Electronics for Kids

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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