The Gamate is a fourth-generation handheld console released by Taiwan’s Bit Corporation in 1990, positioned as a direct rival to Nintendo’s Game Boy.
Spec Table
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Bit Corporation |
| Type | Handheld |
| Generation | 4th generation |
| Release Date | 1990 (discontinued 1994) |
| Launch Price | Not documented (USD); approximately £59.95 at UK launch |
| Units Sold | Not documented |
| Media | ROM Card |
| CPU | UMC UA6588F or NCR 81489 (6502-based) |
| Predecessor / Successor | Not documented |
History
Bit Corporation launched the Gamate in 1990, roughly a year after Nintendo’s Game Boy reshaped the handheld market. The Taiwanese company built its machine around a 6502-derived processor, using either the UMC UA6588F or the later NCR 81489 chip depending on the production run, paired with a 160×152 pixel greyscale LCD. In the UK the console retailed for around £59.95, undercutting the Game Boy’s price by roughly £10, and it reached distributors across France, Germany, Italy, North America, and Taiwan, mostly through small regional importers rather than major retail chains. Unlike some rival clone handhelds of the era, the Gamate used real ROM Cards similar in format to NEC’s PC Engine HuCards rather than crude cartridge boards, and its thick plastic shell gave it a sturdier feel that some collectors still compare favorably to the Game Boy’s own construction.
Under the hood, the system ran on 16KB of RAM and 2KB of onboard ROM, with sound handled by a General Instrument AY-3-8910 chip through a weak internal mono speaker (a headphone jack offered stereo output instead). The non-backlit screen suffered badly from ghosting on fast-moving sprites, a flaw contemporary reviewers described as far more pronounced than the blur already present on the Game Boy. Bit Corporation’s own financial troubles ended its production by around 1992 to 1993, but United Microelectronics Corporation and its subsidiary Funtech Electronics kept manufacturing Gamate hardware and cartridges for a few more years before finally abandoning the platform.
The Gamate reached a scattered international audience, selling across Asia, Australia, parts of Europe, Argentina, and the United States, though it never approached Game Boy-level distribution anywhere. Roughly 61 to 71 games are documented depending on the source, with a large share consisting of unlicensed clones renamed just enough to dodge copyright, such as Tetris reissued as “Cube-Up” and Bomberman reissued as “Bomb Blaster.” Many titles came from outside developers like Gamtec and Hengmao Electronics, though Bit Corporation and its successors took sole publishing credit. It stands as one of a wave of also-ran fourth-generation handhelds, alongside the Watara Supervision and Mega Duck, that tried and failed to dent the dominance of Nintendo’s Game Boy, Sega’s Game Gear, and Atari’s Lynx.
None of this makes the Gamate a mainstream success story, but its relatively robust engineering and small, curious game library have earned it lasting attention from handheld collectors and retro hardware historians long after Bit Corporation itself faded from the industry.
Library Highlights
The Gamate’s library leaned heavily on clones and reworkings of popular puzzle and action games rather than original blockbusters, but a handful of titles are still cited by collectors as the system’s most playable software.
- Tetris
- Bomberman
- Lode Runner
Variants
The Gamate shipped in at least two shell revisions: an original dark grey unit with an “x”-shaped directional pad, followed by a later dark grey unit that switched to a “+”-shaped pad, plus a white-shelled version with red buttons that circulated in some regions. Production also passed through more than one manufacturer over the console’s life, moving from Bit Corporation to United Microelectronics Corporation and Funtech Electronics after Bit Corporation ceased operations in 1992, though the hardware itself stayed functionally consistent across these production changes. No separate regional re-brand or bundled special edition beyond these shell and manufacturer changes is documented. See the full Bit Corporation manufacturer hub for other systems tied to the company.
Collector Value
Because the Gamate sold in relatively small numbers compared to the Game Boy, complete-in-box units and factory-sealed stock are scarce and command real premiums when they surface, particularly for the earlier “x”-pad shell variant. Loose consoles in tested, working condition turn up occasionally through specialist retro-handheld sellers and command more modest prices, though buyers should expect LCD ghosting and contrast fading as a baseline condition issue rather than a defect unique to any one unit. Because the ROM Card library is small and largely unfamiliar to casual collectors, complete carts with original labels and cases carry a real premium over bare boards.
Buying Guide
Before buying a used Gamate, confirm the seller has tested it with a ROM Card rather than just powering it on, since a dead cartridge slot connector is a common failure point on handhelds this old. Check that four working AA batteries (or a period-correct external power option) actually drive the screen at usable contrast, since the non-backlit LCD is unforgiving in anything but bright, direct light. Ask whether any included cartridges have been verified to boot, as label-only listings sometimes hide non-functional boards.
FAQs
When did the Gamate come out?
The Gamate was released in 1990 by Bit Corporation and remained in production until 1994.
How many units did the Gamate sell?
Sales figures for the Gamate are not documented in available sources.
How much did the Gamate cost at launch?
No confirmed USD launch price is documented, but the Gamate retailed for around £59.95 in the UK, roughly £10 less than the Game Boy at the time.
What CPU does the Gamate use?
The Gamate uses a 6502-based processor, either the UMC UA6588F or the later NCR 81489, depending on the production run.
How many games were released for the Gamate?
Approximately 61 games are documented for the Gamate, mixing original titles with clones of established hits like Tetris and Bomberman.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamate
- https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/feature_meet_the_gamate_the_handheld_which_tried_to_take_on_the_game_boy_and_failed
Facts on this page last verified 2026-07-15.