Arcadia 2001
1982 home video game console
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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.
| |
 An Arcadia 2001 | |
| Also known as | MPT-03/Video Computer Game |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Emerson Radio |
| Type | Home video game console |
| Generation | Second generation |
| Released | May 1982[1] |
| Lifespan | 18 months |
| Introductory price | US$99 |
| Discontinued | 1984 |
| Units sold | 20,000-30,000 (est.) |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | Signetics 2650 |
| Memory | 1 KB RAM |
| Display | TV; 128 × 208 / 128 × 104, 8 Colours |
| Graphics | Signetics 2637 UVI |
| Sound | 2 channels (Beeper and Noise) |
| Input | Controllers |
| Controller input | 2 x Intellivision-style controller (12 button keypad and 'fire' buttons on the sides) |
| Power | 12 volt |
| Best-selling game | Unknown |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | None |
Description
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
- 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
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, and licensed by Emerson. Four exclusive games were released for the system.
| Name | Manufacturer | Country | Compatibility family | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advision Home Arcade | Advision |  | Emerson console | |
| 2001 ALTOS Home Video Centre | Altos India Limited |  | Emerson console |  |
| Arcadia | Bandai |  | Emerson console | _2.jpg) |
| Arcadia 2001 | Emerson |  | Emerson console | |
| Cosmos | Tele-Computer |  | Emerson console | |
| Dynavision | Morning-Sun Commerce | | MPT-03 console | |
| Educat | unknown |  | MPT-03 console | |
| Ekusera | P.I.C. | | MPT-03 console | |
| Hanimex MPT-03 | Hanimex | | MPT-03 console | |
| HMG-2650 | Hanimex |    | Emerson console |  |
| Home Arcade Centre | Hanimex |  | Emerson console | |
| Intelligent Game MPT-03 | Intelligent Game | | MPT-03 console | |
| Intercord XL 2000 System | Intercord | | Emerson console | |
| Intervision 2001 | Intervision |   | Ormatu console |  |
| ITMC MPT-03 | ITMC | | MPT-03 console | |
| Leisure Vision | Leisure-Dynamics | | Emerson console | |
| Leonardo | GiG Electronics |  | Emerson console | |
| Home Entertainment Centre Ch-50 | Inno-Hit | | Ormatu console | |
| Ormatu 2001 | Ormatu Electronics BV |  | Ormatu console |  |
| Palladium Video-Computer-Game | Neckermann | | Palladium console | |
| Polybrain Video Computer Game | Polybrain | | Palladium console | |
| Poppy MPT-03 Tele Computer Spiel | Poppy | | MPT-03 console | |
| Prestige Video Computer Game MPT-03 | Prestige | | MPT-03 console | |
| Robdajet MPT-03 | Robdajet | | MPT-03 console |  |
| Rowtron 2000 | Rowtron | | MPT-03 console | |
| Schmid TVG-2000 | Schmid | | Emerson console |  |
| Sheen Home Video Centre 2001 | Sheen | | Ormatu console | |
| Soundic MPT-03 | Soundic |  | MPT-03 console |  |
| Tedelex Home Arcade | Tedelex |  | Emerson console | |
| Mr. Altus Das Tele-Gehirn Color (German for tele brain)[4][5][6] | HGS Electronic | | Palladium console |  |
| Tele-Fever | Tchibo | | Emerson console |  |
| Tempest MPT-03 | Tempest | | MPT-03 console | |
| Tobby MPT-03 | Tobby | ? | MPT-03 console | |
| Trakton Computer Video Game | Trakton | | Palladium console | |
| Tryom Video Game Center | Tryom | | MPT-03 console | |
| Tunix Home Arcade | Monaco Leisure |  | Emerson console | |
| UVI Compu-Game | Orbit Electronics | | Orbit console | |
| Video Master | Grandstand | | Orbit console |
Bandai Arcadia
 | |
| Manufacturer | Bandai |
|---|---|
| Type | Video game console |
| Generation | Second generation |
| Released | 1982 |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | Signetics 2650 @ 3.58 MHz |
| Predecessor | Bandai Super Vision 8000 |
| Successor | Bandai 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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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
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
There are 55 games known to have been released for the Arcadia 2001 and its clones during the system's lifetime.[10]
- 3D Attack – a Zaxxon clone
- 3D Bowling (1982)
- 3D Soccer (1982)
- Alien Invaders (1982)
- American Football
- Astro Invader
- Auto Race
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Battle
- Blackjack/Poker
- Boxing
- Brain Quiz – AKA Math/Logic
- Breakaway
- Capture – a clone of the board game Othello
- Cat Trax
- Circus – also known as Clowns on some systems, clone of Exidy's Circus
- Combat
- Crazy Climber
- Crazy Gobbler
- Dictionary – English/German
- Doraemon (Japan only)
- Dr. Slump (Japan only)
- Escape
- Funky Fish
- Golf
- Grand Slam Tennis
- Hobo
- Horse Racing (plays similar to the Intellivision game)
- Jump Bug
- Jungler
- Missile War
- Mobile Suit Gundam (Japan only)
- Monaco Grand Prix – AKA 3D Raceway
- Nibblemen – AKA Super Gobbler and Devilman the Dot Muncher
- Ocean Battle – AKA Sea Battle
- Parashooter
- Pleiades
- R2D Tank
- Red Clash
- Robot Killer (clone of Berzerk)
- Route-16
- Soccer
- Space Attack
- Space Mission
- Space Raiders
- Space Squadron
- Space Vultures
- Spiders
- Star Chess – AKA Video Chess
- Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Japan only)
- Super Bug
- Tanks A Lot
- The End
- Turtles/Turpin
Homebrew games
Three hobbyist-developed games are known to have been made for the system:[10]
