☆ Which Console Was Code-named Dolphin? ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

After listening to the Bombcast podcast recently my memory was jogged on the subject of codenames for consoles before they were released to the general public.

 

Whenever we were privy to information on a new console pre-release it would be contained within the pages of CVG or Mean Machines and it may be referred to with an artists impression of what it would look like.

 

My memory was of these mysterious names that were associated with these 'next generation' consoles.

 

I've done some digging and have found a fair few of these names but maybe some are not as glamorous as I remember….

Bet you can't guess which console was codenamed Dolphin?

 

Read on to find out more…….

 

Let's have a look at the codenames system by system.

 

Atari

• Candy - Atari 400

• Coleen - Atari 800

• Stella - Atari 2600

• Pam - Atari 5200

The consensus is that Atari's codenames are all named after well-endowed women who were working at the Atari office at the time.

 

Sega

• Mercury - Sega Game Gear

• Mark V - Sega Genesis/Mega Drive

• Jupiter - Sega Saturn

• Venus - Sega Nomad

• Mars - Sega 32X

• Neptune - 32X/Mega Drive combo unit (Never Released)

• White Belt, Katana, Guppy, Black Belt, Shark, Dural - Dreamcast

These codenames are either planets or gods.... (Mark V and the Dreamcast's many codenames are the exceptions)

 

Nintendo

• Dot Matrix Game - Game Boy

• Project Reality, Ultra 64 - Nintendo 64

• Atlantis - Game Boy Advance

• N2000, Dolphin - GameCube

• Nitro - Nintendo DS

• Revolution - Wii

• Project Cafe - Wii U

A bit of a mixed bag here but Nintendo's codenames are used in an abbreviated version in their SKUs. 

GameCube games start with DOL, DS games with NTR and Wii games with RVR.

 

Sony

• PS-X - PlayStation

• Arc - PlayStation Move

• NGP (Next Generation Portable) - PlayStation Vita

• Orbis - PlayStation 4

Sony didn't really enter into the spirit of kooky codenames and just went for boring acronym type code names.

 

Microsoft

• DirectX-box - Xbox

• Xenon - Xbox 360

• Project Natal - Kinect

• Durango - Xbox One

I like Direct X-Box as it makes sense and I also like the latest one from Microsoft .....SCORPIO!

Quite an interesting subject really and those Atari codenames bring an insight into the nature of the workplace in the 70's and 80's!

I wonder what codename the NES and SNES had?

If YOU Know These Codenames Then Let Me Know In The comments Box below

"Stay Frosty Freezer Followers"