The REAL first handheld game console with color!

[physics223]

I'm just so proud I have finally gotten of this baby after a long time looking! It wasn't cheap, but it was worth it! :)

This is my beloved baby! (http://animeotaku.animeblogger.net/2010/06/whats-the-first-handheld-console-with-color-its-not-what-you-think/)

I hope you enjoy the post and the pictures! Leave comments if you can~ ;)

[arcadecup]

Congrats! I am surprised the manufacturer didn’t mention color on the box... You would think that would be an excellent marketing key word.

I am interested in the screen technology. Was it true color or were overlays used?.

Very cool find.. Congratulations!. Such a cool feeling finding ones own grails. :)

[physics223]

I believe it was overlays used. But it is the first handheld with color, preceding the Atari Lynx by six years!

[old_skoolin_jim]

Ha cool, I didn't even know that existed. Nice!
Thanks for the history lesson. :D

[InsaneDavid]

Cool item.

[physics223]

It's really cool. It was pretty advanced for its age.

[pepharytheworm]

I believe it was overlays used. But it is the first handheld with color, preceding the Atari Lynx by six years!

How does using overlays make this the first color hand held?

[Greg2600]

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Misc/PalmtexSuperMicro.htm

Using overlays is not "color." That said, very interesting console nonetheless.

[Baloo]

Yeah, since this uses overlays, it doesn't really count. Cool obscure item though.

[jb143]

So...wait, does it use overlays or...underlays? It's hard to tell but just from reading the various descriptions online, it looks like the lcd is letting you see the various parts of the "overlay"? Pretty neat concept but I'm still a bit confused as to how it's actually working.

[sidnotcrazy]

Cool item, Looks like it is somehow related to the Microvision.

But yeah, overlays don't really count. If they did the Vectrex would have beaten this to market by a year. Vectrex was releassed in 1982 in November.

[retroman]

nice find...would like to have it in my collection. But, i also agree that its not color...overlays dont count.

[Gunface]

great find, I'm jealous! :)

[Eyedunno]

Well I say it counts. Just like how the Game Boy is the first color LCD handheld with interchangeable cartridges, as long as you glue some colored cellophane over the screen. LOL

And

the three games that consist its library
SYNTAX ERROR

[Leo_A]

Cool item, Looks like it is somehow related to the Microvision.

But yeah, overlays don't really count. If they did the Vectrex would have beaten this to market by a year. Vectrex was releassed in 1982 in November.

The Vectrex isn't a handheld.

[Greg2600]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYJrodPdlr0

Video I see that physics223 posted a few months ago.

[Arkhan]

The Vectrex isn't a handheld.

It is if you got big hands.

[physics223]

So...wait, does it use overlays or...underlays? It's hard to tell but just from reading the various descriptions online, it looks like the lcd is letting you see the various parts of the "overlay"? Pretty neat concept but I'm still a bit confused as to how it's actually working.

I don't really understand myself. All I am is glad to finally have it, lol. :)


Cool item, Looks like it is somehow related to the Microvision.

But yeah, overlays don't really count. If they did the Vectrex would have beaten this to market by a year. Vectrex was releassed in 1982 in November.

I really don't think that the Vectrex is a handheld. It's just too big. The same thing goes with the Adventure Vision. They're more of tabletops than handhelds, really.


Well I say it counts. Just like how the Game Boy is the first color LCD handheld with interchangeable cartridges, as long as you glue some colored cellophane over the screen. LOL

And

SYNTAX ERROR

What was wrong with 'the three games that consist its library'? I used 'its' to pertain to the Super Micro.

[Gameguy]

The Vectrex isn't a handheld.
It's still a portable system, that's what the Dutch box says.


http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/728/boxum.jpg

[physics223]

The Adventure Vision was portable, too, but it wasn't a handheld. Ah, I don't want to go into semantics, just that I personally think the Vectrex is not a handheld.

[Compute]

Nice find. Great article, too. Not much for gfx, but I'm a bit fan of any game where..


The excitement of victory can be found in the celerity of thought.

I like how everything at this time was a "computer." Microwaves, cars, computers, everything had "computer" somewhere on the box. Nowadays shit that IS a computer (i.e. iPad, smart phones) is not called a computer.

[Leo_A]

It's still a portable system, that's what the Dutch box says.


http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/728/boxum.jpg

Because it's a self contained unit. It's portable just like if they advertised on the box of the Genesis 3 or PSOne about the portability of each because of their lightweight and small size.

That doesn't make it a handheld in the same category as a GameBoy or Atari Lynx to the rest of the world which is how you were trying to portray it as.

And even if you want to argue that it can be considered a portable game console, by 99.99% of most folk's definitions of a portable, a portable has to be a handheld game unit. Something weighing 15 pounds (With the dimensions of 9¾ x 11½ x 14½" with a 9x11" screen) with separate controllers that also has to be plugged into a wall outlet for power isn't a handheld.

[physics223]

Nice find. Great article, too. Not much for gfx, but I'm a bit fan of any game where..

I like how everything at this time was a "computer." Microwaves, cars, computers, everything had "computer" somewhere on the box. Nowadays shit that IS a computer (i.e. iPad, smart phones) is not called a computer.

Thanks!

It was a time where computers were a novelty to the general populace and so marketers wanted to capitalize on this. :wink 2:

Heh! You used one of the statements I wrote as your signature! I'm flattered. Thanks.

[swlovinist]

Nice find, very rare, and what a great collection piece.

[physics223]

Nice find, very rare, and what a great collection piece.

Thank you!

I don't really just want to collect handhelds for the sake of it. I aimed to obtain this because I wanted to play it. For a twenty-seven year old handheld, it's really good stuff.

[sidnotcrazy]

The Vectrex isn't a handheld.


Your're right. I just consider any self contained system part of the portable market. Which includes handheld systems.

[physics223]

On that note, while the Atari Lynx is (and most of us can agree on this) the first handheld game console with a real color screen, is there any before the Super Micro that can be considered as a handheld game console with color?

Legitimately speaking, I have not read of anything even close to the Super Micro in terms of being a handheld console with color overlays. There was the Microvision, and then there was the Super Micro. It just really came out at the wrong place and the wrong time, because otherwise more people would have known of this and it would have been more popular.

[vintagegamecrazy]

Very nice collectible there. I would love to have one myself.

[rik1138]

Technically, this isn't a color handheld in the sense of people saying 'Lynx was the first color system' or whatever. They are referring to a true color screen where each pixel can actually CHANGE color, on it's own...

Calling this a 'color handheld' is kind of like stating the Vectrex is also a handheld... :) You have to set a definition somewhere...

But, it is still a pretty neat toy... As we've discussed a lot already. :)


So...wait, does it use overlays or...underlays? It's hard to tell but just from reading the various descriptions online, it looks like the lcd is letting you see the various parts of the "overlay"? Pretty neat concept but I'm still a bit confused as to how it's actually working.

The LCD screen is just a grid of squares, and it's part of the base, not the cartridge. The cartridge has the color 'underlay' (it is seen through the LCD), as well as the chip with the game code. On the game I have (React Attack), the LCD completely blacks out except for a few small areas that might show as different colors (due to the underlay), and game play is based on what you can see. (This can be seen in the YouTube video.)

Think Microvision, but the cartridge goes behind the screen and it's back-lit...


On that note, while the Atari Lynx is (and most of us can agree on this) the first handheld game console with a real color screen, is there any before the Super Micro that can be considered as a handheld game console with color?

Legitimately speaking, I have not read of anything even close to the Super Micro in terms of being a handheld console with color overlays. There was the Microvision, and then there was the Super Micro. It just really came out at the wrong place and the wrong time, because otherwise more people would have known of this and it would have been more popular.

Vtech Variety:
http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Vtech/Variety.htm
Also came out in 1983, and technically had color graphics if we are talking about overlays...

And, it might be a stretch, but even Microvision did have color on the overlays that sat on top of the screen... Like this one:
http://www.handheldmuseum.com/MB/MVVegas.htm
:D

I'll bring mine to CGE if anyone wants to try it out...

Rik

[physics223]

Very nice collectible there. I would love to have one myself.

Yeah, I'm proud.


Technically, this isn't a color handheld in the sense of people saying 'Lynx was the first color system' or whatever. They are referring to a true color screen where each pixel can actually CHANGE color, on it's own...

Calling this a 'color handheld' is kind of like stating the Vectrex is also a handheld... :) You have to set a definition somewhere...

But, it is still a pretty neat toy... As we've discussed a lot already. :)

Hahaha! You also post here?!


The LCD screen is just a grid of squares, and it's part of the base, not the cartridge. The cartridge has the color 'underlay' (it is seen through the LCD), as well as the chip with the game code. On the game I have (React Attack), the LCD completely blacks out except for a few small areas that might show as different colors (due to the underlay), and game play is based on what you can see. (This can be seen in the YouTube video.)

Think Microvision, but the cartridge goes behind the screen and it's back-lit...

Vtech Variety:
http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Vtech/Variety.htm
Also came out in 1983, and technically had color graphics if we are talking about overlays...

And, it might be a stretch, but even Microvision did have color on the overlays that sat on top of the screen... Like this one:
http://www.handheldmuseum.com/MB/MVVegas.htm
:D

I'll bring mine to CGE if anyone wants to try it out...

Rik

Yeah, but the characters and stuff there are still black! I mean, they're impressive consoles for their time but unlike the Super Micro the color isn't really in the whole screen but in its background.

I can see your point, however. :)

[jb143]

Your're right. I just consider any self contained system part of the portable market. Which includes handheld systems.

http://i46.tinypic.com/ih8dv7.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpg

[physics223]

I laughed, haha.

[Gameguy]

http://i46.tinypic.com/ih8dv7.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpg
The world's first portable colour computer. It weighed 23 pounds and had to be plugged in.
http://oldcomputers.net/sx64.html


http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2933/sx64.jpg

[Leo_A]

http://i46.tinypic.com/ih8dv7.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpghttp://i50.tinypic.com/rs8kdi.jpg

I guess in Sidnotcrazy's world, that's the first color portable. :)

Personally, I'd say anyone that thinks of the Vextrex as a portable is crazy. ;)

[physics223]

I really cannot think of the Vectrex as a handheld. It's portable (in the sense that you can bring it around), sure, but then, so is that portable computer.

[jb143]

The world's first portable colour computer. It weighed 23 pounds and had to be plugged in.


Yup, though I think luggable was what they were jokingly refered to. My point however was that self contained does not a portable make.

[physics223]

I don't think anyone would disagree that the Vectrex is the first luggable game console with color. :D

[Gameguy]

Yup, though I think luggable was what they were jokingly refered to. My point however was that self contained does not a portable make.
I feel that there's a difference between portables and handhelds. All handhelds are also portables, but not all portables are handhelds. Plenty of portable systems I wouldn't take along as they're still too big, like the Virtual Boy which actually does run on batteries. Even some handhelds I feel are too big to just take along, like the Game Gear.

[physics223]

The Atari Lynx is bigger than the Game Gear, though. I remember it occupying much of my small backpack when I brought it somewhere, lol.

[Eyedunno]

What was wrong with 'the three games that consist its library'? I used 'its' to pertain to the Super Micro.
I was looking at "consist" rather than "its". "Comprise" would work, but not "consist", which is an intransitive verb. Something can't consist something else (though a library can consist OF three games).

[physics223]

I was looking at "consist" rather than "its". "Comprise" would work, but not "consist", which is an intransitive verb. Something can't consist something else (though a library can consist OF three games).

Ah, noted. I will correct it. Thank you. :)

[Nero 99]

Wow! its like an old ancient cal culator. Does it use carts or are the games built in?

[physics223]

Wow! its like an old ancient cal culator. Does it use carts or are the games built in?

It has carts. Mine is Outflank, but there are two others: React Attack and Aladdin's Adventures.

[lkermel]

Waooo, this is a great find, I also really liked your article - and I agree with some of you, overlays don't really make it a color handheld console...

[Enigmus]

I don't think anyone would disagree that the Vectrex is the first luggable game console with color. :D

Actually, a color Vectrex was being worked on (http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ejmorg/vectrex/VecColor.htm) before it was pulled from the market due to failure and there is a test unit with red and yellow coloring that was found last year.

[physics223]

Actually, a color Vectrex was being worked on (http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ejmorg/vectrex/VecColor.htm) before it was pulled from the market due to failure and there is a test unit with red and yellow coloring that was found last year.

That's what I was talking about. It was featured in HandheldMuseum that there was a prototypical Color Vectrex, and Rik got it to work. :)


Waooo, this is a great find, I also really liked your article - and I agree with some of you, overlays don't really make it a color handheld console...

I'm proud of it. This has been my grail, haha, and I'm glad I finally found it.