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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]
 | |
 VTech CreatiVision | |
| Manufacturer | VTech |
|---|---|
| Type | Home video game console/Home computer |
| Generation | Second generation |
| Release date | 1982 (Hong Kong) |
| Discontinued | Early 1986 |
| CPU | Rockwell 6502 @ 2 MHz |
| Memory | 1 Kb RAM, 16 Kb VRAM |
| Storage | Cassette tapes |
| Removable storage | ROM cartridges |
| Graphics | Texas Instruments TMS 9918/9929 |
| Sound | TI SN76489 |
| Controller input | Joystick/membrane keypad controllers |
| Successor | VTech Socrates |
History
editThe 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 8-bit Rockwell 6502 CPU at a speed of 2 MHz, 1KB of RAM and 16KB of Video RAM, and has a graphics resolution of 256 × 192 with 16 colors and 32 sprites.[3][1] The console has two integrated joystick/membrane keypad controllers (much like the ColecoVision and Atari 5200) which, when set in a special compartment on top of the console, can be used as a computer keyboard. The CreatiVision has interfaces for a cassette player, an extra rubber keyboard, parallel I/O interface, floppy disk drive and modem (likely unreleased) and one memory expansion module for use with the Basic language cartridge. Any Centronics-compatible printer can be connected to the I/O module if present.
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 Finland through Salora, with the name of Manager.[3] The Manager had a Finnish keyboard layout and character set.
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
editIn some regions, the console and its games were distributed by different companies, such as Cheryco in Japan, and Hanimex in Australia. VTech reissued several previous existing games in 1985.
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 |
Maze, 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
edit- ^ Crazy Pucker was reissued with two different titles; Crazy Chewy and Crazy Moonie.
References
edit- ^ 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
edit
- 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.)