Odyssey² Multicart# n/a

"Real" Multicarts

John Dondzila, a prolific programmer for many classic video game systems including Odyssey² and Vectrex, created the first multicart for Odyssey² in November 1998. The cartridge contained most games that were known to exist at that time – a total of 56 games. Different games were selected by setting the position of physical DIP switches on the top of the cartridge. It came in a universal clamshell plastic case with a simple black-and-white box insert, and a black-and-white "manual" that listed the DIP switch combinations for the various games. It was sold through his web site and at the Classic Gaming Expo. Original cost: $75.

Over the years, Dondzila updated the Multicart several times, adding new titles to it as new games were discovered and new ROM hacks became available. The cover artwork, label design, and eventually the physical location of the DIP switches on the cartridge evolved over time. The following permutations are known; dates and prices were pulled from this list and from Archive.org snapshots of Dondzila's web sites:

Name	Dates	Price
56-in-1 Multicart	Announced Aug. 1998, for sale Nov. 2, 1998	$75
57-in-1 Multicart	Late 1999	$75
59-in-1 Multicart	Unknown; available at least from Jan. 1999 to Mar. 2000	$75
61-in-1 Multicart	Unknown; sometime between Mar. and Dec. 2000	$75
72-in-1 Multicart	Unknown; available starting at least Dec. 2000	$50
128-in-1 Multicart	Announced early 2003, released Aug./Sept. 2003	$50
233-in-1 Multicart	Oct. 25, 2009	$40
233-in-1 Multicart (rev. 2)	Jan. 2, 2012 - introduced DIP switches on front of cart	$40
233-in-1 Multicart (rev. 2)	Feb. 27, 2015 - manufactured by Packrat Video Games (their site says 2014) and still on sale	$35

Unverified or "Pirate" Multicarts

In June 2005, Videopac.org reported that a 205-in-1 multicart was being sold by Tabajara Labs, a one-man operation in Brazil. This number of games, if a real figure, was significantly higher than the current Dondzila multicart of the time. Reportedly, Tabajara took orders but fulfilled very few of them. One buyer received his copy only after six months of emails and phone calls. He reports that he didn't receive a manual as was promised, and not all the games on it work. The collecting community generally regards this as a pirate release, although a very small number did make their way to collector hands.

Technically all multicarts could be considered pirates, but intent really matters here. "Legitimate" multicarts are created to preserve and share games that have long since been abandoned by their owners – not to make profits and certainly not to defraud buyers. The 205-in-1 is perhaps the most high-profile example of a "pirate" multicart, but it isn't the only one. There are other multicarts available on Internet commerce sites right now. Some apparently copied the work of other multicart designers, although some may be original creations. Here is a partial list of multicarts seen online where the manufacturer/seller is not known or is known to be problematic. Whether any of these are "safe" to buy is unknown – be careful!

Name	Notes	Price
205-in-1	Tabajara Labs (Brazil). Sold through a web site, circa June 2005. Most orders unfulfilled.	US $130
213-in-1	Unknown (Brazil). Seems to be a pirate of the Game Selector. Seen on Mercado Livre, July 2020.	Approx. US $67
128-in-1 ROMSET	Unknown (France). Custom board. Seen on eBay, early 2020.	Approx. US $43