VTech CreatiVision
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2015) |
TI SN76489 | |
| Controller input | Joystick/membrane keypad controllers |
|---|---|
| Successor | VTech Socrates |
The VTech CreatiVision is a hybrid computer and home video game console introduced by VTech in 1981 and released in 1982 during the second generation of video game consoles. It cost $295 Australian Dollars in Australia.[1] The hybrid unit was similar in concept to computers such as the APF Imagination Machine,[2] the older VideoBrain Family Computer, and to a lesser extent the Intellivision game console and Coleco Adam computer, all of which anticipated the trend of video game consoles becoming more like low-end computers. It was discontinued in 1986.[3][1]
History
The CreatiVision was distributed in many European countries, including most German-speaking countries like West Germany, Austria and Switzerland and also Italy, South Africa, in Israel under the Educat 2002 name, as well as in Australia and New Zealand under the Dick Smith Wizzard name. Other names for the system (all officially produced by VTech themselves) include the FunVision Computer Video Games System, Hanimex Rameses (both released in Australia and New Zealand) and VZ 2000 (planned for release in France, likely unreleased). All CreatiVision and similar clones were designed for use with PAL standard television sets, except the Japanese CreatiVision (distributed by Cheryco) which was NTSC and is nowadays much sought after by collectors. However, the US release was planned but never sold efficiently.
The CreatiVision console sports an
The CreatiVision was discontinued in late 1985/early 1986.[3][1]
A computer was produced by VTech in 1984-1986, based on CreatiVision hardware and compatible with most of its games: Laser 2001, which is also sold in West Germany and was brought to France. It was also available in
A module to allow ColecoVision games to be played was designed for use with the CreatiVision Mark-2 model (a later revision of the 1st model, incorporating hardware changes specifically designed to make the Coleco-module work). Before being produced, the module was modified internally and released for use on the Laser 2001 and Manager computers only. A special adaptor (homebrew) would be needed to make the Coleco-module work on the CreatiVision Mark-2.
List of games
In some regions, the console and its games were distributed by different companies, such as
There were 18 titles known to have been released.
- Background shading indicates games that were reissued in 1985.
| # | Title | AKA title(s) | Genre(s) | Clone of | Release year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air/Sea Attack |  Submarine Air/Sea Battle |
Fixed shooter |
1981 | |
| 2 | Astro Pinball | Pinball | None | 1982 | |
| 3 | Auto Chase | Car Chase |
Driving |
Rally-X | 1981 |
| 4 | BASIC Interpreter 1.0 | None | None | 1982 | |
| 5 | Chopper Rescue | Scrolling shooter |
1983 | ||
| 6 | Crazy Chicky | Crazy Paku |
Maze | Pac-Man (with modified gameplay) | 1982 |
| 7 | Crazy Pucker[note 1] | Maze | Pac-Man | 1981 | |
| 8 | Deep Sea Adventure | Scrolling shooter |
Defender | 1982 | |
| 9 | Locomotive | Platformer |
BurgerTime | 1983 | |
| 10 | Mouse Puzzle | Puzzle | Loco-Motion | 1982 | |
| 11 | Music Maker | Music | None | 1983 | |
| 12 | Planet Defender | Earth Defense Force (Chikyū Bōeigun)Galaxy Defender |
Scrolling shooter | Defender | 1981 |
| 13 | Police Jump | Platformer |
Donkey Kong |
1982 | |
| 14 | Soccer | Sports |
None | 1983 | |
| 15 | Sonic Invader | Invaders |
Fixed shooter |
Space Invaders | 1981 |
| 16 | Stone Age | Puzzle | Pengo | 1984 | |
| 17 | Tank Attack | Tank Battle |
Multi-directional shooter |
Combat (video game) | 1981 |
| 18 | Tennis | Who's for Tennis? |
Sports |
None | 1981 |
Notes
- ^ Crazy Pucker was reissued with two different titles; Crazy Chewy and Crazy Moonie.
References
- ^ a b c d "CreatiVision by VTech – The Video Game Kraken". Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ "VTech CreatiVision - Player's Choice Video Games". www.playerschoicevideogames.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ a b c d "OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum". 2010-11-21. Archived from the original on 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
External links
- CreatiVEmu: CreatiVision Emulation Central
- Creativision Datasette Interface
- VTech Creativision - Dark Watcher's Console History at the Wayback Machine (archived September 26, 2009)
- Video Game Console Library database entry
- 20th Century Retro Games entry (Gallery page for many VTech CreatiVision models and regional variants.)
- Retrospective: A Tale Of Dick Smith’s Wizzard (AUSRETROGAMER E-Zine. May 9, 2016 By Aaron Clement.)