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Magnavox Odyssey 2
 
The Odyssey 2 was born in 1978,  and even though it didn't have as lucrative a following as the Atari or Colecovision, it still managed to have one million units sold by 1983.  One of the main features of the Odyssey was the self-contained keyboard, which no other gaming console had at the time.  This was to be incorporated into educational games.  Mainly, the keyboard was used to select the different games and difficulty levels on the cartridges.

Magnavox Odyssey 2

 
Odyssey 2 Games

Magnavox Odyssey²: An Ambitious Underdog in Early Gaming


Released in 1978, the Magnavox Odyssey² (also known as the Philips Videopac G7000 in Europe) was Magnavox's second attempt at home gaming after the original Odyssey. Competing against the Atari 2600 and Intellivision, the Odyssey² stood out with its built-in keyboard and focus on educational and strategy-based games. Though it never reached the popularity of its rivals, it developed a cult following and introduced several unique features.


Design & Hardware

The Odyssey² had a sleek, futuristic design with a full alphanumeric membrane keyboard, making it one of the first consoles to encourage programming and text input. The system included hardwired joysticks that were functional but less durable than Atari's offerings. While graphically inferior to the Atari 2600, the Odyssey² emphasized innovation over raw power.


Game Library & Unique Features

One of the system's biggest strengths was its integrated game and computing capabilities, leading to hybrid experiences that mixed gaming with logic and problem-solving. Some standout titles included:

  • K.C. Munchkin! - A Pac-Man-inspired maze game that was so similar that Atari sued and won.
  • Quest for the Rings - A hybrid of video gaming and board gaming, featuring RPG-style gameplay.
  • UFO! - A fun space shooter.
  • Pick Axe Pete! - A Donkey Kong-style platformer.

The Odyssey² also introduced "The Master Strategy Series," which combined physical game boards with video game elements, a unique innovation at the time.


Legacy & Impact

While the Odyssey² struggled against the Atari 2600's superior library and third-party support, it found more success in Europe and Brazil under the Philips Videopac brand. It was one of the earliest consoles to push gaming beyond simple arcade-style experiences, laying the groundwork for future educational and strategy games.


Verdict

⭐ 7.5/10 - The Odyssey² was ahead of its time in innovation but lacked the third-party support needed to compete with Atari. It remains a fascinating piece of gaming history, especially for fans of early console RPGs and strategy games.




Josh Brown  lurch87@hotmail.com  on Wednesday, May 17, 2000 at 10:15:53 
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Magnavox was sued by atari for their K.C. Munchkin game being too similar to Pac-Man.  Atari won the lawsuit and that was about the time the Odyssey2 went off of the shelves. 

It is rumored that Magnavox actually made more money off of lawsuits dealing with the Odyssey and Odyssey 2 than they ever made from the sale of the systems and games. 
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Jt august  starsabre@att.net  on Saturday, February 26, 2000 at 23:57:16 
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There were 49 US titles for the O^2, although there were several more released by parent company Philips Electronics in Europe, including a Chess module, a BASIC programming module, and the G7400 -  
the European version of the cancelled Odyssey^3.

Odyssey is the only system to date to release board games that used the game system as part of their game play; these three games were released as part of the Master Strategy Series.

Power Lords - the last game released - is believed to have less than 20,000 copies having made it to the streets, making this the rarest title on the platform, and the only title that does not have a European videopack counterpart. 
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Paul Leonard  ratzo66@hotmail.com  on Monday, January 10, 2000 at 22:50:41 
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It was a cheap system with worse graphics than even the atari 2600. The only good thing about this system is the little voice simulater 
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