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The background of release Magnavox/Philips Odyssey 200 Similar to the background of the release of Magnavox/Philips Odyssey 100, for the simple reason that these are two modifications of the same prefix released in 1975.

Console Magnavox Odyssey In 1972, she created the market of home game consoles, which other players extremely quickly noticed.

Literally 2 months after the appearance of the first game console, "Atari" Already released their arcade machine "Pong". This is of course also not close to a direct competitor of the home console, too different niches, but still this is a step towards competition.

In October 1975 (the Odyssey 100 and 200) ANALings date Magnavox Odyssey’s home console in the American market has not yet been, but taking into account the fact that Atari has released its console literally a month after Odyssey 100 and 200 can be said that Ralph Baer (the creator of the first gaming gaming console) it was known about the leading development of other companies and the imminent appearance of competitors.

In order to be able to compete, he needed to significantly reduce the cost of the cost of the consoles sold, which he achieved in Magnavox/Philips Odyssey 100. However, marketing engine sales, and “show -offs more than money”, and therefore, Magnavox/Philips, together with Baer, ​​decided to run its elite (improved) version simultaneously with a cheap console. I could not find its cost at the start of sales, but it is known that the improved version was still cheaper than the first game console released by Baer and Magnavox.

Magnavox/Philips Odyssey 200 entered in October 1975 in the US market, and later, in 1976, Philips produced Odyssey 200 in several European countries and continued to be produced in all markets until 1977, when it was replaced. The only mention of the circulation I found sounded like “from 100,000 to 1,000,000” … it was amused, but … we will assume that there is no information about the circulation.

Some sources mention that Magnavox/Philips Odyssey 200 was released in white and black. However, my searches did not allow you to find a console in black and I did not find anywhere in the existence of the Black Version, so we will assume that its corps was white. White color made it somewhat … solid than the younger sister.

Magnavox/Philips Odyssey 200 was the same as her younger sister. The prefix worked on the same chips of Texas Instruments. The basis was a chip Ti SN764XX, But two additional chips were added to the design of the prefix, which allowed the implementation of the functionality around which the entire advertising company was built. The console had a built -in speaker. She connected to the TV through the antenna connector.

Than the oldest version was better? Odyssey 200 was sewn one additional game (Smash) or squash (when players beat the ball from the wall). T.e. In total, there were 3 games that the best result is not only in comparison with the younger version of the magnavox prefix, but also in comparison with the ATARI console that has been released in a month.

As well as an https://gamblingsitesnotongamstop.co.uk/review/madcasino/ advertising company was built around the previously unprecedented – "First console for 4 players". But this slogan is a deceit worse than the Killzone 2 trailer from E3 2005.

Key deception in this case in the word "player". There are only two sets of controllers on the prefix, which implies certain thoughts, and in the end it really turns out that the prefix is ​​designed for 4 players, but only 2 people.

When 4 players are turned on, on the screen next to your platform to beat off the ball, another one will appear. She will repeat your movements vertically, but slower, but will not repeat the horizontal movements, remaining in one plane. This second platform is an additional player. However, not to take away the fact that before even such a mechanism no console or even a slot machine was sold.

And the third advantage was the display of the account on the screen. The account was displayed not by numbers, but by a rectangle moving to the edge of the screen. In total, he had 15 positions for each side, respectively, and the game came conditionally to 15 points. However … firstly, after reaching 15 points, the score simply began again, secondly (it is not known either this was done so as not to make an additional production line, or because the manufacturer was so not sure in his “screen account”), but analog sliders were left in the console case. (what you see in the center of the prefix building is not volume, speed or cool regulators – these are glasses for two players).

Now a little more about the device of the console itself:

The players managed the game using three vernier. They looked damn soundly. On top, chrome aluminum, the vernier body itself corrugated plastic. The lower Werner was responsible for the movement up or down, the average for the movements left and right, but the upper was more interesting. The upper Werner was responsible for the so -called “English effect” or for the “twisted ball”. The player who last touched the ball received a certain degree of control over him and could reject the head of the ball up or down, while at that moment the Werner, who was responsible for this function, was not active at the second player.

At the top in the center of the case are two spinning Werner, small, black.

The left of them is responsible for centering the grid of the field or wall. Moreover, she essentially had no restrictions, she could be moved in a very significant range. And depending on the game, its physical properties changed. In the case of tennis, it was permeable for the ball, in the case of a squash – no, in the case of hockey – there were two nets and they were impenetrable (except for holes/gate).

The right vernier was responsible for the speed of the ball (well, everything is clear here).

There are two sliders under them in the center. They were in no way connected with electronics and were simply an analogue mechanism for calculating glasses. Most likely were left in order not to make changes to the structure of the case of simultaneously produced prefixes.

Below are three more switches. Left has three positions “A” “B” “C” – is responsible for the change of games.

Here is such a bacchanalia with 4 players. For a better understanding. Below the game will be shown in sehmatical images, not screenshots.

A – Smash (Skksh). By itself, selling additional game is put in first place. On the left there was a wall from which the ball bounced off, both players were on the right side of the wall. You can play as yourself with yourself (you do not need Alilujah for the first time a second player), or play with a friend, though the rules for the rest of the glasses come up with yourself.

B – pong (tennis). Well, everything is clear here. We centering the grid, we are located with a friend on different sides (which was not curious program restrictions on the location of the players, you could easily run into a strange half of the game field).

C – hockey. In this mode, the walls were located along the edges of the screen, in each wall there was a hole in the center – the gate. The task of each player was to drive the ball into the wrong gate.

The right one had positions marked with numbers 2 and 4. As you already guessed, this switch was responsible for the number of "players". And this is the most controversial part of the prefix. Players in advertising booklets and technical documentation were meant not people sitting behind the prefix (only two could be physically), but the number of platforms repulsing the ball on the TV screen. When the "4" mode is turned on – two additional platforms appeared on the screen. They were static in a horizontal plane, but repeated the movements of the players vertically, but with some slowdown (lag). Whether it was necessary or interesting? Given the device of the consoles of that time, of course, this was the innovation and diversity. Is it possible to call it the "first console for 4 players" – it is unlikely.

Below these two switches was the console power button. By the way, it was loaded instantly. No logo of the company, downloads, screensavers – the toggle switch clicked and the ball is already flying on the screen.

This was the first Pro world version of the gaming console. At the present time, her dignity seem literally ridiculous and ridiculous, but I suspect that the perception in 75 was slightly different.

The release of improved versions of any products is not a new trend in the world market, but it was new for the game console industry. And Ralph Baer deservedly adds to his rank the inventor of the first game console – the title of man ahead of Sony from their "Promotion".