---
title: 'Obscure systems : the cartridge pongs family'
rubrics:
- Consoles
params:
  image: /media/magazine/articles/4/titre_sd050.jpg
  group: Consoles
  oc_id: 4
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20210806072755/http://www.old-computers.com/magazine/view.asp?a=4
    date: '2021-08-06'
---

![](/media/magazine/articles/4/titre_sd050.jpg)

**> SYSTEMS USING CARTRIDGES WITH GI GAMES**

When we write GI games, we mean chipsets sold by General Instruments in the 1970s which made the success of many pong systems. In these chipsets were "ready to run" games and pong manufacturers had almost only to put these chipsets into their system cases to make them work !

After the big success encountered by pong systems, people wanted to buy systems with more games than the ones implemented within their console. So manufacturers conceived cartridge systems that they called "Programmable Systems", i.e. consoles accepting different cartridges for "endless" fun... But while some did real research & development to conceive original systems (ex : Atari), most manufacturers made cartridge systems using GI chips, because this was the easiest and cheapest solution.

As these GI chips were first used in "normal" pong systems, collectors often call these systems "cartridge pong systems" though most of the games are not pong games at all... There a lot of different designed systems but they all play the same games...

**> HOW TO RECOGNISE THEM ?**

> \- The main fact is that there are always **10 buttons** to make game selections. This is because most cartridges had a lot of games in them, the maximum being 10 games for the "Sport" games cartridge (AY-3-8610 GI chip).
>
> ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/10_buttons_1.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/10_buttons_2.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/10_buttons_3.jpg)
>
> \- Joysticks have **1 action button** each.
>
> ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/joystick_3.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/joystick_1.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/joystick_2.gif)
>
> \- There are usually **4 or 5 switches** typical of pong games settings (Power on/off, Speed pro/am, Player 1 difficulty Pro/Am, Player 2 difficulty Pro/Am, Automatic service on/off)
>
> ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/4_switches_1.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/4_switches_2.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/4_switches_3.gif)
>
> \- There is also a **Start or Reset button** (often orange).
>
> ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/start_button_1.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/start_button_2.gif) ![](/media/magazine/articles/4/start_button_3.jpg)

**> THE GAMES**

> There are a maximum of 8 games which are differently labelled depending on the systems which used them. These games are :

<table> <tr> <td><p><b>Usual name</b></p></td> <td><p><b>Games</b></p></td> <td><p><b>GI chip</b></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Supersportic</p></td> <td><p>10 ball games</p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8610</p></td> <td><p><img alt="Football" height="29" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_football.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="basketball" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_basketball.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="tennis" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_tennis.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="hockey" height="29" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_hockey.gif" width="39"/> <img alt="grille" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_grille.gif" width="40"/></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Motorcycle</p></td> <td><p>4 motorcycle games </p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8760</p></td> <td><p><img alt="Motocycle 1" height="26" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_moto_1.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="Motocucle 1" height="27" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_moto_2.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="Motorman" height="32" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_motard.gif" width="40"/></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Tank Battle</p></td> <td><p>2 tank games</p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8710</p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Racing cars</p></td> <td><p>2 racing car games </p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8603</p></td> <td><p><img height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_grandprix.gif" width="40"/></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Submarine</p></td> <td><p>3 naval battle games</p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8605</p></td> <td><p><img alt="Submarine" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_submarine.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="Space" height="28" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_space.gif" width="40"/> </p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Super wipeout games </p></td> <td><p>10 more ball games </p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8606</p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Shooting gallery</p></td> <td><p>Shooting games (gun needed)</p></td> <td><p>AY-3-8607</p></td> <td><p><img alt="Attack" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_attack1.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="Target" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_target1.gif" width="40"/> <img alt="skeet" height="30" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_ss_attack1.gif" width="40"/></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>More shooting games ?</p></td> <td><p>...</p></td> <td><p>...</p></td> <td></td> </tr> </table>

**> THE SYSTEMS**

<table> <tr> <td><p><b>Name</b></p></td> <td><p><b>Brand</b></p></td> <td><p><b>Country</b></p></td> <td></td> <td><p><b></b></p></td> <td><p><b></b></p></td> <td><p><b></b></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>SD-050</p></td> <td><p>ITMC</p></td> <td><p>France</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="31" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_itmc_sd050.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>SD-050</p></td> <td><p>Grandstand</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="39" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_grandstand_sd050.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>SD-050</p></td> <td><p>Hanimex</p></td> <td><p>France</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="31" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_hanimex_sd050.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="50" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_pc-50x_carts.gif" width="40"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>PP-790</p></td> <td><p>Audiosonic</p></td> <td><p>Netherlands</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="27" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_audiosonic_pp790.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>64562</p></td> <td><p>Mark</p></td> <td><p>???</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="26" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_mark_64562.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Programmable TV Game</p></td> <td><p>Universum</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="37" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_universum_programmable_tvgame.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>SD-070</p></td> <td><p>Hanimex</p></td> <td><p>France</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="40" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_hanimex_sd070.gif" width="39"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Color TV Game</p></td> <td><p>Acetronic</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="19" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_acetronic_colour_tv_game.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Micro 10</p></td> <td><p>Prinztronic</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="26" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_prinztronic_micro_10.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Micro 5500</p></td> <td><p>Prinztronic</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="36" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_prinztronic_micro_5500.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>SHG Blackpoint</p></td> <td><p>SHG</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="20" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_shg_blackpoint_2.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Poppy 9015 </p></td> <td><p>Poppy</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="35" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_poppy_9015.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Sanwa 9015 </p></td> <td><p>Sanwa</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="34" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_sanwa_9015.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="57" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_sanwa_9015_carts_joys.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Unimex</p></td> <td><p>Mark IX </p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="33" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_unimex_mark_9.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Optim 600 </p></td> <td><p>Optim</p></td> <td><p>???</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="34" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_optim600_video_cartridge_programmable_system_color.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Tele Cassetten Game...</p></td> <td><p>Palladium</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="43" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_palladium_tele_casetten_game_1.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="39" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_palladium_tele_cassetten_game_carts_2.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Tele Cassetten Game...</p></td> <td><p>Palladium</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="38" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_palladium_tele_cassetten_game.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="26" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_palladium_tele_cassetten_game_carts.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Cablestar</p></td> <td><p>Binatone</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="49" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_binatone_cablestar_programmable.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Programmable game </p></td> <td><p>Grandstand</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="27" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_grandstand_programmable_game.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>TVG 10 </p></td> <td><p>Poppy</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="18" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_poppy_tvg10.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="56" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_poppy_tvg10_carts.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Tournament 2000 </p></td> <td><p>Prinztronic</p></td> <td><p>UK</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="37" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_prinztronic_tournament_2000.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="25" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_prinztronic_tournament_carts.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Telesports 3 </p></td> <td><p>Radofin</p></td> <td><p>Japan</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="27" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_radofin_telesports_3.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="18" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_radofin_telesports_3_game.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>SHG Blackpoint - Model FS-1003</p></td> <td><p>SHG</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="43" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_shg_blackpoint.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td><p><img height="26" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_shg_blackpoint_carts.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Telesports</p></td> <td><p>SHG</p></td> <td><p>Germany</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="41" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_shg_telesports.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Jeu Video Cassette Interchangeable</p></td> <td><p>Univox </p></td> <td><p>France</p></td> <td></td> <td><p><img height="48" src="/media/magazine/articles/4/s_univox_jeu_video_cassette_interchangeable.gif" width="50"/></p></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><p></p></td> </tr> </table>

.