The Colecovision

[TwinChargers]

I think that if I was to add a new system from this generation of gaming, the Colecovision would have to be the one I'd gravitate towards. It looks as if it has some really great arcade ports and graphics that are not comparable to any other system in that gen. Could anybody here give any real good pro's or con's to the system? The controller looks to be a little odd to me, is that much of a problem? Are they a very sturdy system? Do they often times have a relatively common problem (like the poor construction of the 5200 controller)? Love the fact it has the expansion module that can play 2600 games also, and that it can be found at a reasonable price. So, what are your guys thoughts on the Colecovision?

[Darryl B.]

You might get cramps in your hand from extended plays with the original controllers, don't know if there's like a "homebrew" option available for them.

A Coleco can look to have really terrible reception when you hook it up, since with their switchbox it needed oil in it, which, of course, over a 20-25 year period, it's going to cake the hell up. However, there's a simple fix for it that can be found online someone; probably just need to open it up and apply more oil and/or something that would help liquify it again or whatever (I just don't know what it is offhand, just know it's nothing complicated).

Due to another poor design, the Coleco can't handle scrolling well in games and their movements come out rather jerky (Zaxxon). I found several of the arcade ports to be easier than the originals, but for Looping and Space Panic being slowed down, that's actually a good thing.

So much for the negatives. It was a pretty good system; even with the scrolling problem Zaxxon is still a pretty good port, they even threw in something new called "Mobots" into the mix that I thought was neat and didn't screw up the original at all. It's got the only home port of Space Fury, and it's not a bad one either. Many other good games for it too, WarGames was a good original game, lot of the arcade games are good and close replicas to the originals. I'd definitely give the system a shot, I'll eventually have one myself (I played on a friend's back in the day, don't know if it's still available from him years later, he said he'd sell it to me, but maybe he changed his mind!).

There's also a slowly growing number of homebrews for it too.

[Rob]

The Coleco to me was top notch except for one near fatal flaw: the controllers. Stiff, unintuitive and unresponsive; at least they can be substituted for Sega controllers.

[MaximumRD]

I LOVE my Colecovisions, my fav classic system, it is great combined with a ATARIMAX 128 in 1 cart and I am doing a video on it soon. I use my Super Action Controllers most of the time........................

[gamemaster]

I LOVE my Colecovisions, my fav classic system, it is great combined with a ATARIMAX 128 in 1 cart and I am doing a video on it soon. I use my Super Action Controllers most of the time........................

I am with MaximumRD my number 1 system i love it and this ATARIMAX 128 in 1 cart is the best i use this and keep my games mint

[fidgedextro]

Colecovision is the only system I still have from that era. Somewhere along the line I lost the expansion modules, but you'd be better off buying a real Atari 2600 if you're into collecting those games. (SPACE SHUTTLE is virtually impossible to play correctly on the expansion module.) Also, unless you can get them real cheap, the driving module and trackball aren't worth it because they only made a very few games for each. (And TURBO is the only driving game worth playing.) As noted above, the controllers take some getting used to. However they're needed for certain games which require use of the keypad overlays. That said, Colecovision was easily the most advanced sytem of its time. They didn't make many original games and specialized in releasing lesser known arcade titles. Their versions of PEPPER II, VENTURE and MR. DO'S CASTLE are nearly identical to their arcade counterparts. Aside from not including the voice elements, they also put out a remarkably accurate port of STAR TREK: STRATEGIC OPERATIONS SIMULATOR. If you like maze-type games, they offer MOUSE TRAP, LADYBUG and a number of others. Some games (like DONKEY KONG) are missing certain screens, so be sure to read some reviews. Like every system, they had a few duds (including a very disappointing port of MR. DO), but since they released fewer games than Atari or Intellivision, the company had a better hit to miss ratio. If you like sports games, you'll need the super controllers which have to be seen to be believed. Don't bother with the ADAM computer expansion module unless someone's willing to throw it in for free or you become a Colecovision completist. The console itself is sturdy, handsome, and smartly designed, but you won't believe the size of its power supply. It's HUGE. All in all, an excellent system for fans of classic old-school home gaming.

[Darryl B.]

Donkey Kong's still a 'must have' for the system though, even with its couple of bugs and missing fourth screen (like most versions of it back then)

[fidgedextro]

My only problem with the Coleco DONKEY KONG cart was that at a certain point, it became impossible to play. Maybe I didn't study enough patterns (which I've always detested), but when you get to the third (or is it fourth?) elevator screen, that first fireball doesn't give you a chance to survive. Still, as a cartridge originally packaged with the console, it was groundbreaking in offering buyers an example of what the console could do without having to spend more money on a game to play Christmas morning. (Or your birthday.)

[fidgedextro]

And unless you're a major Smurf fan, don't bother buying that game. The only fun is purposely goofing up and watch him die on picket fences and rocky spikes. Might as well play the Atari 2600's HUMAN CANNONBALL for similar morbid content.

[Darryl B.]

I didn't think that game was bad, but I wouldn't necessarily go out and buy it myself.