The Story of Odyssey 2

Magnavox Odyssey 2

The Magnavox Odyssey 2 was released in 1978, through a partnership between Magnavox and Phillips. Magnavox was responsible for releasing the world's first home console in 1971, the Odyssey 1000. There were six more sequels until the second generation began with the Odyssey 2. At the time of its release, the Atari 2600 already existed and was its main competitor until 1980 with the arrival of the Intellivision. From that date until 1982, the Odyssey acquired a distant third place, falling to fourth place after the launch of the ColecoVision.

Magnavox Odyssey 2 Hardware 

Its hardware had a good processor, the Intel 8048 with 1.79MHz, competing with its rivals. It also had 2kB of RAM and 2KB of video, an Intel 8244 video and sound chip with 16 colors and 1 sound channel. Its biggest limitations were precisely the video and sound, which produced very few colors compared to its competitors, and a single sound channel, losing even to the Atari 2600 which had two.

Didi na Mina Encantada and Come-Come

The console arrived in Brazil in 1983 by Phillips, a company that already had a tradition in the country, under the name Odyssey, since its predecessor had never been released there. In Brazil, some games were translated into Portuguese, such as Munchkin (a game inspired by Pac-Man) for Come-Come (Pac-Man became popular in Brazil with this name) and the game Pickaxe Pete as Didi na Mina Encantada, alluding to the character Didi Mocó from the series Os Trapalhões, which was very well-known at the time. Pickaxe is considered the first game translated into Portuguese, in 1983. 

Magnavox Odyssey 2 (Box) and Games

Some of the games that were successful on the console include Speedway, Alien Ivanders, Thunderball, Alpine Skiing, Blockout, UFO, Munchkin, as well as some ports, such as Atlantis, Frogger, Demon Attack, Super Cobra, Popeye, Q*Bert, among others. It also became known for some titles based on board games, such as Quest for the Rings!, Conquest of The World and The Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt. Due to intense competition, Odyssey 2 ended its activities in 1984.