Electronics for Kids
Contents
Toy aisle consoles[edit]
The toy aisle console started showing up in the 1990s, they orignally appealed to parents looking for something similar to the NES, SNES or Genesis but with a bigger focus on content safe for a younger audience. These systems are usually not designed to compete with the bigger names in the industry but to serve a niche audience.
The name "Toy aisle consoles" comes from the fact that a majority of these consoles are sold in the toy aisles of stores, but this is not always the case.
(NOTE #1 - Be careful when adding systems; video games were seen as just toys until the end of the 1993 U.S. Senate video game hearings)
(NOTE #2 - Not all educational computers belong here; a large majority of them are clones or reskins not noteworthy enough to be added)
Name | MAME support | ROMs | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Arcadia Skeet Shoot | None | No | Released in October of 1998 by Toymax (The makers of the Creepy Crawlers and My Pet Monster toys), this Projector-based console, which only played Light-gun games, sold 435,000 units in the first 18 months before being recalled after reports of projectors overheating, melting, smoking and in a few rare cases, causing burn injuries (Faulty cartridges were to blame). After about three revisions, the system was discontinued sometime between 2000 and 2001, with only 5 out of the 9 games advertised known to have been released. It's unknown how many units were sold once the console was relaunched after the recall. |
BattleVision | None | No | BattleVision is a VHS console released by Tiger Electronics in 1994. |
Buzztime Home Trivia System | Preliminary | No | Released around 2004, the system is the result of a partnership between Cadaco Toys and NTN Network (Now known as NTN Buzztime after 2005), and, as the name implies, the console was designed around playing trivia with family and friends. The console runs on Elan Hardware. It's unknown how many games were made for it, how many units were sold, or when it was discontinued. |
Cube World | None | No | |
Tomy Data Battle Virtual Simulation | None | No | |
Giga Pets Explorer | None | No | |
Giochi Preziosi My Life | None | No | Released in Italy in 2007, My Life was marketed towards young girls five to thirteen years of age. A simple life simulator serves as the built-in game and as the main UI. How many units were sold, the number of games released, and when it was discontinued is unknown. |
GoGo TV Video Vision | Preliminary | No | Released sometime between 2005 and 2006 by Manley, the GoGo is Another PS2 Eye-Toy turned into an console, similar to the Hasbro Ion, an Educational console released around the same time, and like the Ion, it flopped and has since fallen into obscurity. It's unknown how many games were made for it, how many units were sold, or when it was discontinued. |
Elonex iGAME | None | No | |
Mattel Hyperscan | Preliminary | Redump | Something you would expect to see under a bargain bin at Walmart, the Mattel Hyperscan was a card/disc-based system released in 2006 to appeal to some poor child's aunt at Christmas. It ran on a 32-bit Sunplus system-on-a-chip CPU, a successor to the 16-bit CPUs used to run consoles such as the V.Smile, many Jakks Pacific TV games and Vii. CGR Review. |
POP Station | None | No | This infamous Game & Watch clone was originally released sometime between late 2004 and 2006 by an Unknown Chinese Manufacturer, the first few models had a selection of four games, and each system only had one built-in game, meaning you would need to buy four of them to get all the games available. Later models used interchangeable cartridges. It's unknown if these later models were made by the same manufacturer that made the original systems or if it's being produced by other companies making clones. It's unknown how many units have been sold so far. |
Pixter | None | No | Released in 2000 as Fisher-Price's first Video Game Console, the Pixter was one of many consoles from the 2000s sold in the toy aisle and marketed towards children; around 25 to 50 games were released for it before being discontinued in 2007. |
Pixel Chix | None | No | |
Sifteo Cubes | None | No | |
VideoNow XP | None | No | Released in 2003 and underwent 5 total revisions. An often-forgotten attempt by Hasbro and their subsidiary Tiger Electronics (of Game.com fame) to use the popularity of their VideoNow portable video players to enter the Video Game market. |
Toy Computers[edit]
The precursor to the Toy aisle console, Toy computers are usually designed to be educational, ease of use and have the durability of a toy, these computers started to died out in the late 1990s, when the Toy Aisle Consoles started to appeal to parents looking for something similar to the more mainstream systems but with a bigger focus on safe, usually educational content. by the early 2000s, these kind of consoles had almost completely taken over the market these computers once controlled.
NOTE - Not all educational computers belong here, a large majority of them are clones or re-skins not noteworthy enough to be added
Model | Year | Developer/Distributor | MAME support | ROMs | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Accelerator Cyber Station | ~ Unknown | Oregon Scientific | None | No | |
AlphaByte | ~ Unknown | Oregon Scientific | None | No | |
B A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Buzz Lightyear Star Command Laptop | 2009 | VTech | None | No | |
C A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Carmen Sandiego Acme | ~ Unknown | Team Concepts | None | No | |
Cars 2 Laptop | 2012 | Vtech | Preliminary | No | |
Children's Discovery System | 1981 | Mattel | None | No | The Children's Discovery System (CDS) is one of earliest examples of the modern educational computer we currently see in the toy aisles today. There's no mouse support like most computers of the era, and only had three modes built in at launch. The CDS software could be expanded though cartridges. Only 16 of the 21 advertised cartridges were released. |
Clickstart | 2007 | LeapFrog | Preliminary | No | |
Color Blast Notebook | 2006 | VTech | None | No | |
Computer Cool School | 2008 | Fisher-Price | None | No | |
Computer Fun | 1988 | Texas Instruments | None | No | |
Computer Kid Interactive TV | 1997 | Clementoni | None | No | This is not just a educational computer, it can also be connect to TV and act like a plug-n-play console. |
Computer Pal | 1999 | VTech | None | No | |
Computer Pal In Concert |
1998 | VTech | None | No | |
Computer Typing Instructor | 1993 | Radio Shack | None | No | |
Comquest | 1995 | Data Concepts | Preliminary | No | |
Cyber Spy Notebook | 2007 | VTech | None | No | |
F A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Fun 2 Learn Laptop | 2006 | Fisher Price | None | No | |
FX-Micom FXマイコン |
1981 | Gakken | Good | No | |
G A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Genius Junior | 1996 | VTech | Preliminary | No | |
Genius Leader Notebook | 1993 | VTech | Preliminary | No | |
Girl Fun PC | 2002 | VTech | None | No | |
I A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
IQ Super PC | ~ Unknown | Team Concepts | None | No | |
J A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
JC The Junior Computer | 1988 | ~ Unknown | None | No | |
K A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
K28 Talking Learning Computer |
1981 (model 7-230) 1985 (model 7-232) |
Tiger Electronics | Imperfect (model 7-230) Preliminary (model 7-232) |
No | |
Knights of Knowledge | 2001 | VTech | None | No | |
L A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Learning Computer | ~ Unknown | Radio Shack | None | No | |
Learning Computer II | 1987 | Radio Shack | None | No | |
Learning-Window Teaching Machine | 1986 | VTech | Preliminary | No | |
Little Smart PC Fun | 1994 | VTech | None | No | |
Lesson One | 1980 | VTech | None | No | |
The Learning Pad | 1996 | Vtech | None | No | |
M A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
MAC Mini Computer | 1980 | Entex | None | No | |
Master Pad FM | 2001 | VTech | None | No | |
Math Computer | 1987 | Playtime | None | No | |
Math Starter | 1988 | Fisher Price | None | No | |
Mega Duck Super Junior Computer | 1995 | Welback Holdings | Decent | No | Released around 1995, the Super Junior was Welback Holdings attempt to save their Mega Duck platform by turning it into educational computer, similar to what VTech was producing at the time. it didn't work and was quickly discontinued. Since its just a Mega Duck in a laptop shaped case, the 12 cartridges released for it should run just fine in MAME. |
Mouse Computer | 1992 | Texas Instruments | None | No | |
My First Computer | 1986 | Grandstand | None | No | |
My Own Leaptop | 2010 | LeapFrog | None | No | |
N A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Nitro Fun Notebook | 2008 | VTech | None | No | |
Number Cruncher | 1986 | VTech | None | No | |
P A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
PC Pal | 1989 | VTech | None | No | |
Pitagorin Junior | 1993 | VTech | Preliminary | No | |
PreComputer | 1988 | VTech | Preliminary | No | The PreComputer was a educational computer product line launched by VTech in 1988. The first two models were similar to a Palmtop or a Pocket PC of the era, while the later Junior model was the more common laptop design, although it doesn't use a mouse like later systems. |
PreComputer Prestige Elite |
1998 | VTech | Preliminary | No | |
Preschool Desktop | ~ Unknown | Team Concepts | None | No | |
S A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
See-A-Sound Phonics | 1994 | VTech | None | No | |
Sensu-Puter (Math Master) |
1984 | Epoch (JP) Grandstand (UK) |
None | No | |
Smart Start | 1986 | VTech | None | No | |
Smart Start Basic | 1992 | VTech | None | No | |
Smart Start Basic Plus | 1995 | VTech | None | No | |
Smart Start Elite | 1993 | VTech | None | No | |
Smart Start Speller | 1988 | VTech | None | No | |
SmarTV | 2002 | VTech | None | No | |
Spell & Count | 1986 | Playtime | None | No | |
Spell N' Math Typing Instructor | ~ Unknown | Radio Shack | None | No | |
Spelling Starter | 1988 | Fisher Price | None | No | |
Super Color Whiz | 1993 | VTech | None | No | |
Super Note Club µ | 1998 | Bandai | Preliminary | No | |
Super Smart Start | 1992 | VTech | None | No | |
T A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Talkatron | 1985 | Sears/Tiger | None | No | |
Talking Computron | 1986 | Sears | None | No | The Talking Computron has a Red 8x1 LCD Screen, 19 activities/games built in, and had a speech synthesis capabilities that were impressive for the time. Sears also sold four cartridges for extra content at their stores as well. |
Talking Master Mouse Computer | 1993 | Texas Instruments | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid | 1986 | VTech | None | No | The Talking Whiz Kid is the first computer in one of VTech's longest product lines. |
Talking Whiz Kid Animated | 1995 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Challenger | 1994 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Einstein/Millennium | 1995 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Explorer | 1994 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Genius | 1993 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Honors | 1995 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Knowledge Ball | 1994 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Lessons | 1997 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Mouse Pro | 1995 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Notebook | 1992 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Notebook 2000/3000 | 1996 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Plus | 1990 | VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Power Mouse | 1995 (Power Mouse) 1997 (Power Mouse Deluxe) |
VTech | None | No | |
Talking Whiz Kid Super Animated | 1997 | VTech | None | No | |
Teach & Learn Computer | 1982 | Mattel | None | No | |
Teach & Talk Exploration Learning Laptop |
2016 | MerchSource/DCL | None | No | |
Tote & Go Laptop | 2005 | VTech | None | No | |
Type-Right | 1985 | VTech | None | No | |
U A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Ultra Pack PC | 1995 | Tiger Electronics | None | No | |
W A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Webstart Computer | 1998 | Tiger Electronics | None | No | |
Whiz Kid | 1984 | VTech | None | No |
Toy Computers (OS-Based)[edit]
Unlike most Toy computers, the systems here have an actual OS and not just a basic GUI to get from program to another.
Model | Year | Developer / Distributor | MAME support | ROMs | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I.Q. Unlimited Computer | 1991 | VTech | Preliminary | No | |
IQ TV 512 | 1998 | VTech | None | No | The 512 is a minor update to the Precomputer Unlimited, increasing the RAM capacity from 128kb to 512kb. |
PreComputer Unlimited (PCU) |
1996 | VTech | Preliminary | No | Released in 1998 by VTech, The PCU has a Windows 3.1 inspired OS and runs on a DragonBall MCU, a 68000-based microcontroller widely used on Palm OS device of the era. It is unknown how many units were sold, how many game were made for it or when it was discontinued. |
The Equalizer | 1998 | Vtech | None | No |
Organizers & PDAs[edit]
Organizers are the precursor to the PDA, that said, organizers were still being made during the PDA era.
Model | Year | Developer / Distributor | MAME support | ROMs | Emulators / Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
H A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Harry Potter Book of Spells | 2001 | Tiger Electronics | None | ||
I A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
iQuest | ~ Unknown | LeapFrog | None | ||
K A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
K-133 | ~ Unknown | Hitech | None | ||
L A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Littlest Pet Shop Digital Planner |
2008 | Hasbro | None | ||
R A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
R-Zone Data Zone | 1996 | Tiger Electronics | None | ||
S A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Super Picky Talk Access Pet |
1990 | Casio | None | The Centre for Computing History | |
Super Picky Talk Forest of Gurutan |
1997 | Casio | Preliminary |
Tablets & Smart Devices[edit]
Model | Year | Developer / Distributor | MAME support | ROMs | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
InnoTab | None | No | |||
InnoTab 2 | Preliminary | No | |||
InnoTab 2 Baby | None | No | |||
InnoTab 2S | None | No | |||
InnoTab 3 | None | No | |||
InnoTab 3S | None | No | |||
Kidizoom Smartwatch | None | No | |||
Kidizoom Smartwatch DX | None | No | |||
Kidizoom Smartwatch DX2 | None | No | |||
Kidizoom Smartwatch DX3 | None | No |
E-readers[edit]
Model | Year | Developer/Distributor | MAME support | ROMs | Emulators / Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
LeapPad | 1999 (Original) 2001 (New Design) 2002 (My First LeapPad) 2003 (Little Touch LeapPad) |
LeapFrog | Preliminary | ||
T A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
Telestory Interactive Storybook System | 2006 | Jakks Pacific | Preliminary | ||
V A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |||||
VReader | 2011 | VTech | Preliminary |