Philips Tele-Game series

Last updated
Philips Tele-Game series
TypeSeries of dedicated home video game consoles
Generation First generation
LifespanLate 1975–1978
Introductory price ES 2201 : 150 DM (converted 61 Euro)/400 Franc
Power ES 2208 Las Vegas : 9 V DC power supply
MassES 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.

Contents

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 the United Kingdom, 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]

Models

ES 2201

Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201 Philips tele-spiel es2201.jpg
Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201

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

Games available for the Philips Tele-Game ES-2201
Nr.English name [3] German name [3] [6] Cartridge model [3] [6]
1BadmintonFederballES-2211
2PelotaTrainingswandES-2212
3Skeet ShootingTontaubenschiessenES-2213
4RacingAutoslalomES-2214
5GhostchaserPhantomjagdES-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]

ES 2203 Las Vegas

Philips Tele-Spiel 2203 in packaging Philips tele-spiel ES-2203.jpg
Philips Tele-Spiel 2203 in packaging

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.

ES 2204 Las Vegas

Philips Tele-Spiel 2204 in packaging Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2204 Color.jpg
Philips Tele-Spiel 2204 in packaging

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.

ES 2207 Travemünde

Philips Tele-Spiel 2207 in packaging Philips Tele-Spiel ES-2207 Travemunde.jpg
Philips Tele-Spiel 2207 in packaging

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]

ES 2208 Las Vegas

Philips Tele-Spiel 2208 in packaging Philips Tele-Spiel ES-2208 Las Vegas Supercolor.jpg
Philips Tele-Spiel 2208 in packaging

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.

ES 2218 Las Vegas

Philips Tele-Spiel 2218 in packaging Philips Tele-spiel ES-2218 Las Vegas Supercolor.jpg
Philips Tele-Spiel 2218 in packaging

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]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "RetroMO ...a real video game and computer collector | Meine Sammlung | my collection | Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201 und ES 2218 Las Vegas". www.retro-mo.de. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  2. 1 2 "Spiele, Spielzeug: Philips/Schuco Experimentiersystem". norbert.old.no. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Pong-Story : Philips Tele-Spiel". www.pong-story.com. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tele-Spiel ES 2201". www.old-computers.com. Archived from the original on 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  5. 1 2 "Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201 (zum Zweiten)". Bundesrepublik Pong (in German). 2010-03-30. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  6. 1 2 See page 8 of the instruction manual: https://archive.org/stream/1stGenPong/Discrete%20Consoles/Philips_Tele-Spiel_ES2201%28german%29#mode/2up
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Pong-Story : Philips Tele-Spiel ES-2203 and ES-2204". www.pong-story.com. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  8. 1 2 "Philips ES-2207". www.silicium.org. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  9. 1 2 3 "Philips Tele-Spiel Travemünde ES 2207 [BINARIUM]". binarium.de. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  10. 1 2 "Philips Travemünde ES2207". www.cbmhardware.de. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  11. 1 2 3 "Las Vegas ES 2208". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
  12. ↑ "Pong-Story - David Winter's Pong Rarity List and Price Guide". www.pong-story.com. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
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