Pixter was among the first portable handheld touch screen drawing toys for children invented by Rehco, LLC and marketed by Fisher Price from 2000 through 2007. Pixter was pre-programmed with fun content and repeatable play. Pixter also could accept cartridge-based games and other activities. Pixter was originally marketed successfully with a black-and-white display but later was upgraded to a color display.
Inspired by the Apple Newton, the Pixter line has become something of an obscurity, with little information left on the internet about the history of it, sales records, original pricing, release dates, etc. It also included licensed content from Nickelodeon, Disney, Cartoon Network, BBC, etc.
The Pixter remains, as of 2017, the second to last console Mattel has released, after the HyperScan, but the Pixter is Fisher Price's first and only handheld game system.
Gameplay
editThe original Pixter had a black and white LCD display. Its touch-sensitive LCD screen was activated by a drawing stylus. It used 4 AA batteries.
Models
edit
Pixter (2000-2002)
editThe original Pixter came in several colors, but otherwise they are the same unit.[1]
Pixter Plus (2002)
editSimilar to the original Pixter, except with a "Plus" subcategory of 10 additional activities in the Pixter's main menu and 20 times more storage space than the original Pixter unit.[4] It also has a flexible screen light.[5]
Pixter 2.0 (2003)
editPlayed the same cartridges as the original, but included digital drawing and quick-paint tools, as well as a wireless link. The wireless link could be used to send messages and pictures between other Pixter 2.0's. It used 4 AA batteries.[6]
Pixter Color (2003-2005)
editPixter Color is similar to the original Pixter, but with 128 colors and double the screen resolution. It used newer cartridges that could not be used with the original Pixter. With the use of an adapter, Pixter Color could play original Pixter titles. It used 4 AA batteries. The main menu of the system contains 2 unique music tracks, but outside of games or the home menu music is not implemented.[7]
The system uses a custom built LH75411 system, with a 70 MHz ARM7TDMI CPU, and 32 Kilobytes of SRAM, working as Random Access Memory and storage for one picture at a time in local memory.[8]
Pocket Pixter (2004-2006)
editThe Pocket Pixters were key-chain sized dedicated consoles that included a drawing program centered around a theme and a built-in game. They used three Button Cell (LR44) batteries.[9]
Editions
editPixter Multi-media system (2005)
editThe Pixter Multi-Media System reportedly had 100 creative tools, games, and activities-built in, including a touch screen with stylus and had streaming video capabilities. There were also exclusive cartridges available for the system. It used 4 AA batteries.[14]
Games/media released
editPixter, 2.0, Plus
edit- Action Art
- Arcade
- Art Safari
- Barbie: Fashion Show
- Cool Wheels
- Crazy Word Factory
- Dino Draw
- Dinosaurs Adventure
- Discovery Kids
- Disney Fun
- Enchanted Princess
- Learning Fun
- Monster Shop
- Music Studio
- Music Video
- On the Go Games
- Rescue Heroes: Mission Masters
- Rocket Power
- SpongeBob SquarePants: Aqua Adventure
- Sports
- Story Composer
- The Powerpuff Girls
- Toy Designer
Color
edit- Alphabet Forest
- Arcade
- Arthur's Birthday
- Barbie Fashion Show
- Barbie Writing
- Cars
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- Color Pixter Digital Camera[15]
- Creative Genius
- Cyberchase
- Dino Draw
- Dora the Explorer
- Global Passport
- Hot Wheels
- Just Grandma and Me
- Math Mansion
- Pet Shop
- Puzzles and Games
- Rescue Heroes
- Scooby-Doo[16]
- SpongeBob Squarepants Color Aqua Adventure
- Spongebob Squarepants 2: Math Mania
- Starter Learner Game
- Symphony Painter
- Teen Titans
- The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
- The Angry Beavers
- The Fairly OddParents
- Word Island
- ¡Mucha Lucha![17]
Multimedia system
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
| Title | Released |
|---|---|
| The Best of Dora with Cartoon Creator Software | 2005[18] |
| The Best of Monster Jam World Finals 4 with Video Creator Software | 2005[19] |
| The Best of SpongeBob SquarePants with Cartoon Creator Software | 2005[20] |
| The Best of Winter X Games with Video Creator Software | 2005[21] |
| Walking with Dinosaurs with Scene Creator Software | 2005[22] |
| Winx Club with Scene Creator Software | 2005[23] |
| Yu-Gi-Oh (potentially lost media) | 2005 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Green Pixter™". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Purple Pixter™". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Pixter". Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Pixter plus". 19 November 2009.
- ^ Liam (December 2017). "Pixter Plus 73678". electronictoy.pro. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Pixter 2.0". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Pixter® Color". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Pixter - eLinux.org". elinux.org. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
- ^ a b "POCKET Pixter® Fashion". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "POCKET Pixter® Pets". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "POCKET Pixter® Sports". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "POCKET Pixter® Dino". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "POCKET Pixter® Hearts". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Multi-Media Pixter (Silver)". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Mattel and Fisher-Price Customer Center".
- ^ "Color Pixter Scooby-Doo Software". m.service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Color Pixter® Software Mucha Lucha". m.service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "Fisher Price - Video Pixter - Dora the Explorer Software". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- ^ "Pixter video software 'Monster Jam World Finals 4' for Pixter Multi-Media System". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- ^ "Pixter MultiMedia System The Best of SpongeBob SquarePants Video Software - New 27084279030". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- ^ "NEW Video Pixter Winter X-Games H9817 Software Fisher Price 2005 FREE SHIPPING! 27084282948". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- ^ "PIXTER Game Software BBC Walking with Dinosaurs Video Creator NEW". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
- ^ "PIXTER Game Software Winx Club Video Creator NEW". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.