TV Boy


The TV Boy and its successors TV Boy II and Super TV Boy are 1990s handheld TV games sold by many different companies, including Systema, Akor, and NICS, based upon an unlicensed clone of Atari 2600 hardware. They were widely available across Europe. In the UK they were most visibly available through Argos. They were released around 1992, and an improved version of the TV Boy 2, the Super TV Boy, was also made by Akor in 1995.
Users can play any one of 127 built-in games. In the UK, they were marketed with "126 games included"; the Super TV Boy has "127 games included" printed on the packing box.

Hardware

Resembling a large handheld pad, the systems plug into a TV and operate on either four AA batteries or a 6V power supply. The only difference between a TV Boy and TV Boy II is that the former has two 9-pin, Atari-type joystick connectors for the optional use of external joysticks. This is true for the TV Boy-Version of Systema and NICS, but not for the TV Boy from AKOR, which does not have such external ports at all. As the TV Boy II has no capacity for external joysticks, only a single player may play using a built-in pad. Some versions of the TV Boy, but not all, have a jumper labeled NTSC/PAL on its motherboard. There is no cartridge slot for additional games.

Games

The system contains a single 512KB ROM housing 128 programs. One is the program that enables the others to be selected, so only 127 games are included; none of them use any sort of paged ROM scheme.
All 127 are original Atari 2600 games by companies such as Atari, Activision, and Mattel, hacked to remove copyright notices and other assets demonstrating ownership. The colored bars to the left of the A in the Activision logo remain in some games but the company name is excised. False and ambiguous names – such as Mad Kong and The Flying Man – are printed on the packing box and in the instruction manual.
For the UK versions, one game originally included with the TV Boy was removed from the TV Boy II: game #91: Protection. No replacement game takes its place making the TV Boy II a 126-game handheld console. This space was filled in the Super TV Boy with Winter Adventure. Also, three games were exchanged in the UK: Maze Town with Full Attack, Football with Besieged, and Duel with Laser Attack.
Some of the games slightly alter the graphics of the originals. All play with altered colors — for example, Pitfall! is set in a blue forest — because the game ROMs are NTSC versions played on a PAL console.

List of included games

The following is a complete list of the Atari 2600 games modified for inclusion in the TV Boy, according to the game number on that device, with the original game name listed beside:
  1. Desert Strike – Chopper Command – 1982
  2. River Raid – River Raid – 1982
  3. Pacmania – Pac-Man – 1981
  4. Wolf Fight – Pooyan – 1983
  5. Star Force – Earth Dies Screaming – 1983
  6. Asteroid – Mission 3000 – previously PAL only – 1983
  7. Space 2010 – Demon Attack – 1982
  8. Invasion – Space Invaders – Original release 1978 ported in 1980
  9. Motocross – Motocross – Year unknown
  10. The Frogs – Frogs and Flies – 1982
  11. Helicopter Squad – Time Warp – 1982
  12. The Birds – Krieg Der Stern – Year unknown
  13. The Jungle – Mr. Postman – 1983
  14. Submarine – Katastrophen-Einsatz – the German version of M*A*S*H
  15. Pacmania – Jawbreaker – 1982
  16. River Crossing – Frogger – 1983
  17. Tank Battle – Thunderground – 1983
  18. Fire! – Fire Fighter – 1982
  19. Forest Walk – Pitfall! – 1982
  20. The Sharks – Seaquest – 1983
  21. Pin Ball – Video Pinball – 1980
  22. Sea Hunter – Sub Scan – 1983
  23. Dragon Treasure – Dragonfire – 1982
  24. The Dentist – Plaque Attack – 1983
  25. Mad Kong – Donkey Kong – 1982
  26. The Gardener – Gopher – does not appear on the TV Boy – 1982
  27. Forest Battle – Nuts – previously PAL only – 1983
  28. Space Conquest – Flash Gordon – 1983
  29. F1 Race – Enduro – 1983
  30. Treasure – Criminal Pursuit – Year unknown
  31. Symbols – I.Q. Memory Teaser – 1983
  32. The Hen House – Farmyard Fun – previously PAL only – Year unknown
  33. Rescue – Zoo Fun – 1983
  34. Duck Pass – Challenge – 1980
  35. Thief! – Keystone Kapers – 1983
  36. Bowling – Bowling – 1978
  37. Brick Wall – Circus Atari – 1980
  38. Rodeo – Stampede – 1981
  39. Space Battle – M.A.D. – 1982
  40. Parachute – Parachute – 1983
  41. Monsters – Berzerk – 1982
  42. Lost Ships – Worm War I – 1982
  43. The Maze – Dodge 'Em – 1980
  44. Around The World – Bobby Is Going Home – previously PAL only – 1983
  45. The Ladder – Master Builder – 1983
  46. Rambler – Walker – 1983
  47. Space Defence – UFO Patrol – 1983
  48. Evil Fighter – Immies & Aggies – 1983
  49. Flying saucers – Great Escape – 1983
  50. Town Attack – Z-Tack – 1983
  51. Fire Dragon – Dragon Defender – 1983
  52. Chinese Plates – Dancing Plate – 1983
  53. Rivercross – Frostbite – 1983
  54. Base Defenses – Commando Raid – 1982
  55. Wolf! – Oink! – 1983
  56. The Mouse – Snail Against Squirrel – previously PAL only – 1983
  57. Maze Town – King Kong – 1982
  58. Ice Polo – Ice Hockey – 1981
  59. Tennis – Tennis – 1981
  60. Sea War – Sea Monster – 1982
  61. Volley Ball – Realsports Volleyball – 1982
  62. Evil Attack – Spider Fighter – 1983
  63. Rocket – Missile Control – previously PAL only – 1983
  64. Besieged – Wall Defender – does not appear on the TV Boy – 1983
  65. The Spider – Amidar – 1982
  66. Fly in the Sky – Barnstorming – 1982
  67. Car Race – Grand Prix – 1982
  68. The Flying Man – Superman – 1979
  69. Robot Attack – Space Robot – previously PAL only – 1983
  70. Robot City – Lock 'n' Chase – 1982
  71. The Ghosts – Venture – 1982
  72. Space Ship – Cosmic Ark – 1982
  73. Tank Action – Strategy X – 1983
  74. Laser Ship – Cross Force – 1982
  75. One Against all – Planet Patrol – 1982
  76. Golf – Golf – 1980
  77. Robot Strike – ' – 1982
  78. Street Battle – Dark Cavern – 1982
  79. Tunnel – Pharaoh's Curse – 1983
  80. Operation Thunderstorm – Turmoil – 1982
  81. Sky Squadron – Tac-Scan – 1983
  82. Spiderman – Spider Man – 1982
  83. Maze Craze – Bank Heist – 1983
  84. Earth 2010 – Space Cavern – 1981
  85. The Shield – Spacemaster X-7 – 1983
  86. Sea Warp – Atlantis – 1982
  87. Holy Ghost – Open, Sesame! – 1982
  88. Funfair Rifle Range – Carnival – 1982
  89. Laser Tank – Threshold – 1982
  90. Luke and the Monsters – Fast Eddie – graphics altered from original – 1982
  91. Protection – Defender – 1981
  92. Tic-Tac-Toe – 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe – 1980
  93. UFO Ship – Assault – 1983
  94. Birds of Prey – Condor Attack – 1982
  95. Deep-Sea Fishing – Name This Game – 1982
  96. Spider King – Pac-Kong – previously PAL only
  97. The Crabs – Crackpots – 1983
  98. Billiard – Trick Shot – 1982
  99. Moon Driver – Gas Hog – 1983
  100. Tank Battle in The Streets – Phantom Tank – 1982
  101. Squash – Racquetball – 1981
  102. Tunnel Battle – Laser Gates – 1983
  103. Space Exploration – Cosmic Creeps – 1982
  104. King Building – Robin Hood or Save Our Ship – previously PAL only – 1983
  105. Galaxy 2 – Challenge of NEXAR – 1982
  106. Tom's Adventure – Panda Chase – 1983
  107. Moto Kid – Mega Force – 1982
  108. Karate – Karate – 1982
  109. Sky Destroyer – Missile Command – 1981
  110. Fighter Pilot – Air Raiders – 1982
  111. Pacific War – Seahawk – 1982
  112. Robot Alert! – Hey! Stop!
  113. The Vulture – Tuby Bird
  114. Submarine Fishing – Bi! Bi!
  115. River Fishing – Fishing Derby – 1980
  116. Traffic – Freeway – 1981
  117. UFO Attack – Space Jockey – 1982
  118. Game of Draughts – Checkers – 1980
  119. Duel – Outlaw – 1978
  120. Ottello – Othello – 1980
  121. Sidereal attack – Cosmic Swarm – 1982
  122. Ski – Skiing – 1980
  123. Invaders – Astro War – previously PAL only – Year unknown
  124. The Trap – Gangster Alley – 1982
  125. Elevator – Infiltrate – 1981
  126. Hamburger – Fast Food – 1982
  127. Invader' – Megamania'' – 1982