VTech CreatiVision

VTech Vision

VTech Vision
Manufacturer VTech
Type Home video game console
Generation Second generation
Release date 1981 (1981) (Hong Kong)
Discontinued Early 1986
CPU Rockwell 6502 @ 2 MHz
Storage cassette tape
Removable storage cartridge
Controller input joystick/membrane keypad controllers
Successor VTech Laser 2001

The Video Technology CreatiVision is a hybrid computer and home video game console introduced by VTech in 1981. The hybrid unit was similar in concept to computers such as the APF Imagination Machine, the older VideoBrain Family Computer, and to a lesser extent the Intellivision game console and Coleco Adam computer, all of which anticipated the trend of video game consoles becoming more like low-end computers.

The CreatiVision was distributed in many European countries, in South Africa, in Israel under the Educat 2002 name, as well as in Australia under the Dick Smith Wizzard name. Other names for the system (all officially produced by VTech themselves) include the FunVision Computer Video Games System, Hanimex Rameses and VZ 2000. All CreatiVision and similar clones were designed for use with PAL standard television sets, except the Japanese CreatiVision (distributed by Cheryco) which was NTSC and is nowadays much sought after by collectors.

VTech CreatiVision rebranded as a Dick Smith Wizzard

The CreatiVision console sported an 8-bit Rockwell 6502 CPU at a speed of 2 MHz, 1KB of RAM and 16KB of Video RAM, and had a graphics resolution of 256 × 192 with 16 colors and 32 sprites. The console had 2 integrated joystick/membrane keypad controllers (much like the ColecoVision and Atari 5200) which, when set in a special compartment on top of the console, could be used as a computer keyboard. The CreatiVision had interfaces for a cassette player, an extra rubber keyboard, floppy disk drive, parallel I/O interface, modem (likely unreleased), Centronics printer and one memory expansion module for use with the Basic language cartridge.

The CreatiVision was discontinued in late 1985/early 1986. A computer was produced by VTech in 1984-1986, based on CreatiVision hardware and compatible with most of the games: Laser 2001, which sold in Europe. It was also available in Finland through Salora, with the name of Manager. The Manager had a specific keyboard with Finnish layout and character set.

List of games

# Title AKA title(s) Genre(s) Clone of Release year
1 Air/Sea Attack 1) Submarine in Japan
2) Air/Sea Battle in New Zealand 		Fixed shooter 1981
2 Auto Chase Car Chase in New Zealand Maze, Driving Rally-X 1981
3 Crazy Pucker Maze Pac-Man 1981
4 Planet Defender 1) Earth Defense Force (Chikyū Bōeigun) in Japan
2) Galaxy Defender in New Zealand 		Scrolling shooter 1981
5 Sonic Invader Invaders in New Zealand Fixed shooter Space Invaders 1981
6 Tank Attack Tank Battle in both Japan and New Zealand Multi-directional shooter 1981
7 Tennis Who's for Tennis? in New Zealand Sports None 1981
8 Astro Pinball Pinball None 1982
9 BASIC Interpreter 1.0 None None 1982
10 Crazy Chicky Maze Pac-Man (with modified gameplay) 1982
11 Deep Sea Adventure Scrolling shooter 1982
12 Mouse Puzzle Puzzle 1982
13 Police Jump Platformer Donkey Kong 1982
14 Chopper Rescue 1983
15 Locomotive Platformer BurgerTime 1983
16 Music Maker Music None 1983
17 Soccer Sports None 1983
18 Stone Age Puzzle 1984

Note 1: Seven games were reissued by VTech itself in 1985, which are Air/Sea Attack, Crazy Chicky, Mouse Puzzle, Police Jump, Sonic Invader, Tank Attack, and Tennis.
Note 2: The 1981's game Crazy Pucker was reissued in the same year with two different titles, called Crazy Moonie and Crazy Chewy.

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