TE-01: Tiger Electronics Handheld Pokédex (1998)
- Archival Status: 🟢 Fully Indexed
- Original Retail Release: Late 1998 / Early 1999
- Manufacturer / Distributor: Tiger Electronics / Hasbro
- Original Retail Price: ~$19.99 USD
🖼️ Visual Scans (Gallery Requirements)
- Scan A (Front/Open View): Bright red plastic clamshell open, showcasing the grey LCD screen, full A-Z membrane keyboard, and number pad.
- Scan B (Rear View): Close-up of the battery door and the molded copyright stamp:
©1995, 1996, 1998 Nintendo, CREATURES, GAME FREAK. TM & ® Tiger Electronics, LTD. - Scan C (Packaging): The original cardboard backing card with the iconic neon yellow “Gotta Catch ’em All!” bubble packaging.
📊 Technical Specifications
| Field | Data Log |
| Gimmick Type | Dedicated LCD Micro-Database |
| Power Source | 2x CR2032 Coin Cell Batteries |
| Total Roster | 150 Pokémon (Gen 1 Kanto Region) |
| Secondary Features | Password Security Lock, Built-In Calculator, Clock/Alarm |
| Completeness Checklist | Clamshell Device, White Plastic Battery Pull-Tab, Printed Instruction Manual |
🔬 Senior Researcher Notes & Trivia
The ultimate 1998 schoolyard status symbol. This device was modeled directly after the physical Pokédex Ash Ketchum carried in the Indigo League anime series. Despite being marketed as a high-tech encyclopedia, it was incredibly limited by 90s technology, featuring a low-resolution pixelated black-and-white LCD screen with zero backlighting.
Critical Trivia for Collectors:
- The Missing Monster: While advertised to contain the original roster, this unit only tracks 150 Pokémon. Number 151, Mew, is entirely absent from the software. This is because Game Freak and Nintendo had not yet officially revealed Mew’s existence to the public when Tiger Electronics was manufacturing the internal ROM chips in 1998.
- The Password Trap: The device featured a primitive “Security Password” lockout. Thousands of 90s kids accidentally locked themselves out of their data logs by setting passwords and instantly forgetting them, requiring a complete factory reset via a tiny pinhole button on the back.
- The Hasbro Overlap: While designed and manufactured by Tiger Electronics, later packaging variants from 1999 feature prominent Hasbro branding stickers, following Hasbro’s acquisition of Tiger in late 1998.
🎒 Collector Status
Logged in 4,892 user collectionsOn 1,104 user wishlists- Current Est. Secondary Market Value: $45.00 – $65.00 (Loose/Tested) | $180.00+ (New In Box/Sealed)