Tomy Pyuuta Jr.

In 1982, Tomy of Japan decided to try their hand in the computer market. They introduced the Tomy Pyuuta (pronounced PYOOO-ta and means 'computer dude'). It garnered moderate success and appeared on both European (GrandStand Tutor) and US shores (Tomy Tutor) in 1983. However due to fierce competition with competitors (MSX, Commodore, Atari computers, Texas Instruments), the console did better in its native home of Japan. Eventually, Tomy would struggle due to its reputation as a toy company. The machines were not taken seriously and were branded "toy computers" because they couldn't properly handle written Japanese. In 1983, Tomy decided to stick with its toy making roots and converted the Pyuuta into a cheaper console design. The Pyuuta Jr. sold for price of 24,800 yen. Even with its stripped down operating system and reduced on dash keyboard, it was compatible with all Pyuuta accessories and cartridges. It was an impressive console that couldn't quite find its niche. The Nintendo Famicom's popularity sealed its fate as a console.