Retro Handheld Appraisal

Mattel Classic Football II Handheld Electronic Game

The item is a vintage Mattel Classic Football II handheld electronic game, likely from the late 1970s or early 1980s. It features a dark green plastic casing designed to resemble a football field, with a stadium-like screen at the top. The screen displays a rudimentary football field with LED or LCD 'players' represented by dots or segmented lines, which illuminate to simulate movement. Below the screen is a control panel with various buttons and switches for gameplay. The control layout includes blue rectangular buttons for 'SCORE', 'STATUS', and 'KICK' on the left side. In the center, there are toggle switches for 'ON/OFF' and 'SOUND ON/OFF'. To the right of these, there are red rectangular directional buttons (up, down, left, right) and a 'RUN' button, along with a yellow square 'PASS' button. The phrase 'CLASSIC FOOTBALL II' is prominently inscribed below the controls. The game's physical condition shows signs of wear consistent with its age and likely use. There are visible scuffs, scratches, and some grime on the plastic casing, particularly on the top and edges. The screen area appears intact, though the exact functionality cannot be determined from the image. The white sticker on the lower left of the unit indicates it was priced at $15.00 with a handwritten 'game #' followed by '#399'. Below this, the 'MATTEL' logo is molded into the plastic, along with an embossed football shape. The overall construction appears robust for a plastic toy of its era, indicating typical mass-market manufacturing quality. The plastic material has a matte finish, with some areas appearing slightly glossy from wear.