At Flashbak: Tomy's Blip

This week at Flashbak, I remembered a “high tech” toy of the 1970s: Tomy’s Blip.

Here’s a snippet and the url: (http://flashbak.com/take-it-anywhere-remembering-blip-the-digital-game-tomy-1977-365508/ )

“Here’s another crazy artifact from the 1970s, a handheld game console from Tomy called, simply “Blip.”

Released in 1977, Blip is “the TV type game that you can take with you anywhere.” 

The big selling point was, not surprisingly, the mobile nature of the device.

“Take BLIP anywhere. On boats, trains, cars, rocket-ships and planes,” the box’s writing suggested.

So basically, Blip was like having your own small device dedicated exclusively to PONG. 

The box writing continues:

“Press the serve button and watch the light emitting diode (L.E.D.) come at you. But don’t watch it too long. To win, your hand must be quicker than BLIP. Quickly press one of the numbered BLIP buttons to send the L.E.D. back where it came from. If your opponent misses, it’s score one for you on the automatic digital billboard.”

The back of the box provides a diagram of BLIP, showing the “Game Selector Switch,” “Individual Serve Buttons, “Automatic Timing Mechanism” and the aforementioned “Numbered BLIP buttons” and “Permanent light emitting diode.”

It’s quite a lot of glorified description, again, for a game that simply plays Pong.

I got Blip as a Christmas gift in the late 1970s and thought it was the cat’s meow.  I loved it (at least until I got my hands on an Atari 2600).

Today, of course, it’s absolutely nut to think that anyone would spend entertaining themselves with this basic “digital game” in the age of iPhones and modern apps…”

Please continue reading at Flashbak.

At Flashbak: Shoot Out in Space (Tomy; 1978)

This week at Flashbak I also remembered a fun toy from Tomy, in 1978: Shoot Out In Space!

Here’s a snippet and the url: (http://flashbak.com/im-making-galaxy-safe-humanity-tomys-shoot-space-1978-51711/ )

“Here’s another great collectible from the disco-decade and the post-Star Wars (1977) sci-fi boom. Now, toy ray guns go back to the 1930s, but this was a new wrinkle on an old idea.

Manufactured by Tomy (No. 2509) in 1978, this set is called Shoot Out in Space. I suppose you would term it a game of outer space marksmanship. Basically, it’s a plastic gun, and a rotating (space-age) shooting gallery of rubber rockets.

The actual object of the game? 

“Disable enemy rockets with a mysterious beam of light."  The toy involves “cosmic combat with a ray gun, revolving space station and enemy rockets.”

Players (or shooters….) could modify the plastic laser weapon by making the "ray gun hand-size by separating it from the stock." 

The light beam from the ray gun operated "on a transistorized target at distances over 30 feet," and kids could also "change the target to make it harder and harder to hit."

Designed for ages 6 and up, this Tomy toy required four "AA" batteries to operate. I remember this toy so well -- and have one in my home office -- because my best friend and next door neighbor owned Shoot Out in Space, and often invited me up to his third-floor playroom to shoot down the enemy rockets…

Please continue reading at Flashbak!

Collectible of the Week: Verbot (Tomy Corp; 1984)

I recently featured “Dingbot” -- a Tomy Robot from the year 1984 -- as my collectible of the week here on the blog.  Today, I want to highlight one of his (two) counterparts, namely Verbot: “The programmable robot!” 

Verbot was also manufactured by Tomy Corp. in 1984, and he “performs eight functions by remote control.  Your VOICE is his command.”

The instructions on this robot’s box note that a child can: “program Verbot to respond to your own secret commands through his remote control microphone.  He will move forward and back, turn left or right, pick up and deliver objects, blink and smile, all at the sound of your voice.”

A further tally of Verbot’s abilities includes:

“8 command memory. Program each command with your own secret code word.”

“Dazzling personality. He’ll blink and smile at your request.”

“Forward and reverse! Direct his movement.”

“Turn right and turn left.  Verbot goes in any direction.

“Pick up and deliver objects!  Train Verbot to be your mechanical messenger.”

“Wireless remote control unit! Control him from a distance!”

While Tomy suggested “The future is here – Home entertainment robots!,” I’m not certain how much these robots actually caught on with kids or the public, but I still enjoy the (admittedly) antiquated design of the Verbot.  He’s half R2-D2, half Robby, I suppose you might say.  The only one of these Tomy toys I don’t currently have in my collection is the gigantic mega-bot, Omnibot…

Collectible of the Week: Dingbot (Tomy; 1984)

“The Robot Age is here and Tomy is three steps ahead…”

So promised the Tomy Company in 1984 on the box for one of its memorable “Home Entertainment Robots:” Dingbot.

Dingbot’s story goes thusly: “Once upon a time…in the not so distant future, a robot was made and left alone to find his way.  His name was…Dingbot.”

Operating on one double A battery (not included), Dingbot is also described on his box as:


“...a fast traveling robot who bumps into walls and obstacles.  He chatters.  He turns his head.  He speeds off in another direction!  He carries his own floor plan (included) in his poseable arms.  He’s a funny robot who’s slowly learning the meaning of walls…He’s Dingbot!”

The cute little Dingbot -- who can fit in the palm of your hand, really -- was one of three Home Entertainment Robots released by Tomy at about the same time.  One was called “Verbot” (A voice-controlled robot) and the other, giant one was called “Omnibot” (“The Leader that operates by remote control and memory.”)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had a fascination for these 1980s “real” robots who, basically, do nothing besides beep and bump into walls.  When I was a kid, however, I considered these robots a promised to be delivered upon.  They were the “beginning,” I believed of the revolution to come: household robots.

Alas, here we are in 2012 and the revolution has not yet occurred. I don’t have a robot maid or butler, or a robotic cook.  We’re still a long way from the world of the Jetsons.

But one of these days.  Definitely.  And in the meantime, Joel and I enjoy watching Dingbot bump into walls…