Grandstand (game manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
Grandstand was a video game console
and electronic game
manufacturer and distributor. It was based in the United Kingdom
and New Zealand
and was active in the 1970s and 1980s.
, UK. The company chiefly imported electronic products from other manufacturers such as Epoch
, Tomy
& Entex
, selling them in the UK re-branded under the Grandstand name.
Some imported products' names were changed for the UK market. For example, the Tomy
tabletop electronic game sold in the US as Pac Man (and in Japan as Puck Man) was released by Grandstand in the UK re-badged as Munchman
.
rapidly progressed during the period that the Grandstand brand was active.
-derived consoles sold under the Grandstand label in the mid-to-late 1970s.
based consoles, and there were never more than a few such processor-based cartridges released.
was licensed, rebadged and released under the Adman Grandstand label as the Video Entertainment Computer in the UK (pictured).
, Munchman
, Caveman and Scramble amongst others were popular VFD
-based tabletop electronic games released by Grandstand in the early 1980s.
and Crazy Kong.
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
and electronic game
Electronic game
An electronic game is a game that employs electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. The most common form of electronic game today is the video game, and for this reason the terms are often mistakenly used synonymously. Other common forms of electronic game include...
manufacturer and distributor. It was based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and was active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Overview
The company behind the Grandstand label was Adam Leisure Group PLC of HarrogateHarrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
, UK. The company chiefly imported electronic products from other manufacturers such as Epoch
Epoch Co.
Epoch Co., Ltd. is a Japanese toy and computer games company founded in 1958 which is best known for manufacturing Barcode Battler and Doraemon video games...
, Tomy
TOMY
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
& Entex
Entex Industries
Entex Industries, Inc. was a toy and electronic game manufacturer based in Compton, California. The company was active during the 1970s and 1980s.-Background:...
, selling them in the UK re-branded under the Grandstand name.
Some imported products' names were changed for the UK market. For example, the Tomy
TOMY
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
tabletop electronic game sold in the US as Pac Man (and in Japan as Puck Man) was released by Grandstand in the UK re-badged as Munchman
Munchman (tabletop electronic game)
Munchman is a tabletop electronic game that was released under license in 1981 in the UK by Grandstand. It is a rebadged version of the Tomy game known as Pac Man in the US and Puck Man in Japan.-Overview:...
.
Products
Grandstand released numerous products over the years of which some are listed below. It should also be noted that there were large numbers of similar variations, alternative names and model numbers typically referring to multiple evolutionary versions of the various game consoles and electronic games. Particularly, this is found with the Pong type game consoles as the semiconductor technologySemiconductor device
Semiconductor devices are electronic components that exploit the electronic properties of semiconductor materials, principally silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as organic semiconductors. Semiconductor devices have replaced thermionic devices in most applications...
rapidly progressed during the period that the Grandstand brand was active.
Integrated pong consoles
The black & white T.V. Game 2000 and the colour capable T.V. Game 3000 were fully integrated PongPong
Pong is one of the earliest arcade video games, and is a tennis sports game featuring simple two-dimensional graphics. While other arcade video games such as Computer Space came before it, Pong was one of the first video games to reach mainstream popularity...
-derived consoles sold under the Grandstand label in the mid-to-late 1970s.
Processor-cartridge based consoles
Subsequently, the primitive cartridge-based Grandstand Colour Programmable video game console (sold in New Zealand as the Mark III Video Game) and several compatible Grandstand programmable video game cartridges were introduced. These consoles were still essentially Pong type affairs, but had a limited selection of cartridges available, each housing a different General Instruments processor chip. This arrangement allowed for some variation in gameplay including the implementation of simple racing games featuring Pong-era graphics. However, these systems lack the flexibility found in later ROM cartridgeROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
based consoles, and there were never more than a few such processor-based cartridges released.
ROM-cartridge based consoles
Later, the potentially more versatile ROM Cartridge based Fairchild Channel FFairchild Channel F
The Fairchild Channel F is a game console released by Fairchild Semiconductor in August 1976 at the retail price of $169.95. It has the distinction of being the first programmable ROM cartridge-based video game console...
was licensed, rebadged and released under the Adman Grandstand label as the Video Entertainment Computer in the UK (pictured).
Tabletop electronic games
Astro WarsAstro Wars
Astro Wars was an electronic table top game made in Great Britain in 1981 by Grandstand under licence from Epoch Co.. There are two versions of Astro Wars - an earlier version had the Astro Wars motif printed in red and a later version printed in white .-Overview:Astro Wars was a shoot 'em up, with...
, Munchman
Munchman (tabletop electronic game)
Munchman is a tabletop electronic game that was released under license in 1981 in the UK by Grandstand. It is a rebadged version of the Tomy game known as Pac Man in the US and Puck Man in Japan.-Overview:...
, Caveman and Scramble amongst others were popular VFD
Vacuum fluorescent display
A vacuum fluorescent display is a display device used commonly on consumer-electronics equipment such as video cassette recorders, car radios, and microwave ovens. Invented in Japan in 1967, the displays became common on calculators and other consumer electronics devices...
-based tabletop electronic games released by Grandstand in the early 1980s.
Handheld electronic games
Grandstand also produced LCD-based handheld electronic games such as Mini-MunchmanMini-Munchman
Mini-Munchman is a handheld electronic game that was released in 1981 in the UK by Grandstand. The game is a rebadged version of Epoch-Man from Epoch.-Overview:...
and Crazy Kong.