page_title: Handheld game console
section_title: Bitcorp Gamate
hierarchical_section_title: Handheld game console / History / Beginnings / Bitcorp Gamate
caption_attribution_description: Consola Gamate con tres juegos
context_page_description: A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are smaller than home video game consoles and contain the console, screen, speakers, and controls in one unit, allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place.
  In 1976, Mattel introduced the first handheld electronic game with the release of Auto Race. Later, several companies—including Coleco and Milton Bradley—made their own single-game, lightweight table-top or handheld electronic game devices. The first handheld game console with interchangeable cartridges is the Milton Bradley Microvision in 1979. The first commercial successful handheld console was Merlin from 1978 which sold more than 5 million units. The first internet-enabled handheld console and the first with a touchscreen was the Game.com released by Tiger Electronics in 1997.
  Nintendo is credited with popularizing the handheld console concept with the release of the Game Boy in 1989 and continues to dominate the handheld console market.
context_section_description: The Bitcorp Gamate is the one of the first handheld game systems created in response to the Nintendo Game Boy. It was released in Asia in 1990 and distributed worldwide by 1991.
  Like the Sega Game Gear, it was horizontal in orientation and like the Game Boy, required 4 AA batteries. Unlike many later Game Boy clones, its internal components were professionally assembled (no "glop-top" chips). Unfortunately the system's fatal flaw is its screen. Even by the standards of the day, its screen is rather difficult to use, suffering from similar motion blur problems that were common complaints with the first generation Game Boys. Likely because of this fact sales were quite poor, and Bitcorp closed by 1992. However, new games continued to be published for the Asian market, possibly as late as 1994. The total number of games released for the system remains unknown.
  
  Gamate games were designed for stereo sound, but the console is only equipped with a mono speaker.
caption: Gamate and game cards
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