Arcadia-2001
Micro Computer System Video Game
Welcome to the wonderful world of the micro-computer EMERSON ARCADIA-2001. This micro-computer will bring you endless hours of fun at home with additional cartridges available at your EMERSON dealer.
Overview
In 1982, Emerson Radio Corporation launched the diminutive Arcadia-2001 into a home console market already crowded by Atari, Mattel, Magnavox, and Coleco. Though they claimed to offer a “high-quality system that combines the playability of Intellivision and the low price of Atari’s VCS,” their competitors had snatched up most of the lucrative arcade partnerships, leaving Emerson to drum up inferior derivatives and obscure licenses like Jungler and Red Clash. A victim of bad timing, poor third-party support, and unremarkable hardware, Emerson's first and only videogame console failed to make an impact before the U.S. market's collapse in 1983. However, it did live on in over a dozen hardware variants released across Europe, Australia, and Japan.
| Specifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Emerson Radio Corporation | ||
| Type | Console | ||
| CPU | Signetics 2650/2650A | ||
| GPU | Signetics 2637N | ||
| RAM | 1KB | ||
| Resolution | 128x208 / 128x104 | ||
| Palette | 9 colors (4 for characters, 4 for sprites, one for background) | ||
| Graphics | 4 single-color hardware sprites | ||
| Sound | Single-channel | ||
| Input | 2x hardwired controllers with 12-input keypad (0–9, clear, enter), two action buttons, and disc control (with screw-in joystick) | ||
| Media | cartridges | ||
| Variants | Schmidt TVG-2000 (Germany) Bandai Arcadia (Japan) Leisure Vision (Canada) Tunix Home Arcade (New Zealand) Hanimex HMG-2650 (Germany/Canada) Grandstand Video Master (New Zealand) Principal MPT-03 Home Entertainment Centre (France) Tempest MPT-03 (Australia) Advision Home Arcade (France) Tchibo Tele-Fever (Germany) GiG Leonardo (Italy) Poppy MPT-03 (Germany) Intelligent Game Home Entertainment Center (U.S.) Prestige MPT-03 (France) Intervision 3001 Home Video Centre (Spain) Rowtron MPT-03 (?) Soundic MPT-03 (Europe) |
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Programming Resources
- Emerson Arcadia 2001 | Orphaned Games
- Emerson Arcadia 2001 Central | Amigan Software
Bibliography
- Henry Cohen, "Emerson Arcadia 2001: A Gamer's Evaluation", Electronic Games (Nov. 1982), p. 100-101, 105 | archive.org
- Sue Adamo, "Hard Sell", Video Games (Dec. 1982) | Videogame Pavilion