Handheld electronic games

[MDS]

My mind works in mysterious ways sometimes. So I'm sitting here and suddenly think of an old game I had as a kid - Split Second. I go to Ebay and sure enough there are a few for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/80s-PARKER-BROS-ELECTRONIC-MAZE-GAME-SPLIT-SECOND-INST_W0QQitemZ110114178278QQihZ001QQcategoryZ4315QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

It is trivial by today's standards but like the arcade games of the '80s it was actually fun to play. It is basically a maze that is constantly changing and you have to maneuver your blip from the bottom to the top before the time runs out to 'clear' the level.

 

[Adam]

The look of that reminds me of the Merlin game. My brother got one for Christmas one year.

I remember having some of those handheld games (I bet that I still have them, too). I loved them as a kid. There was a green one that was a football game from, I believe, Radio Shack. I also had a game that I would play for hours, but I can't remember the name of it. It had a yellow shell and four buttons. There were four lights that would go off in a sequence, and you had to push the buttons in the same sequence to progress. It would keep adding one more light to the sequence until you missed one. I think that I got up to 99 or 100 lights once.

So, MDS, are you going to order one?

 

[MDS]

I think the game is called Simon. I remember it too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SIMON-IN-BOX-SLIGHTLY-USED_W0QQitemZ150155712980QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4315QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have this game which you can buy at Target: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_8/602-9077545-0781458?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0008JIM3U I bought it for Galaga and it is the original game. There is another one that has Centipede and Missle Command.

 

[Adam]

No, it wasn't Simon, but that does fit my description. Mine was a handheld game and was for a single person only.

Thanks for the link to the game at Target! I gotta check out what else is there. Galaga was alright, but I was a bigger fan of Galaxian (I think that was the name). Similar games, but different.

 

[MDS]

Galaxian is space invaders. Galaga is far better. The other game that has Dig Dug and Centipede has Galaxian too.

I love the arcade games of the past but that of course is because I was a youngin' at that time. From '96 to '98 I worked on site at Netscape and one of our guys bought a stand-alone game of Gyruss or Whorf (can't remember which it was but both games are about the same). We had that machine in our cubicle area and wasted tons of time playing the game instead of working. That and skating in the parking lot.

 

[Adam]

Netscape in 1996? You were there right near the beginning, weren't you? I went to the University of Illinois in the 90's when/where Mosaic was developed. I still remember when Netscape had their IPO. I think that they started at $80 a share, which was way to much for me as I was in my last year of grad school.

 

[10010011]

I believe, Radio Shack. I also had a game that I would play for hours, but I can't remember the name of it. It had a yellow shell and four buttons.

Tandy Pocket Repeat.

 

[Tomorrow]

Tandy Pocket Repeat.

LOL, we still have that game!

The missus and I actually got together initially because I became addicted to her hand-held Pacman game. I had to marry her to get rights to the thing.

 

[Adam]

Tandy Pocket Repeat

Nope, not it either, but also fits the description. I'll have to track it down and let you all know. Thanks, though!

 

[Nomo]

The look of that reminds me of the Merlin game. My brother got one for Christmas one year.

Is this what you mean?
Can't say I remember this one.
http://www.areyougame.com/interact/item.asp?itemno=HB41695&q=merlin

 

[Adam]

Is this what you mean?
Can't say I remember this one.
http://www.areyougame.com/interact/item.asp?itemno=HB41695&q=merlin

Yep, that's a version of the Merlin game! Not the four-light repeater that I was talking about, but definitely similar to the one that my brother got. The Merlin that my brother got had recessed buttons (circular if I remember correctly), so not exactly the same thing, but very close. Thanks.

 

[Adam]

I should have just done a Google search from the get-go, as I found it on the first website.

The game was called Touch Me. Thanks again to 10010011 for the link that handheld game museum website (and to all who looked). It sure came in handy when I wanted to check the picture.

Adam