Tandy Video Information System

[cyberfluxor]

Any VIS collectors out there?

At a local thrift store a whole bunch of sealed games showed up:


I did a little research on-line and found some cool information about the system and games, but the problem is desirability and rarity. I ended up buying the following three:


For $5/each it is what I felt like gambling with, but a majority of the titles are educational. I doubt dropping $100+ on the rest is worth it especially since I have yet to see a system to even play them on. I suppose there are dumps of Modular Windows installs out there to drop on another Tandy system or emulate. Anybody know what these are even worth?

[Steve W]

I think it's a bit of an over-exaggeration to refer to VIS titles as "games", although you seem to have lucked into the only actual game released for the system, The Manhole (which to me always sounds a bit horrible, like an unsubtle name of a gay bar or something). And statistically speaking, with seven billion people on the face of the Earth, there has to be somebody who hardcore collects for the VIS but I've never met or heard of them. The VIS wasn't a game system, it was a glorified CR-ROM encyclopedia machine that could do other simplistic things, which made it perfect for kids. I've got one that I've never used, and since the Tandy Corporation is based nearby, I have come across little pockets of titles here and there. It's not worth actively seeking out, and five bucks for a title is the absolute farthest end of the price spectrum I personally would ever pay for them. I can't imagine that they would be worth much on eBay, although I'm not an expert.

Keep the games as a curiosity. I've got a few things like that, like a Neo•Geo CD game. It's a topic of conversation, at the least.

[Cornelius]

VGA that bitch! --> 2k monies!!!!!!

[cyberfluxor]

Yup, not much of a following I suppose. You are correct that a majority of the releases are interactive with an educational focus on early childhood development, not so much your typical video game. The Manhole appears to be a point & click adventure, Rick Ribbit teaches basic pre-Kindergarten lessons (counting, object matching, colors, directions, etc.), and Mutanoid Math Challenge features game board puzzles and a number of math problems. The few videos remind me of the Philips CD-i so that's why I was curious about other collectors on here. No VIS unit has shown up thus far at the store and am doubting one will, but I would certainly pick it up if it does.

[xelement5x]

I wonder if the Manhole for this is the same as the PC Engine game. Always a weird title either way.

[Gameguy]

I wonder if the Manhole for this is the same as the PC Engine game. Always a weird title either way.

It is the same game. I have no idea if this Tandy version is worth anything though.

[VideoGameVet]

It is the same game. I have no idea if this Tandy version is worth anything though.

Tandy version is similar to PC and FM Towns version. All running on MADE, the game engine that eventually was used for The Return to Zork.

VIS would be the slower running game though, the FM Towns was vastly superior.