Type | Series of dedicated home video game consoles |
---|---|
Generation | First generation |
Lifespan | Late 1975–1978 |
Introductory price | ES 2201: 150 DM (converted 61 Euro)/400 Franc |
Power | ES 2208 Las Vegas: 9 V DC power supply |
Mass | ES 2208 Las Vegas: c. 800 g |
Predecessor | Philips Odyssey series |
Successor | Philips Videopac G7000 |
The Philips Tele-Game series was a series of six dedicated first-generation home video game consoles manufactured, released and marketed between 1975 and 1978 by Dutch company Philips.
All Philips Tele-Game consoles have the contraction "ES" which stands for "elektronisches Spiel" (German for "electronic game"). [1] [2] The systems are named differently depending on the country (Tele-Spiel in Germany, Tele-Game in Great Britain, Tele-Peli in Finland, and Tele-Spel in the Netherlands). In all countries, the name means tele game. The Philips Tele-Game consoles were some of the first European video game consoles ever to be released. [3] [4]
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2201 was the first console of the Philips Tele-Game series and was sold from late 1975 to 1976 for 150 Deutsche Mark (DM) [5] (converted 61 Euro) [4] or 400 Franc. [3] The score is not displayed on screen, hence there are two sliders for the score on the case ranging from 0 to 15. [4] It can only output black and white. [4]
Games available for the Philips Tele-Game ES-2201 | |||||
Nr. | English name [3] | German name [3] [6] | Cartridge model [3] [6] | ||
1 | Badminton | Federball | ES-2211 | ||
2 | Pelota | Trainingswand | ES-2212 | ||
3 | Skeet Shooting | Tontaubenschiessen | ES-2213 | ||
4 | Racing | Autoslalom | ES-2214 | ||
5 | Ghostchaser | Phantomjagd | ES-2215 |
Five games were available for the system in form of cartridges: Badminton, Pelota, Skeet Shooting, Racing and Ghostchaser. All of those games (except Badminton which was in the delivery [3]) were sold for 25 DM [5] or 45 Franc. [3] On these cartridges isn't a program, there are just a few wires that connect electrically a few parts of the intern console hardware so that a game appears on the screen. [4]
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2203 Las Vegas is the second console in the Philips Tele-Game series. It was released in 1977 [7] and has six integrated games instead of four commercially available games through the built-in Pong video game circuit AY-3-8500; Pong, soccer, squash, practice and two shooting games that can be played with a separately available light gun. [7] Otherwise, the device is identical to the previous console ES 2201. The console was not a success due to its high price, which is why it was later reissued with the Philips Tele-Game ES 2207 Travemünde in a cheaper version in the same year.
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2204 Las Vegas, released in 1977, [7] is the third console in the series and uses an AY-3-8500. [7] [8] Otherwise the system is identical to the model ES 2203.
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2207 Travemünde is a cheaper new edition of the ES 2203. [9] [10] It was released in 1977 [9] and also uses an AY-3-8500. [10] It is powered by a power supply (7,6 V/260 mA). [9]
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2208 Las Vegas is the fifth console in the Philips Tele-Game series and was released in 1977. [11] For the first time, the system's joysticks offer 2-dimensional instead of 1-dimensional movements. It uses an AY-3-8550 and therefore can output color [11] and has a mass of ca. 800 g. [8] It is powered by a 9 V DC power supply. [11] Otherwise, the system is identical to the model ES 2204.
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2218 Las Vegas is the sixth and last console in the Philips Tele-Game series. It was released in 1977. [1] For the first time, it offers eight instead of just six integrated games. [1] The device is otherwise identical to the model ES 2208 Las Vegas, with the only difference that it has an integrated AY-3-8600 chip. [12] This console was also available as a self-building kit with the designation EB 7601. [2]