Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.As you were growing up in the 1980s, you watched him play game after game in the back seat of a Dodge minivan against tiny electronic chess computer boards made by Radio Shack.
In my travels on the internet over the last few years, I have been collecting examples of some of the most interesting and weird vintage chess computer devices ever made. Were going way beyond Tandy and Radio Shack and getting into machines that move pieces by themselves (whether by arm or ghost), strange video game consoles, and even tiny Disney Castles. Chess computer manufacturer Novag introduced one of the industrys most novel variations in the Robotic Adversary, an electronic chess board with a robotic arm that could move the computer players pieces. With only 2,500 units produced, the Adversary is one of the most sought-after chess computers, and it fetches a high priceif you can find one. Radio Shack Chess Computer Portable Chess ComputerIn 1980, toy giant Mattel released Computer Chess, a lower-cost, consumer-friendly portable chess computer with a battery-friendly LCD and no pieces to lose. But it was no slouch in the brains department: It reportedly beat several competing chess computers handily at the time of its release. Mattel hired chess master Bruce Pandolfini to promote the device, and his photo is on the box. Youre looking at one of the most unusual video game consoles of all time: the Videomaster Star Chess. Its a small device with two remote controllers that facilitates a modified game of chess for two players (no single-player AI) on a TV screen. Instead of the traditional chess pieces, you move space ships, and if youre in a right spot, you can even fire missiles at your opponent. Radio Shack Chess Computer Series Of PersonalMany people know Commodore from its series of personal computersthe names Commodore 64, VIC-20, PET, and Amiga all likely ring a bell. But few know that Commodore also created a dedicated chess computer device in 1978. Players used their own chess board and inputread out moves from the computer. As one of the worlds first chess computers, Boris feels primitive today. But it packed several amazing features into a small package, including a fold-out chess set in a handsome wooden box and a segmented LED display capable of displaying messages to the player. The players moves were entered via the keypad on the unit, and players would read out Boris moves from the display and move the pieces accordingly. In 1988, Novus introduced this ornately detailed Disney-themed game computer that could play not only chess but also checkers, tic-tac-toe, and bingo. Best of all, it included a miniature princess castle attached to the board and all of the playing pieces were shaped like classic Disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, et al.)by far one of the most unique and interesting chess computers ever produced. If youve ever wanted to see what playing chess against a ghost feels like, hunt down the vintage Grandmaster chess computer by Milton Bradley. Using an electromagnet mounted to a movable arm under the board, the chess pieces could move as if by magic. Spooky.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |