The Magnavox Odyssey was the world’s first video game console. It was released in 1972 and by the time production stopped several years later it had sold over 350,000 units. In total 28 games were made for the Odyssey. The most famous game from the platform is "Table Tennis" which served as the direct inspiration for Atari's "Pong".
Not only was it the first console but the Odyssey is also a unique piece of hardware. There is no CPU or memory to emulate. Instead the Odyssey is a collection of circuit boards, each controlling a key element of the system such as the ball, the wall and each player's dot. It is a very misunderstood system!
Now you can experience the wonder and strangeness of the Odyssey with Magnavody!
Magnavody is an open source simulator of the Magnavox Odyssey with a focus on accuracy, historical authenticity and fun. Magnavody is a homage to the games on the system in a modern package designed to be played on modern hardware. Your Steam purchase supports future development.
Magnavody has the following features:
- Emulates the system design of the Magnavox Odyssey (1972) - the unit controllers, cards, spot generators, gate matrix and flip-flops
- Controller support designed to best simulate the strange and awkward dial controllers of the original
- Authentic 4:3 mode (see the games as they were originally presented)
- Optional enhanced widescreen (16:9) mode (see the games fill the screen as they were originally designed to do)
- Optional CRT overlays (add static, waves and other retro effects)
- Toggle on screen elements to choose your own level of immersion
- Two player support
- Support for digital overlays (some games originally came with plastic overlays)
- Some quality of life improvements such as "quick load" and "reset controllers" to make it easier to use.
- Original and modern rules. Modern rules make the games a bit faster and more balanced to play.
Games:
- Magnavody Table Tennis - A homage to the original 1972 table tennis game
- Magnavody Tennis - Includes an optional digital overlay to simulate the original 1972 plastic overlay
- Support for some other games (such as the "Card 5" games Submarine, Invasion and Wipeout -- however you need your own physical pieces and overlays)
Take a trip back in time and live the experience of the very first home video games. Our team includes an historian and great effort has been taken to not just recreate the design but also how it must have felt to be there. Here is just one example; In 1972 a full screen TV was in the aspect 4:3. Technical accuracy requires Magnavody to supply games in 4:3 aspect however we also have crafted a 16:9 aspect mode so modern players can recreate the "full screen" feel of playing the Odyssey. It's these thoughtful design decisions we hope we really transport people back in time to gain a genuine feel for this fascinating console.
With your support the intention is to progressively add more games to Magnavody (however your purchase is for Magnavody as is, there is no guarantee of future releases).
Magnvody is part game/part historical research project. Games for the Odyssey show a glimpse of a different type of console gaming experience, a world where video games mix with table top games, where the action is not just on the screen but in the room with the players. If you are a serious gamer or a game historian or a game developer, this project has a lot to offer.
