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Is this a game console or computer?

D

djkrex

Experienced Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2003
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Location
Oronoco, Minnesota
I just found a Magnavox Odyssey 2 microprocessor or at least that is what it's called. I don't have any doc. with it and don't know if it ever allowed the user to write programs. Was it just for playing game carts? Seems a waste to have a keyboard for just games. Without any I/O, it would be a bummer to key in your programs every you turned it on. I havn't been able to even try it yet because the TV wire was pulled out and it didn't come with any cartridges.
 
Vlad wrote:

Game Console

That's an interesting load down Wikipedia has on Games Consoles. Naturally when I saw the name Magnavox I was thinking Lightguns and Screen Overlays for the games. Though that's the First Generation Odyssey.

It's a bit strange Atari putting the 5200 in the same generation as the 2600 though don't you reckon?
 
The keyboard on the Oddysey2 was like a publicity stunt. Very similar to how Commodore advertised the C64 to parents, saying they'll play computer games on it when they're young & then take the thing to college to write term papers on, etc.
 
It's unfortunate, as while the BASIC cartridge released for the Odyssey2 was a fairly robust implementation of the language with nice documentation, there indeed was no way to save your creations to tape. They should have done something like was done with the Bally Astocade's second revision of BASIC where the cassette interface was directly on the cartridge.

Even though the keyboard is perfectly flat and smooth, you can actually touch type on the thing. It actually works better than many chiclet keyboards.

I believe the European version of the Odyssey2, the VideoPAC received an add-on module that make the BASIC implementation more robust, including with a way to save and load tapes.
 
maxinflixion said:
All I remember about the Odyssey was playing Munch Man on it MONTHS before Pac Man was available for any other consoles. You could make your own mazes too.
Click to expand...

KC Munchkin! was actually a wonderful reimagining of the Pac-Man maze concept and far better than most other clones. KC Munchkin! was the Odyssey2's fastest selling game and a genuine hit, but Atari sued Magnavox since Atari had exclusive home rights to Pac-Man. The judge found in Magnavox's favor. Unfortunately, Magnavox didn't take Atari's appeal quite so seriously and lost that ruling, being forced to pull KC Munchkin! from the market. It sold quite a few copies though by that time. In order to get around the ruling, Magnavox quickly put a voice enhanced sequel to market, KC's Krazy Chase!, which, while not quite as much fun, was another good maze game and considerably different.

Both of the KC maze games are genuine classics and well worth anyone's time to play, even today.
 
Oddysey2 Information

Oddysey2 Information

I have an Oddysey2 Game system with all of the paperwork and several cartridges. It still works after all these years.

There is no way to write programs that I know of. You just put in a game cartridge and play. However, it sounds like Bill Loguidice knows about some sort of Basic Cartridge that might do that.

There is a keyboard. It is used with a cartridge called Cryptoquote that uses the keyboard. It is similar to playing Hangman.

I hope this helps.
 
Eric T said:
I have an Oddysey2 Game system with all of the paperwork and several cartridges. It still works after all these years.

There is no way to write programs that I know of. You just put in a game cartridge and play. However, it sounds like Bill Loguidice knows about some sort of Basic Cartridge that might do that.

There is a keyboard. It is used with a cartridge called Cryptoquote that uses the keyboard. It is similar to playing Hangman.

I hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Like I mentioned, "Keyboard Creations!" uses the keyboard as well (pretty pointless these days) and the Programming cartridge was (and still is occasionally on eBay) also readily available, at least here in North America for NTSC machines. It comes with a nice thick manual and is fairly robust (it's actually not really BASIC, more like a machine code, but it's still a full programming language), with the failing that you can't save your output. For the overseas VideoPac, I believe a version was eventually made that allowed you to save, but it consisted of additional hardware.

Here is the link to more info on the US version: http://odyssey2.classicgaming.gamespy.com/db/game.php?gameid=12
 
And of course you gotta give mad props to games like Monkeyshines and Pick Axe Pete also! Not to mention the more advanced ones like Quest for the Rings & Conquest of the World.

But definitely, definitely, steer clear of "Alien Invaders - Plus!" Might as well have been named "Alien Invaders - Minus!" That game was just plain godawful.
 
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