The V.Smile is an educational game system by VTech. It is designed for children ages 3 to 6 (Europe models have 3-9), but offers software designed for several age groups between 3 to 9, and had a suggested retail price of $59.99. Titles are available on ROM cartridges called "Smartridges", to play off the system's educational nature, and were sold for a retail price of $19.99. The graphics are primarily sprite-based. The console is often sold bundled with a particular game. Several variants of the V.Smile console are sold including handheld versions, or models with added functionality such as touch tablet integrated controllers or microphone support. The V.Smile Motion is a major variant with its own software lineup that includes motion sensitive controllers and has Smartridges designed to take advantage of motion-related "active learning". The V-Motion and Smartridges however are fully backwards compatible with other V.Smile variants and V.Smile Smartridges, and a V-Motion Smartridge can also be played on V.Smile console or handheld, albeit without the motion functionality used. All of the games support multiplayer.
Several versions of V.Smile and V-Motion consoles and handhelds have continued to be sold after newer models are introduced, allowing consumers a wide variety of consoles to choose from (often offered in pink color schemes for girls, as well) without worrying about a lack of backwards compatibility between games or consoles. Some key differentiators between systems and the ability to fully utilize all game functions include the options of a microphone, touch tablet, additional joystick port (for 2-player gameplay), stylus-enhanced controller, or motion sensitive game pad (With V-Motion) among other features.
Models[]
Keep in mind that all V.Smile consoles can play every V.Smile, and V.Smile Motion game. This also applies with the V.Smile Motion console, and other V.Smile consoles excluding the V.Smile Baby.
Main Release[]
Pre-release Console[]
Due to the nature of this model, not much is known about it. The console's reset button on the left side of the surface was purple instead of orange, while some images shows the button as orange, but with the words reset not being on the button. A little behind where the Smartridge goes is a RAM Card which is not seen on the final product. The RAM Card slot had a dust protector for when the slot is not in use. The console's logo on the glass door where the games are stored is all yellow, instead of the standard of being in color, same can be said for the console's logo on the front. The controller's enter button uses a more crayon like font instead of the usual final one, and also is in yellow. Also in yellow are the three buttons found below the Enter button. The On text to the left of the On button says "Power On" which the final doesn't, and is a distance away from the button. The On button is a little more orange, with the Off button being more darker blue instead of the final's translucent Green, and Yellow.
The console's mascot known as Jumper (A.K.A V.Pal) seemed to have had a different design. Not only was he only seen on the console's logo on the door of the console, but he seems to have no limbs, resembling an open notepad, with possibly a different face.
There is a patent out there that shows this early design of the console including the unknown ram slot just before the Smartridge slot. Look more at this patent.
1st Generation (80-61220 US, 80-61225 French, August 4th, 2004)[]
The first generation of V.Smile consoles had a reset button found on the top of the console, which in later revisions were removed or merged with the power button. The console could take C batteries, or plug in the wall with an AC Adapter. The system's storage container can store up to 6 games. Later revisions of 1st gen models removed a few things such as the reset button, and replaced the outdated C batteries with AA batteries, but is otherwise mostly the same. They released a special edition of the console in 2008 which was translucent, and had it's main colors switched. It came bundles with two controllers, and Alphabet Park Adventure.
2nd Generation (80-075200 Model, 2007)[]
This 2nd generation added various things such as microphone support, and a new controller with a built in drawing pad. This version also can store up to 8 cartridges. The early name for this version is V.Smile Plus.
3rd Generation (1086 Model, 2008)[]
The last console released in the original series, it has become smaller in size still retaining the two controller ports, and adding V-Link, but making the storage compacity for games in the slot only 4 instead of the previous 6 and 8. This version also has it's buttons not light up when the console is on, and removes the door for the game storage area. The controller also has it's colored buttons made smaller, and not light up, with the lower menu buttons under the enter button use a different design.
PC Pal (Model #: ?, 2008 Fact check this year)[]
This release of the console adds an inferred sensor above the cartridge slot which was used for the PC Pal keyboard and mouse which was used for the bundled PC Pal game (more info in the Accessories section). This console removes one of the controller ports, but adds V-Link in place of the second controller port.
Portable Releases[]
One of these had a release in China, maybe all of these?
V.Smile Pocket Generation 1 (Model #: ?, September 10th, 2004)[]
Put info here
V.Smile Pocket Generation 2 (Model #: ? Model, 2007)[]
This console not only replaces the joystick with a d-pad, but also makes the color buttons non-translucent, and makes the outline around the screen, and color buttons thinner, and not take up the whole inside of the outline itself. This console had a version that came bundled with A Little Mermaid Game, and had a pink border instead of the usual orange. This is the first generation of portable consoles to support microphones.
V.Smile Cyber Pocket (Model #: ?, 2008)[]
Put info here (Adds a clam shell design, V-Link, and drawing pad).
VTech Toy Show Kiosk (Same model as a Gen 1 V.Smile, and V.Smile Baby, 2004)[]
This was one of the kiosks shown off in 2004 at a toy show event. This unit has the V.Smile, V.Smile Baby, and V.Smile Pocket with 6 games shown, 3 of them being V.Smile Baby titles.
Kiosk 1 (Same model as a Gen 1 V.Smile & V.Smile Pocket Gen 1, ~2004)[]
The below kiosk sections needs more info on it.
This kiosk has a Generation 1 V.Smile on the left, and a Generation 1 V.Smile Pocket on the right. under the console on the left is a screen that is contained inside a custom frame for the kiosk. Unlike later kiosks, this one only had one game per console in the kiosk. It was seen at various retailers like Walmart and Target.
The controller used on the left console has it's Learning Zone, Help, and Quit buttons a lighter purple instead of the final's darker purple.
Kiosk 2 (Same model as a Generation 2 V.Smile, ~2007)[]
This release of the console was a part of a kiosk that would be displayed in stores to show the console off and sell it. The console had 4 built in games that can be changed via the buttons near the game's description on the display piece to the right of the TV instead of the usual means of smartridges since there is one permanently stuck in the console.
Games listed from left to right are Dora's Fix It Adventure, Thomas & Friends: Engines Working Together, Ratatouille: Remy's New Recipes, and Cars: Rev It Up In Radiator Springs. There is an image of Winnie The Pooh on the upper right corner of the display piece. This kiosk originates from Germany as shown by the game's menus and info on the games shown.
Kiosk 3 (~2004-2007)[]
This is the European kiosk
Kiosk 4 (~2007-2008)[]
A kiosk commonly seen at some Target locations around this time, possibly earlier. It appears to use a very similar, or the same, general design as the first kiosk from the 1st gen of V.Smile consoles.
List of Smartridges[]
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 101 Dalmatians | ~2006 (Unreleased) | Was announced on January 26, 2006 at the London Toy Fair |
| The Adventures Of Little Red Riding Hood | 2004 | |
| Adventures In Oz | Unreleased | Possibly the same developer/series as Little Red Riding Hood
Was originally a launch title |
| Aladdin's Wonders of the World | 2005 | |
| Alphabet Park Adventure | 2004
(2007 Re-Design) |
Launch title |
| The Backyardigans: Viking Voyage | 2006 | |
| Barney: The Land of Make Believe | 2005 | |
| The Batman: Gotham City Rescue | 2006 | |
| Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Imagination Adventure | 2005 | |
| Blue's Clues: Collection Day | 2006 | |
| Bob the Builder: Bob's Busy Day | 2005 | |
| Care Bears: A Lesson In Caring | 2004 | Launch Title |
| Cars: Rev it Up in Radiator Springs | 2006 | Also released on the V.Motion,
Released as Special Edition |
| Cinderella's Magic Wishes | 2005 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Cranium Partyland Park: A Carnival of Play-And-Learn Fun | 2007 | |
| Dora the Explorer: Dora's Fix-it Adventure | 2005, 2007 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Elmo's World: Elmo's Big Discoveries | 2005 | |
| Finding Nemo: Nemo's Ocean Discoveries | 2005 | |
| Go, Diego, Go! Save the Animal Families | 2007 | |
| Handy Manny | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Jammin' Gym Class (AKA Dance 'N Learn) | ~2005-2006 | Requires Dance Pad |
| Kung Fu Panda: Path of the Panda | 2008 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Whiz Kid Wheels | 2004 | Launch Title |
| Lil' Bratz: Friends, Fashion and Fun | 2007 | |
| Little Einsteins | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Majestic Journey | 2004 | Launch Title |
| Main Unit Test Program | 2004 | Found under every V.Smile rom when viewed through a tile ripping program. |
| Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | 2008 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Mickey Mouse: Mickey's Magical Adventure | 2004 | Launch Title |
| Monsters vs. Aliens | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| My Pet Puppy | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Noddy: Detective for a Day | 2008
2009 |
Also on the V.Motion |
| PC Pal Island | ~2004-05 | Requires the PC Pal Keyboard. |
| The Princess and the Frog: Tiana's Big Dream | 2010 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Ratatouille: Remy's New Recipes | 2007 | |
| Scooby-Doo! Funland Frenzy | 2004 | Launch title
Also released on the V.Motion, Released as Special Edition |
| Shrek: Dragon's Tale | 2005 | |
| Shrek the Third: Arthur's School Day Adventure | 2007 | |
| Smart Keyboard (AKA Smart Keys) | 2008 | Requires the Smart Keyboard |
| Soccer Challenge (AKA Football Challenge) | 2006
~2008 |
Also on the V.Motion |
| Spider-Man & Friends: Doc Ock's Challenge | 2006 | |
| Spider-Man & Friends: Secret Missions | 2004 | Launch Title
Also on the V.Motion |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: A Day in the Life of a Sponge | 2005 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Superman: The Greatest Hero | 2006 | |
| The Lion King: Simba's Big Adventure | 2004 | Launch title |
| Thomas & Friends: Engines Working Together | 2005 | Also on the V.Motion |
| TinkerBell | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Toy Story 2: Operation Rescue Woody | 2005 | Also released as special edition |
| Up | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| V.Smile Art Studio | 2006 | Requires the Drawing Tablet |
| Wall-E | 2008 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Whiz Kid Wheels | ~2005 | Also released as special edition |
| The Wiggles: It's Wiggle Time! | 2005 | |
| Winnie the Pooh: The Honey Hunt | 2004
~2007 |
Was a launch title
Also on the V.Motion |
| Wonder Pets! Save The Animals! | 2008 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Attack of the 50 Foot Fleegle | 2009 | Also on the V.Motion |
| Zayzoo: An Earth Adventure | 2007 | |
| Zayzoo: My Alien Classmate | 2004 |
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
| Dora the Explorer: Dora's Got a Puppy | 2007 |
| Scooby-Doo! A Night Of Fright Is No Delight | 2007 |
| Spider-Man & Friends: Where is HULK? | 2007 |
| Toy Story 2 | 2007 |
Low Battery[]
this console doesn't have a automatic turn off, a low battery icon, also seen on MobiGo and MobiGo 2, and the earliest versions of V.Reader (also known as Storio in Europe), the playtime when the icon is seen is aprox 10 minutes to half a hour. the later versions of V.Reader and the InnoTab tablets (also known as Storio 2+ in Non-English speakers). When the battery is critical, the system will power down automatically. The critical battery icon is just the same as the low battery icon but in center and has the 2002 VTech logo at bottom right.
Accessories[]
V.Mic (Model #:?, Year:?)[]
This would be used with some games for sing along modes only accessed on consoles with a Microphone connected. The Microphone itself had a button that would be held down to use your voice, and an LED light to indicate the status of the audio recording. Due to some consoles having this Microphone be connected with a 3.5mm aux cable, this can be replaced with any Microphone with supported output to 3.5mm aux cable.
| Game | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alphabet Park Adventure | 2007 | Only on the revision |
| Winnie The Pooh: The Honey Hunt | ~2007 | Only on newer revisions |
| Wow! Wow! Wubzzy! Attack of the 50-Foot Fleegle | 2009 | |
| Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | 2008 |
Art Studio Drawing Pad (Model #:?, Year:2006)[]
This would allow you to draw with supported games, among other features. The surface itself has a white area to draw on, along with a color picker on the left side, and various tools to select on the bottom row. The controller also has a d-pad, Quit, Help, and Free Draw buttons with the Enter/Ok button being located below the surface. The surface area is interacted with an attached stylus.
This came in Orange & Purple, Red & Yellow, and Pink & Purple. Maybe also Blue, these match with the different colors the console was available in.
| Game | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| V.Smile Art Studio | 2006 | This was designed for this device. |
PC Pal Keyboard (Model #:?, Year:~2004-2005)[]
This was the keyboard bundled with the PC Pal variant of the console. The keyboard along with the keys also had a joystick, two enter/OK buttons with the 2nd one being to the right of the drawing pad which slides out from under the keyboard. The device also has a built in puck shaped mouse with one button, and uses a trackball on the bottom of the mouse for movement. This uses IR to connect to compatible consoles, and features a handle on the top. It came bundled with a Smartridge labeled PC Pal, along with a mouse pad.
The keyboard came in Orange, and also Pink.
| Game | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC Pal Island | ~2004-05 | This was designed for this device. |
Smart Keyboard (Model #:?, Year:2008)[]
The Smart Keyboard was an accessory for the V.Smile that unlike the PC Pal was wired, and and features a more normal look for keyboards. Below the keys are a trackball which is for directional movement, and two Enter/OK buttons to the sides of the buttons, with the color buttons being above the keys, with to the right of those being where the exit, Learning Zone, and Help keys are at.
| Game | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Keyboard | 2008 | This was designed for this device. |
Jammin' Gym Class / Dance 'N Learn Dance Mat (Model #:?, Year:~2005-2006)[]
This is a dance mat that let's you interact with games by stepping on the mat's surfaces. This controller has no buttons. This game is only used with V.Smile Jammin' Gym Class (AKA Dance 'N Learn in UK).
| Game | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jammin' Gym Class (AKA Dance 'N Learn) | ~2005-06 | Designed for the dance mat |
V.Link (Model #: 80-91560, October 17th, 2007)[]
V.Link was a device that gave the V.Smile line of consoles internet capabilities through USB.
Compatibility List[]
| Name | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Handy Manny | 2009 | |
| Wow! Wow! Wubzzy! Attack of the 50 Foot Fleegle | 2009 |
Smartbook (Model #:?, Year:2007)[]
The Smartbook is a device that allows you to interact with books on the V.Smile console. Games made specifically for use with the Smartbook include books that are intended to be inserted into the book holster, which can close when not in use. The right side of the device features the same buttons found on the standard controllers, with the bottom of this row being the same stylus that was provided with the drawing pads. On newer revisions of the V.Smile you could use the Smartbook to write in some games such as Toy Story 2.
The list of games that use this accessory can be found in the Games section.
Trivia[]
- Out of all the console in the V-series of systems, the original was the best selling, and got many awards from various companies.
- Product was featured on the second slot on Time's Cool Tech 2004 in the Top Toys category.[1]
- Some sources says the console first released in America an Europe in June 2004, while others says August of 2004.[2]
- Due to confusion, a few unreliable sources states the release of some games being in 1999, despite being false.
- Generally the age range of the V.Smile is 3-7 years[2]
- The console was sometimes sold as a store exclusive at stores like Wal*Mart.
- The system's kiosk cartridge pins were soldered directly from the smartridge to the console board to prevent any kind of error when switching games.
- The smartridge is also permanently glued in place because of that game changer function in the kiosk
- The V.Smile's processor was also featured on many other plug & play devices of the early 2000s from companies such as Jackks Pacific, and the Chintendo Vii.
- This system has had a small community of people figuring out how to make homebrew for the console, with one member creating the first ever homebrew game for the V.Smile which is a simple game where you move a shape around the screen.
- This game was written in C, and was designed to test the V.Smile's emulation on MESS (Multi Emulator Super System) before any game dumps, or even a device to dump these games surfaced. It was coded by Jannik Vogel.
- When inserting a Chinese V.Smile game in a non-Chinese V.Smile the startup will play normally, not showing those Chinese characters only seen inside that region.
- Some V.Smile games had a sticker put on the game itself in China. It is unknown what this means, but is of an e inside two rotating arrows.
- In China, the console's tagline is sometimes "Learning is child's play!"
- The patent for the console's design was filed on 10/13/2003, with it being accepted on 4/5/2005, and expiring in 4/5/2019.
- Only one exclusive game was released in China, known as Primary English (小学英语)
- Inside the BIOS' rom is a sprite of the right portion of the controller that contains the buttons. It's unknown what this was used for, and has no other sprites like it in the rom.
- the power off sequence can be emulated in mame, just hold the F2 key or power off key. (Italian Toy Story 3 is unknown)
- when powering off, the screen freezes, and a farewell message is heard.
Technical Info[]
- The AC adapter from UK's specs; Input is 230v at 50hz 7w, and Output is DC 9v 300mA 2.7va. Positive connection is on the inner pin.
- Get US adapters' info then place the UK info here with US being above this line.
- The pin count of a V.Smile, V.Smile Motion, and V.Smile Baby cartridge connector is 52, the same connector used on the Amstrad CPC's expansion port.
- The intro animation and battery low icon are stored at the bottom of every V.Smile game, including V.Motion titles.
- There is a unknown program found after the intro animation known as "Main Unit Test Program".
Gallery[]
Packaging[]
Device[]
![Image of a kiosk from the August 2004 newsletter.[3]](/wiki/File:Vsmile-kiosk-aug2004.png "Vsmile-kiosk-aug2004.png (41 KB)")
![Image of the V.Smile's test market from the Chinese site in 2004.[4]](/wiki/File:Abcpark-testmarket-china-04.jpg "Abcpark-testmarket-china-04.jpg (81 KB)")
Software[]
Ads[]
External Links[]
- V.Smile product line announcement from January 26, 2006
- Wikipedia article (older revision with games list)
- The official V-Smile "press room" page from July 12th, 2004
- A list of V.Smile games, which include Motion, and Smart Book releases.
- An article off-site which groups all info of the console in China, with sources included.
- This trailer from when the console was released show a pre-release version of the controller, having the Enter text be on the center, and used a different font. also the three bottom buttons have no image, the V.Smile logo is just a solid blue color, and has many pre-release versions of labels on games.
- A sprite sheet showing the boot screen from all regions of the console.
- A site that had a system of trading an image of any V.Smile related product for some V-Points
- A forum talking about dumping V.Smile games, which on it mentions the Amstrad CPC expansion bay connector using the same pins as a V.Smile Smartridge.
- A supposed V.Smile database. The link says it can't be found, but says it was posted November 6th, 2016, has 3/5 Stars, and 60 Downloads.
- The official patent documents for the V.Smile console design