Parker Brothers -- Merlin -- UNBoxing in 2019

**The Timeless Charm of the Merlin Handheld Game: A Journey Through Nostalgia**

In the world of retro gaming, few devices hold as much sentimental value as the Merlin handheld game. This article delves into the history, functionality, and enduring charm of the Merlin, as experienced by a passionate gamer who recently revisited this childhood favorite.

### The History of the Merlin

The Merlin, developed in 1978 by Parker Brothers, was a groundbreaking piece of technology for its time. Created by Bob Doyle, an ex-NASA employee, along with his wife and brother-in-law, the Merlin was one of the first handheld gaming devices to capture the imagination of children and adults alike. Its release marked the beginning of a new era in portable entertainment, setting the stage for future innovations like the Game Gear and other handheld consoles.

The Merlin underwent several iterations over the years. In 1995, it saw some updates, and by 2004, a version featuring a screen and different game types, such as "Merlin's Seventh Quest," was introduced. Despite these changes, the original Merlin remains a cherished relic of gaming history.

### Unboxing the Merlin: A Nostalgic Experience

For many, unboxing an old toy brings back a flood of memories. The narrator describes opening a pristine example of the Merlin, complete with its original box and manual. The excitement is palpable as he reveals the device, which is in remarkable condition despite being decades old.

The packaging is simple, with the game sliding out effortlessly from its casing. Alongside the Merlin itself, the box contains a manual—a throwback to an era when physical instructions were essential. The narrator expresses delight at finding another well-preserved unit, noting that he had previously owned one as a child.

### Inside the Merlin: A Glimpse into Its Design

The Merlin is a bulky device, reminiscent of early 80s technology. It requires six AA batteries to operate, which powers its LED display and basic games. The design features a futuristic telephone-like structure, with a built-in speaker and a power button located on the side.

One notable feature is the lack of a cartridge slot. Instead, the Merlin comes pre-loaded with six games, ranging from classic titles like tic-tac-toe to more complex offerings such as blackjack and a music machine that plays back songs based on user input.

### The Games: A Taste of 70s Technology

The Merlin's game library is a testament to the ingenuity of early developers. Among its offerings are:

1. **Tic-Tac-Toe**: A simple yet addictive game where players take turns to mark the board.

2. **Music Machine**: Users can input numbers to create melodies, a precursor to modern voice-activated music apps.

3. **Echo and Bubba Buggers**: Similar to Simon Says, this game challenges players to repeat patterns.

4. **Blackjack 13**: A gambling game where the goal is to reach 21 without busting.

Each game offers a unique experience, reflecting the technological constraints of the era while providing hours of entertainment.

### Personal Reflections: Reliving Childhood Memories

The narrator shares heartfelt memories of playing with the Merlin as a child. He recalls the awe he felt upon seeing this "space-age" device and the joy it brought during family trips or camping excursions. The Merlin was more than just a toy; it was a companion, a source of wonder, and a gateway to countless hours of imaginative play.

Despite its simplicity, the Merlin offered a depth of experience that modern gadgets struggle to match. It required active engagement, fostering creativity and problem-solving skills in its users.

### Restoration and Preservation: Keeping the Legacy Alive

The narrator expresses his commitment to preserving this piece of gaming history by restoring the Merlin he recently acquired. He cleaned the contacts inside, ensuring it functions as it did when it was new. This restoration project not only breathes new life into an old device but also keeps the memories alive for future generations.

### Conclusion: A Call to Share Your Stories

The article closes with a heartfelt appeal to readers who may have their own Merlin stories. The narrator invites comments below, encouraging others to share their experiences with the Merlin and other retro gaming devices. Whether you owned one as a child or came across it later in life, the Merlin holds a special place in the hearts of many.

In an era dominated by high-tech smartphones and tablets, the Merlin stands as a reminder of the charm and simplicity of early handheld games. It's a testament to the ingenuity of its creators and the lasting impact of nostalgic gaming experiences.

So, if you ever come across a Merlin, take a moment to appreciate this piece of gaming history. Play a game of tic-tac-toe, listen to a melody on the music machine, and let the nostalgia wash over you. After all, as the narrator so aptly puts it, "the Merlin was one of my first video games in fact it probably was my first."

Until next time, keep those gaming memories alive and share them with friends and family. Who knows? You might just spark a new appreciation for retro gaming in someone else.

Game over.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enooh come on go to playoff yes Oh jumping into the big bullet Oh everybody else playing some Super Mario on the bit boy you know getting ready to do that review for all you guys and what do we owe supposed to be doing a Merlin video guys think about this we play on things like this today when I was a kid we played on this so we're gonna open box a Merlin in 2019 and is it still fun let's find out I know when I was a kid this was Space Age future and this was reality a little bit of history on the Merlin the Merlin was actually developed by an ex NASA employee Bob Doyle I think it was his wife and brother-in-law or something like that from what I was reading now I didn't know much about the Merlin other than when I was a kid I loved it I thought it was one of the coolest breakthrough Tech's hey let's face it the game gear we thought was big this is actually bigger and this was pretty much close to the first handhelds now Merlin was developed and designed and put out by Parker Brothers in 1978 there were some releases of it in 1995 and I think it was a 2004 rendition 2004 actually had a screen on it and some arrows and a different type of games completely and it called it something else like the Merlin the 7th quest or something like that now one of the exciting things that actually got me to want to do this video was although yard something I had picked this one here up which I've had for many years and recently this weekend actually I found another one in actually a pretty amazing condition box so I was like you know what it is a unit I grew up with it is one of my first handhelds so why don't I make a video and show maybe some of you guys don't even know what a Merlin is as I'm old so let's unbox this bad boy try it out see if it still works I put some fresh batteries in it let's do it so guys first we have this you know our cake box it's got the robot chrome hand holding the Merlin because I mean this was the future this was space-age technology here we never had stuff like this a portable game system that was unheard of yeah a little later we had our footballs and our baseballs which are pretty much just these little lights and a little different map oh so this pretty much in my opinion was the daddy of the handhelds so let's open this up it was pretty simple with these not much packaging it all just slides off like this and your unit is right here so here we have the Merlin we have the manual yeah actual manual believe it or not both these had the manual in the most pretty pretty happy about that the only downside to this one I have to take it apart and clean the contacts inside they were green the one I've had for many years perfect it's actually in very good condition I don't know how the cameras showing this for you guys but here is my Merlin not the Merlin I had as a child unfortunately this was the Merlin I bought to relive my childhood it was a unit that I you know loved so much so in the manual Merlin very old I almost scared but I'm gonna damage the paper when I'm turning it there was a bunch of games in this I believed it was six games and you had you know tic-tac-toe you had a music machine where you actually basically told it or punched in a bunch of different numbers and it would playback a song for you which was kind of for the time it was pretty amazing now it's like yeah I can get my phone to do that just by saying hey booboo London Bridge Bubba buggers echo and echo was kind of like a I think it was kind of like Simon Says I might be wrong but that's what I thought it was we'll try that out blackjack 13 oh yeah you can gamble on this bad boy don't remember getting any money out of it in fact I don't know if I ever played blackjack on this magic square so you can see this thing was filled with all kinds of games and no cartridge needed man this thing's a brick six double A's in this ringabel people six double a's to power an LED or little lights there were six batteries in the game gear wonder how long this thing runs let's try a game out but first you had a headphone jack or a power jack I think it was I don't think this is a headphone jack I believe it was a power jack I was right there on the side that's pretty much all there was for that your speaker was built in here kind of tried to resemble some sort of futuristic telephone for its time oh wait oh you don't care Thanks someone just called and said they don't care about my video that wasn't very nice so on the side here you have your power button turn it on and Merlin starts up so my Merlin is still working so it has one button flashing if I want to play tic-tac-toe I believe it's number one so this would be 0 1 2 3 and so on so there we go when I went to tactile mode and basically I pick and then it's Merlin's turn sounds terrible Oh Merlin does it so I pick I'm flashing Merlin is solid I press Merlin's turn man Merlin just cut me off so I'm gonna do the same to Merlin I think Merlin just one man Merlin smarter than I am and then it was that computers for that era of 1978 being smarter than me velasca oh wait I wasn't the last game hunter then I was just a little tiny six years old and I had a Merlin yeah as you can see though that you can see where the fun would be playing tic-tac-toe without having family member I want to play with you or just you know just to play by yourself on your own handheld while traveling or wherever can you imagine taking this on your your trip you're going camping whatever and you hope your batteries last and you're playing Merlin because it's the coolest thing in the world at the time it's red it's a brick it's heavy and you can beat a bear with it I don't know I won that I really don't in fact I don't have a clue of what I'm doing anymore how did I play this as a child how how did that little mind of mine comprehend this thing and play it did I use it to be things with I have no idea but guys I have a little love for my Merlin because the Merlin was literally one of my first handheld units and nostalgia is there comment below was the Merlin a telephone for you or was it your first video game it was one of my first video games in fact it probably was my first it definitely was my first handheld if you guys had one please comment below let me know what you think of it and if you recently got one or what do you think of the Merlin was was something that was on your radar and it you know it definitely was for me and luckily I found the second one did I get to restore and give it back its life so that's kind of cool and it's just something that you know as I remember as a kid and I just wanted to share what was my childhood and the Merlin was definitely there so now you know a little more about the last game hunter and his past the video gaming so guys till next time please share like chat with your friends all about the last game hunter why huh he's pretty cool he is a cool guy you skip to know anyway guys game overooh come on go to playoff yes Oh jumping into the big bullet Oh everybody else playing some Super Mario on the bit boy you know getting ready to do that review for all you guys and what do we owe supposed to be doing a Merlin video guys think about this we play on things like this today when I was a kid we played on this so we're gonna open box a Merlin in 2019 and is it still fun let's find out I know when I was a kid this was Space Age future and this was reality a little bit of history on the Merlin the Merlin was actually developed by an ex NASA employee Bob Doyle I think it was his wife and brother-in-law or something like that from what I was reading now I didn't know much about the Merlin other than when I was a kid I loved it I thought it was one of the coolest breakthrough Tech's hey let's face it the game gear we thought was big this is actually bigger and this was pretty much close to the first handhelds now Merlin was developed and designed and put out by Parker Brothers in 1978 there were some releases of it in 1995 and I think it was a 2004 rendition 2004 actually had a screen on it and some arrows and a different type of games completely and it called it something else like the Merlin the 7th quest or something like that now one of the exciting things that actually got me to want to do this video was although yard something I had picked this one here up which I've had for many years and recently this weekend actually I found another one in actually a pretty amazing condition box so I was like you know what it is a unit I grew up with it is one of my first handhelds so why don't I make a video and show maybe some of you guys don't even know what a Merlin is as I'm old so let's unbox this bad boy try it out see if it still works I put some fresh batteries in it let's do it so guys first we have this you know our cake box it's got the robot chrome hand holding the Merlin because I mean this was the future this was space-age technology here we never had stuff like this a portable game system that was unheard of yeah a little later we had our footballs and our baseballs which are pretty much just these little lights and a little different map oh so this pretty much in my opinion was the daddy of the handhelds so let's open this up it was pretty simple with these not much packaging it all just slides off like this and your unit is right here so here we have the Merlin we have the manual yeah actual manual believe it or not both these had the manual in the most pretty pretty happy about that the only downside to this one I have to take it apart and clean the contacts inside they were green the one I've had for many years perfect it's actually in very good condition I don't know how the cameras showing this for you guys but here is my Merlin not the Merlin I had as a child unfortunately this was the Merlin I bought to relive my childhood it was a unit that I you know loved so much so in the manual Merlin very old I almost scared but I'm gonna damage the paper when I'm turning it there was a bunch of games in this I believed it was six games and you had you know tic-tac-toe you had a music machine where you actually basically told it or punched in a bunch of different numbers and it would playback a song for you which was kind of for the time it was pretty amazing now it's like yeah I can get my phone to do that just by saying hey booboo London Bridge Bubba buggers echo and echo was kind of like a I think it was kind of like Simon Says I might be wrong but that's what I thought it was we'll try that out blackjack 13 oh yeah you can gamble on this bad boy don't remember getting any money out of it in fact I don't know if I ever played blackjack on this magic square so you can see this thing was filled with all kinds of games and no cartridge needed man this thing's a brick six double A's in this ringabel people six double a's to power an LED or little lights there were six batteries in the game gear wonder how long this thing runs let's try a game out but first you had a headphone jack or a power jack I think it was I don't think this is a headphone jack I believe it was a power jack I was right there on the side that's pretty much all there was for that your speaker was built in here kind of tried to resemble some sort of futuristic telephone for its time oh wait oh you don't care Thanks someone just called and said they don't care about my video that wasn't very nice so on the side here you have your power button turn it on and Merlin starts up so my Merlin is still working so it has one button flashing if I want to play tic-tac-toe I believe it's number one so this would be 0 1 2 3 and so on so there we go when I went to tactile mode and basically I pick and then it's Merlin's turn sounds terrible Oh Merlin does it so I pick I'm flashing Merlin is solid I press Merlin's turn man Merlin just cut me off so I'm gonna do the same to Merlin I think Merlin just one man Merlin smarter than I am and then it was that computers for that era of 1978 being smarter than me velasca oh wait I wasn't the last game hunter then I was just a little tiny six years old and I had a Merlin yeah as you can see though that you can see where the fun would be playing tic-tac-toe without having family member I want to play with you or just you know just to play by yourself on your own handheld while traveling or wherever can you imagine taking this on your your trip you're going camping whatever and you hope your batteries last and you're playing Merlin because it's the coolest thing in the world at the time it's red it's a brick it's heavy and you can beat a bear with it I don't know I won that I really don't in fact I don't have a clue of what I'm doing anymore how did I play this as a child how how did that little mind of mine comprehend this thing and play it did I use it to be things with I have no idea but guys I have a little love for my Merlin because the Merlin was literally one of my first handheld units and nostalgia is there comment below was the Merlin a telephone for you or was it your first video game it was one of my first video games in fact it probably was my first it definitely was my first handheld if you guys had one please comment below let me know what you think of it and if you recently got one or what do you think of the Merlin was was something that was on your radar and it you know it definitely was for me and luckily I found the second one did I get to restore and give it back its life so that's kind of cool and it's just something that you know as I remember as a kid and I just wanted to share what was my childhood and the Merlin was definitely there so now you know a little more about the last game hunter and his past the video gaming so guys till next time please share like chat with your friends all about the last game hunter why huh he's pretty cool he is a cool guy you skip to know anyway guys game over