HyperScan (lost builds of unreleased Nickelodeon licensed games for Mattel video game console; 2006-2007)

The HyperScan console.

Status: Lost

The Mattel HyperScan was a video game console released on October 23rd, 2006.

The system's main gimmick was a reliance on collector cards, which contained gameplay elements (characters, settings etc) that were unlocked by a built-in RFID scanner on the console. The cards were mostly sold separately, in random packs of 6 for $10-$12 - meaning players might spend hundreds of dollars to complete a single, very basic game that would only be playable on a poorly-built, severely underpowered console.

Unsurprisingly the HyperScan experiment lasted less than a year, most of that spent on clearance shelves before being quietly discontinued altogether sometime in 2007. Only five known complete games were released for the console, nearly all based on licensed properties. At the time of its cancellation there were two further games in development, based on Nickelodeon properties, that were never released.

Games

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Based on the animated series. There is currently no known information on the gameplay, but it is said to have been finished, or nearly so, just as the HyperScan was being discontinued.^[1] A booster card pack and another "air series" have also been confirmed.

The only existing pieces of media for the game are boxes for the game pack and booster pack. It is rumored that some copies either leaked or made it to store shelves for a very limited time, but this has not been confirmed.

Nick Extreme Sports: The last game to have been announced for the HyperScan, this time based on multiple hit Nickelodeon franchises. It is not known which ones specifically save for SpongeBob SquarePants, who is featured on the cover art for the game. The game itself was scrapped very early on during development and there is no other info available. It was allegedly called "Nickelodeon Sports" at some point, but there are no pictures or pieces of media showing this.^[2]

Availability

The failure and eventual end of the HyperScan led to these games being cancelled. Both games are completely lost and have not had any content or information resurface for years. It is unlikely they will resurface soon due to the obscurity of their intended console and the unique difficulties in porting or emulating them to other systems.