Romtec Colorvision

The Colorvision, is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Hong Kong-based company Romtec Enterprises, Ltd., released in Hong Kong and Europe in 1984.[1]

Colorvision
ManufacturerRomtec
TypeHandheld game console
GenerationSecond generation
Release date1984
DisplayColor LCD
SoundInternal speaker
InputAction button, HR/CLR and ACL buttons, Joystick
Power2 x C batteries

It is the first handheld video game console not reliant on overlays or a separate color film to have non-monochrome color graphics using colored sprites on a LCD. The Entex Select-A-Game could be considered the first, as it had two colors on its FVD screen, blue and orange, but the games came with overlays to enhance the graphics and play experience, while only the cartridge is needed on the Colorvision.

It was manufactured and released by Romtec, but the console was also distributed under several brands, including Altic, Bazin[2] and Bristol.[3]

Hardware

The game code was all contained in the console, meaning that the cartridges functioned similar to the jumper cards on the Magnavox Odyssey to control which game would be played, and only contained the LCD portion of the game with the sprites.[1][4] The LCD was clear, and the plastic shell contains a window to let light through.

The console contains the controls for the game, and the cartridge port on the top, where it slides into place, showing a bezel with the name of the game. The play screen is a mirror, similar to the Adventure Vision, that reflects the LCD image using the light that shines from the window on top.

Games

Only 5 games are known to have been released for the system.

Since the cartridge didn't contain the actual games, only the graphics, it is not known if other games were programmed inside of the console for future releases, or if only the 5 were planned.

The names of the games on the cartridges came both in English and French;

  • Beasts Planet
  • Horror House (French: Salle Des Horreurs)
  • Jungle Boy (French: Fils de la Jungle)
  • Monster Chase (French: Chasse Aux Monstres)
  • Submarine (French: Bataille Navale)

References
  1. "Romtec Colorvision system". www.handheldmuseum.com.
  2. Gielens, Jaro. "Electronic Plastic: ROMTEC ColorVision (1984)". www.electronicplastic.com.
  3. "Colorvision by Bristol from Retrogames". www.retrogames.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  4. "Colorvision by Romtec – The Video Game Kraken". Retrieved 19 November 2020.


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