I am really excited about this and I had to share it with you guys! A few weeks ago, I was chilling in my local used games store when I noticed this giant monstrosity behind the glass case. It was a Laserdisc player that upon closer inspection had a slot for Sega Genesis games. Now I was getting curious. I asked the dude behind the counter for further info and he told me that it could also play music and Sega CD games.

I knew how I was spending my next paycheck.

I did a little research and discovered that it is called the Pioneer LaserActive. This sonuvagun was released in 1993 and retailed for almost $1000. Separate modules had to be purchased and installed in order to add extra functionality, each running another several hundred dollars. One module allowed you to play TurboGrafx-16 and TurboGrafx-CD games. One allowed you to sing karaoke. And of course, one let you play Sega Genesis and Sega CD games.

For a full setup, you were looking at dropping $1600. Auctions on eBay list this thing for $1000. And these guys were selling it for $200?



This thing is apparently so rare that the dudes in the store had no idea what it was called. It was listed in their inventory as the "Pioneer Mega Awesome." Indeed, it is the ultimate in future-past home entertainment! LOOK AT IT! IT'S BIBLICAL!



To put the machine through its paces, I picked up a copy of Batman by Sunsoft. I jammed the cartridge into the lower-left slot and fired it up. Behold!



When I picked up the machine, which by the way was a heartrending moment in the store as the guys could no longer show off this sexy black beast to inquisitive customers, a copy of Night Trap was thrown in. And why not? Seriously.



If there is one thing I am not satisfied with it is my television set. An LCD screen is no appropriate companion to such a marvel. Until the day comes when I can show this baby off in all its yuppie '90s glory, I have to settle with this.

All I need to do now is build a nice software collection. Today, I picked up this one Sega CD game, Robo Aleste, and am open to any other suggestions. Also, I need at least a Laserdisc movie or two. I was thinking Star Wars. The Laserdisc editions were the last pre-"Special Edition" versions of the films, I heard.