However, while still designed to teach electronics and programming,[3] the system places greater focus on homebrew games.

[4] Compared to the prior XGameStation consoles, the HYDRA uses a more complex and powerful CPU - the then recently released Parallax Propeller processing unit, which has eight 32 bit RISC CPUs called cogs with 32 KB built in RAM and 32 KB built in ROM.

The Hydra comes with the large book (800+ pages[6]) "Game programming for the propeller powered HYDRA", a CD with extensive software including demo games and a second book by LaMothe, a keyboard, a mouse, a NES keypad, USB and audio/video cables, a 128 KB "memory card",[7] an experimenter card and a power supply.

A video driver uses the main 32 KB RAM which it must share with code space.

To aid in the display of text the Propeller chip has a complete character font in its ROM.