The Arcadia 2001 is a second-generation

8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit integers or other data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures are those that are based on registers or data bu ...

home video game console released by Emerson Radio in May 1982 for a price of US$99, several months before the release of ColecoVision. It was discontinued only 18 months later, with a total of 35 games having been released. Emerson licensed the Arcadia 2001 to Bandai, which released it in Japan. Over 30 Arcadia 2001 clones exist despite the system being a commercial failure. The unrelated Arcadia Corporation, manufacturer of the

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add-on for the

Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...

, was sued by Emerson for trademark infringement. Arcadia Corporation then changed its name to Starpath.

Description

The Arcadia is much smaller than its contemporary competitors and is powered by a standard 12 volt

power supply A power supply is an electrical device that supplies electric power to an electrical load. The main purpose of a power supply is to convert electric current from a source to the correct voltage, electric current, current, and frequency to power ...

so it can be used in a boat or a vehicle. It has two headphone jacks on the far left and right sides of the back. The system came with two

Intellivision The Intellivision (a portmanteau of intelligent television) is a home video game console released by Mattel Electronics in 1979. It distinguished itself from competitors with more realistic sports and strategic games. By 1981, Mattel Electronic ...

-style controllers with a 12-button

keypad A keypad is a block or pad of buttons set with an arrangement of digits, symbols, or alphabetical letters. Pads mostly containing numbers and used with computers are numeric keypads. Keypads are found on devices which require mainly numeric in ...

and "fire" buttons on the sides. The direction pads have a removable joystick attachment. Most games came with BoPET overlays that can be applied to the controller's keypads. The console itself has five buttons: Power, Start, Reset, Option, and Select. There are at least three different cartridge case styles and artwork, with variations on each. Emerson-family cartridges come in two different lengths (short and long) of black plastic cases.

Technical specifications

*Main Processor: Signetics 2650 CPU (some variants run a Signetics 2650A) *RAM: 1 KB *ROM: None *Video display: 128 × 208 / 128 × 104, 8 Colours * Video display controller:

Signetics Signetics Corporation was an American electronics manufacturer specifically established to make integrated circuits. Founded in 1961, they went on to develop a number of early microprocessors and support chips, as well as the widely used 555 time ...

2637 UVI @ 3.58

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

(NTSC), 3.55 MHz (PAL) *Sound: Single Channel "Beeper" + Single Channel "Noise" *Hardware Sprites: 4 independent, single color *Controllers: 2 × 2 way *Keypads: 2 × 12 button (more buttons on some variants)

Console variants and clones

Many variants and clones of the Arcadia 2001 have been released by various companies in different countries. These systems are mostly compatible with each other. In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia was released only in Japan. Four exclusive games were released for the system.

Bandai Arcadia

In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia, a variant of the Emerson Arcadia 2001, was licensed and distributed to Japan by Bandai for a price of 19,800 yen. There were four Japan-exclusive games released by Bandai. *''Doraemon'' *''Dr. Slump'' *''Mobile Suit Gundam'' *''Super Dimension Fortress Macross''

Reception

After seeing the Arcadia 2001 at the summer 1982

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, Danny Goodman of ''

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Video & Arcade Games'' reported that its graphics were similar to the Atari 2600's, and that "our overall impression of the game play was favorable for a system in this price range, though no cartridge stands out as being an exciting original creation". He called the controller offering both

-like disc and joystick functionality "A great idea".

Games

Emerson planned to launch the console with 19 games. Some Arcadia 2001 games are ports of lesser-known arcade games such as ''Route 16'', ''Jungler'', and ''Jump Bug'', which were not available on other home systems. Emerson actually created many popular arcade titles including ''

Pac-Man ''Pac-Man,'' originally called in Japan, is a 1980 maze video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. The pla ...

'', ''

Galaxian is a 1979 fixed shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. The player assumes control of the Galaxip starfighter in its mission to protect Earth from waves of aliens. Gameplay involves destroying each formation of alien ...

'' and '' Defender'' for the Arcadia, but never had them manufactured as

Atari Atari () is a brand name that has been owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by French holding company Atari SA (formerly Infogrames) and its focus is on "video games, consumer hardware, licensing and bl ...

started to sue its competitor companies for releasing games to which it had exclusive-rights agreements. Early marketing showed popular arcade games, but they were later released as clones. For instance, the Arcadia 2001 game ''Space Raiders'' is a clone of ''Defender'', and ''Breakaway'' is a clone of '' Breakout''.

Released games

There are 47 games known to have been released for the Arcadia 2001 and its clones.

Bandai Arcadia Only

See here

References

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{{Home video game consoles Home video game consoles Second-generation video game consoles Bandai consoles Products introduced in 1982 Products and services discontinued in 1984 1980s toys Discontinued video game consoles