Fairchild Videocart-9 Game, "Drag Race," 1977

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Artifact Overview

The Fairchild Channel F Video Entertainment System is the first home video game console to include interchangeable cartridges. Jerry Lawson, Fairchild's head of engineering and hardware, co-invented the cartridge, which continues to be adapted into systems today. Lawson was one of the first Black engineers to work in Silicon Valley and was an early member of the Homebrew Computer Club.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Video game

Date Made

1977

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2020.76.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Plastic
Paper (Fiber product)
Cardboard

Color

Multicolored

Dimensions

Height: 5.625 in (Packaging)
Width: 4.375 in (Packaging)
Length: 0.688 in (Packaging)

Inscriptions

on top of cartridge: CHANNEL F / FAIRCHILD VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM / VIDEOCART-9 / Drag Race / TO PLAY: Press RESET, then: / With G? on screen, select speed / of car: 1 (slow) to 4 (fast), / With M? on screen, select: / 1 practice game, 2 or 3 no / stall at start, 4 stall at start. / With S? on screen, select: / 1 no sound, 2, 3 or 4 sound. / Hand Controller Action / Twist left/right--revs RPM's / Shifting: Standard H-pattern. / 1 3 / N / 2 4 / MESSAGES: "BLOWN" - blown / engine, "RED LIGHT" - false / star, "STALL" - insufficient / RPM on takeoff, "ET" - elapsed / time, "OT" - overtime. / SCORING: 1 point for winner. / ENCODED PROGRAM (C) FAIRCHILD 1977 / FAIRCHILD on front of cartridge: F(TM) VIDEOCART-9 / Drag Race / Made in Singapore / VIDEOCART and CHANNEL F are trademarks of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation on front of packaging: 9 / Drag Strip / 1-Player 2-Player / CHANNEL F / FAIRCHILD VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM / VIDEOCART-9 on proper left side of packaging: F(TM) VIDEOCARD-9 / VIDEOCART and CHANNEL F are trademarks of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation on back of packaging: VIDEOCART-9 / This preprogrammed cartridge plugs into the console of the / Fairchild Video Entertainment System for more TV fun. Know when / to shift and you'll go the distance with these 2 racy games. But / careful...Redline your engine, and you wind up shiftless! / (You've blown it!) / 1-Player Drag Strip: / VROOOM. Tach it up for a / dynamite breakout. Then race / the clock as you burn up the / strip. (Beat our 7.70 ET and / you're ready for Pomona!) / 2-Player Drag Strip: / He who laps last, laps best. / Max your rpm's without red- / lining, and you'll have the / speed to lap your opponent at / the top end. 99 wins puts you in the Winner's Circle. / Game play in color only on color televisions. / Ask your dealer to see the other Videocart(TM) cartridges available / for play on your Fairchild Video Entertainment System. Build a / library of video game fun. on proper right side of packaging: F(TM) VIDEOCART-9 / Exclusively for use with / the Fairchild Video / Entertainment System. / Drag Strip / 1-Player 2-Player on top of packaging: FAIRCHILD / Drag Strip / 1-Player 2-Player / Contents: / 1 Videocart(TM) Cartridge / 1 Instruction Booklet / VIDEOCART-9 / Manufactured by / Fairchild Consumer Products Division / 4001 Miranda Avenue / Palo Alto, CA 94304 / Made in Singapore / Printed in U.S.A. on bottom of packaging: FAIRCHILD / Drag Strip / 1-Player 2-Player / VIDEOCART-9
Fairchild Videocart-9 Game, "Drag Race," 1977