One or two player matching game (basically like Concentration).
You select one square, and the game emits a certain sound, you then select a
second square, if the sound that square makes matches the first one, you get
those two squares lit up in your color, and you can play again. If they don't match,
it's the second player's (or the computer's) turn. The person with the most
lit squares at the end is the winner (there are 32 total squares or 16 different
pairs that have to be matched. There's only 8 sounds though, so there's two pairs
total of each sound). There are 4 different games: 1- Exactly as described
above, 2-4 same concept, but a slightly different object (either to make a perfect
square, link a 'bridge' all the way across the playfield, or a concept similar
to Othello.) The funny thing is there is a mute switch on this game, which completely
defeats the whole purpose of the game... :) The manual does mention it, and
just states that the game play is strickly by chance in this 'mode.' Available
in two different color styles as pictured below: Black or white base,
and it's indicated on the box. I have two black ones, one of them doesn't have 'PAIR MATCH'
written on the side of it like the other one (and the white one).
A unique technical characteristic of this game is that it's the only handheld game I've
come across that actually two CPUs in it. Both are Hitachi HD38820s.
This was apparently manufactured by Bandai for the Sharper Image and was sold through them in the
U.S. in the mid 1980s.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)
Bandai's Pair Match also gets the distinct honor of being a prop in Star Trek:
The Next Generation:
(Frequently seen in Ten-Forward of the Enterprise) (See Handhelds
in Movies for more!)
