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 A Microvision with Block Buster cartridge inserted | |
| Also known as | Milton Bradley Microvision MB Microvision |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Milton Bradley Company |
| Type | Handheld game console |
| Generation | Second generation |
| Release date | November 1979 |
| Introductory price | US$49.99 (equivalent to about $210 in 2023) |
| Discontinued | 1981 |
| Media | ROM cartridges |
| CPU | Intel 8021/TI TMS1100 (on cartridge) clocked at 100 kHz |
| Memory | 64 bytes RAM, 2K ROM |
| Display | 16 × 16 pixels resolution |
| Power | 1 × 9V battery (TMS1100 processors), 2 × 9V battery (Intel 8021 processors) |
The Microvision (aka Milton Bradley Microvision or MB Microvision) is the first handheld game console that used interchangeable cartridges[1][2] and in that sense is reprogrammable.[3] It was released by the Milton Bradley Company in November 1979[4] for a retail price of $49.99,[5][6] equivalent to $212.00 in 2023.
The Microvision was designed by Jay Smith, the engineer who would later design the Vectrex video game console.[2] The Microvision's combination of portability and a cartridge-based system led to moderate success, with Smith Engineering grossing $15 million in the first year of the system's release. However, very few cartridges, a small screen, and a lack of support from established home video game companies led to its demise in 1981.[7] According to Satoru Okada, the former head of Nintendo's R&D1 Department, the Microvision gave birth to Game Boy, the follow-up to Game & Watch, after Nintendo designed around Microvision's limitations.[8]
- ^ Sfetcu, Nicolae (2014-05-04). Game Preview. Nicolae Sfetcu.
- ^ a b "Cribsheet No. 15: Milton Bradley's Microvision". Next Generation. No. 40. Imagine Media. April 1998. p. 25.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ www.lookingtodraw.com, MICHAEL J. BARNES, ILTD DESIGN SERVICES. "PC Timeline. The Freeman PC Museum... Largest Collection of Vintage Computers On The Web". Retrieved 22 January 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Microvision by Milton Bradley – The Video Game Kraken". Retrieved 2020-08-06.
- ^ Donald Melanson, March 3, 2006, A Brief History of Handheld Video Games Engadget
- ^ Barder, Ollie (December 31, 2016). "New Interview With Satoru Okada Delves Into The Hidden History Behind Nintendo's Gaming Handhelds". Forbes.com. Retrieved 22 January 2017.