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Gakken Compact Vision TV Boy – Contributor: Jobhas

Developer: Gakken

Release Date: 1983

Origin: Japan

Initial Price: 8,800 yen

CPU: MC6801 micro-controller (built into each cartridge)

Games Released: 6

You may think that Gakken is just some random company that wanted to get in on the video game craze, but they actually had made a few arcade and handheld games in Japan before they released this home console.

When the console was released in 1983 it was sold at a very low and competitive price. It was a very under-powered system however and the Nintendo Famicom was released a very short time after the Gakken Compact Vision made it to the store shelves. So it never really had much of a chance when you think about it.

While its full name is actually the Gakken Compact Vision. Many gamers simply refer to this as the Gakken TV Boy.

Gakken Compact Vision - 1983 (Japan Only)

Now this is one of the most amazing, bizarre, crazy, ugly, awesome consoles I have ever seen. It is hard to say whether this console is a major eye sore or if they were really onto something and it is a beautiful piece of gaming art.

The Gakken Compact Vision’s claim to fame is its controller. First of all, this is a 1 player only video game console. And secondly, the controller is a throttle. Yes that is right, I said 'throttle'. On the right hand side you have a grey throttle control stick that is built into the system. On the left of the throttle is the action button. On the left hand side of the console there is a handle. So the idea was that you would hold the throttle with your right hand and and then hold the handle with your left hand to stop the console moving all over the place. If you were a lefty then playing this must have been a major pain.

Above the throttle, near the top of the console, is the cartridge slot where you would put the games and between the throttle and the handle you also had a pause and power button. Overall this is a very unique looking console. It will make you say “is this really a games console” over and over again.

As far as the games go we know for sure that there were at least six games released for the console, as the back of the box showcases six games. They have the look of very early Atari 2600 games.

The Gakken Compact Vision is a very strange console and it is also a really tough one to track down. And if you do track one down be prepared to pay a hefty sum for it.