The Arcadia 2001 was a second-generation 8-bit home video game console made by Emerson Radio. It was released in May 1982 for $99, several months before the ColecoVision came out. The console was stopped from being sold after 18 months. A total of 35 games were created for it. Emerson allowed Bandai to sell the Arcadia 2001 in Japan. Even though the system did not sell well, more than 30 copies of it were made by other companies.
Description
The Arcadia is much smaller than other similar devices from the same time. It uses a standard 12-volt power supply, which allows it to be used in a boat or a vehicle. The system has two headphone jacks located on the far left and right sides of the back panel.
The console includes two controllers that are similar to those used with the Intellivision. Each controller has a 12-button keypad and "fire" buttons on the sides. The direction pads have a joystick that can be removed. Many games included BoPET overlays, which are thin plastic sheets that can be placed on the controller's keypads. The console itself has five buttons: Power, Start, Reset, Option, and Select.
There are at least three different types of cartridge cases and artwork, each with unique designs. Emerson-family cartridges are available in two lengths—short and long—and are made of black plastic.
Technical specifications
- Main Processor: Signetics 2650 CPU (some versions use a Signetics 2650A)
- RAM: 1 kilobyte
- ROM: No Read-Only Memory (ROM)
- Video Display: Resolution of 128 × 208 pixels (NTSC) or 128 × 104 pixels (PAL), with 8 colors
- Video Display Controller: Signetics 2637 UVI operating at 3.58 MHz (NTSC) or 3.55 MHz (PAL)
- Sound: One channel for a "beeper" sound and one channel for "noise"
- Hardware Sprites: Four separate, single-color moving images
- Controllers: Two 2-directional joysticks
- Keypads: Two 12-button keypads (some versions include additional buttons)
Console variants and clones
Many different versions and copies of the Arcadia 2001 have been made by companies in various countries. These systems usually work well together. In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia was released only in Japan and was allowed by Emerson to sell. Four special games were made for this system.
In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia, which is a different version of the Emerson Arcadia 2001, was sold in Japan by Bandai for 19,800 yen.
Reception
After viewing the Arcadia 2001 at the 1982 Consumer Electronics Show, Danny Goodman of Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games noted that its graphics were comparable to those of the Atari 2600. He stated that the gameplay was generally positive for a system in this price range, though he observed that no cartridge was particularly unique or exciting. Goodman praised the controller, which combined features similar to a disc and a joystick, calling it "a great idea."
Games
Emerson planned to launch the console with 19 games. Some Arcadia 2001 games are copies of lesser-known arcade games, such as Route 16, Jungler, and Jump Bug, which were not available on other home systems.
Emerson created many popular arcade games, including Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Defender, for the Arcadia. However, these games were never made for the console because Atari sued its competitors for releasing games that Atari had exclusive rights to. Early advertisements showed popular arcade games, but these were later released as clones. For example, the Arcadia 2001 game Space Raiders is a clone of Defender, and Breakaway is a clone of Breakout.
A total of 55 games are known to have been released for the Arcadia 2001 and its clones during the system’s lifetime.
Three games made by hobbyists are known to have been created for the system:
• Frogger
• JTron
• Tetris