The Omni Entertainment System is a bit of a wonder to me. It is a multi player quiz game that is run off an 8 track tape. This confounds me as I can't really think of a way an 8 track could work as a tape drive.
The basic game is pretty similar to the multi player version of the Quiz Wiz. It allows four players at answer various questions, you are presented with a series of buttons to answer the questions. The difference here is you were not reading from a book but rather the tape provided pre-recorded questions from a host. Some of the hosts were the quiz show masters of the day and even Vincent Price shows up on one. There were only a few different tapes available for the Omni, and it appears that the original launch series is it, no second series.
The odd thing about the game is those 8 tracks. If you know how an 8 track works, its a single spool that uptakes while it unwinds. This is opposed by a cassette tape which had two reels or even a 9 track tape drive. The difference functionally is that the 8 tracks don't allow rewind but rather just play forward. Basically this made them an infinite forward loop. I am not sure this could work in a tape drive. There is the other option that the tapes were just to play the questions and that the device was pre-programmed for each quiz. This would have made the device not compatible with expansions. I am not sure if this or the dependence on the 8 track was the cause of the product not launching subsequent releases.
Really as a game it's sort of ahead of its time. This would probably make a fantastic iPhone application. Allowing people to answer each from their own device. As I have mentioned in my Quiz Wiz review, I could even allow players to each have their own questions. Sorry that is sort of my dream quiz game where everyone has their own area of expertize.
The 8 tracks as I know them are the original launch titles
Words Words Words
Music Music Music
Jeopardy
Password +Plus
For the Fun of It
Sesame Street
TV Trivia
Movie Trivia
Baseball Quiz
Football Quiz
Sports Quiz
ReAction Quiz
And a Variety 8 Track that came bundled with the toy itesel
The basic game is pretty similar to the multi player version of the Quiz Wiz. It allows four players at answer various questions, you are presented with a series of buttons to answer the questions. The difference here is you were not reading from a book but rather the tape provided pre-recorded questions from a host. Some of the hosts were the quiz show masters of the day and even Vincent Price shows up on one. There were only a few different tapes available for the Omni, and it appears that the original launch series is it, no second series.
The odd thing about the game is those 8 tracks. If you know how an 8 track works, its a single spool that uptakes while it unwinds. This is opposed by a cassette tape which had two reels or even a 9 track tape drive. The difference functionally is that the 8 tracks don't allow rewind but rather just play forward. Basically this made them an infinite forward loop. I am not sure this could work in a tape drive. There is the other option that the tapes were just to play the questions and that the device was pre-programmed for each quiz. This would have made the device not compatible with expansions. I am not sure if this or the dependence on the 8 track was the cause of the product not launching subsequent releases.
Really as a game it's sort of ahead of its time. This would probably make a fantastic iPhone application. Allowing people to answer each from their own device. As I have mentioned in my Quiz Wiz review, I could even allow players to each have their own questions. Sorry that is sort of my dream quiz game where everyone has their own area of expertize.
The 8 tracks as I know them are the original launch titles
Words Words Words
Music Music Music
Jeopardy
Password +Plus
For the Fun of It
Sesame Street
TV Trivia
Movie Trivia
Baseball Quiz
Football Quiz
Sports Quiz
ReAction Quiz
And a Variety 8 Track that came bundled with the toy itesel
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