Released only a few months after the Magnavox Odyssey 100 in 1975, the Odyssey 200 was a slightly more expensive games console which boasted a range of improvements.
The system was the first to allow 2 or 4 players to play, something which no other console offered at the time. Just like the Odyssey 100, the console did not have any cartridge slots.In addition to the original Teniis and Hockey, a third game was included with the 200 called Smash (which was basically Squash).
Even though Magnavox was purchased by electronic giants Philips the year before in 1974, the system was still marketed as Magnavox throughout Northern America. However, in Australia and Europe the Magnavox consoles were released as the Philips Odyssey (including the Philips Odyssey 2001 in 1976 and Philips Odyssey 2100 in 1978).
Specifications
The Magnavox Odyssey 200 had two extra chips compared to it’s predecessor. These extra chips allowed the additional game and some added features like improved on screen scoring to be included (which was a strange rectange scoring box on the screen).
It was still a very basic machine though it did offer more features than Ataris Home Pong.
Design wise, the 200 looked almost identical to the other consoles in the Odyssey. Apart from a different paint job and a few extra chips, it was identical.
Variations
Magnavox released a few more systems which were identical to the Odyssey 200 save for a few features.
In 1976 the Odyssey 400 was released. It had the same chipset as the Odyssey 200 except for one new chip. This new chip allowed digital on-screen scoring, the first for an analogue system.
The Odyssey 500 was also released in 1976. This system was the same as the Odyssey 400 except for an additional game: Squash. The white paddles that users were used to in Pong were replaced by small men with racquets (or hockey sticks).
More importantly, the 500 offered basic color graphics instead of black and white.
