The march of Evercade continues with the announcement of a selection of two Intellivision cartridge collections.
Up first is Intellivision Collection 1, which will include 12 games in total. This includes three confirmed titles:
- Astrosmash
- Night stalker
- Frog Bog
Slated for release in Autumn/Fall 2021, further titles will be revealed throughout the year, with Intellivision Collection 2 arriving in 2022.
For US gamers, this is a significant piece of news. Mattel’s Intellivision system was a common console in North America, available between 1979 and 1990. While in the UK it was largely unknown, the device nevertheless boasted some notable features. It was the first 16-bit game console, long before the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive, the first to have a pause control, and the first to have a directional thumb pad on the controller.
But why was the Intellivision so scarce in the UK? It’s difficult to say. The controller, while revolutionary, didn’t look as usable as the Atari joysticks. By the mid-1980s, the wood finish of the Intellivision and Atari consoles was looking a bit staid in comparison to the beige plastic of Commodore computers and the grey NES.
As a personal recollection, I think I’ve only ever seen one Intellivision in the flesh. But rather than go seeking an Intellivision on eBay, I suspect Evercade’s forthcoming Intellivision Collection might be a better introduction.
Gaming since 1984, retro gaming since 2004. Contributes to Linux Format magazine, TechRadar.com, and other publications.
