Pixter was among the first portable handheld touch screen drawing toys for children invented by Rehco, LLC and marketed by Fisher Price from 2000 through 2007. Pixter was pre-programmed with fun content and repeatable play. Pixter also could accept cartridge-based games and other activities. Pixter was originally marketed successfully with a black-and-white display but later was upgraded to a color display.

Inspired by the Apple Newton, the Pixter line has become something of an obscurity, with little information left on the internet about the history of it, sales records, original pricing, release dates, etc. It also included licensed content from Nickelodeon, Disney, Cartoon Network, BBC, etc.

The Pixter remains, as of 2017, the second to last console Mattel has ever released, after the HyperScan. However, Pixter is Fisher Price's first and only handheld game system.

Gameplay

The original Pixter had a black and white LCD display. Its touch-sensitive LCD screen was activated by a drawing stylus. It used 4 AA batteries.

Models

Pixter

(2000-2002)[1] The original Pixter came in several colors. Otherwise, they are the same unit.

Pixter Plus

(2002) Similar to the original Pixter, except with a "Plus" subcategory of 10 additional activities in the Pixter's main menu and 20 times more storage space than the original Pixter[4] unit. It also has a flexible screen light.[5]

Pixter 2.0

(2003) Played the same cartridges as the original, but included digital drawing and quick-paint tools, as well as a wireless link. The wireless link could be used to send messages and pictures between other Pixter 2.0's. It used 4 AA batteries.[6]

Pixter Color

(2003-2005) Pixter Color is extremely similar to the original Pixter, but now with 128 colors[7] and double the screen resolution. It used newer cartridges that could not be used with the original Pixter. With the use of an adapter, Pixter Color could play original Pixter titles. It used 4 AA batteries. The main menu of the system contains 2 unique music tracks, but outside of games or the home menu music is not implemented.[8]

The system uses a custom built LH75411 system, with a 70 MHz ARM7TDMI CPU, and 32 Kilobytes of SRAM, working as Random Access Memory and storage for one picture at a time in local memory. [9]

Pocket Pixter

(2004-2006) The Pocket Pixters were key-chain sized dedicated consoles that included a drawing program centered around a theme and a built-in game. They used three Button Cell (LR44) batteries.[10]

editions

Pixter Multi-media system

(2005) The Pixter Multi-Media System reportedly had 100 creative tools, games, & activities-built in, including a touch screen with stylus and had streaming video capabilities. There were also exclusive cartridges available for the system. It used 4 AA batteries.[15]

Games/Media released

Pixter, 2.0, Plus

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

Color

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

Multimedia system

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)
Title Released
The Best of Dora with Cartoon Creator Software 2005[19]
The Best of Monster Jam World Finals 4 with Video Creator Software 2005[20]
The Best of SpongeBob SquarePants with Cartoon Creator Software 2005[21]
The Best of Winter X Games with Video Creator Software 2005[22]
Walking with Dinosaurs with Scene Creator Software 2005[23]
Winx Club with Scene Creator Software 2005[24]
Yu-Gi-Oh (potentially lost media) 2005

References

  1. ^ a b "Green Pixter™". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Purple Pixter™". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Pixter". Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Pixter plus". 19 November 2009.
  5. ^ Liam (December 2017). "Pixter Plus 73678". electronictoy.pro. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Pixter 2.0". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  7. ^ product packaging description
  8. ^ "Pixter® Color". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Pixter - eLinux.org". elinux.org. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  10. ^ a b "POCKET Pixter® Fashion". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  11. ^ "POCKET Pixter® Pets". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  12. ^ "POCKET Pixter® Sports". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  13. ^ "POCKET Pixter® Dino". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  14. ^ "POCKET Pixter® Hearts". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Multi-Media Pixter (Silver)". service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Mattel and Fisher-Price Customer Center".
  17. ^ "Color Pixter Scooby-Doo Software". m.service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Color Pixter® Software Mucha Lucha". m.service.mattel.com. Mattel, Inc. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Fisher Price - Video Pixter - Dora the Explorer Software". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  20. ^ "Pixter video software 'Monster Jam World Finals 4' for Pixter Multi-Media System". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  21. ^ "Pixter MultiMedia System The Best of SpongeBob SquarePants Video Software - New 27084279030". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  22. ^ "NEW Video Pixter Winter X-Games H9817 Software Fisher Price 2005 FREE SHIPPING! 27084282948". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  23. ^ "PIXTER Game Software BBC Walking with Dinosaurs Video Creator NEW". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  24. ^ "PIXTER Game Software Winx Club Video Creator NEW". eBay. Retrieved 2019-01-26.

External links

Mattel
Video game consoles (sixth generation)
Handheld game consoles
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