Konix Multisystem

Console Information

This console is also known as the "Konix Slipstream".

The Konix Multisystem is a combination of two ideas from two companies. The Flare Company had a prototype computer, the Flare One, while Konix was making successful computer joysticks such as the Speed King. The two companies met in 1988 and combined their ideas to form the Konix Multisystem.

It was one of the few attempts to create a British-made video game console. The Konix would run games from a specialised 3.5 inch floppy disk drive and had a 16-bit processor. It was announced for a 1989 launch at an expected price of £200. But this never happened due to the many promises for add-ons that could not be fulfilled, such as light guns, motorised chairs and exercise bikes as well as the delays and changes being made to the console all the time.

The two companies separated in 1990 but Flare didn't let their development for the Flare One go to waste. They started work on the Flare Two system which was then sold to Atari and became the Atari Jaguar. The MSC Multisystem wheel controller for PC was designed after the Konix Multisystem.

Konix Multisystem Technical Specifications

• CPU: 16-bit 8086 Microprocessor with a custom 12 MHz ASIC chip (includes video generator, colour palette, disk controller, Blitter, ROM, fast RAM, 12 MIP Arithmetic and Logic Unit, RISC Digital Signal Processor, stereo compact disk DACs and digital and analogue ports
• RAM: 256K (in later versions upgraded to 512K)
• Graphics: 512 x 200 pixel resolution, 4096 colours palette, displays 16 colours simultaneously
• Sound: 25 channel stereo CD quality sound . Output via TV or stereo headphone socket
• Display: Standard TV or RGB composite video
• Software: Customised 880K 3.5 inch disks and expansion cartridge