1982 · Tomy · Japan · console
Tomy Tutor
A toymaker's educational computer, aimed squarely at children.
Mixed Trivial to run ▶ Watch on YouTube ↗
Image: Evan-Amos · Public domain
A 1982 home computer from the toy company Tomy, built on Texas Instruments silicon closely related to the TI-99/4A, and sold in Japan and briefly America as an educational machine for the whole family.
Its library was small and simple — a few arcade clones and typing drills aimed squarely at children just learning to use a keyboard.
What it cost
about 18% of a month’s pay in 1982 · about $713 today
| Japan Pyuuta launch price (¥54,800 / $149 USD in US) |
¥54,800 (1982)
16-bit Texas Instruments TMS9995 architecture designed for kids. |
|---|---|
| Typical street price | — No verified mass-market street price recorded yet. |
| Units sold | ≈100,000 estimate Estimated 100,000 units sold. |
Why it mattered
The Tutor is a toymaker's stab at the educational-computer market, interesting mainly as evidence of how many companies chased the family-computer dream in the early 1980s.
Emulating it today
| Emulators | MAME (tutor driver) |
|---|---|
| Setup effort | Trivial to run (1 on this site's scale) |
| Controls | A standard modern controller covers the ordinary controls, though unusual accessories may need custom mapping. |
| Runs on a handheld | Yes |
The emulator names above are starting points, not a promise that every title or accessory behaves identically. Computer platforms usually add model selection, disk handling and keyboard setup even when CPU emulation itself is mature.
Firmware
This system needs no firmware file. Install an emulator, open a game, and it runs.
How many files you need: none to go and find. No separate firmware file is needed for an ordinary setup.
Firmware details checked 2026-08. Emulator requirements change — see Libretro documentation for the current list.
Where the software is
Preservation catalogues describe verified dumps; they do not grant permission to download commercial software. A curated, correctly matched set is easier to use than an undifferentiated archive.
Copyright: Commercial software remains copyrighted unless its owner explicitly released or relicensed it. Homebrew, public-domain programs and current reissues should be treated separately from abandoned commercial titles.
This site names preservation projects and explains what they are. It does not link to ROM downloads.
Where to start
- Scramble 1983 shooter
- Lunar Lander 1983 action
- Traffic Jam 1983 puzzle
The verdict
A curiosity aimed at children; the library is small and simple.
There is little here for anyone past infant school — emulate it for the history.
- Worth it if
- Players curious about educational machines, oddities and fantasy consoles and willing to learn how the original machine worked.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants a large, instantly accessible library and no model, firmware or control decisions.
Scored 3/5 for fun today and 3/5 for historical importance. Those two scores decide the label at the top — a machine can matter enormously and still be no fun.
Read more & watch
This page is 50% complete against the facts we try to record for every system. Gaps are shown as gaps.