Apollo 80 (Germany) - MAME machine

Console published 46 years ago:

Apollo 80 © 1978 Academy.

British cartridge-based system. It's a clone of the RCA Studio II. This console is part of the RCA Studio III licensed consoles from the Conic Group.

The console came with 4 built-in games:
Doodle
Patterns
Bowling
Black Jack 1 & 2

For more info on RCA Studio III consoles see the Conic "M-1200" entry

For technical info and the released games see the Hanimex "Jeu TV Programmable MPT-02" entry.

TRIVIA
After the acquisition of the RCA Studio III Intellectual properties by the Conic Group, Conic reached out to various subsidiaries and other affiliates to distribute their newest console in various countries. In the U.K., it is not clear which company took over the distribution. A few theories exist out there, but the two more probable come from the research of TheLimeyDragon. The first contender was Wrapid Manufacturing Ltd, a newly formed company at the time, specializing in circuit boards which was at the same address where the Appolo 80 was distributed. But upon getting more information, TheLimeyDragon concluded that it might just be a coincidence that an electronic company had offices at the same address and that the company behind the Apollo 80 Programmable Video Game might be Academy International Public Limited Company, a company incorporated on July 10, 1972 specializing in wholesale of Radio, television & electrical household appliances.

From their offices located at 250 Thornton Road, Bradford, BD1 2LB, the company started the distribution of the Apollo 80 Programmable Video Game. The console mold, although very similar to the other consoles of the M-1200 series, have square edges instead of round one. As such, the Apollo 80 Programmable Video Game is the only RCA Studio III based console that have a unique molding.

CONTRIBUTE
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