There's A New Intellivision Coming, And A Trio Of Former Nintendo Staffers Are Helping Launch It

It’ll never see the light of day or flame out in spectacular fashion.

If it's hackable like any of the new classic systems that have been coming out people with buy it.

At least the new twist on the controllers is pretty fun

The team behind it looks really solid, but I usually have no trust in projects like this. The good point is that it won't enter the same market as Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft, it's a totally different target, so no risk of competition. I'm curious about it.

At that price point, it's going to be severely underpowered. Almost like the Ouya all over again. And $7.99 games will be mobile games port mostly or comparable quality. It's unlikely AAA console quality games can be made profitably at that price, unless they sell tens of millions of the Amico.

But that crew is sure is a hall of fame of gaming especially if you grew up in the late 80s/early 90s...

Another concern is the lack of buttons on the controllers. So it's mostly Wii type games utilizing infrared/gyroscopes?

Colour me intregued

More systems and more games are welcomed. I hope this is a success for Intellivision!

interesting but it depends on games, if it has some jackbox style games that utilize mobile devices and the controller I could see it being interesting

It’s such a crowded and competitive market now with all these mini systems, FPGAs, clones, plug n play it’s so hard to succeed. Best of luck to them but they are trading on a name modern gamers would never have heard of and a fair few oldies, like myself, are pretty indifferent to. Hell Of a team on paper though

The yawn cannot be overstate---wait, did you just say Imagic classics reborn??? Tommy Tallarico is the CEO?? David Perry is involved? Okay, I'm listening. They're already giving up more information than anything Atari has offered with their own empty box of promises. It's going to be a tough sell--my living room is already cluttered with retro goodness--but I'll keep an open mind.

@Zorox88 if it's a digital shop then i assume the games will be cloud stored to avoid that happening.

LOL at those controllers. Make a enw system and evolve the system a little. it all sounds cool but i could never consider it for the conbtrol scheme.

Will somebody PLEASE do a Colecovision relaunch 😁😁😁👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Hard pass for me. Only a few old games really hold up for me, and outside of sega and Nintendo, I’ve never played other retro consoles.

Is it just me or does the console look like a piece of medical equipment. Resuscitation paddles

Fair play for giving it a go. Will probably end up getting this for the novelty but can't imagine I'd use it much.

Impressive trailer; it said a lot of the right things. The idea of pairing smartphones as standard is something I thought Nintendo were going to do when it was still the NX.

It's just a question of whether it ever sees the light of day. I'd buy it.

I don't see this thing ever being remotely successful. What is the point of having a touchscreen on the controller? Nintendo already tried this with the Wii U. Many games won't utilize the screen in any meaningful way. The touchscreens will dramatically increase the cost of the console without any tangible benefits. Also, the Intellivision controller may have been the worst game controller ever made, so why in the world would you want to emulate it? And is anyone really nostalgic for the Intellivision? Most of its games were a joke because they were 2-player only. Without a single-player option, these games won't be any more fun to play today than they were back then (And as for playing them online, the install base will never be big enough for that to work).

Still waiting on Commodore 64 Mini myself.

Amico?
Does it support Amiibo? 😂

My one main question about this console. Where are the gameplay of the games?

Thing is, Intellivision games have aged quite badly (dare I say the Atari 2600 has alot games that look better then them...and has nothing on NES games...) not sure if this will sell well in this day and age...

But I will admit I like the design of the console, alot of current consoles like the Xbox and Playstation lack character in their designs... then looking like simple square boxes (PS4 one looks like it's been stepped on)

I'm interested. My father was a big fan of the original Intellivision when it came out so it would be cool to play with him on this new one.

When they say, "reborn," do they mean the same game with enhancements? (I'm going with, "yes," but I'm not sure.)

And what about other properties? I loved playing "Discs of Tron" on Intellivision back in the day but I highly doubt Disney would want to play/negotiate...I think. Same with "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons."

Negative Nancy’s always show up to cast a shadow. Completely unnecessary. If the systems succeeds then great if not then bummer.

I love the idea and they really do have an all-star cast behind it, which certainly bodes well for the Amico successfully coming to market. My only criticism is that it would sure be nice if they changed the aesthetics of the system to make it look less like a piece of medical equipment and more like the Intellivision II. That said, I'm totally down for some Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain and Treasure of Tarmin with modernized graphics!

@Zorox88 Not a classic system like the others though.

Had a lot of fun playing the original at my cousin’s house in the early and mid 80s. Cool system, not mind blowing. I’ll keep an eye on how this one progresses.

The Intellivision was my first ever home console. I have strong memories of playing StarWars Empire Strikes Back.
This is one I will watch with interest.

i like the idea. will wait to see more

Looks like a samwhich toaster, and that's all it'll probably be any good for.

Interesting idea, but i need game footage

And not a single game shown.

Interesting premise. The old App store when the Iphone/Ipod Touch first launched was filled with graphically primitive but COMPLETELY ENGAGING titles that retailed for under $10. It was wonderful... the IAP fests that have largely replaced this make me sad. If there's a unique, inexpensive system focused on curiously addictive little games within a good console ecosystem, there might be something here.

At the very least, it's more promising than that Atari branded Steam-lite Machine that will never happen or the Ouya that was basically just phone games plugged into a TV.

@Hemibear I’m with you! Would love to see a retro Colecovision launch with better controllers!!

My first video game console was an Intellivision, which we got for Christmas in 1982. However, I'm not terribly interested in nor excited about this.

In all honesty, most of the games have not aged well even in terms of gameplay. My family got rid of our Intellivision back in the mid-90s, but I picked up an Intellivision Lives! disc for the (original) Xbox for about $5 back around 2005. Even the games that were my favorites as a kid were too simplistic to hold my interest. I suppose that the pure action/arcade titles might hold up alright with a modern facelift, but I always preferred games like the two AD&D titles, Sea Battle, Swords & Serpents (iMagic), Utopia, etc — concepts which were very limited by the technology and which have been far better realized on systems that came later.

Also, the controllers were terrible. Not just because they stopped working frequently (the circuits inside the controller would wear through with enough use and needed to be replaced), but they weren't very responsive even when they were new. The controllers were also quite uncomfortable to hold; Nintendo's D-pad and horizontal orientation were a huge improvement.

@techdude, @JDORS - the original Intellivision controllers had four rectangular "Action" buttons (two on each side of the controller), plus a 12-button numeric keypad that occupied the top and middle of the controller. Most games included unique overlays that slid over the keypad, with a custom button configuration for that game: https://dustyconsoles.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/img_0772.jpg

Most of the early simple games still came with overlays, even if they were primarily decorative (as in, they only used the keypad for numeric input — number of players, etc). Many of the later simple games did not come with overlays, especially 3rd party games.

So that is the purpose of the touchpad on these controllers — to take the place of the custom button functions and layout for individual titles. Many of the "updated" original games will use this, as they aren't playable with only the side "Action" buttons.

Wow, I grew up playing an Intellivision with my aunts and uncles back in the early 80's and had endless hours of fun at Tron and Shark! Shark!. Maybe we'll get remakes : )

It looks really interesting but I hate the touch screen controls, and the physical buttons don't seem comfortable to reach and use.

It sounds neat, but I just can't get the memories of the Ouya out of my head. I'm going to need to see more info before I even consider it.

Because if there's one thing that history has taught us, it's that supporting pie-in-the-sky hardware projects with improbably ambitious design goals is always worth it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be inside playing my ZX Spetrum Vega+ while waiting for my Atari VCS to show up.

I can't wait for this! The Intellivision version of burgertime is still my all time favorite and I still play it! They highlighted Super Burgertime in the video so now I'm really stoked!

As a dad of two very young boys, I've found that there are actually few games that I'm able to play with them but I could envision that games like those that I've played on Intellivision redone with their family focus could hit just the right mark for us. Here's hoping!

How much do you wanna bet this will be another Coleco Chameleon?

This is going to be so completely unnecessary and yet because of its lineage I am so totally in.

Seems more like a Classic Throwback console than a new one altogether.

This will fail. There’s zero nostalgia for Intellivision and there’s too much competition for it to succeed.

I mean.. Tommy Tallarico...

I had an Intellivision and seriously I need to see gameplay before I even move forward with a maybe. It was a great innovative platform but I am not sure it can compete two years in the future against a new Switch and a PS5. I understand their market approach but is this prototype consumer still around? This is, after all, 2020 when it launches not the 1980s when video games were a crazy volatile new form of entertainment that Mom would buy you for Birthdays and Christmas.

So is it actually new? Or just a remake clone system? Intellivision is before my time. I only learned about it thanks to Angry Video Game Nerd back in the day. I've never gotten the impression that a lot of people are nostalgic for it.

I imagine there are some, certainly, but is there really demand for something like this?

I am intrigued, but I think the best way to try Intellivision is to get a copy of Intellivision Lives for the Nintendo DS.

I’ve never seen Intellivision in the wild. Growing up in NZ, I had a 2600 - and my Dad once came back from a US trip where he thought he’d bought some games for me, but they were all Intellivision cartridges. I stared at those boxes over the years, dreaming about the games inside. Now I may finally get to see one...

It has potential. Color me interested!

Totally piqued my interest. Yes, let's see some games, but the idea of a destination to play with these old school ideas through a new modern lens and approach it from a novel angle with many pioneering names behind it sounds delightfully crazy and appealing to me.

Very targeted with strong opinions about gaming from an era of gaming that I experienced is bound to make this feel very separate from the other consoles, potentially in a good way.

After 2 years, I expect some of the rough edges to be sanded down (how about some tactile feedback on the shape and surface of that disc control-pad while still respecting the original), and there is plenty of time to reveal games more.

Also, the screen on controller was always a good idea never quite realized successfully — Dreamcast, GBA+GameCube, Wii U all had key deficiencies — so I'd love to see someone take another crack at it.

I just don't see it happening, Intellivision died long ago, so trying to bring back this name is not a good idea for selling a new product

Nintendo has the Hybrid thing and the Wii & Wii U as well as the 3DS, all three having a huge spread of capabilities covered, so what could a new, unestablished system possibly bring to the table without looking like they are just trying to ride on the coattails of a previous systems

you have Sony and Microsoft systems, they have the glorified, proprietary P.C. disguised as a gaming console covered, so again what can Intellivision bring to the table to possibly set them apart from yet another box on my entertainment center

bad timing, a REAL PlayStation rep says the PS 5 will not be seen before 2020 and Microsoft hasn't said anything yet, so both companies are watching, but probably already got what they are going to put into their new systems, and once Intellivision reveals anything, (openly or leaked), Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will be working to add capabilities that will make Intellivision's new creation look like a copy-cat and boring system, they can't put out in 2019, or 2020 or even 2021, customers will already be poised to purchase the new already well established PS, XB & NSW-2, so again, if they wait till there is a chance for a market, their capabilities already belong to the other systems, no one will want

there's only so much room in the car...
Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, four systems holding their own in the pool already, very well established in both name and software/game support, the videogame entertainment market is NOT a clown car and can't support an assload of game systems, game producers will be hard to convince to spend extra money on licensing fees and proprietary format production for a FIFTH system that probably would die anyway, same with making exclusive new games, if it's probably going to die, why waste the time and money

Customer numbers, how simple can it get, a next gen PS & XB system is likely going to be backwards compatible with the previous systems, so a customer can feel safe upgrading to their new choice, Nintendo will probably have a next gen Switch or significant revision that will also be backwards compatible, so customers feel safe, but to add yet another system, it brings up extra cost and uncertainty, especially if it does not do well and gets a 3 year lifespan at best

setup and price - between $150-$180 with games estimated between $3-$8 and some opening titles being some way back retro ports, I'm looking at even with tv hookup and it's own screen (but still not able to be truly portable), this seems will be more like a glorified "Mini", (PSX, NES, SNES, ect.) and with all those around, and downloaded and streaming games and indie game makers so prevalent and already available to current system owners, it shows nothing that is interesting save for you can Bluetooth hookup your smartphone as an extra controller, but even then, I'm not going to go through all the time, money on system and games just because I can smartphone as a controller

hell there are dozens of 3rd party reproduction systems for Atari, Coleco, Intellivision, NES, ect. with hundreds of pre-installed games for $30-$50 online and at flea markets, (illegal or not) so why would anyone really want to spend 3-4 times that money on a system that's only going to make the same Indie/Nindie games you see here already

even if they did not try to resurrect the "Intellivision" name, everything else about trying to birth a new system unrelated to Nintendo, Sony & Xbox would still remain true

it may seem good on paper, but in a functioning real life customer and competitor battle arena, it will be the lamb...and lambs are meant to be slaughtered !!!
it's not a good idea, even if "former Nintendo employees" are involved

@jhewitt3476 I don't see this as a competitor with PS5 or Xbox whatever at all. It's much more in line with Nintendo-style consoles but feels, to me at least, in a different niche space. The price makes for a pretty good impulse buy, if nostalgia is triggered.

The timing might be a little late with the age of people who remember these games getting a bit high to have younger kids to share it with, but I see much more potential than you seem to, at least.

It has even managed to separate itself from mobile gaming by "banning" in-app purchases and dlc and going with low-priced smaller sized 2D games, many of which have nostalgic tie-ins.

Carves out a nice space, and hopefully the team expects it to be a modest to small-sized audience in the business plan.

It does have much more to prove, though.

I wonder what they will call it in Italy and Spain, since Amico means friend in my homeland, "The Intellivision Friend" sounds stupid, at least Nintendo had a play on the name of the NES/SNES...
Family Computer = Famicom

Nope. Intellivision was never good, definitely not worth anywhere near what they're asking for.

I've never played Intellivision. Good luck to these people.

@Hemibear

Well Coleco does have a plug n play.

One of my coworkers who is 46 years old and has only ever played the Intellivision would probably be interested in this. I'll have to tell him about this next time I see him.

The updated Imagic games alone would be worth it to me, along with some others they mentioned.

We had an Intellivision and 2600 in my house from 1982 until I got my NES in 1987.

@Hemibear Someone actually is making a revised ColecoVision. It is called the CollectorVision and the is a kickstarter going on for it right now: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1408938247/collectorvision-phoenix-an-fpga-colecovision-conso

@joey302 They are making a revised ColecoVision right now, check out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1408938247/collectorvision-phoenix-an-fpga-colecovision-conso

At first I thought it was saying the console was $3-8. Raised my eyebrows for a sec there, lol

I'm not to sure about it yet, would be interested in gameplay. I'm guessing the touch screens on the controllers are monochrome, but that the hdmi is full color. Seems like it could use more buttons, a minimum of A/B like the NES controllers or A/B/X/Y like SNES opens up more possibilities.

If they make it fun and portable enough, could be a good game box to bring to parties, potentially. With the app controllers, could do a Jackbox party game kind of thing, which would be a good deal at $3-8 price range

Outlook not good.

I think it's about time the Americans get back in to the game console market, now that Microsoft have all but admitted that they have no ideas left.

That mysterious Atari announcement last year really doesn't count.

This new Intellivision initiative is headed by some real pros that I have an utmost respect for. And while it smells a bit like the phone-tech based micro console experiments that OUYA and GameStick hit a wall with, I'm convinced there are lots of untapped brilliant ideas out there that can help make this a successful brand revival.

Here's to their efforts!

[GRUMP MODE]
That looks like an elder-care hygiene product from the 90s, and no end-user will have a clue who those people are.

This video gets the job done of telling the industry that something is coming, but ultimately raises more questions than it answers. Which might be a good thing, if the answers are coming.
[/GRUMP MODE]

All that the guys making this are saying shows that the console is a joke.
"We are not targeting gamers, instead we want our buyers to be grannies that have nostalgia of the 80's"
"We will do better 2d platforms than ps5 because we will only do 2d games!"

ROOOOOOOOFL

@harouhiko My thoughts exactly. They probably wanted to go for "Amiico" but didn't because of Nintendo's lawyers.

@dcstud wow looks cool!! Looks like they have a ways to go to be funded though...

Is there really room for another home console when people can just play similar games on their mobile? Ouya tried their best, but it didn't work out.

The more they leave the old Intellivision behind, the better, so the idea of a totally revamped console is interesting. But just focus on newer/revamped games. Nobody wants to play original games that old. The NES is as far back as most people want to go. Anything earlier only gets picked up for 2 minutes. Seriously, how long can you play Pacman or Space Invaders before you start watching grass grow instead?

Is there really room for another home console when people can just play similar games on their mobile? Ouya tried their best, but it didn't work out.

The more they leave the old Intellivision behind, the better, so the idea of a totally revamped console is interesting. But just focus on newer/revamped games. Nobody wants to play original games that old. The NES is as far back as most people want to go. Anything earlier only gets picked up for 2 minutes. Seriously, how long can you play Pacman or Space Invaders before you start watching grass grow instead?

Intellivision Lives! was absolutely one of my favorites on the Gamecube. I'd love to play me an updated Astrosmash or participate in a Snafu tournament.

If it comes out, I'll likely buy it.

@harouhiko If it was the '90s, maybe the could've partnered with dead gas station brand Amoco to sell it as well.

This is EXACTLY what I have been looking for. Not that piece of junk AT Games Genesis, not the fake ColecoVision, not the real ColecoVision re-release, not the probably fake Atari VCS, but this. I love the console price, game price, and controllers.

Those exclusive games better be good, otherwise this console will end up alongside the likes of Ouya. Even Valve bowed out of the space with their Steam machines. No exclusives.

Wooooooo that sound cool. looking for it

@retro_player_22 you can find it 20+ years ago when all of these games launched.

The system reminds me of the Death Drive Mk-II from Travis Strikes Again with those controllers, minus the bowl on the system...

If Earthworm Jim 3 turns out to be a killer app, then this has potential. It needs at least 2-3 killer apps to justify a purchase