Amstrad User Group
Amstrad User Group
The Amstrad GX 4000 games console.
This is not exactly a home or a personal computer but, in fact, a games console. This site is dedicated to Amstrad computers only (plus Schneiders, dating from the joint venture period with Amstrad), not the rest of the consumer electronics produced by Amstrad. Another exception is the IndexPhone which is also computer related in a way...
But the GX4000 console uses the same cartridges as the CPC+ series (see the CPC 464+ on this site) does and that is why I decided to include the GX 4000 on these pages.
Although this 8-bits console saw a considerable number of copies manufactured, the machine shares the cartridge system with the CPC+ series and quite a few games were written for it as well, the GX4000 never gained much popularity.
I do not know what the exact cause was: the machine features an easy operation, can be connected easily and was supplied with two game pads and a game 'Burning Rubber'. That is the same game that was also supplied with the CPC 464+ and the CPC 6128+.
The front of the machine features (from the left to the right) a 3.5 millimetre stereo connector, a game paddle (9-pins old style plug), a connection for a standard 15-pins PC game port, game paddle 2 and another external connection.
What you can connect to the latter port is unknown to me: it looks like a HUB telephone-style connector... These things are typically used for modem communication or network use but I do not believe that the GX supports such features.
The picture shows the game cartridge, which is inserted from the top.
On the back you will find, from the left to the right, the 5 volts power supply (for the Amstrad monitor that can be supplied additionally), 9 volts power supply for the console itself, plug for the monitor, SCART TV connection, volume control for the built-in sound and an UHF connection (for TV).
One cannot attribute the failure of the GX4000 on the market to the number of connections or the incompleteness of the system. It has everything on it and can be operated easily on top of that!
The quality of the games too is sufficient, for that period of course. Perhaps it was the availability or the price of the games (which were expensive indeed, when compared to other games).
The games itself are still expensive nowadays and not very current. Beside the standard game Burning Rubber, I have three more: Dick Tracey, Pro Tennis Tour and Operation Thunderbolt.
The box from Dick Tracey allegedly still has the original price tag of GBP 29.99 on it but I do not believe that this (in between 40 and 45 euro) high price was an average price. Maybe the price tag of something else...
You can see, from the picture, that the same marketing tactics were used a decade ago. A big box wit nice box-art... and with almost nothing to fill it with.
The cartridge is in the middle, fastened to the back of the plastic box. Oh, yes: and a small leaflet containing the game instructions. Not much of a manual...
But perhaps this is part of the game console business: these things have to be simple and robust.
Questions about the GX 4000 via the contact form
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