The Electric Company Math Fun

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Follow this link for info about the review system. 1 = Terrible, 5 = Awesome!

Another of the games originally documented in glorious full color.

The Electric Company Math FunGraphics: 2
Sound: 2
Replay Value: 2
Notes: 1- or 2-player game; one of the few early releases with title screen music (The Electric Company theme music).
Screen Shots

The Electric Company Math Fun a simple math problem-solving game. It was kind of fun sometimes when I was a kid. OK, not really. Math Fun also underwent a ROM revision. According to the Intellivision Lives site, the original game had you enter answers in "pencil and paper" order, which seemed backwards, e.g. 4,1,enter for 14. After revision, you supplied answers in "natural" order, e.g. 1,4,enter for 14. I've only noticed the "pencil & paper" order in Learning Fun I by INTV and the Intellivision, Inc. copies of Math Fun.




ROM Two versions of the ROM exist.
Box So far, ten variations have been found.
Manual Fifteen variants have been identified.
Overlays Five different overlay variations are known to exist.
Label To date, five labels have been recorded.
Easter Eggs No Easter Eggs have been found.




A total of ten The Electric Company Math Fun box variants have been documented.

Image Vendor Part Number Year Origin Description
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Mattel Electronics 2613-0910) Mattel Electronics 2613-0910 1979 U.S.A. Plastic tray; part number on top not in white box; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover; NOTE the FOR COLOR T.V. VIEWING ONLY text above the game title; thanks to the1hatman for the trade!
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Mattel Electronics 2613-0910) Mattel Electronics 2613-0910 1979 U.S.A. Plastic tray; part number on top not in white box; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover
Image not available. Mattel Electronics 2613-0910 1979 Hong Kong Standard Hong Kong variation with plastic tray that refers to the Keyboard Component on the cover; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; verified by freeweed and JasonLikesINTV in May 2015; Hankster probably has had this for 20 years or more, too
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Mattel Electronics 2613-0910-G1) Mattel Electronics 2613-0910-G1 1979 Hong Kong Plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Mattel Electronics 2613-0910) Mattel Electronics 2613-0910 1979 Hong Kong First reported by freeweed on May 18, 2015; French-Canadian outer sleeve (orange in color) refers to original Keyboard Component; internally an early, standard Hong Kong variation with plastic tray that refers to the Keyboard Component on the cover; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; image from BSRSteve
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Mattel Electronics 2613-0410) Mattel Electronics 2613-0410 1979 Hong Kong International Edition; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; slots on back for manual; slots inside for overlays
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Intellivision Inc. 2613) Intellivision Inc. 2613 1979 U.S.A. Standard Intellivision, Inc. box; also has Children's Television Workshop, Inc. copyright data
The Electric Company Math Fun Box (Digiplay) Digiplay N/A 1979 Brazil Digimed version; 'Rua Acará' address printed on back, with Digiplay Equip. sticker; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; localized title BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA; special thanks to Intellivotion
Image not available. Digiplay N/A 1979 Brazil UNCONFIRMED Digiplay version; 'Rua Acará' address printed on back with 'Av. Açaí' sticker; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; localized title BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA
Image not available. Digiplay N/A 1979 Brazil Digiplay version; 'Av. Açaí' address printed on back; Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; localized title BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA




The allegedly older version of this ROM has you enter answers in "pencil and paper" order, while the later versions have you enter in "natural" order. I've personally only seen the pencil-n-paper order on the Learning Fun I cartridge and on the Intellivision, Inc. version in "modern" times.

I swear we had the backwards entry version when I was a kid, but sadly that cart no longer functions. It could also be that my parents exchanged it as defective as well. I do recall it was one of the five carts we got when we got the Inty for Christmas in 1980. (Let's see, those were Baseball, Football, Math Fun, Space Battle, and, of course, Poker & Blackjack.) I haven't checked the part numbers on the chips of my other copies to see if they're different. All I can say is that the white label version appears to have the 'backwards' entry ROM, but rev. G1 instructions - which are NOT correct for that ROM!





A total of fifteen The Electric Company Math Fun manual variants have been documented.

Image Vendor Part Number Year Origin Description
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-0920(A)) Mattel Electronics 2613-0920(A) 1979 U.S.A. Full color; does NOT have backwards entry instructions—was there an earlier version that did, or was it a later version?
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-0920(D)) Mattel Electronics 2613-0920(D) 1979 Hong Kong Green monochrome artwork
Image not available. Mattel Electronics 2613-0720 1979 Hong Kong Dual-language French-Canadian edition; green monochrome graphics; localized title is 'Jouons Avec les Chiffres'
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-8920) Mattel Electronics 2613-8920 1979 Canada Green monochrome artwork; French-Canadian version included in rare sleeved version of the game; first reported by freeweed on May 18, 2015; image contributed by BSRSteve
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-0820) Mattel Electronics 2613-0820 1979 Hong Kong British English version (located in Australian Lifestyle Electronics copy); submitted by Hankster
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-0820-G1) Mattel Electronics 2613-0820-G1 1979 Hong Kong British English version; blue monochrome art
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-0121 G1) Mattel Electronics 2613-0121 G1 1979 Hong Kong German edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; blue monochrome graphics; localized title is 'Spass am Rechnen'
Image not available. Mattel Electronics 2613-0121 1979 Hong Kong German edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; blue monochrome graphics with black; localized title is 'Mathe-Spass'; reported by Intellivotion
Image not available. Mattel Electronics 2613-0121 1979 Hong Kong German edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; green monochrome graphics with black; localized title is 'Mathe-Spass'; reported by Intellivotion
Image not available. Mattel Electronics 2613-??? 1979 Hong Kong French edition; need confirmation of part number, origin, etc.; green monochrome graphics; localized title is 'Jouons Avec les Chiffres'
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics 2613-0920(A)) Mattel Electronics 2613-0920(A) 1979 Italy Italian edition; blue monochrome graphics; flat paper, no gloss; back cover lists 28040 Oleggio Castello (NO); localized title is 'Matematica Divertente'; special thanks to Intellivotion; does part number 2613-0131 and a more traditional Hong Kong printing also exist?
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Mattel Electronics PC-2613-0920) Mattel Electronics PC-2613-0920 1979 U.S.A. PlayCable version; green monochrome artwork; does NOT have backwards entry instructions printed in the manual, but DOES include a photocopied correction describing 'backwards' entry—does this mean that the backwards entry was the later version of the ROM?
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Intellivision Inc. 2613-0920-G1) Intellivision Inc. 2613-0920-G1 None U.S.A. Staple along top edge
The Electric Company Math Fun Manual (Intellivision Inc. 2613-0920-G1) Intellivision Inc. 2613-0920-G1 None U.S.A. Accordion-style folding; submitted by Hankster
Image not available. Digiplay N/A 1979 Brazil Mattel/Digiplay edition; 'Rua Acará address printed on back with 'Av. Açaí' sticker; © M.I. 1979 on back; submitted by Psycho Stormtrooper

Supplemental Materials

The following supplemental materials have been found for The Electric Company Math Fun.

Image Vendor Part Number Year Origin Description
The Electric Company Math Fun Additional Materials (Mattel Electronics) Mattel Electronics N/A None   Correction to instructions, step 6 on page 8 to use 'backwards' entry; discovered this in a copy of the PlayCable manual for Math Fun—has anyone found this thing in standard copies?

It's surprising how many revisions there are for this 'edutainment' title. The original (not pictured, not sure if it exists) and revisions A-D and G1, which just had updates of the replacement overlay order form. The existence of the original (not an "A" version or later) is assumed, provided that the purported ROM change truly did happen when the Intellivision Lives site claims that it did. Interestingly, the two copies of the Intellivision, Inc. version of Math Fun that have passed through my hands both have the 'backwards' ROM, and have instructions based on rev. G1 of the manual. I've only seen revs. A, D, and G1, and all of these describe answer entry in the 'natural' order - i.e. 3,4,6 for 346 - NOT 6,4,3, which is what the 'backward' ROM requires of you. So, if anyone has a copy of the manual that describes 'backwards' entry (around p. 9 or so) - please send scans!

There were also some variations of the 'Running Man' and Mattel logo on the back cover.

Running Man Logo and Text on Back (rev. A (U.S.A.))

Back cover of rev. A (U.S.A.)—note ® next to Mattel Electronics logo in the center of the 'running man' rectangle

Running Man Logo and Text on Back (rev. D (Hong Kong))

Back cover of rev. D (Hong Kong)—note ™ next to Mattel Electronics logo in the center of the 'running man' rectangle





A total of five The Electric Company Math Fun overlay variants have been documented.

Image Vendor Part Number Year Origin Description
The Electric Company Math Fun Overlay (Mattel Electronics 2613-4289) Mattel Electronics 2613-4289 1980 U.S.A.  
The Electric Company Math Fun Overlay (Mattel Electronics 2613-4289) Mattel Electronics 2613-4289 1979   Note the discrepancy in the copyright— special thanks to mcg423 for reporting this one
The Electric Company Math Fun Overlay (Intellivision Inc. 2613-4289) Intellivision Inc. 2613-4289 None   Copyright removed; image courtesy of Hankster
The Electric Company Math Fun Overlay (Digiplay 2613-4289) Digiplay 2613-4289 None   Localized in Brazilian Portuguese to BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA; mylar with "chippy" backing; extra special thanks to Intellivotion for the help
The Electric Company Math Fun Overlay (Intellivision Productions) Intellivision Productions N/A 2014 U.S.A. Part of the Supplemental Overlay Pack for Intellivision Flashback




A total of five The Electric Company Math Fun label variants have been documented.

Image Vendor Part Number Year Origin Description
The Electric Company Math Fun Label (Mattel Electronics) Mattel Electronics N/A None   No origin; ™ lower left next to Electric Company logo
The Electric Company Math Fun Label (Mattel Electronics) Mattel Electronics N/A None Hong Kong Origin lower right; ™ lower left next to Electric Company logo
The Electric Company Math Fun Label (Intellivision Inc.) Intellivision Inc. N/A 1979 Singapore Origin lower right; © I.I. 1979 to left of origin; ™ small, centered vertically on right edge; smaller label, rounded corners; also has © 1979 Childrens Television Workshop, Inc. upper left
The Electric Company Math Fun Label (Intellivision Inc.) Intellivision Inc. N/A None   No origin, copyright or date info; larger label, square corners; large bold font for game title
The Electric Company Math Fun Label (Digiplay) Digiplay N/A None   No origin or copyright; green label; first line, in larger font, MATH FUN; second localized: (BRINCANDO COM A MATEMÁTICA); submitted by Psycho Stormtrooper; special thanks to Hankster and Intellivotion




Title Screen The theme to The Electric Company blared when you reset the game. Unusual for the early games—and not really particularly well-done, honestly.
Number Jungle Gorillas jogging by the riverbank, leaping over other animals. Erm.... OK. Edutainment still hasn't really caught on. Wonder why?




If you find new, contradictory, or other information you wish to share, please send a message!