CompuChron Space Raider

Here’s a rarity from a company who were no strangers to making great LED watches before making the transition to LCDs – CompuChron.

Finding any information about this game watch is nigh on impossible – even the CompuChron company doesn’t have a Wikipedia entry.

They did make a large number of LED watches though – do a Google Image search to see some examples, including a nice green LED variation and a fabulous LED calculator watch.

Then they moved into LCD watches – but really only dipped their toes in…you won’t find many CompuChron LCD watches no matter how hard you search, although this one does pop up from time to time, the Space Raider.

It wasn’t a solely CompuChron watch – the Handheld Games Museum lists an unbranded one in their Unknown Manufacturers category.

I do remember one of my classmates with this watch in the early 1980s so it must have sold far and wide to make it to New Zealand – strange then that there aren’t more of these around today.

The example pictured here I bought from an ebayer who had made the unlikely purchase of a dozen of these – boxed and NOS – which was one of those very rare moments when you find a chunk of history that’s been put away in a box just waiting to be rediscovered (Nintendo Game & Watch collectors will identify with this I’m sure).

Gameplay is quite fun, with invaders coming at you from different directions and your aim is to rotate your gun barrel to fire on them before they reach your base.

It’s quite addictive too – some of these 80s games you can play a single game and confine them to a box, but this one demands some additional playing time.

If you’re lucky enough to find one (or buy one of mine) – you won’t regret it…particularly with the jealous looks you are bound to receive from your coworkers!