The Tomy Tutor/Pyūta Home Computer

By David Law (@myretrogamehub) 

Reading Time: 10 minutes 

28th September 2024

When my son was a toddler, he was obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. We'd buy him different Thomas sets, and he'd connect them (with a little help from me) to build a larger track. Then, we'd play together, watching the trains roam around. We had several sets, and he knew the names of each train character from watching the show. So, when I think of the brand "Tomy," the first thing that comes to mind is Thomas the Tank Engine.

I was also familiar with their other toys and electronic products. During the three years I lived in Jakarta, from 2010 to 2013, we visited toy stores in the malls occasionally, where I saw lots of Tomy products—Beyblades, Transformers, and Tomica die-cast cars. They were all super cool. I even owned a few die-cast cars myself because they were so well-made. But it wasn't until recently that I realized Tomy actually merged with Takara in 2006 to become the Takara Tomy we know today.

Takara is a Japanese toy and game company recognised for its innovative products and collaborations in the entertainment industry. Founded in 1955, it initially focused on toys, then expanded into video games in the 1980s. The company is well-known for bringing the SNK arcade games to the 8-bit Game Boy in the mid to late 1990s, including titles like The King of Fighters series, Fatal Fury, and Samurai Shodown. They are also famous for their action figures and various games across different consoles, board games, card games, and model kits.

From Toys to the Forgotten Tutor

Before the merge, one of Tomy's lesser-known ventures was the Tomy Tutor—a home computer released in the early 1980s. While the company is famous for its toys today, the Tutor represents an interesting chapter in its history, when they briefly dipped their toes into the competitive world of home computers.

Tomy was founded in 1924 by Eiichiro Tomiyama in Japan, originally named Tomiyama Toy Manufacturing Company. The company initially focused on producing metal toys, including aeroplanes and cars. After World War II, Tomy shifted towards plastic toys and quickly became known for its innovation and high-quality products. Tomy expanded internationally in the 1970s and 1980s, introducing popular toys like Tomica die-cast cars, Zoids, and various electronic and educational toys.

What Was the Tomy Tutor?

You're not alone if you've never heard of the Tomy Tutor. Launched in Japan in 1982 by Tomy—a company better known for its toys than its tech—the system made its way to North America in 1983 under the same name. The Tomy Tutor is a forgotten relic from the early home computer era. While it never reached the iconic status of competitors like the Commodore 64 or Apple II, it still holds a unique place in computing history.
However, when Nintendo released the Famicom in 1983, the Tutor quickly faded into obscurity as consumers flocked to the more powerful and affordable Famicom. If you're a fan of retro tech, this quirky little machine is definitely worth exploring.

The Tomy Tutor (also known as the Tomy Pyūta in Japan) was Tomy's attempt to break into the burgeoning home computer market of the early 1980s. At the time, companies like Commodore, Apple, and Atari were releasing home computers that revolutionised how people interacted with technology. Tomy put its hat into the ring with a computer aimed primarily at kids and families.

The Tomy Tutor was marketed as a personal computer that was easy to use and family-friendly, designed to seamlessly blend fun and education. With its simple design, built-in BASIC interpreter, and various educational games and software, it was pitched as a way for kids to learn programming while playing games. Thanks to its drawing and programming capabilities, it was even marketed to schools in Japan as an educational tool.

The system featured academic software, including drawing programs that let users create simple graphics. It became a solid option for classrooms when computers started making their way into schools in the early 1980s. Estimates suggest it sold around 120,000 units worldwide. Most Pyūtas were sold in Japan, making the American version quite rare.

Hardware and Specs

For its time, the Tomy Tutor was modestly equipped. Based on a 16-bit Texas Instrument CPU, the Tutor was a standard home computer that offered BASIC and cartridge gaming, with a small library of titles developed by Tomy and Konami.

Here's a quick rundown of its specs:

• CPU: Texas Instruments TMS 9995 (3.3 MHz)
• RAM: 16 K.B. (expandable)
• Graphics: Texas Instruments TMS9918A Video Display Processor (VDP), resolution of 256 x 192, capable of 16 colours and 32 sprites
• Sound: Texas Instruments SN76489A—the same chip used in the Sega Master System
• Storage: Cassette tape drive (external), with cartridge-based games as well.

The Tomy Tutor can be seen as a bit of an imitation—or at least heavily inspired by—the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A. The two systems shared a lot of hardware similarities, and it's pretty clear the Tutor took cues from the TI-99/4A. The TMS9995 processor in the Tutor was essentially a scaled-down version of the TMS9900, the same chip used in the TI-99/4A. What makes it interesting is that the Tomy Tutor was really just a simplified, more affordable version of the TI-99/4A, keeping much of the same architecture but with a more user-friendly and toy-like design.

The Tomy Tutor did support a data recorder, just as the TI-99/4A. Like many home computers of the early 1980s, it could use a cassette tape recorder to save and load programs. This was a common method of data storage before floppy disks became more widespread and affordable.

Although cassette-based data storage was slow and somewhat unreliable, it was standard practice at the time across many home computers, including systems like the Commodore 64 and the Z.X. Spectrum.

Rumours and even announcements about a possible RAM expansion for the Tomy Tutor were made, but it was ultimately never released. Early promotional materials hinted at an expansion module that would increase the system's memory, but this never came to market. It was likely cancelled due to the system's poor sales and lack of market traction.

Games and Software

While the Tomy Tutor wasn't exactly a gaming powerhouse, it was marketed toward children as an easy-to-use educational tool. The Tutor struggled to gain a foothold in America, where it was overlooked in favour of popular computers from Atari and Commodore. 

The Tomy Tutor was cartridge-based, allowing users to easily load games or educational software. Konami was a key third-party supporter of the Tomy Tutor, porting popular arcade games to the system despite its limited success. 

It had a small library of around 20 to 30 titles, a mix of arcade-style games and educational programs.
These included simple games and tools to teach math, spelling, and logic. 

Some of the more notable titles included: 

• Scramble: A Konami port of the popular arcade shoot-'em-up 
• Don Pan: A quirky platformer where players control a character, trying to avoid obstacles while climbing ladders.
• Mission Attack: A space shooter that felt like a stripped-down version of Asteroids.
• Pooyan: Another Konami charming arcade game where you play as a pig, defending yourself from wolves with arrows and meat. It was also released on the Famicom.

While the games were not groundbreaking, they had a certain charm, and for kids just getting into computing, they were more than enough.

The Educational Angle

The Tomy Tutor's focus on education sets it apart from other home computers. It came with a built-in BASIC interpreter, letting users dive into programming right out of the box. This was a huge selling point for parents who wanted their kids to learn something useful while having fun. Since computers were still new at the time, most parents probably didn't know how to use one themselves, so the Tutor made the whole process more approachable for families.

In addition to the built-in interpreter, Tomy released various educational software packages focusing on math, reading, and logic. These programs were simple but effective, and while they weren't as flashy as the games on other systems, they fit perfectly with the Tutor's goal of blending education and entertainment.

Success—or Lack Thereof

When the Tomy Tutor launched in Japan in 1982, it was priced at ¥59,800 (around USD 420 at the time). Adjusted for inflation, that's about ¥82,000 (around USD 560) in 2023. In the U.S., where it was released in 1983, it sold for about USD 380, which is roughly USD 1,440 in today's money. So, by today's standards, the Tomy Tutor would have been a pretty expensive purchase.

Despite its unique approach, the Tomy Tutor could never compete with the heavyweights of the early '80s computer market. Its modest specs, limited software library, and toy-like appearance didn't help it stand out against the Commodore 64, Atari 400/800, or Apple II, which were more powerful and had far larger game libraries.

The Tutor couldn't compete with the Z.X. Spectrum in the U.K. or the Commodore 64 elsewhere, leading to a quick exit from the market. The system received a slightly better reception in Japan but struggled to gain a foothold even there. It received two updated revisions, the Pyūta Jr. and the Pyūta Mark II. 

The Pyūta Jr. was a redesign of the Tomy Tutor without a keyboard to resemble more of a gaming console. It was released in 1983 as a cost-reduced version, priced at ¥19,800, and was only available in Japan. The console was fully retro-compatible with all Tutor games. Like most other consoles at the time, it struggled to gain traction. 

Even though it had a 16-bit CPU, it didn't necessarily translate into better graphics. Most of its games looked more like 8-bit titles, often being compared to ColecoVision games. The graphics were colourful but lacked the detail and smoothness of newer systems like the Nintendo Famicom or Commodore 64.

The Pyūta Jr. was a simplified, console-like version without a keyboard, while the Pyūta Mark II was more of a refinement of the original Tomy Tutor rather than a major overhaul. The most noticeable improvement was the mechanical keyboard replacing the chiclet-style one, but its performance and functionality remained the same as the original Tutor. It was released exclusively in Japan in 1983 and retailed for ¥29,800 (USD 110).

By 1985, Tomy had ended support for the Tutor line, discontinued the systems, and faded into obscurity. The company shifted its focus back to its core business of toys and children's entertainment. While the Tomy Tutor and its variants failed to gain significant traction in the home computer market, Tomy remained a leading figure in the toy industry.

Why the Tomy Tutor Matters

So, if the Tomy Tutor was ultimately a failure, why does it still matter?

For one, it's a fascinating piece of computing history. The early 1980s were a time of experimentation in the home computer market, with dozens of companies trying to get a slice of the pie. The Tomy Tutor represents a time when the lines between toys and computers were still being drawn, and it shows how companies like Tomy tried to blend the two worlds.

It's also an interesting look at Texas Instruments' influence on early home computing. The TMS 9995 processor and SN76489A sound chip were used in various systems, and the Tomy Tutor gives us a glimpse into how this technology was adapted for different markets.

Lastly, the Tomy Tutor is a reminder that not every home computer from the 1980s was a hit, but each played a role in shaping the industry. While it didn't achieve the success of its competitors, it still carved out a niche for itself, especially among younger users and families.

The Tomy Tutor may not be the first system that comes to mind when you think of early home computers, but it's worth remembering for its unique approach to blending fun and education. It's a relic from a time when the home computer market was still finding its footing, and while it didn't reach the heights of the Commodore 64 or Apple II, it still left its mark. If you're a retro computing fan, the Tomy Tutor is definitely a piece of history worth exploring.

To be honest, the Tomy Tutor just didn't have the kind of look or design that would appeal to kids in the '80s who were mainly interested in playing games on a console. Personally, I never saw one of these in person. I was living in Hong Kong until 1988, and there was a mall near my house that I used to visit with my parents, packed with all the latest computer and gaming tech. I was only 5 years old when the Tutor was discontinued, so there's a chance it might have been available there, but even if I had seen it, it probably wouldn't have caught my attention.

Back then, it was all about the Famicom, and the Tomy Tutor looked too much like a computer.

Video games were for the cool kids—computer games? That was strictly nerd territory. It was cool but not my cup of tea. ☕ 😎

Stay Retro!

David - My Retro Game Hub

Read about The Birth of ColecoVision or check out more Gaming History.

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