Fairchild Videocart-8 Game, "Magic Numbers, Mind Reader, Nim," 1977
01
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
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2020.77.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Plastic
Paper (Fiber product)
Cardboard
Color
Multicolored
Dimensions
Height: 5.625 in (Packaging)
Width: 4.125 in (Packaging)
Length: 0.875 in (Packaging)
Inscriptions
on top of cartridge:
CHANNEL F / FAIRCHILD VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM / VIDEOCART-8 / Magic Numbers / Mind Reader Nim / TO PLAY Press Buttons / Mind Reader 1 4 / Options: 1 2 / Nim 2 4 / Options: 1 2 / Mind Reader Hand Controller / Action / Push left/right-moves cursor. / Twist left/right-cycles digit down / or up. / Push down-enters guess. / Pull up-for a new game. / CLUES: H - "Hit," T - "Transpose" / SCORING: 20-guess game--Com- / puter gets guesses used, you get / guesses left / Timed Game-2 ,3, 4, or 5 points per digit, depending on mystery number / Nim Hand Controller Action / Push left/right/forward/back-- / moves color from square to square / Twist left/right--decreases or / increased number in square. / Push down--enters your move; at / end of game, clears screen. / SCORING: No Time Limit-Higher / scores for more piles. Time Limit- / Least amount of times scores most / points. / ENCODED PROGRAM (C) FAIRCHILD 1977 / FAIRCHILD
on front of cartridge:
F(TM) VIDEOCART-8 / Magic Numbers / Mind Reader / Nim / Made in Singapore / VIDEOCART and CHANNEL F are trademarks of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation
on front of packaging:
8 / Magic Numbers / Mindreader Nim / FAIRCHILD / VIDEOCART-8 / Exclusively for use with / the Fairchild Video / Entertainment System. / VIDEOCART is a trademark of / Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation
on proper left side of packaging:
FAIRCHILD VIDEOCART-8 / Printed in U.S.A.
on back of packaging:
VIDEOCART-8 / This preprogrammed cartridge plugs into the console of the / Fairchild Video Entertainment System for more TV fun. Take our / magic numbers, your own secret strategy...And you just might / trick the computer! Can you "digit"? / Mindreader (1 player): / Think you've got our number? / "H" or "T" tell you whether / you've guessed the right digit / in the right place or the wrong / place. Race the clock or play / for points. / Nim (1 player): / Trap the computer in a binary / bind, and you win every time! / You and computer take turns / removing one or more units / from each square. Last move / wins. / 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:
FAIRCHILD VIDEOCART-8 / Exclusively for use with / the Fairchild Video / Entertainment System. / Magic Numbers / Mindreader Nim
on top of packaging:
FAIRCHILD / Magic Numbers / Mindreader Nim / Contents: / 1 Videocart(TM) Cartridge / 1 Instruction Booklet / VIDEOCART-8 / 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 / Magic Numbers / Mindreader Nim / VIDEOCART-8
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