First multicart ever?

[Nicola]

For my work (book) I was wondering, which is the first multicart? When this innovation first appeared? Any system. And I don't mean pongs, but true cart systems.
Any info is much appreciated!

[tom]

The Magnavox Odyssey (1972) carts were (mostly) all multi carts, eg:

Game card # 1: Table Tennis
Game card # 2: Ski, Simon Says
Game card # 3: Tennis, Analogic, Hockey, Football (passing & kicking)
Game card # 4: Cat and Mouse, Football (running), Haunted House
Game card # 5: Submarine
Game card # 6: Roulette, States

Some might argue they were Pongs, decide yourself!

[lkermel]

I'm not sure who came first on that. But HES released several of them for the Atari 2600... those are the first I can think of...

[tom]

Of course the Fairchild, a true cart system, had multicarts, example:
Videocart 1: Tic-Tac-Toe, Shooting Gallery, Doodle, Quadra Doodle


Many true cart style Pong style consoles had Multicarts

Radofin:
Superstar cart ...10 exciting Sports Action Games

Teleng:
TCS cart 1: Sportsworld

So multi carts were around since mid 70s by all accounts

[rik1138]

That might also depend on what you mean by 'multicart'.
1- Any cartridge with two (or more) independent games of any kind.
Or
2- A cartridge that contains two (or more) independent games that are (or were) also available as seperate carts.

I tend to think of a multi-cart as the second option above (and I know there were some of these for the 2600, not sure about earlier systems). If it was just a cartridge with multiple games on it (and that cart is the only way to get those games), then I kind of think of it as a multi-game cartridge...

Rik

[rbudrick]

Considering there were different overlays for the same cards, the Odyssey was the first. Take that as you will.

-Rob

[Nicola]

But the first multicart that "collects" games previously sold separately?

[MrRoboto19XX]

But the first multicart that "collects" games previously sold separately?

Id say one of the Xonox double-enders for the 2600.

Just a guess though.

[slapdash]

But the first multicart that "collects" games previously sold separately?

Id say one of the Xonox double-enders for the 2600.

Not a bad guess I suppose, except maybe that those games were not previously sold separately, but at the same time.

I don't have a good idea as to what WOULD be the first though... Quite possibly some pirate 2600 cart!

[rik1138]

I think it would be okay if the individual carts were available at the same time, just as long as they were available.

I know of the Xonox carts, the Dactar 2-in-1 and 4-in-1 carts (are these considered bootlegs?) and the 32-in-1 2600 cart. Unfortunately, I don't really know the dates of their release... I'm sure there's more, that's just what I can think of at the moment...

[Nicola]

The Xonox were first sold in combinations. Later they were distributed separately.