page_title: Epoch Game Pocket Computer
hierarchical_section_title: Epoch Game Pocket Computer
caption_attribution_description: The Epoch Game Pocket Computer, a handheld gaming console released in Japan in 1984. This obscure system is one of the earliest handheld console ever made, featuring a 75x64 resolution LCD screen, two built-in programs and interchangeable game cartridges. The Game Pocket Computer was short-lived, and only a handful of games were ever produced before it was discontinued. (These photos were taken with the help of the Videogame History Museum in Frisco, Texas.)
context_page_description: The Epoch Game Pocket Computer is a second-generation handheld game console released by Epoch in Japan in 1984 for 12,000 Japanese yen. It is also known as Pokekon and was one of the very few truly handheld systems to be released in the early 1980s, preceding the Game Boy by 5 years.
  The system was a bust in Japan, and as a result, only 5 games were made for it. A puzzle game and a paint program were built into the system. It was powered by 4 AA batteries, and screen's contrast could be adjusted by the user. Input and output controls included four buttons, an 8-way joypad, a contrast dial, and a sound on-off switch.
  The Game Pocket Computer failed in Japan, and was never released internationally. The device is extremely rare, and units on eBay can go for hundreds of US dollars.
context_section_description: The Epoch Game Pocket Computer (Japanese: ゲームポケコン, Hepburn: Gēmupokekon) is a second-generation handheld game console released by Epoch in Japan in 1984 for 12,000 Japanese yen. It is also known as Pokekon and was one of the very few truly  handheld systems to be released in the early 1980s, preceding the Game Boy by 5 years.
  The system was a bust in Japan, and as a result, only 5 games were made for it. A puzzle game and a paint program were built into the system. It was powered by 4 AA batteries, and screen's contrast could be adjusted by the user. Input and output controls included four buttons, an 8-way joypad, a contrast dial, and a sound on-off switch.
  The Game Pocket Computer failed in Japan, and was never released internationally. The device is extremely rare, and units on eBay can go for hundreds of US dollars.
caption: An Epoch Game Pocket Computer
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