I was at Toys R Us and I saw this little Merlin in the games section, and had to get it. I had no idea they still made these albeit a smaller scale. It is virtually identical except for the size and now it talks! It still plays the exact same games but requires less batteries (3AAA vs. 6 AA). I thought I'd share this info in case anyone is interested.

My mom threw one away last week. Also a similar one called "Wildfire" and one called "Split Second". I think they were ok, but old and had no instructions...

Perhaps they make it smaller today so it makes other people thing that you are playing one of those new cool cellphone games.

Doug.

Can you guys tell us a bit about what the game actually is? I've never heard of it before.

It is six different games, I'm quoting descriptions from the book of the original Merlin.

1. Tic-Tac-Toe

2. Music Machine "teach Merlin a tune and then be entertained as he plays it back to you"

3. Echo "Repeat a tune of random notes that Merlin plays to you"

4. Blackjack 13 "Acquire the higher hand of 13 or less" (my favorite)

5. Magic Square "form a square of 8 lights" (like Lights Out)

6. Mindbender "Discover the mystery number in Merlins computer brain"

It's a neat machine, although I really don't collect electronic games, this is an exception. I really wanted one badly when i was a kid and I never got one. The funny thing is I just got the big one on the way home from the CalTech Fall tourney. We stopped to get gas and there was an antique store next to the gas station. I think I got a steal for $10 and the book was included. The big one says ©1978 on the back, the database says 1979.

It was mentioned here two months ago:
http://twistypuzzles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3008

I wonder how I missed that......