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Tele-Spiel ES-2201

This is one of the first european console. It is almost a pong but as it plays different games (not only pong) available on cartridge, it can be considered a console (the same way as the Odyssey). It was produced by Philips.

This is not a pong-in-a-chip system like many later pong systems. When you open it you only find discrete components and a few integrated circuits. There is no game built-in, but the system was sold with a Tennis game cartridge. Four more cartridges were available (Pelota, Skeet shooting, Racing and Ghostchaser). The cartridges only contain discrete components too, which complete the basic design of the system itself to produce a specific game.

The score is not displayed on screen, hence the two score sliders found on the case (ranging from 0 to 15). The controllers are quite special too: two long and thin sliders with one tiny red button each. The controllers are not connected to the system itself but to the cartridge!

Two knobs on the unit are used to switch video canal used and the handicap (difficulty level).