UsefulNotes/BillClinton.

** ''Film/Scream3'' was released in 2000 with a plot followed by a fanclub of Stab led by Gary played by Creator/DannyDeVito to target Sidney Prescott.

* MurderSimulators: The Senate hearings over video game violence still happen, three months earlier than OTL thanks to the uncensored release of ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1}}'' on the SNES-CD. ''VideoGame/{{Resident Evil|1}}'' also attracts controversy of a sort that it never saw in OTL due to its status as one of the big [[invoked]]{{killer app}}s on the Saturn, with Bob Dole criticizing it during a 1996 Presidential debate with UsefulNotes/BillClinton.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' and ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest Final Fantasy: New Generation]]'' are this for the SNES-CD at launch. Later killer apps for it include ''Super Mario World 2'', ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Star Fox|1}}'', ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'', ''Squad Four''[[note]]A sci-fi shooter that's described as a mix of OTL's ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'', ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishment'', and ''Star Fox''[[/note]], ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' and ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest 2]]'', ''Ballistic Limit''[[note]]An alien invasion action/first-person shooter game that plays somewhat like a more linear, level-based ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM''[[/note]], and ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Dreams''.

* CelebrityEndorsement: UsefulNotes/AlGore mentions in an interview that he saw the redeeming value of video games after trying out ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'', and hopes there would more games like it rather than ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat|1}}''.

** ''WesternAnimation/CouragetheCowardlydog'' has Creator/WallaceShawn taken over Lionel Wilson in Season 3.

** WesternAnimation/CouragetheCowardlydog has Creator/WallaceShawn taken over Lionel Wilson in Season 3.