Microvision

Microvision is a handheld video game console sold by Milton Bradley and released in the USA in November 1979, then later in the UK, France, German, Italy, and the Netherlands. The console has a 16x16 resolution LCD panel and piezoelectric speaker for output, and an analog dial and 12 buttons for input. It is the first portable console to use interchangeable ROM cartridges for game media.
The console itself consists of the display, and LCD controller, the input mechanisms, and a speaker, but doesn't actually have a CPU or memory. Each game cartridge, which is the entire face-plate of the console, has its own microcontroller which consists of a CPU, RAM, and ROM. All games use a Texas Instruments TMS1000 as their microcontroller except for Connect Four which used a Signetics version of the Intel 8021.
Not long after the console's release, Milton Bradley noticed a problem with their battery compartment. Because it used flat leads instead of a 9-volt buckle connector, the batteries could be inserted backwards with just a little extra force. If both were backwards, the console wouldn't turn on, but if only the second battery were backwards, the console would work, but the batteries would short out and cause the console to overheat. Milton Bradley realized every game which used a TMS1000 chip would work with only a single battery (which was all of them except Connect Four), so, rather than add two buckle connectors, they simply removed the leads to the second battery. To make it so Connect Four still worked, the game was reworked to use a TMS1000 CPU instead. The updated version of the console has a different manual and back of the box and a paper insert in the battery compartment which labels the second slot as "spare battery storage."
Satoru Okada, the former head of Nintendo's R&D1 Department, said that they used the Microvision as inspiration for the original Game Boy.
Contents
Personal
I learned about the Microvision while researching portable video game consoles in the 2010s. Despite my love of video games, the console's lack of success kept it under my radar. While I thought it looked interesting and seemed like an important device in video game history, I didn't have any plans to ever actually buy one. However, in 2024, I saw one for sale in my own city, complete in box and with several boxed games, all at a decent price, so I bought it. It's an original model where both battery compartments have leads.
Games
- See all Microvision games.
A total of 12 games were made for the console, with a couple others planned, but never finished. There were no third-party developers or publishers, all games were published by Milton Bradley, though it's not known if they outsourced game development.
The USA saw 11 of the 12 games, Super Block Buster wasn't released until the console was already discontinued in the USA. The European regions saw only 8 of the 12 games. A game called Barrage was supposed to have been released in 1982, but the console was already discontinued in the USA, and scheduled for discontinuation in every other region. Early commercials for the console said there would be Hockey and Soccer games, but they were never released.
Initial Games
For all regions, the Microvision's pack-in title was Block Buster. Launch titles for the US release included Bowling, Connect Four, and Pinball. More games were available for the European releases.
Review
I haven't used the Microvision enough to write a proper review.
Media
Console
Console - USA - With Block Buster game.