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{{refimprove|date=August 2012}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2012}}{{Infobox video game
| title = Blip
{{Infobox VG
|title= Blip
| image = Tomy-Blip.jpg
⚫
| caption =
|image=[[File:Tomy-Blip.jpg|center|250px|alt=The Tomy Blip]]
| developer = [[Tomy]]
⚫
|caption=
|publisher= [[Tomy]]
| publisher = Tomy
|developer= [[Tomy]]
| designer = [[Hikoo Usami]]
| released = [[1977 in video gaming|1977]]
|designer= [[Hikoo Usami]]
|released= 1977
|sound= None
}}
}}


'''Blip''' (stylized as '''Blip. THE DIGITAL GAME''') is a tabletop [[electro-mechanical]] game marketed by [[Tomy]] starting in [[1977 in video gaming|1977]] in the [[United States]]. The system can play a [[Multiplayer video game|two-player]] [[Video game|game]] that is very similar to [[Atari, Inc.|Atari]]'s video game [[Pong]], and a single-player game. In [[Germany]], the system was sold under the name ''Blip-o-Mat''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Tomy Blip / Blip-o-Mat|url=http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Tomy/Blip.htm|access-date=2019-05-22|website=www.handheldmuseum.com}}</ref> In [[Japan]], the game was marketed as ''World Tennis''.<ref name=":0" />
'''Blip''' was a hand-held electro-mechanical game marketed by [[Tomy]] starting in 1977. The game was a simulator of games like [[tennis]], [[ping-pong]], and Atari's video game [[Pong]].


== History ==
Although the box and case displayed the wording "Blip, The Digital Game", Blip was a purely mechanical game.
''Blip'' was designed by Hikoo Usami for the Tomy Kogyo Co., the patent being filed in [[1976 in video gaming|1976]] and awarded on December 19, 1977.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-12-14|title=United States Patent: 4147350|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN/4147350|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121214095319/http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN/4147350|archive-date=2012-12-14|access-date=2019-05-22|website=archive.is}}</ref>

⚫
Tomy marketed ''Blip'' in the U.S. starting in 1977. In Japan, ''Blip'' was marketed as ''World Tennis'' and differed from the U.S. game by having the words "World Tennis" emblazoned on the screen and replacing the 1, 2, and 3 on the screen with silhouettes of tennis players. The ''Blip'' name remained on the Japanese version. In France, the game was marketed by Meccatronic.<ref name=":1" /> The German version was called ''Blip-o-Matic'', although the ''Blip'' name remained on the case.


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
⚫
[[File:Original Blip Game with Box.jpg|upright|thumb|left|The Blip shown with original box]]For a two-player game, the game's selector switch is set to position 2 (for two players). The game is then turned on and the red [[Light-emitting diode|LED]] ball lit up. Whichever side the ball is on serves first. The server's score counter is set to "0" while the receiver's counter was set to "R". The timer is then turned. A push of the "serve" button starts the game. The players must anticipate where the ball would land in one of three spaces on the "playing field" marked 1, 2, and 3. The player must then push the corresponding button ''before'' the ball "lands" on the space. If the player is successful in anticipating the ball's space and pushes the button in time, the ball is then "returned" to the opposing player. If the player anticipated wrongly, the ball stops and that player must then serve the ball, giving the opposing player 1 point.


⚫
Game play continues until either the timer stops or 10 points was earned by one of the players.
⚫
For a two player game, the game's selector switch was set to position 2 (for two players). The game was then turned on and the red LED ball lit up. Whichever side the ball was on served first. The server's score counter was set to "0" while the receiver's counter was set to "R". The timer was then turned. A push of the "serve" button began the game. The players must anticipate where the ball would land in one of three spaces on the "playing field" marked 1, 2, and 3. The player must then push the corresponding button ''before'' the ball "lands" on the space. If the player was successful in anticipating the ball's space and pushed the button in time, the ball was then "returned" to the opposing player. If the player anticipated wrongly, the ball would stop and that player must then serve the ball, giving the opposing player 1 point.

⚫
Game play continued until either the timer stopped or 10 points was earned by one of the players.

⚫
''Blip'' was also capable of being played by a single person when the selector switch was set to position 1.

==Development and History==
[[File:Original Blip Game with Box.jpg|upright|thumb|left|The Blip shown with original box]]
⚫
''Blip'' was designed by Hikoo Usami for the Tomy Kogyo Co., the patent being filed in 1976 and awarded in 1977. The game was housed in a plastic case with a translucent screen. On the screen was a hash line dividing the screen in half (and simulating a net) and contained the three positions for the ball to land for both sides. The upper portion of the case also contained the 1, 2, and 3 position buttons, the serve buttons, the player selector, and the timer dial. The underside contained the wheels to turn the score counters and the battery compartment.


⚫
''Blip'' is also capable of being played by a single person when the selector switch is set to position 1.
It was the timer which provided the motor function to the game. Upon the timer dial being turned, this wound a spring which then, via several gears, drove the arm upon which the LED light (the ball) was mounted.


==Components==
Movement of the LED was ostensibly random but a player was capable of memorizing the movements of the LED and recognize patterns which would enable the player to better anticipate where the "ball" would land.
[[File:Tomy Blip inside.jpg|thumb|Interior of the toy]]
⚫
The game is housed in a plastic case with a translucent screen. On the screen is a dashed line dividing the screen in half (and simulating a net) and at either side are the three positions for the ball to land. The upper portion of the case also contains the three position buttons, the serve buttons, the player selector, and the timer dial. The underside contains the wheels to turn the score counters and the battery compartment.


It is the timer which provides the motor function to the game. Upon the timer dial being turned, a spring is wound which then, via several gears, drives the arm upon which the LED light (the ball) is mounted. The movement repeats after the ball hits each player's side 36 times, so it is possible to memorise the sequence of buttons to press.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 April 2020|title=Blip - 1977 Mechanical Pong|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSvZbcwqlTw|url-status=live|access-date=27 April 2021|website=YouTube|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418201122/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSvZbcwqlTw|archive-date=18 April 2020}}</ref>
Power for the LED was provided by two AA batteries. However, because the game was mechanical, in the right light conditions, it was possible to play ''Blip'' without batteries as one could see the unlit LED under the screen.


The LED (and [[Resistor#Series and parallel resistors|series resistor]]) is the only electrical component of the game, and is powered by two AA batteries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What makes Blip tick?|url=https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2010/what-makes-blip-tick/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-26|website=Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726050224/http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2010/what-makes-blip-tick/|archive-date=2012-07-26}}</ref> As a result, with sufficient ambient light the game is playable without batteries as one can see the unlit LED under the screen.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=TOMY - Blip aka Blip-o-Mat|url=http://pongmuseum.com/collection/tomy-blip.php|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-26|website=pongmuseum.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401042555/http://www.pongmuseum.com/collection/tomy-blip.php|archive-date=2009-04-01}}</ref>
⚫
Tomy marketed ''Blip'' in the U.S. starting in 1977 and it was a very popular game when it debuted, being one of the "must have" holiday gifts for the 1977 Christmas shopping season. In Japan, ''Blip'' was marketed as ''World Tennis'' and differed from the U.S. game by having the words "World Tennis" emblazoned on the screen and replacing the 1, 2, and 3 on the screen with silhouettes of tennis players. The ''Blip'' name remained on the Japanese version. In France, the game was marketed by Meccatronic. The German version was called ''Blip-o-Matic'', although the ''Blip'' name remained on the case.


==Reviews==
Given the large number of units sold, ''Blip'' remains relatively easy to acquire through online auction sites like [[eBay]].
*''[[Galileo (magazine)|Galileo]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/Galileo_13_1979-07_Gorgon776The_Elves/page/n89/mode/2up | title=Galileo #13 (1979 07) (Gorgon776&The Elves) }}</ref>


== References ==
==External Links and References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Tomy/Blip.htm Hand Held Museum website showing images of the game.]
* [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F4147350 The patent for ''Blip''.]


[[Category:Handheld electronic games]]
[[Category:1970s toys]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1977]]
[[Category:Takara Tomy]]

Latest revision as of 12:43, 26 March 2023

Blip
Developer(s)Tomy
Publisher(s)Tomy
Designer(s)Hikoo Usami
Release1977

Blip (stylized as Blip. THE DIGITAL GAME) is a tabletop electro-mechanical game marketed by Tomy starting in 1977 in the United States. The system can play a two-player game that is very similar to Atari's video game Pong, and a single-player game. In Germany, the system was sold under the name Blip-o-Mat.[1] In Japan, the game was marketed as World Tennis.[1]

History

[edit]

Blip was designed by Hikoo Usami for the Tomy Kogyo Co., the patent being filed in 1976 and awarded on December 19, 1977.[1][2]

Tomy marketed Blip in the U.S. starting in 1977. In Japan, Blip was marketed as World Tennis and differed from the U.S. game by having the words "World Tennis" emblazoned on the screen and replacing the 1, 2, and 3 on the screen with silhouettes of tennis players. The Blip name remained on the Japanese version. In France, the game was marketed by Meccatronic.[3] The German version was called Blip-o-Matic, although the Blip name remained on the case.

Gameplay

[edit]
The Blip shown with original box

For a two-player game, the game's selector switch is set to position 2 (for two players). The game is then turned on and the red LED ball lit up. Whichever side the ball is on serves first. The server's score counter is set to "0" while the receiver's counter was set to "R". The timer is then turned. A push of the "serve" button starts the game. The players must anticipate where the ball would land in one of three spaces on the "playing field" marked 1, 2, and 3. The player must then push the corresponding button before the ball "lands" on the space. If the player is successful in anticipating the ball's space and pushes the button in time, the ball is then "returned" to the opposing player. If the player anticipated wrongly, the ball stops and that player must then serve the ball, giving the opposing player 1 point.

Game play continues until either the timer stops or 10 points was earned by one of the players.

Blip is also capable of being played by a single person when the selector switch is set to position 1.

Components

[edit]
Interior of the toy

The game is housed in a plastic case with a translucent screen. On the screen is a dashed line dividing the screen in half (and simulating a net) and at either side are the three positions for the ball to land. The upper portion of the case also contains the three position buttons, the serve buttons, the player selector, and the timer dial. The underside contains the wheels to turn the score counters and the battery compartment.

It is the timer which provides the motor function to the game. Upon the timer dial being turned, a spring is wound which then, via several gears, drives the arm upon which the LED light (the ball) is mounted. The movement repeats after the ball hits each player's side 36 times, so it is possible to memorise the sequence of buttons to press.[4]

The LED (and series resistor) is the only electrical component of the game, and is powered by two AA batteries.[5] As a result, with sufficient ambient light the game is playable without batteries as one can see the unlit LED under the screen.[3]

Reviews

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Tomy Blip / Blip-o-Mat". www.handheldmuseum.com. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  2. ^ "United States Patent: 4147350". archive.is. 2012-12-14. Archived from the original on 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  3. ^ a b "TOMY - Blip aka Blip-o-Mat". pongmuseum.com. Archived from the original on 2009-04-01. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  4. ^ "Blip - 1977 Mechanical Pong". YouTube. 18 April 2020. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  5. ^ "What makes Blip tick?". Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. Archived from the original on 2012-07-26. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  6. ^ "Galileo #13 (1979 07) (Gorgon776&The Elves)".
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