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Follow this link for info about
the review system. 1 = Terrible, 5 = Awesome!
Another of the games originally documented in glorious full color.
| Graphics: 2
Sound: 2
Replay Value: 2
Notes: 1- or 2-player game; one of the few early releases with title screen music (The Electric Company theme music).
Screen Shots |
The Electric Company Math Fun a simple math problem-solving game. It was kind of fun sometimes when I
was a kid. OK, not really. Math Fun also underwent a ROM revision. According to
the
Intellivision Lives site, the original game had you enter answers
in "pencil and paper" order, which seemed backwards, e.g. 4,1,enter for 14.
After revision, you supplied answers in "natural" order, e.g. 1,4,enter for 14.
I've only noticed the "pencil & paper" order in Learning Fun I by INTV and
the Intellivision, Inc. copies of Math Fun.
ROM |
Two versions of the ROM exist. |
Box |
So far, ten variations have been found. |
Manual |
Fifteen variants have been identified. |
Overlays |
Five different overlay variations are known to exist. |
Label |
To date, five labels have been recorded. |
Easter Eggs |
No Easter Eggs have been found. |
A total of ten The Electric Company Math Fun box variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0910 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Plastic tray; part number on top not in white box; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover; NOTE the FOR COLOR T.V. VIEWING ONLY text above the game title; thanks to the1hatman for the trade! |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0910 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Plastic tray; part number on top not in white box; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover |
Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0910 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Standard Hong Kong variation with plastic tray that refers to the Keyboard Component on the cover; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; verified by freeweed and JasonLikesINTV in May 2015; Hankster probably has had this for 20 years or more, too |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0910-G1 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0910 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
First reported by freeweed on May 18, 2015; French-Canadian outer sleeve (orange in color) refers to original Keyboard Component; internally an early, standard Hong Kong variation with plastic tray that refers to the Keyboard Component on the cover; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; image from BSRSteve |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0410 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
International Edition; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; slots on back for manual; slots inside for overlays |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
2613 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Standard Intellivision, Inc. box; also has Children's Television Workshop, Inc. copyright data |
|
Digiplay |
N/A |
1979 |
Brazil |
Digimed version; 'Rua Acará' address printed on back, with Digiplay Equip. sticker; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; localized title BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA; special thanks to Intellivotion |
Image not available. |
Digiplay |
N/A |
1979 |
Brazil |
UNCONFIRMED Digiplay version; 'Rua Acará' address printed on back with 'Av. Açaí' sticker; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; localized title BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA |
Image not available. |
Digiplay |
N/A |
1979 |
Brazil |
Digiplay version; 'Av. Açaí' address printed on back; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; localized title BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA |
|
The allegedly older version of this ROM has you enter answers in
"pencil and paper" order, while the later versions have you enter in
"natural" order. I've personally only seen the pencil-n-paper order
on the Learning Fun I cartridge and on the Intellivision, Inc. version in
"modern" times.
I swear we had the backwards entry version when I was a kid, but
sadly that cart no longer functions. It could also be that my parents exchanged
it as defective as well. I do recall it was one of the five carts we got when we
got the Inty for Christmas in 1980. (Let's see, those were Baseball, Football,
Math Fun, Space Battle, and, of course, Poker & Blackjack.) I haven't checked
the part numbers on the chips of my other copies to see if they're different.
All I can say is that the white label version appears to have the 'backwards'
entry ROM, but rev. G1 instructions - which are NOT correct for that ROM!
A total of fifteen The Electric Company Math Fun manual variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0920(A) |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
Full color; does NOT have backwards entry instructions—was there an earlier version that did, or was it a later version? |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0920(D) |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Green monochrome artwork |
Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0720 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
Dual-language French-Canadian edition; green monochrome graphics; localized title is 'Jouons Avec les Chiffres' |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-8920 |
1979 |
Canada |
Green monochrome artwork; French-Canadian version included in rare sleeved version of the game; first reported by freeweed on May 18, 2015; image contributed by BSRSteve |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0820 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
British English version (located in Australian Lifestyle Electronics copy); submitted by Hankster |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0820-G1 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
British English version; blue monochrome art |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0121 G1 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
German edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; blue monochrome graphics; localized title is 'Spass am Rechnen' |
Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0121 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
German edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; blue monochrome graphics with black; localized title is 'Mathe-Spass'; reported by Intellivotion |
Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0121 |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
German edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; green monochrome graphics with black; localized title is 'Mathe-Spass'; reported by Intellivotion |
Image not available. |
Mattel Electronics |
2613-??? |
1979 |
Hong Kong |
French edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; green monochrome graphics; localized title is 'Jouons Avec les Chiffres' |
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-0920(A) |
1979 |
Italy |
Italian edition; blue monochrome graphics; flat paper, no gloss; back cover lists 28040 Oleggio Castello (NO); localized title is 'Matematica Divertente'; special thanks to Intellivotion; does part number 2613-0131 and a more traditional Hong Kong printing also exist? |
|
Mattel Electronics |
PC-2613-0920 |
1979 |
U.S.A. |
PlayCable version; green monochrome artwork; does NOT have backwards entry instructions printed in the manual, but DOES include a photocopied correction describing 'backwards' entry—does this mean that the backwards entry was the later version of the ROM? |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
2613-0920-G1 |
None |
U.S.A. |
Staple along top edge |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
2613-0920-G1 |
None |
U.S.A. |
Accordion-style folding; submitted by Hankster |
Image not available. |
Digiplay |
N/A |
1979 |
Brazil |
Mattel/Digiplay edition; 'Rua Acará address printed on back with 'Av. Açaí' sticker; © M.I. 1979 on back; submitted by Psycho Stormtrooper |
Supplemental Materials
The following supplemental materials have been found for The Electric Company Math Fun.
|
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
|
Correction to instructions, step 6 on page 8 to use 'backwards' entry; discovered this in a copy of the PlayCable manual for Math Fun—has anyone found this thing in standard copies? |
It's surprising how many revisions there are for this 'edutainment' title.
The original (not pictured, not sure if it exists)
and revisions A-D and G1, which just had updates of the replacement overlay order form.
The existence of the original (not an "A" version or later) is
assumed, provided that the purported ROM change truly did happen when the
Intellivision Lives site claims that it did. Interestingly, the two copies of
the Intellivision, Inc. version of Math Fun that have passed through my hands
both have the 'backwards' ROM, and have instructions based on rev. G1 of the
manual. I've only seen revs. A, D, and G1, and all of these describe answer
entry in the 'natural' order - i.e. 3,4,6 for 346 - NOT 6,4,3, which is what
the 'backward' ROM requires of you. So, if anyone has a copy of the manual
that describes 'backwards' entry (around p. 9 or so) - please send scans!
There were also some variations of the 'Running Man' and Mattel logo on the back cover.
Back cover of rev. A (U.S.A.)—note ® next to Mattel Electronics logo in
the center of the 'running man' rectangle |
Back cover of rev. D (Hong Kong)—note ™ next to Mattel Electronics logo in the center of the 'running man' rectangle |
A total of five The Electric Company Math Fun overlay variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-4289 |
1980 |
U.S.A. |
|
|
Mattel Electronics |
2613-4289 |
1979 |
|
Note the discrepancy in the copyright— special thanks to mcg423 for reporting this one |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
2613-4289 |
None |
|
Copyright removed; image courtesy of Hankster |
|
Digiplay |
2613-4289 |
None |
|
Localized in Brazilian Portuguese to BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA; mylar with "chippy" backing; extra special thanks to Intellivotion for the help |
|
Intellivision Productions |
N/A |
2014 |
U.S.A. |
Part of the Supplemental Overlay Pack for Intellivision Flashback |
A total of five The Electric Company Math Fun label variants have been documented.
|
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
|
No origin; ™ lower left next to Electric Company logo |
|
Mattel Electronics |
N/A |
None |
Hong Kong |
Origin lower right; ™ lower left next to Electric Company logo |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
N/A |
1979 |
Singapore |
Origin lower right; © I.I. 1979 to left of origin; ™ small, centered vertically on right edge; smaller label, rounded corners; also has © 1979 Childrens Television Workshop, Inc. upper left |
|
Intellivision Inc. |
N/A |
None |
|
No origin, copyright or date info; larger label, square corners; large bold font for game title |
|
Digiplay |
N/A |
None |
|
No origin or copyright; green label; first line, in larger font, MATH FUN; second localized: (BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA); submitted by Psycho Stormtrooper; special thanks to Hankster and Intellivotion |
|
|
The theme to The Electric Company blared when you reset the game. Unusual for the early games—and not really particularly well-done, honestly. |
|
Gorillas jogging by the riverbank, leaping over other animals. Erm.... OK. Edutainment still hasn't really caught on. Wonder why? |
If you find new, contradictory, or other information you wish to share, please
send a message!
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