The Philips Tele-Game series was a series of six
dedicated first-generation home video game consoles
A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television, and an external power source as to play video games. Home consoles are generally less powerful and customizable than ...
manufactured, released and marketed between 1975 to 1978 by Dutch company
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
.
All Philips Tele-Game consoles have the contraction "ES" which stands for "elektronisches Spiel" (German for "electronic game").
The systems are named differently depending on the country (''Tele-Spiel'' in Germany, ''Tele-Game'' in Great Britain, ''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.
Models
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)
(converted 61 Euro)
or 400 Franc.
The score is not displayed on screen, hence there are two sliders for the score on the case ranging from 0 to 15.
It can only output black and white.
Games
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
) were sold for 25 DM
or 45 Franc.
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.
ES 2203 Las Vegas
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2203 Las Vegas is the second console in the Philips Tele-Game series. It was released in 1977
and has six integrated games instead of four commercially available games through the built-in Pong video game circuit
AY-3-8500; ''
Pong
''Pong'' is a table tennis–themed twitch arcade sports video game, featuring simple two-dimensional graphics, manufactured by Atari and originally released in 1972. It was one of the earliest arcade video games; it was created by Allan Al ...
'', ''soccer'', ''squash'', ''practice'' and two shooting games that can be played with a separately available
light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games, typically shaped to resemble a pistol.
Early history
The first light guns were produced in the 1930s, following the development of light-sensin ...
.
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
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2204 Las Vegas, released in 1977,
is the third console in the series and uses an AY-3-8500.
Otherwise the system is identical to the model ES 2203.
ES 2207 Travemünde
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2207 Travemünde is a cheaper new edition of the ES 2203.
It was released in 1977
and also uses a AY-3-8500.
It is powered by a power supply (7,6 V/260 mA).
ES 2208 Las Vegas
The Philips Tele-Game ES 2208 Las Vegas is the fifth console in the Philips Tele-Game series and was released in 1977.
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
and has a mass of ca. 800 g.
It is powered by a 9 V DC power supply.
Otherwise, the system is identical to the model ES 2204.
ES 2218 Las Vegas
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.
For the first time, it offers eight instead of just six integrated games.
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.
This console was also available as a self-building kit with the designation EB 7601.
External links
Philips Tele-Spiel series on www.pong-story.comPhilips Tele-Spiel ES 2201 at www.old-computers.comCover from the German newspaper "Das Spielzeug" with the Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201 from September 1975German newspaper article about the Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201 from April 1975Commercial for the Philips Tele-Spiel ES 2201Instruction manual for the Philips-Tele-Spiel ES 2201(in German)
References
{{Dedicated consoles
1975 video games
Dedicated consoles
First-generation video game consoles
Video games developed in Germany