Ultimate list of pre-1989 programmable handhelds/tabletops

Handhelds that accept media, such as the Game Boy, Vectrex, PSP, etc.
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Zap!
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Ultimate list of pre-1989 programmable handhelds/tabletops

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How many handhelds/tabletops that accpted media were released before 1989? To the average Joe, none. But we historians here all know about the Milton Bradley Microvision, Entex Adventure Vision, and GCE Vectrex. But there were quite a few others, so obscure they aren't even memtioned in major classic video game books! Here's what I have so far:

Romtec Colorvision: Tabletop that looked a bit like an Adventure Vision, with like 5 games.

Entex Select-a-Game: 1981 awkward system by Entex, 6 games released.

Entex Table Top Game Machine: The planned follow-up from Entex. Many improvements, but sadly was never released.

Bandai Digi: Two variations, both came with two cartridges. None apparently were sold seperatly. Has to be Japan-only.

Epoch Game Pocket Computer: Japan-only, looks cool.

Mattel Children's Discovery System: Looks like a mini, tabletop computer. Need more info on this.

Coleco Quiz Wiz: Not exactly sure this counts (it's a trivia machine), but it did indeed accept media.

Longoria Electrivia: Not much info on this, not sure if it's a system or not. Apparently, from 1986.

1974 HP-65 calculator: Programmable and accepted cards, although no games were released. Very expensive.


Come on historians, let's try and get the complete list!
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Rob
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Re: Ultimate list of pre-1989 programmable handhelds/tabletops

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I don't know how much info is out there on these, but they're part of a list I started compiling way back:


The Hartung Game Master (also put out by Watara and Impel)
Hartung Supervision (also released by Goldnation, Quickshot and Videojet)
Tiger R-Zone
Tiger Playmaker
Camerica Express
Game Baby by Challengine
Koei Pasogo
Grandstand Lightgames
Game Child by ? (looks like a Game Boy, could be a clone)
Palmtex Super Micro
Game Axe
Tapwave Zodiac
Waddingtons Game Machine ( this is the only one on the list I ever actually owned)
Ludotronic Game Screen

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Re: Ultimate list of pre-1989 programmable handhelds/tabletops

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Rob wrote:I don't know how much info is out there on these, but they're part of a list I started compiling way back:


The Hartung Game Master (also put out by Watara and Impel)
Hartung Supervision (also released by Goldnation, Quickshot and Videojet)
Tiger R-Zone
Tiger Playmaker
Camerica Express
Game Baby by Challengine
Koei Pasogo
Grandstand Lightgames
Game Child by ? (looks like a Game Boy, could be a clone)
Palmtex Super Micro
Game Axe
Tapwave Zodiac
Waddingtons Game Machine ( this is the only one on the list I ever actually owned)
Ludotronic Game Screen
How many of those are pre-1989?
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Rob
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Re: Ultimate list of pre-1989 programmable handhelds/tabletops

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Off the top of my head, everything except the Tiger R-Zone, and Tapwave. Some of those were Gameboy competitors, so they came out around 88/89 and some of the more successful ones like the Game Master and Supervision were made up into the mid-90's.

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Re: Ultimate list of pre-1989 programmable handhelds/tabletops

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Rob wrote:Off the top of my head, everything except the Tiger R-Zone, and Tapwave. Some of those were Gameboy competitors, so they came out around 88/89 and some of the more successful ones like the Game Master and Supervision were made up into the mid-90's.
The Game Axe is mid 90's. The others I hadn't heard of and are likely ultra-obscure. Look forawrd to researching them. :occasion14:
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