Arcadia 2001

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Arcadia 2001
An Arcadia 2001
ManufacturerEmerson Radio
TypeHome video game console
GenerationSecond generation
Release dateMay 1982; 43 years ago (1982-05)[1]
Lifespan18 months
Introductory priceUS$99
Discontinued1984
MediaROM cartridge
CPUSignetics 2650
Memory1 KB RAM
DisplayTV; 128 × 208 / 128 × 104, 8 Colours
GraphicsSignetics 2637 UVI
Sound2 channels (Beeper and Noise)
Controller input2 x Intellivision-style controller (12 button keypad and 'fire' buttons on the sides)
Power12 volt

The Arcadia 2001 is a second-generation 8-bit home video game console released by Emerson Radio in May 1982 for a price of US$99,[2] several months before the release of ColecoVision. It was discontinued only 18 months later, with a total of 35 games having been released.[2] Emerson licensed the Arcadia 2001 to Bandai, which released it in Japan.[2] Over 30 Arcadia 2001 clones exist despite the system being a commercial failure.

Description

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The Arcadia is much smaller than its contemporary competitors and is powered by a standard 12 volt power supply so it can be used in a boat or a vehicle. It has two headphone jacks on the far left and right sides of the back.

The system came with two Intellivision-style controllers with a 12-button keypad and "fire" buttons on the sides. The direction pads have a removable joystick attachment. Most games came with BoPET overlays that can be applied to the controller's keypads. The console itself has five buttons: Power, Start, Reset, Option, and Select.

There are at least three different cartridge case styles[3] and artwork, with variations on each. Emerson-family cartridges come in two different lengths (short and long) of black plastic cases.

Technical specifications

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Arcadia 2001 motherboard
  • Main Processor: Signetics 2650 CPU (some variants run a Signetics 2650A)
  • RAM: 1 KB
  • ROM: None
  • Video display: 128 × 208 / 128 × 104, 8 Colours
  • Video display controller: Signetics 2637 UVI @ 3.58 MHz (NTSC), 3.55 MHz (PAL)
  • Sound: Single Channel "Beeper" + Single Channel "Noise"
  • Hardware Sprites: 4 independent, single color
  • Controllers: 2 × 2 way
  • Keypads: 2 × 12 button (more buttons on some variants)

Console variants and clones

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Many variants and clones of the Arcadia 2001 have been released by various companies in different countries. These systems are mostly compatible with each other. In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia was released only in Japan. Four exclusive games were released for the system.

Name Manufacturer Country Compatibility family Image
Advision Home Arcade Advision France Emerson console
2001 ALTOS Home Video Centre Altos India Limited India Emerson console 2001 ALTOS
Arcadia Bandai Japan Emerson console Bandai Arcadia 2001
Arcadia 2001 Emerson United States Emerson console
Cosmos Tele-Computer Spain Emerson console
Dynavision Morning-Sun Commerce Japan MPT-03 console
Educat unknown Israel MPT-03 console
Ekusera P.I.C. Japan MPT-03 console
Hanimex MPT-03 Hanimex France MPT-03 console
HMG-2650 Hanimex Germany
Canada
Australia		 Emerson console
Home Arcade Centre Hanimex United Kingdom Emerson console
Intelligent Game MPT-03 Intelligent Game United States
Canada		 MPT-03 console
Intercord XL 2000 System Intercord Germany Emerson console
Intervision 2001 Intervision Switzerland Finland Ormatu console
ITMC MPT-03 ITMC France MPT-03 console
Leisure Vision Leisure-Dynamics Canada Emerson console
Leonardo GiG Electronics Italy Emerson console
Home Entertainment Centre Ch-50 Inno-Hit Italy Ormatu console
Ormatu 2001 Ormatu Electronics BV Netherlands Ormatu console
Palladium Video-Computer-Game Neckermann Germany Palladium console
Polybrain Video Computer Game Polybrain Germany Palladium console
Poppy MPT-03 Tele Computer Spiel Poppy Germany MPT-03 console
Prestige Video Computer Game MPT-03 Prestige France MPT-03 console
Robdajet MPT-03 Robdajet Switzerland MPT-03 console
Rowtron 2000 Rowtron United Kingdom MPT-03 console
Schmid TVG-2000 Schmid Germany Emerson console
Sheen Home Video Centre 2001 Sheen Australia Ormatu console
Soundic MPT-03 Soundic Finland
Singapore[1]		 MPT-03 console
Tedelex Home Arcade Tedelex South Africa Emerson console
Mr. Altus Das Tele-Gehirn Color (German for tele brain)[4][5][6] HGS Electronic Germany Palladium console
Tele-Fever Tchibo Germany Emerson console
Tempest MPT-03 Tempest Australia MPT-03 console
Tobby MPT-03 Tobby ? MPT-03 console
Trakton Computer Video Game Trakton Australia Palladium console
Tryom Video Game Center Tryom United States MPT-03 console
Tunix Home Arcade Monaco Leisure New Zealand Emerson console
UVI Compu-Game Orbit Electronics New Zealand Orbit console
Video Master Grandstand New Zealand Orbit console

Bandai Arcadia

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Bandai Arcadia
ManufacturerBandai
TypeVideo game console
GenerationSecond generation
Release date1982
MediaROM cartridge
CPUSignetics 2650 @ 3.58 MHz
PredecessorBandai Super Vision 8000
SuccessorBandai RX-78

In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia, a variant of the Emerson Arcadia 2001, was licensed and distributed to Japan by Bandai for a price of 19,800 yen.[2]

Reception

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The Emerson Booth at CES 1982, featuring their Arcadia 2001 system

After seeing the Arcadia 2001 at the summer 1982 Consumer Electronics Show, Danny Goodman of Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games reported that its graphics were similar to the Atari 2600's, and that "our overall impression of the game play was favorable for a system in this price range, though no cartridge stands out as being an exciting original creation". He called the controller offering both Intellivision-like disc and joystick functionality "A great idea".[7]

Games

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Emerson planned to launch the console with 19 games.[7] Some Arcadia 2001 games are ports of lesser-known arcade games such as Route 16, Jungler, and Jump Bug, which were not available on other home systems.

Emerson actually created many popular arcade titles including Pac-Man, Galaxian and Defender for the Arcadia, but never had them manufactured as Atari started to sue its competitor companies for releasing games to which it had exclusive-rights agreements.[8] Early marketing showed popular arcade games, but they were later released as clones. For instance, the Arcadia 2001 game Space Raiders is a clone of Defender, and Breakaway is a clone of Breakout.[9]

Released games

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There are 55 games known to have been released for the Arcadia 2001 and its clones during the system's lifetime.[10]

  1. 3D Attack – a Zaxxon clone
  2. 3D Bowling (1982)
  3. 3D Soccer (1982)
  4. Alien Invaders (1982)
  5. American Football
  6. Astro Invader
  7. Auto Race
  8. Baseball
  9. Basketball
  10. Battle
  11. Blackjack/Poker
  12. Boxing
  13. Brain Quiz – AKA Math/Logic
  14. Breakaway
  15. Capture – a clone of the board game Othello
  16. Cat Trax
  17. Circus – also known as Clowns on some systems, clone of Exidy's Circus
  18. Combat
  19. Crazy Climber
  20. Crazy Gobbler
  21. Dictionary – English/German
  22. Doraemon (Japan only)
  23. Dr. Slump (Japan only)
  24. Escape
  25. Funky Fish
  26. Golf
  27. Grand Slam Tennis
  28. Hobo
  29. Horse Racing (plays similar to the Intellivision game)
  30. Jump Bug
  31. Jungler
  32. Missile War
  33. Mobile Suit Gundam (Japan only)
  34. Monaco Grand Prix – AKA 3D Raceway
  35. Nibblemen – AKA Super Gobbler and Devilman the Dot Muncher
  36. Ocean Battle – AKA Sea Battle
  37. Parashooter
  38. Pleiades
  39. R2D Tank
  40. Red Clash
  41. Robot Killer (clone of Berzerk)
  42. Route-16
  43. Soccer
  44. Space Attack
  45. Space Mission
  46. Space Raiders
  47. Space Squadron
  48. Space Vultures
  49. Spiders
  50. Star Chess – AKA Video Chess
  51. Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Japan only)
  52. Super Bug
  53. Tanks A Lot
  54. The End
  55. Turtles/Turpin

Homebrew games

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Three homebrew games are known to have been made for the system:[10]

References

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  1. ^ Forster, Winnie (2005). The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972 - 2005. GAMEPLAN. p. 57. ISBN 3-00-015359-4.
  2. ^ a b c d Watcher, Dark. "Emerson Arcadia 2001 - DW Facts". Video Game Console Library. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  3. ^ "obsoletemedia.org: Emerson Arcadia 2001 (1982 – 1984)".
  4. ^ retroplace. "Mr. Altus Das Telegehirn | Emerson Arcadia 2001". retroplace.com (in German). Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Motoschifo. "Mr. Altus Tele Brain - MAME machine". adb.arcadeitalia.net (in Italian). Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Mr. Altus Das Tele-Gehirn Color". www.videogameheaven.de. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Goodman, Danny (Spring 1983). "Home Video Games: Video Games Update". Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games. p. 32.
  8. ^ "Arcadia 2001: Frequently Asked Questions". digitpress.com. June 4, 2002. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  9. ^ Lester, John. "History of Consoles: Arcadia 2001 (1982)". Gamster81. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Arcadia 2001 Gaming Guide".
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