Anyone else collect Microvision?

[spoon]

I was thinking about getting one, and the games. Any advice? What I should look for/ good deals/hard to find? I have the Dp guiude, just curious about others experiences.

Thanks

[den68]

I have all this:

http://www.quikey-c.com/den1/elements/micro.JPG

I found it all on 2 occasions. all the games a couple months ago and the unit about 2 years ago. I spent a grand total of about $8 bucks for all you see. Stumbled upon them at a thrift store. I was lucky I guess as rarely seen Microvision stuff anywhere else. well, except ebay of course.

the only other time I've come across anything was a boxed Sea Duel at a toy show. they wanted $15 bucks for it.

It's a cool thing to have as a conversation piece and for it's significance in gaming history but if you want one to play don't bother.

there's a bunch on the bay right now for fairly cheap.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=microvision&ht=1&sosortproperty=1&from=R10&BasicSearch=

[Videogamerdaryll]

Oh yes..I collect Microvisions and games..I like this system a lot..



Ok..Here's what I have..
I have another two put away that I need to fix the switches on...and some non working units..
This is my working Microvision stuff I have on display..
In the Unit boxes is a lot of paperwork and the backings top some of the boxed games..
At one time I was going crazy bidding on Microvision stuff.

I was buying them cheap and tryong to repair them..

One of the Microvisions I have,has a smaller knob then any other unit I have ever seen..or have..

After I finish some other collections I'll get back into this..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/Chris1/Microvisioncollection.jpg

[Videogamerdaryll]

Damn Double post..

[Zadoc]

I collect for Microvision, and I love it. I simply adore my little system. It's simple, yet beautiful and breath-taking.

Here is my Microvision collection: http://www.consolecity.com/user.php?system_id=41&genre_id=&action=collection&member_id=300&start=0&limit=25&sort=g.game_title&region_array=a%253A0%253A%257B%257D

Note that I have both Phaser Strike and Star Trek: Phaser Strike. "Phaser Strike" was a bidding war too. It's much more rare.

I also just won the rarest Microvision game off of eBay, Super Blockbuster:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=110074710806&rd=1&rd=1


Fairly cheap too. All that is left for me now is Cosmic Hunter and I will have a complete collection. I only saw Hunter on eBay one time, and it sold for $50+ in a nasty bid war.

My system is complete, and so are most of my games. I have none that are loose, but one or two are missing the booklet. All are boxed.

[ianoid]

Sweet deal on the Super Casse Brique!

I didn't realize there was a Phaser Strike variant. I'll have to look out for it.

Did anyone ever figure out if there's a way to fix the screens? I would say they are 5 to 1 screen rot to working. If not worse. I have some other rotted LCDs- Mattel Long Bomb Football is constantly rotted. Never seen one with a good screen to play.

[Slate]

Oh yes..I collect Microvisions and games..I like this system a lot..

I have to dig out a pic..

Ok..Here's what I have..
I have another two put away that I need to fix the switches on...and some non working units..
This is my working Microvision stuff I have on display..
In the Unit boxes is a lot of paperwork and the backings top some of the boxed games..
At one time I was going crazy bidding on Microvision stuff.

I was buying them cheap and tryong to repair them..

One of the Microvisions I have,has a smaller knob then any other unit I have ever seen..or have..

After I finish some other collections I'll get back into this..
http://www.imagemagician.org/images/cokegirl/95188.jpg

:image:

[Zadoc]

Sweet deal on the Super Casse Brique!

I think that Super Casse Brique, the French version, is even more rare.



I didn't realize there was a Phaser Strike variant. I'll have to look out for it.


Ya, in 1982 MB lost the rights to publish the game as "Star Trek," so they simply dropped the license. It's unclear whether the license was revoked, or they just didn't see the need to pay for it any longer.

[rbudrick]

I've been waiting for a Microvision emulator, since the screens blur worse than the original GB.

-Rob

[bangtango]

I used to own one many years ago but only ever had the Bowling game. I thought it was good. It doesn't mean the rest of the library is, though.

[Zadoc]

I used to own one many years ago but only ever had the Bowling game. I thought it was good. It doesn't mean the rest of the library is, though.

A lot of the rest of the library is better. :)

[PapaStu]

:image:

You realise that your complaining about a dead link when that pic was initally posted over 4 years ago right?

[rbudrick]

Pfff, 3.25 years. Getchyer facts straight. ;)

-Rob

[tom]

i just received See Duell, which is Sea Duel. German boxes are bigger than USA boxes, wonder why.


Here's another Super Blockbuster from german ebay, sold for $8.00, that thing is getting cheap:

http://cgi.ebay.de/MicroVision-Super-Blockbuster-8_W0QQitemZ230073712800QQihZ013QQcategoryZ54982QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


at the moment there is a system with games on German ebay, incl Super Blockbuster, $2.00 bid so far.

[Nes]

I got the complete set of games and system (system without box) on ebay sometime in 2005 for around $75.

[vintagegamecrazy]

I have a boxed one with two or three boxed games. I really gotta dig it out again and give it some use.

[tom]

here's a my little collection so far:

http://videogamecollectors.com/gallery/album425

[ganondorf]

Hard to find, but kind of cheap on ebay. I dont because I hear they break to easily.

[Zadoc]

So, Super Blockbuster finally came in the mail. European Microvision games are much better quality than the US counterparts. Better packaging, cooler color (black) and much better hard plastic buttons vs. flimsey plastic screens for US games.

However, I must ask, WTF is the point of this game? Is there a way to not win?

[Zadoc]

I <3 my Microvision!!

I am the proud owner of a 1979 Milton Bradley Microvision.

For those of you who don't know, Microvision was the world's first handheld portable game console - that is, the first to be "reprogrammable." To my knowledge, it would take ten years for a successor, the touted Nintendo Game Boy.

Microvision was and is incredibly innovative and unique. Due to the limited technology of the late 70's and early 80's, this system did not have a color screen. It was a primitive form of LCD. Unfortunately, the screen is very sensitive to heat and other elements, and is prone to a phenomenon known as "Screen Rot." Fortunately, my unit is very minty and the screen works exceptionally well.

Here are some example of Microvision screenshots:



http://media.vgarchive.org/screens/thumbs/000012723.jpg
Sea Duel (Screenshot taking from my unit with a digital cam)

http://www.consolecity.com/screens/thumbs/000012726.jpg
Blockbuster (the pack-in game)

http://www.consolecity.com/screens/thumbs/000012717.jpg
Bowling


To view all Microvision games, click here (http://www.consolecity.com/games.php?system_id=41&genre_id=&start=0&limit=25&region_array=a%253A0%253A%257B%257D).


So, as you can see, many Microvision games used screen overlays to supplement the lack of graphical capabilities.

Here is a pic of the US unit:

http://www.maniacworld.com/game_console_history/Milton-Bradley_Microvision.jpg

One thing that is interesting is that the cartridge is the entire face of the unit. Each cart has custom "buttons" built in, in order to optimize a control scheme for each game.

Also, the "processor" for each game is on the cart its self, optimizing efficiency for the core unit. (This is why there is no Microvision emulation.)

Note: The "paddle" (knob) is built in to the unit, and many games are designed to take advantage of it.

Powered by a 12-volt battery, it has exceptional battery life.

Games

A total of thirteen games were released for the console. I just acquired the 12th game, Super Blockbuster on eBay. Super Blockbuster is the only non-US released game for this system. A 14th game, Barriage, was promoted by was never released an no prototypes are known to exist.

Out of all of them, I personally feel that Sea Duel is the most innovative. The gameplay still shines today. Of course, many other titles have held up well over the years, such as Bowling and Blockbuster.

This handheld game console is a unique peice of history and I would recommend that anyone pick it up. It can be found complete on eBay for usually around $20, sometimes less. Just make sure that your unit has a working screen.

I truly love the unit that I own. Last week I took it out of the box to play it for a while and show it off to a friend, and it didn't work... no power. I was very sad, because I thought that I now had to by a new unit. So, I took it apart and put it back together, and it powered on just fine. Sometimes the pin connectors come loose in the unit. If the unit does not detect a cart, it will not power on. Just realigning the pin connectors can save many Microvisions!

[tom]

>>>>>Zadoc said: To my knowledge, it would take ten years for a successor, the touted Nintendo Game Boy<<<<<

Nope, I'm glad you said...to my knowledge....:

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Epoch/GamePock.htm