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CD-i facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The CD-i was a special kind of CD system. It was mostly created by the company Philips. This system was made to hold programs and interactive content, much like a CD-ROM.

Philips launched the very first CD-i player, called the CDI 910/205, in 1991. This made the CD-i one of the first game consoles to use CDs. Other early CD-based consoles included the FM Towns Marty and the Amiga CDTV.

Even though the CD-i didn't sell very well, it was available for quite a while. The last CD-i player was made in 1998. Its final game, called Solar Crusade, came out in 1999.

What Was the CD-i?

The CD-i stands for "Compact Disc Interactive." It was more than just a game console. It was designed to be a multimedia system for your home. You could use it to play games, watch educational programs, and even enjoy interactive movies. It was an early attempt to bring digital media into living rooms.

Why Didn't the CD-i Become Popular?

The CD-i faced several challenges that stopped it from becoming a big success.

  • Not Enough Games: Many other companies didn't make games for the CD-i. This meant there weren't many choices for players.
  • Game Quality: A lot of the games that were made for the CD-i weren't very good.
  • Unpopular Versions of Famous Games: Some games featuring popular characters like Link and Mario were released on the CD-i. However, these versions were not well-received by fans.
  • High Price: The CD-i player was quite expensive when it first came out. This made it hard for many families to afford.

All these reasons together made it difficult for the CD-i to compete with other game systems at the time.

Images for kids

  • Sony IVO

    Sony CD-i Intelligent Discman IVO

  • CD-i 210 as a CD Player

    A Philips CDI 210 playing a standard Compact Disc.

  • Back of CD-i

    Back of a Philips CDI 210 (PAL) player

  • CDi Mouse Picture 2

    The CD-i Mouse, often used for professional software

  • CD-i Remote 3 Philips

    CD-i "Commander" remote control, with an opened sliding cover that reveals buttons for playing audio CDs

  • Philips-CDi-Roller-Controller

    The CD-i "Roller" controller, designed for kids

  • EmailCDOnline

    E-mail screen of CD-Online UK

  • Philips-CDi-220-wController-FL

    The Philips CDI 220

  • Philips-CDi-400-Console-Set

    Magnavox CDI 550 (NTSC) with its paddle controller. The CD-i's controllers were often criticized.

  • Philips-CDi-450-Flickr-Set

    Philips CDI 450

  • CD-i-910-Console-Set

    Philips CDI 910

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: CD-i para niños

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CD-i Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.