Currently, video games are popular worldwide, from more realistic titles to consoles to casual smartphones games. However, there are old video games which were also very successful, but ended up being forgotten for time.
According to the survey Games Brasil (PGB), In 2024 approximately 74% of Brazilians play some kind of digital gamewhether on computers, consoles or smartphones. Among the platforms, cell phones dominate, with 48.8% of players using the phone to play.
But the popularity of games in Brazil started a long time ago. The fever of video games began to gain strength in the early 1980s, with the launch of several clones of consoles.
Consoles clones
Between the 1980s and 1990s, several in Brazil as clones of original models that did not officially arrive in the country, such as NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and Atari.
This has occurred for several reasons, such as the prohibition of importation of certain products at the timeofficial partnerships to reduce production costs, among others. It is noteworthy that this did not happen with all the consoles.
For example, Sega had a remarkable official presence in Brazil with consoles such as Master System and Mega Drive, licensed and manufactured by the national company Tectoy. As this did not happen with other devices, several manufacturers launched and sold their own similar versions.
In a message sent to Red Bull, the researcher and expert in the history of games in Brazil, Marcus Vinicius Garrett, points out that the clones helped popularize the.
“Officially, video games began to appear only in 1983. But before that, there was already interest with some clones that arrived before. They were of importance because they helped leverage the arrival of the video game in Brazil,” explains Garret.
Five popular old consoles in Brazil
Brazil has been the scene of a major generation of video games, since the emergence of the first clones in the late 1970s. Over the years, dozens of devices have become popular in the country, mainly because they offer versions of consoles that did not officially reach the national territory or more financially accessible alternatives.
Check out five old video games that were successful in the country and then disappeared:
Odyssey
In Brazil, the first Odyssey has never been released. In truth, Only Odyssey 2 arrived in the countrybut here he was Marketed by the name of Odyssey. Despite being originally launched in 1978, the console only hit the Brazilian market in 1983, with the support of .
Unlike other consoles of the time, Odyssey was an original video game developed by Magnavox. Its success was so great in Brazil that games were adapted to the domestic market, such as “Dian and Minasa”, In which the player controlled Didi himself (Renato Aragão) of the Bumburns.
A few years later, the console began to lose popularity with the arrival of NES clones. The brand even developed the Odyssey 3, but it was never released, and Philips ended up leaving the project.
Dynavision
Dynavision, from the Brazilian company Dynacom, was one of the first clones launched in the country. The first model of 1983 was a copy of the Atari 2600 common design totally different design. In 1989, Dynavision II was launched, a clone from NES.
Dynavision was one of the most famous atari clones in Brazil, not by chance, as Dynacom herself released several official games in the country. One of the highlights was Dynastick control, which brought differentials from the original Atari control.
The line also won the Dynavision 3 and 4, which were updated versions and also ran Nintendinho cartridges. Even they had compatibility with cartridges from Famicom (Japanese version) and NES (American version).
Despite being one of the most remembered clones brands in Brazil, Dynavision was not the only one. For competing with other consoles that also imitated Nintendo and Atari, the brand could not continue. Furthermore, With the official arrival of Nintendo in the country, the clones ended up losing space No market.
Phantom System
The gradient launched Phantom System in Brazil in 1988, a clone from Nintendinho which became one of the most popular Nintendo copies in the country.
Although compatible with NES, its design resembled the Atari 7800, and the controls had a look almost identical to those of Sega’s Mega Drive. Like other clones, it was compatible with both the Japanese and the American system.
The brand even launched virtually identical versions of popular games of the time, such as Super Mario Bros., which was renamed as super brothers.
A few years later, Playtronic, a company formed by Gradiente in partnership with Nintendo, officially manufactured the console in Brazil. Thus, Phantom System is no longer produced.
Polystation
Polystation is also a NES clone, but with a carcass similar to that of Psonethe second version of the first From Sony – there was another version that was not so popular, similar to the original PlayStation. Launched in 1997, the console gained popularity in Brazil after the turn of the century.
Made in China, it has become very popular for its affordable price, unlike Nintendo and Sony’s official consoles, which could cost up to ten times more. Although appearance suggests compatibility with CDs, such as PlayStation, Polystation offered only entry to Nintendinho cartridges.
Another feature that helped in its popularity were the cartridges that promised more than 99 games in a single item. However, in practice, they offered only a few titles and several repeated versions of the same games.
Zeebo
One of the most recent Brazilian video games is the Zeebo, manufactured by tectoy as a more accessible option to the consoles of the time. The console was launched in 2009 in partnership with Qualcomm; An option that did not need physical media, such as cartridge, DVD or Blu-ray.
With Zeebo, the players could Download games through a 3G network offered by the brand itself. It was possible to access mobile titles versions, as well as playstation and PlayStation 2 game adaptations.
The video game offered various accessories, such as keyboard and control with motion sensor, among others. Even so, Zeebo was eventually discontinued in 2011 for not being able to gain space in the domestic market.
