Leisure Vision

[Rik]

Hi,all,found 10 Leisure Vision carts today at thrift store,what were the games like for this system?not sure if I should buy them.

[Lord Helmet]

Wasn't the Leisure Vision the same as the Emerson Arcadia?

[misspent_youth]

Yup...

for a really quick read and some links, see here:

CGCC

[coreycorey2000]

I'd be interested in the games. If you don't want them could you please pick them up for me if they are cheap. I bought a Leisurevision at a yard sale with 4 games and would love to get some more.

[Technosis]

Even though I'm here in Canada, I have never come across a LeisureVision (or Arcadia 2001). I actually got my LeisureVision from a trade with a US collector (thanks again Ian!). I found a solitary "long cart" LeisureVision Space Vultures cart at a flea, but that's it.

[Ze_ro]

Yeah, despite my years of thrifting, I've never seen a LeisureVision here in Winnipeg either. Although I've managed to accumulate 5 or 6 games for it somehow. I keep hoping a system will show up. I'm pretty sure the cartridges will work in an Arcadia 2001 without any modifications, but I'd prefer to get an original LeisureVision myself.

 

--Zero

[Rik]

Hi,all,found 10 Leisure Vision carts today at thrift store,what were the games like for this system?not sure if I should buy them.

Ohhhh yes!,I bought them today,they are OCEAN BATTLE,SOCCER,BRAIN QUIZ,3D-BOWLING,STAR CHESS,BREAKAWAY,CAPTURE, and,BASEBAll.I was hoping to have some input on the quality of the console that plays these games,and also if anyone has played these games posted above,as I'm not sure on whether to sell these,or keep them,and aquire a console for them.

Edited November 1, 2006 by Rik

[Ze_ro]

Well, I hope you're not expecting too much out of them... the system is generally considered to be even weaker than the 2600, so graphics and sound are going to be pretty minimal. Also, one of the major complaints people have about the Arcadia is that most of the games are just ripoffs of other popular games.

 

However, the system is very fascinating from a historical standpoint. They did some really strange things with this system, as different manufacturers made essentially the same console and marketed it to different areas. Each area ended up getting slightly different libraries of games (for example, there are a few games the LeisureVision got that never came out for the Arcadia 2001). The hardware also has some strange ties to the Odyssey^2 and a European system called the Interton VC-4000. Anyways, there's a lot of strange history to this machine that (in my opinion) makes it far more interesting than the games would have done on their own.

 

--Zero

[Technosis]

Well, I hope you're not expecting too much out of them... the system is generally considered to be even weaker than the 2600, so graphics and sound are going to be pretty minimal. Also, one of the major complaints people have about the Arcadia is that most of the games are just ripoffs of other popular games.

 

I agree with your summary of this system. When I finally picked one up, I couldn't help but notice just how primitive the games were. I basically played tried each cart out, quickly moving to the next one in hopes of finding at least one great game. Never found one though. I found Space Vultures and Jungler to be somewhat playable, but I'll pass on the rest.

 

Considering that the Arcadia 2001/LeisureVision came out some time after the development of the 2600, you'd expect it to be superior, but it wasn't.

[SteveW]

The Arcadia came out in 1982 according to sources, which was when the Colecovision and Atari 5200 came out. And yet it was more technically primitive than a 2600. No wonder it never took off.

 

There were some exclusives that never made it to some countries, like the Macross game that came out in Japan. I've always wanted to see that one in action. But since I've never even seen an Arcadia in person, I guess I'll never get the chance to find Macross and play it. That is, if the Japanese cartridge is slot-compatible with a US Arcadia.

[Rik]

The leisure vision games from what ive seen posted here probably weren't the best games,but i think its still collectable,ive seen screenshots,and just by looking at those,the games graphics really dont look bad at all,but how they play?thats another question,EVERONE HAS DIFFERENT TASTES.Those consoles seem to be the HARDEST to find.im thinking of selling my 8 games i found for it at the thrift store,but have absolutely no idea what they're worth,and if i sell them,i dont want to be called a ripp-off artist which seems SO easy to get labeled ,as you just cant satisfy everyone,If I do sell them ,it will be AS IS,because i do not have a console to test them.I paid just under $4.00 each at the thrift store,thinking to keep them as i was also thinking of getting the console to play them,but now i dont know...those consoles are suuuuuuuuuuuuper rare,to locate that is,and if its true they were inferior to even the 2600 ..no thanks...maybe someone else wants them,plus ,i really am running out of room for all these systems!

Edited November 25, 2006 by Rik

[Bruce Tomlin]

The Arcadia came out in 1982 according to sources, which was when the Colecovision and Atari 5200 came out. And yet it was more technically primitive than a 2600. No wonder it never took off.

It also had quite a few clones made of it, some of which used a different type of cartridge connector.

 

The most notable thing to me about its games is the sound. I am completely convinced that whoever programmed the sound for those games was completely tone deaf.

[SteveW]

I've tried to play the games in MacMESS, but for some reason I can't seem to control them, so I can't make heads or tales of them. Arcadia and 2600 games are the only ones I can seem to load up in MESS.

[Ze_ro]

It also had quite a few clones made of it, some of which used a different type of cartridge connector.

Yes, some of the different clones used different cartridge slots, but it should be possible to rewire things or build an adaptor in order to get a game working on another system. Although that seems like an awful lot of effort when emulation is around.

 

--Zero

[Shorty73]

I have a leisure vision console and games like new does anyone know what its worth

[+sixersfan105]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:50 PM, Shorty73 said:

I have a leisure vision console and games like new does anyone know what its worth

Got pics of the console and games? You say "like new" but it would help to see it for valuation purposes, and also, the price could swing wildly one way or the other depending on which games are included and how complete the games are (cart-only, boxed with manuals and overlays, etc.) Has the console been tested and does it work as it should? Would need to know all of these things to come up with a value for you. Also maybe you would consider holding onto it and enjoying it instead of selling it? ?