The Amstrad GX4000 was an attempt to enter the games console market.

The console was released in Europe in 1990 and was based on the still-popular CPC technology (it was a modified CPC6128 Plus computer). This allowed the GX4000 to be compatible with a majority of the CPC computer software titles.

Initial reviews were favourable - the console had impressive enhanced graphics and sound, a huge colour palette of 4096 (more than the 16 bit Sega Mega Drive), hardware sprites and hardware scrolling. It retailed for £99 and came bundled with driving game Burnin' Rubber.

GX4000 game cartridges could also be used by the new 464 and 6128 Plus computers released at the same time.

Alas, it proved a failure for Amstrad, with less than 40 games being produced for the machine, and manufacturing lasting only a few months.  Consumers preferred the 16 bit technology used in the Sega Mega Drive which was released shortly afterwards.  With few games being released (and many being re-releases of CPC titles, but on more expensive cartridges, rather than cassettes), it was doomed to failure.