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Houses

Pixel Chix houses.

The house, also just called "Pixel Chix" itself, is the original version of Pixel Chix toys. Each house is single story, and was available in three styles: Cottage (H8830), Mansion (H8331), and Loft (H8332). All three types function exactly the same, and were available in many different colors.

The manual for this toy can be found on Mattel's Global Consumer Support website.

Objective[]

The object of the game is to interact with your Pal, keep her happy and unlock stuff for her to use as you play. There are 5 levels total in the game. Each level-up is indicated by the Gal appearing in a puff of smoke along with a "Woo-hoo!" cheer and trumpet fanfare. Each level increases the availability in fashion items, food choices, and places to go. If she neglected, she will become upset and the levels will go down. Once she is too neglected, the Gal will move out forever, thus ending the game. When the game ends, the toy must be reset in order to play again, starting at the first level. Alternatively, the hidden debug mode can be used to reverse neglect and undo the end of the game, as well as modify the amount of care she receives in order to gain access to all the levels.

All Pixel Chix electronic toys have save data to keep track of the gameplay. The house toy features a warning on the battery cover that states batteries must be replaced in less than 1 minute in order to retain game memory. If the toy is without batteries for longer than this, the player risks losing all of their game data and will have to start over from the beginning of the game.

Battery warning

Game Memory warning on the battery cover.

Appearance[]

Houses all have a speaker on the top, a battery compartment on the bottom underneath, an internal connection port on the left side, an external connection port on the right side, a staircase just above the port which leads to a door, two solid windows on the back, and a window at the top near the roof which has a light in it. All houses also include the screen in which the game can be played, with a row of buttons just below. Behind the screen is a living room setup of a background window, shelves, a side-table on the very right, a sofa next to this, a dining chair, and a staircase on the very left. In front of the LCD screen is a table, which sits behind a plain clear plastic window. Having the table in front of the LCD screen helps the illusion that the Gal is interacting with her 3-D environment when she sits in the dining chair.

Styles[]

COTTAGEALL

All Cottage colors.

Cottage (H8830)

The cottage features the wavy-haired Gal. The building itself is stylized like a common suburban house. It has two dormers on a gable roof with curved shingles, fencing that starts on the right side on both sides of the staircase, and continues around the back leading to a door with a house number of 1219 decorated neatly on the front. On both sides of the house is shrubbery with three flowers on each plant. Surrounding the top window above the game screen is two arch doors.

All cottage style 1-story house toys have a unique graphical feature, possibly an error, in which gray stripes constantly appear across the screen. This causes the display to be slightly darker compared to the other toys.

MANSIONSALL2

All Mansion colors.

Mansion (H8331)


The mansion features the light-haired Gal. The building is stylized with a regal exterior. It has a tall mansard roof with rectangular shingles, a decorative door frame on the right where a six panel door is, brandishing a house number of 4954. On both sides of the house there is an ionic column. Surrounding the top window above the game screen is a large-spaced decorative frame.

LOFTSALL

All Loft colors, including a rare purple variant that was only released in exclusive countries.

Loft (H8332)

S-l16gg00

Loft with glitter.

The loft features the black-haired Gal. The building is stylized like a taller building akin to that of an apartment. It has a pool, umbrella, and diving board on flat roof with clay tiles, a downspout on the right side in front of the staircase, a door with a decorative square shape on the front and a house number of 1615 above it on a separate plaque. On both sides of the house is a potted plant, each plant donning four leaves. Surrounding the top window above the game screen are two smaller arched windows that are solid.

The purple variant of the loft is a special unique version of the house which has glitter on it.


Function[]

Manual buttons

The buttons as they appear in the toy manual.

Buttons

  • "Yes" - The checkmark icon.
  • "No" - The X icon.
  • "Bed Time" - The bed icon. Press when it is time your Pal to go to bed.
  • "Fashion" - The clothing icon with a cutesy top displayed on a hanger. Help your Pal choose what to wear. Continue pressing until she is wearing the outfit you want to select. Press the Yes button to accept once the desired outfit is selected.
  • "Food" - The silverware icon with a fork and knife. Help your Pal choose what to eat. Continue pressing until she is holding the meal you want to her to eat. You may then press the Yes button to make your selection.
  • "Fun" - The smiley face icon. Help your Pal choose what to do. Continue pressing until she is pointing at the desired activity, and then press Yes to start.
  • "Go Out" - The outdoors icon with two trees, a pathway, and a house. Continue pressing until she is pointing to the desired outside activity, then press Yes to start.

Set the Clock

When the Pixel Chix toy is on for the first time, the clock will need to be set. In order to reset the clock again afterwards, press the No and Fun buttons at the same time. The time can be set by pressing the Go Out button to select the nearest hour, then pressing Yes to set. The sun and moon next to the clock indicate day time and night time respectively.

Fun Mode

In "Fun Mode", which is activated by starting an activity through the Fun button, a few of the buttons have a temporary change in function. The Yes, No, Go Out, and Fun buttons turn into controls during certain games, becoming Left, Down, Up, and Right respectively. When a flashing arrow appears on the LCD screen, push the corresponding button to control play. Pressing any of the other buttons such as Bed Time, Food, or Fashion interrupts play mode.

Connect Houses

Pixel House Connections

Connecting houses together.

To connect houses, remove the port cover. The toy manual advises the user against putting anything other than connectors in the port, such as fingers, as it may reset the game. Once two houses are connecting together through the ports, press the Fun button on a house. A Gal from the other house will come over and visit. Connecting three houses together will make the Gals wave to one another, talk on the phone, or dance.

Sleep Mode

According to the text on the battery cover of the toy, the game will have entered sleep mode when all the lights are off in the device. Sleep mode occurs when the toy is left idle for a few minutes, in which your Pixel Pal will say "Bye!", followed by the toy turning off in order to save battery.


Debug Mode

Debug mode

The hidden Debug Mode menu.

This toy features a Debug Mode that is not intended to be accessed by the players. To access this mode, simultaneously press the Yes button, the Food button, and the Go Out button. By using this mode, all of the hidden values and settings of the game can be altered, including Nurture, Neglect, Time, and more. There is also a "Button P", or Button Press tracker that checks how many times buttons are used. To exit the debug menu and save changes made, press the Yes button.

  • The Hour value can be changed and set via the No button, with a max of 023.
  • The Nurture value can be changed and set via the Bed Time button, with a max of 005.
  • The Neglect value can be changed and set via the Food button, with a max of 005.
  • The Minutes value can be changed and set via Fashion button, with a max of 059.
  • The Day value can be changed and set via the Fun button, with a max of 011.

The five "levels" of gameplay that the manual mentions is set by the Nurture value. Thus, setting it to the max value will unlock everything in the game. When the Neglect value has been set to the max, it will trigger the end of the game, regardless of the Nurture value or any other settings.

Product Description[]

HousessS

The yellow cottage's final packaging, compared to the prototype packaging shown at Toy Fair New York in 2005.

The official product description on the Mattel Global Consumer Support website is as follows:

Shutterstock 6409051g

The blue mansion's final packaging, compared to the prototype packaging shown at Toy Fair New York in 2005.

Pixel Chix™ pal is a 2-D Girl Living in a 3-D World™, totally unique, totally fun and totally cool! To interact with your Pixel Chix™ pal just "push her buttons" literally! Using the input buttons on the fashionable, handheld house, help your Pixel Chix™ pal decide all kinds of things, like what to do: play guitar or go rollerblading? Where to go tonight; on a date or to a concert? What to wear; a skirt or a bathing suit? What to eat, even when to go to bed. Your Pixel Chick™ pal will talk to you and tell you what she wants. She?ll tell you if she's happy (or not!) about the choices you make. There are five levels of play. At each new level accumulate more choices of foods, fashions, games and places to go! The more you play, the more stuff you get but if you ignore your Pixel Chix™ pal, the more stuff you lose! Connect two houses together and then the Pixel Chix™ pals can visit or have a party! There are three different houses in the assortment Connect them together and they'll each do a coordinated activity like talk on the phone in their respective houses.

Trivia[]

  • This toy was released in 2005, labeled for ages 6 and up. It required 4 AAA batteries.
  • In Fun Mode for the Mansion style house, the game of fetch with the puppy contains an animation glitch. One of the ball throwing animations causes the light-haired Gal to briefly become the black-haired Gal, before returning back to normal.


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