Toshiba Visicom COM-100: A Colorful Twist on a 70s Console
2025-01-19
In 1977, Toshiba seized the burgeoning home video game market, releasing the Visicom COM-100 based on RCA's Studio II technology. This console not only included the five built-in games of the Studio II but innovatively added color, using a unique four-color system. The article details the Visicom COM-100's hardware architecture, memory map, and two game cartridges (CAS-130 and CAS-141), featuring games like baseball, sumo wrestling, and a slot machine. Despite its high price, the Visicom COM-100's technical improvements and influence on the Japanese gaming market are noteworthy, particularly its pioneering color display technology for its time.