The Action Max Console

Most video game consoles use either cartridges, or later optical disks like CD's DVDs and Blu-ray. The Action Max was a true odd-ball in this world. It was the only game system to run off of videotapes. To make things worse: You had to get yourself a seperate VCR to use this console.

The system used a small red sensor, that needed to be attached to the corner of the TV screen, which provided a reference point for the light gun that game with it.

The problem was of course that, since nothing was output to the screen, other than a pre-recorded videotape, no score was displayed and the player had no idea of a game-over until the tape reached the end. The games for this system all played in a similar fashion and after only five released the demand for the Action Max plummeted quickly.