FS: Spanish Overkal Console - 1973/74 Odyssey clone

[mmora]

Hello, everyone,

 

As I think an item like this needs an introduction, I will proceed to do so. I'm Marçal and I'm both a retrogaming enthusiast and a researcher. One of my interests was the Overkal console, which I finally was able to prove that it was available at least early 1974 and, thus, making it the first European game console. We presented our findings in the History of Games conference back in 2020 

 

 

although I had previously written about everything in my website (https://retromaquinitas.com/catalogo/consolas/espanolas/overkal/) and in specialised magazines such as the RetroGamer's Spanish version. So, you know, I'm at least a bit knowledgeable about this machine, which is an Odyssey clone with a few clever twists (quoting Baer himself).

 

I often get questions through the website and people also contact me for assessing the value of their consoles (which I rarely have a definite answer to, as I'm not really here for the "economy" part). However, very rarely, I get a contact from someone who owns an Overkal. This usually means just a quick valuation (which, again, I can't provide) but this time a person contacted me and shipped their console to me so I could check it and help them with its sale. I already own an Overkal console, so, I thought this could be a place where someone could be interested in taking care of such piece of history.

 

Without further ado, let's get to the item. A few pictures are attached, but here go some details:

• The console is aesthetically in very good shape and color, at least in the top side and all laterals. 
• The battery cover is missing and there is rust in the contacts. However, the console also can be powered with a 9V adapter similar to the Atari 2600's, for instance (center positive 3,5mm jack).
• There are also a couple cable marks (the typical "melted" marks). 
• There are three of the seven "large" overlays (tennis, cat/mouse and roulette, I believe) and the full set of smaller overlays.
• The roulette board is also included, as is the paper money. Note how all these are exactly the same as the Odyssey ones but adapted: Spanish translation and Pesetas instead of Dollars. 
• The switchbox is also included although it is quite irrelevant.
• The box is in a very decent shape, even though it has a bit of tape in its corners. Other than that, it is also representative to see the "El Corte Inglés" price stickers (a department store in Spain where it was sold) on it.
• Two inners are missing (the console cardboard and one controller).
• Controllers are good even though one of them is starting to lose the adhesive on the wooden part.
• The inside, except for the battery connector, is clean and without rust or corrosion of any kind. 
• The buttons (power and games) work as intended.
• No manual.
• Does it work? Good question. I got this one sent to my place, and I don't have my consoles and TVs here, so I couldn't use a 70s TV to fine tune it. I tried my best in a modern TV:
  • The signal in these 50-year old consoles is often not strong enough (or I'm unable to tune or fine-tune it in this TV). 
  • My power supply had a reading of current consumption that seemed reasonable - even though maybe on the low side, below 30mA - and it fluctuated when changing games. So, at least, there doesn't seem to be any shortcut or similar.
  • So, I will list it as non working. 

 

Feel free to ask any other question; I don't have a set price for it (and, as said, it is not even mine in the first place) so, even though I'll be the one shipping the console, please keep in mind that any offer will need to go through the actual owner who I'm helping. You can contact me through this thread or via DM, but please express your interest beforehand so I can keep track of the request order.

 

Thank you,

 

 

[ianoid]

Nice read. Good luck with the sale. 

 

I didn't recall this offhand, but it looks like this is the kind of Odyssey that has all the games selectable with switches, rather than using the cards. 

[mmora]

The console has been SOLD.