Arcadia 2001
A compact 8-bit console with many clones despite commercial failure.
The Emerson Radio Arcadia 2001, an 8-bit home video game console, hit the market in May 1982 for US$99. It arrived a few months ahead of the ColecoVision but was pulled from shelves just 18 months later. Only 35 games were ever released for it. Despite flopping commercially, the system spawned over 30 clones, and Emerson licensed the design to Bandai, which sold it in Japan.
The console is notably smaller than its rivals and runs on a standard 12-volt power supply, making it usable in a boat or car. Two headphone jacks sit on the far left and right of the back. It shipped with two controllers resembling those of the Intellivision, each featuring a 12-button keypad and fire buttons on the sides. The directional pad accepts a removable joystick attachment. Most games came with BoPET overlays for the keypad. The console itself has five buttons: Power, Start, Reset, Option, and Select. Cartridge cases came in at least three styles and two lengths—short and long—all in black plastic.
Inside, the main processor is a Signetics 2650 CPU (some variants use a 2650A). It has 1 KB of RAM and no ROM. The video display runs at 128 × 208 or 128 × 104 pixels in 8 colors, driven by a Signetics 2637 UVI chip clocked at 3.58 MHz (NTSC) or 3.55 MHz (PAL). Sound comes from a single-channel beeper and a single-channel noise generator. The system supports four independent, single-color hardware sprites. It has two 2-way controller ports and two 12-button keypads (some variants have more buttons).
Numerous companies in different countries released variants and clones, most of which are compatible with each other. The Bandai Arcadia, a licensed version, launched exclusively in Japan in 1982 for 19,800 yen, with four exclusive games.
At the summer 1982 Consumer Electronics Show, Danny Goodman of *Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games* noted that the Arcadia 2001’s graphics resembled those of the Atari 2600. He called the overall gameplay favorable for the price, though no cartridge stood out as an exciting original. He praised the controller’s combination of an Intellivision-like disc and a joystick as a great idea.
Emerson planned to launch with 19 games. Some titles are ports of lesser-known arcade games like *Route 16*, *Jungler*, and *Jump Bug*, which weren’t available on other home systems.
Quick Facts
- Aka
- MPT-03/Video Computer Game
- Manufacturer
- Emerson Radio
- Generation
- Second generation
- Lifespan
- 18 months
- Price
- US$99 (equivalent to $341.24 in March 2026)
- Discontinued
- 1984
- Units Sold
- 20,000-30,000 (est.)
- Media
- ROM cartridge
- Power
- 12 volt
- Cpu
- Signetics 2650
- Memory
- 1 KB RAM
- Display
- TV; 128 × 208 / 128 × 104, 8 Colours
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Arcadia 2001 is much smaller than its contemporary competitors and is powered by a standard 12 volt power supply so it can be used in a boat or a vehicle. It has two headphone jacks on the far left and right sides of the back. The system came with two Intellivision-style controllers with a 12-button keypad and fire buttons on the sides; the direction pads have a removable joystick attachment. Most games came with BoPET overlays that can be applied to the controller's keypads. The console itself has five buttons: Power, Start, Reset, Option, and Select. There are at least three different cartridge case styles and artwork, with variations on each; Emerson-family cartridges come in two different lengths (short and long) of black plastic cases.
Emerson planned to launch the console with 19 games. Some Arcadia 2001 games are ports of lesser-known arcade games such as Route 16, Jungler, and Jump Bug, which were not available on other home systems. Emerson actually created many popular arcade titles including Pac-Man, Galaxian and Defender for the Arcadia, but never had them manufactured as Atari started to sue its competitor companies for releasing games to which it had exclusive-rights agreements. Early marketing showed popular arcade games, but they were later released as clones; for instance, Space Raiders is a clone of Defender, and Breakaway is a clone of Breakout. There are 55 games known to have been released for the Arcadia 2001 and its clones during the system's lifetime.
Many variants and clones of the Arcadia 2001 have been released by various companies in different countries, mostly compatible with each other. In 1982, the Bandai Arcadia was released only in Japan, licensed by Emerson, for a price of 19,800 yen; four exclusive games were released for that system.
Reader's Guide
The Arcadia 2001 is notable primarily for its unusual proliferation of clones despite being a commercial failure. Over 30 variants and clones were released by different companies in various countries, most of which are compatible with each other. This extensive cloning suggests that the system's simple design and licensing terms made it attractive for regional manufacturers, even though the original console sold poorly and was discontinued after only 18 months. The system's technical specifications were modest: a Signetics 2650 CPU, 1 KB of RAM, and a video display controller capable of 8 colors and 4 single-color hardware sprites. Its graphics were compared to the Atari 2600's, and while no cartridge was considered an exciting original creation, the controller design—offering both an Intellivision-like disc and joystick functionality—was praised. The Arcadia 2001 also represents a case study in the legal pressures of the early home console market: Emerson created ports of popular arcade games like Pac-Man and Defender but never manufactured them due to Atari's exclusive-rights lawsuits, instead releasing clones under different names. Three hobbyist-developed homebrew games are known to have been made for the system: Frogger, JTron, and Tetris.
Did You Know?
- The Arcadia 2001 was released by Emerson Radio in May 1982 at US$99, months before ColecoVision.
- Over 30 Arcadia 2001 clones exist despite the system being a commercial failure.
- The console can be powered by a standard 12 volt supply for use in a boat or vehicle.
- Three hobbyist homebrew games were made for the system: Frogger, JTron, and Tetris.
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