1
DEVELOPMENT
Steve Wozniak rejoined Apple and set his sights on making
a substantial upgrade to the aging Apple II line, with a 1 6-bit
CPU and backward compatibility with 8-bit Apple II software.
>> For a CPU, Wozniak chose the Western Digital 6 5C816:
a supercharged 1 6-bit descendant of the Apple II’s old 6502
processor, which would later be used in the Super Nintendo.
This was combined with Apple’s custom “Mega II” chip, which
provided Apple IIe hardware emulation in a single chip, allowing
‘95 percent backward compatibility’.
>> For graphics, Apple used a custom IIGS Video Graphics Chip
(VGC), which was capable of 6 40x200 resolution, and 256 on-
screen colors from a palette of 4, 096 colors.
>> For audio, Apple chose the highly advanced Ensoniq 5503
Digital Oscillator Chip, designed by Robert Yannes—the man
behind the legendary SID chip in the Commodore 64. This monster
chip was used in professional synthesizers, and when pushed to
its maximum, allowed for 32 voices and eight stereo channels.
2
LAUNCH
Debuting in September 19 86, the IIGS had a launch price of
$999 (or $1 498 with a monitor), which was much cheaper
than the $2,599 Macintosh, the computer upon which Apple was
betting its future.
>> In most areas, the IIGS was more powerful than the
Macintosh, except for its CPU. Although the 65 C81 6 was capable
of speeds up to 1 4MHz, Apple deliberately underclocked the CPU
at 2.8MHz so as not to compete with the Macintosh.
>> For an operating system, the IIGS only launched with
ProDOS 1 6—a more advanced 1 6-bit version of the DOS used
by the Apple II—and a rudimentary (though stylish) graphical
interface for browsing and launching system files.
>> ProDOS 16 soon shipped with Apple II Desktop, a rebranded
piece of third-party Apple II software that provided a simplified
version of the Macintosh desktop. This was soon followed by
Apple IIGS Finder, a stripped-down Macintosh-style interface in
color, with proper file management.
>> However, in 1988 the IIGS received a huge improvement
with GS/OS. This was a proper desktop, closely resembling the
interface from the Lisa and original Macintosh, except GS/OS
was in full color and had greater cross-platform compatibility.
3
SOFTWARE
Like the Macintosh, many IIGS games are simple affairs.
However, there are plenty of action and arcade games.
>> Some standouts include Arkanoid II ( 198 8) and Rastan
(1990). Quadronome (1989) is a personal favorite, providing a cool
THIS MONTH WE LOOK AT what was arguably one of Apple’s best and most underrated products:
the Apple IIGS. Designed for superior graphics and sound (hence the “GS” moniker), the IIGS
brought the old Apple II line into the next era of computing and was the first Apple computer to
feature a color desktop.
Despite its impressive 16-bit capabilities, the IIGS would play second fiddle to the likes of the
Commodore Amiga or Atari ST. This makes it a gold mine for retro computing enthusiasts, with
cult games, applications, and a phenomenal sound chip waiting to be discovered. – JOHN KNIGHT
YOU’LL NEED THIS
A COPY OF GSPLUS
IIGS system ROM
Bootable hard drive image
https://apple2.gs/plus/
3D variation on Pong, and Silpheed (1988) also moves
vertical shooters onto a 3D plane.
>> Adventure fans should try Neuromancer (1989), with
199 2’s port of Another World, named Out of This World,
possibly being the system’s most impressive title.
>> The IIGS excelled at desktop publishing and
multimedia. Paintworks Plus ( 198 6) provided a colorized
equivalent of MacPaint. The later Paintworks Gold
(1987), Deluxe Paint II ( 198 7), and Graphics Studio ( 198 8)
provide better experiences. Animation fans should try
out Fantavision (1987) and Animasia 3-D (1 99 4).
>> MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) is a real
strength of the IIGS, and synthLAB ( 198 9) is an easy way
to experience IIGS sound. For something more advanced,
check out Music Studio 2 .0 ( 198 7), Noisetracker GS
(1992), and SoundSmith ( 199 0). Diversi-Tune ( 198 8) has
cool bouncing ball karaoke.
4
LEGACY
The IIGS received updates each year, with more
advanced releases of GS/OS, firmware updates,
and increased RAM. By 198 9, Apple was shipping with
1MB as standard. Third-party accelerator boards
allowed owners to unlock the IIGS’s real potential.
>> The IIGS proved a moderate success but never
received full backing from Apple, with staff actually
leading customers and developers away from the IIGS
and toward the Macintosh instead. Production ceased in
December 199 2.
>> Fans of Commodore’s SID chip will enjoy Bob Yannes’s
later work with the IIGS’s powerful sound processing.
58 MAXIMUMPC JAN 2022
R&D
