Epoch ElectroTennis – Japan’s first console.

It’s not often you find the bargain to end all bargains – unless you live in Japan that is. Welcome to the Epoch Electrotennis.

The Epoch Electrotennis is Japan’s first console. Now just to be clear, there were other gaming consoles in Japan before the release of this machine (in 1975), but this console is the first to be released by a Japanese company on home soil, and if you’re going to release a pong clone, why not make it the strangest you can….

Some details:

  • Released in 1975
  • Truly wireless – does not need to be physically connected to the TV, or connected to power.  The Electrotennis broadcasts it’s own analogue signal over the airwaves!
  • Game modes – Single (AI in the 70s was um… interesting), and Two-player
  • Power – batteries
  • Unlike most pong clones of the time, this one allows the player to move the bat in and out as well as up and down – revolutionary!
  • Price then – 19500yen
  • Price now – has been known to sell between $1,000 to $1,500

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In practice the most striking point (at least for me) about this machine is the fact that it broadcasts it’s own signal. The signal that it puts out is amazingly strong too! The pictures bellow show the system on and working, and I did not have an antenna plugged into the TV to get the picture you see there – I am pretty sure the neighbours could see me playing if they were on the right channel!

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All up it’s a very interesting machine, and well worth playing. Is it worth it’s current selling price? Well if you’re buying it for gameplay then I would say no, but if you’re buying it for the history then who am I to argue. Would I pay $1,500 for one? Nope, but I wouldn’t knock someone that would.

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11 comments

  1. Great, now I know what to get the kids for xmas this year. They are so excited. Will look sweet on the 60 inch!

  2. Hi!

    Just wondering if i can ask you a question about the mechanical score keepers:
    What are the numbers of each reels (like 0 to 10) ? Because i can’t find anywhere
    a scan of the manual.

    Thanks! 🙂

    1. Sorry for the delay there Sly DC – I completely forgot.

      The far left and far right wheels read (when scrolling down) 0, 15, 30, 40, D, A.
      The two inside wheels read (again when scrolling down) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

      Hope that helps. 🙂

      1. Hi Hollo,

        This is very helpful, thank you very, very much! 🙂

        Now i have all the informations i needed to do a Epoch Electrotennis simulator.

        Do you by any chance own or know someone who has a Bandai TV-Jack 2500 ? I have the schematic of this console but it is impossible to assemble it since they are too many TI TTL’s (chips) that aren’t in production for more than 20 years.

        Just seeing a video of this game console in action, i would die a happy man. 😉

        Thanks again for the Epoch Electrotennis infos! 🙂

        1. You’re very welcome SlyDC. 🙂

          Very cool you’re making a simulator! As the bats can move in and out (as well as up and down) via the knobs, I think people would love playing this one.

          I don’t have a TV-Jack yet. I passed on one a few months ago, and haven’t seen many pop up since then. It’s not something that I am hunting for actively though.

          1. Hi again Hollo,

            The simulator is almost done (thanks to you!), but seems i have encountered a small problem: The “A” and the “D” letter. I know they are for “Ad IN or Ad OUT” and “Deuce” (tie) but since there is no drawn boundaries (like a real Tennis court), how do we judge when a player makes a mistake in this video game ?

            It’s simply x2 rectangle bats, a ball and a net. Does the manual says or states anything regarding Ad or Deuce ?

            That’s the only thing it’s bugging me to finish the simulator. All the rest is already coded and ready to go (with even both original sounds).

            Thanks in advanced for any infos! 🙂

  3. Hi SlyDC, it seems I can’t directly reply to your post there for some reason, so I hope you still get this…

    Anyway, it’s judged purely on if a player misses the ball or not. If a player misses the ball then the other player gets the advantage points wise.

    Looking forward to seeing the final sim!

    1. Hi Hollo,

      Sorry for the delay to reply, been quite busy.

      Humm…ok then, i will leave out the “A” and the “D” out (for now) since it will be the first released version. I’ll wait to see if there is some bugs/glitches or if people have suggestion(s) to make an update.

      BTW, can you e-mail me because i have something to discuss that i don’t want to share it in public (secret…wink!) 😉

      Thanks ann keep in touch! 🙂

      P.S.: The simulator (1st version) is done at 99%!! =)

      — Sly DC —

  4. Hi again Hollo,

    I received an e-mail from you but when i try to send a reply, it always come back as a MAILER-DAEMON. Do you have another valid e-mail adress so i can send you a copy of the Epoch Electrotennis simulator ?

    Thanks! 🙂

    — Sly DC —

  5. Hi again Hollo,

    Seems that i can’t send any reply or files at your e-mail address you’ve given me. Here what i received as a reply (MAILER-DAEMON):

    Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
    I’m afraid I wasn’t able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
    This is a permanent error; I’ve given up. Sorry it didn’t work out.

    Do you have another e-mail address ?

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