Epoch TV Block

Epoch released the TV Block in May 1979. This funky pong is the Japanese version of the Atari Video Pinball C-380 (and the Sears Pinball Breakaway). The company purchased chips from Atari and built its own version of the Atari’s Video Pinball. The audio from the Atari units was heard through the console’s speakers but Epoch went ahead and channeled the audio through the TV set. It plays seven games: Flipper pinball 1, Flipper pinball 2, Racket pinball 1, Racket pinball 2, Basketball 1, Basketball 2 and Breakout. All these games are in fact improved pong games. All the games are controlled by the big white dial placed on the right part of the system, except the two flipper pinball games which must be played with the two side buttons, just like with a real pinball! Apparently there was a TV Block MB model which had slightly different games. Instead of 2 basketball games and 1 breakout game, there were only one basketball game and 2 breakout games.