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Coleco ColecoVision
Updated 6/6/11
Released in late 1982, the ColecoVision was the last of the second generation consoles, and easily the most powerful. Sadly, it came on the scene just before the video game crash of 1983. Even with its excellent arcade conversions, it only managed to sell 6 million units before it was discontinued two years later. 170 different games were made for it. It had an expansion slot that would take a module that would make the ColecoVision compatible with Atari 2600 games, and the Adam expansion that turned the ColecoVision into a computer. Another expansion unit was planned to provide Intellivision compatibility, but the ColecoVision was canceled before it arrived. ColecoVision contains the same CPU and graphics chip as the MSX1 and Sega SG-1000/SC-3000. It also shares a sound chip with the Sega machines (including the Master System). That made porting games easy between these platforms. It also means that the ColecoVision bridged the gap between 2nd and 3rd generation consoles.
The worst thing about ColecoVision is the 15 second pause on the title screen when you start a game. There is no way to skip it on a real machine. That was a very bad design decision! For emulators, you can get a hacked system ROM that eliminates the pause.
This is an interesting action/puzzle game where you must figure out how to navigate your way through circuit boards while a Qix-like thing moves around the screen. If the Qix-thing touches the component you are on, the component breaks, and you have to replace it before doing that circuit board again. Although none of these separate components are original, the combination of them makes this game unique.
This game has you racing a penguin across the Antarctic. You must avoid or jump over various objects as you run along, and collect jumping fish for points. You have a time-limit to get to the finish line of each race. Nice graphics!
Plays just like Atari 2600 version, except with much better graphics and sound. Set the angle and strength to fire at your opponent's cannon. The first person to destroy their opponent's cannon wins. This is a precursor to games like Scorched Earth and Worms.
BC's Quest for Tires plays kind of like Moon Patrol. You ride along on your wheel, jumping over obstacles and pits along the way. There are multiple levels, and they each have unique obstacles and settings. For instance, in one level you are moving along level ground, but in another you are going up an incline.
This game is sort of like Tempest, if Tempest were unrolled into a flat plane.
Classic Boulder Dash puzzle gameplay. You tunnel along, trying to collect all of the diamonds, while avoiding having boulders fall down on top of you.
Simon and a simple music game that's far too easy.
Excellent arcade conversion.
Pitall! clone with somewhat tricky controls.
Great arcade conversion. Very simple gameplay.
Great arcade conversion.
I've only played this in emulation, and maybe it doesn't emulate well, but it seems like the game is broken. You can get stuck on the sides of the screen, and the fighting is awkward at best.
This is a near-perfect arcade conversion. It plays like an isometric Donkey Kong. The jumping is a bit difficult in this version, though.
Horizontal-scrolling shooter.
Not as good as the Atari 2600 version.
This is a good game, as long as you never change direction, and if you don't mind that the radar doesn't show anything. The Atari 2600 version is much better.
Very nice arcade conversion, but Donkey Kong is on the wrong side of the screen on the first level, and there are a few other things missing, such as Donkey Kong taking Pauline away after the first screen, or Donkey Kong falling on the rivet screen. This is definitely the best port until the NES version came along.
Almost perfect arcade conversion.
The game shows you a 3x3 picture, then mixes it up, and you have to put things back in order. When you finish the puzzle, you are not given any indication. The game shows 5 levels, but only lets you choose 3. And the game is identical on each level.
This is definitely the nicest-looking version of Dragonfire. But the difficulty level is WAY too high, mostly due to the controls. It is extremely difficult to get past the first screen!
This is the sequel to Berzerk. The screens are randomly generated, which is fine, except that when you die, the screen is generated randomly again, which is weird. It breaks the continuity of the game.
This is a good, but not great, version of Frogger.
This game has three screens. The first is underwater, where you must avoid fish and other animals that want to eat you in order to land on the moving lily pads. The current pushes you along the whole time, which adds to the challenge. If you don't jump on the lily pads, you are taken to the next screen, which is the surface of the water. On this screen you must navigate your way to life rings being pulled behind a boat. If you jump on the swan, you will be taken to the third screen, which is in the air. You jump on the backs of birds to get to a cloud. Once you fill up all the lily pads, life rings and clouds, you move to the next level. While this sequel has more variety in game play, I still prefer the original.
Near-perfect arcade conversion. This is basically Space Invaders on steroids.
Try to find as many treasures as you can while fighting off enemies until the time limit, at which time you are taken to the next level. Each level has 99 different dungeons to choose from. The controls are good, once you figure them out, but the fighting isn't so great.
Near-perfect arcade conversion. It doesn't have the speech of the arcade. It has the Astro Battle, Laser Battle, Space Warp and Flag Ship levels, but it is missing the Galaxian level.
Pretty good arcade conversion. This is like Galaga wrapped around a tube.
This is the classic H.E.R.O. game but with enhanced graphics and controls. The graphics are a little busy, though. I almost prefer the cleaner, though less detailed, graphics on the Atari 2600 version. Having two action buttons is handy, though.
Pretty fun platformer that has you moving from screen to screen stealing all the paintings while avoiding the traps.
Fun, but challenging, platformer. You have to clear the screen of objects, and as you pick them up, various hazards appear. All the while you have to avoid being hit by a bullet that is flying around seeking you out.
Practically perfect arcade port. It has all four levels (vines, swimming with alligators, dodging rocks falling downhill, and jumping over natives to save the girl).
Very good game with nice graphics and music.
Run through a multi-floor shopping mall while avoiding hazards such as bouncing balls and out-of-control shopping carts in order to catch the criminal. The graphics aren't as good as the Atari 2600.
Good arcade conversion. It's a Pac-Man clone, except you can't eat the enemies. And some of the walls rotate when you push through them.
This game has you flying a plane in a side-view perspective. That was the only part that made sense to me. I had to Google all over the place to find out what you are supposed to do, because I was lost. It turns out you have to turn around and shoot the rocket that is behind you when you first take off in order to open a gate (naturally) that lets you move forward. And then you are flying through a maze of pipes, which is hard enough, until you run into a giant flashing evil thing that kills you. Once that happens, you start over again from the beginning. Not my idea of a good time.
Fun platformer game that requires you to step on every location on the screen in order to move to the next level. The only downside is that if you die, the screen is reset, so you have to start all over again.
Fly around a planet, avoiding or shooting various things, then land on a moon. On the moon, you must rescue 6 miners while avoiding obstacles, and get them to safety. Nice graphics, but tricky gameplay.
Tricky controls ruin an otherwise fun game. The second section is pretty brutal.
This early action adventure platformer is unique in that it uses music as a que to know how close you are to the objects you need to find. There are multiple steps needed to beat the game. The manual is very handy.
Almost perfect arcade conversion, including using the keypad to change the configuration of the colored walls.
This is almost Mr. Do!, but not quite. The graphics and sounds are familiar, but the game rules are very different than the arcade.
This is a pretty good arcade port. The gameplay is intact.
This is a clone of Anteater.
In many ways, this game is an improvement over the original monochrome vector game, but the controls aren't quite right.
This is like a cross between Pac-Man and Qix. You have to fill in blocks by drawing around them, all while avoiding enemies. If you fill in a block where there is a trident, you can attack the enemies, and they disappear. The game is played across several screens that you must fill in before you go to the next level.
Plays just like the Atari 2600 version.
From what I could see, it is very similar to the Atari 2600 version. But on my emulator, you die as soon as you enter the third screen.
This is a good racing game, for an Atari 2600. For ColecoVision, the graphics and sound seem a bit lacking. But it's still pretty fun.
This is a very good port of the arcade game. Popeye is completely white, though.
Almost perfect arcade conversion.
Almost perfect arcade conversion.
This is a great version of River Raid. It improves on the Atari 2600 version in several ways, including better graphics, and more variety of enemies.
This is a multi-screen action adventure game. The first screen is good, but the second screen is terrible. The third screen is OK again, but then the fourth screen is not very good.
This is an unusual puzzle game where you must jump on moving platforms and bolt them to the ground so they don't move. Some levels require you to bolt down the platforms in specific patterns. Very challenging and fun!
In this platformer, you can't jump. You must shoot ropes diagonally and climb them to get to higher platforms. You use a flashlight to stun enemies. Your goal is to reach the bird at the top of the screen.
Plays kind of like Centipede, except you can move around the whole screen, and you can fire up and down. Requires the Roller Controller.
Fun action adventure platformer with nice graphics, but somewhat bad controls. With a controller with two buttons, why do they make you press up diagonally to jump?
Plays like Asteroids, but with strange shapes that combine and fly straight at you, and you get weapons upgrades along the way.
Similar to Lode Runner, but a lot slower in pace.
Fun and unique action game. Features digitized speech.
Pretty good port of arcade game. I think the Atari 2600 version was better.
Simple first-person shmup in the water. When you aim above the water, you shoot guns, but when you aim under the water, you shoot torpedos.
Not too fun.
Fly a helicopter in side-view perspective and blow everything away with your guns and bombs.
Almost perfect arcade conversion. This is based on Root Beer Tapper (the one found in arcades), not Budwiser Tapper (the one found in bars). I recommend avoiding the easy levels, though. They are too easy.
It's kind of like playing in slow motion, but most of the gameplay is intact.
This is a pretty good arcade port, but you can only shoot left and right, not up and down.
Good arcade port. Race along vertically-scrolling roads to collect various colored flags while avoiding oncoming cars.
Very good arcade port.
This is based on the movie. Once you get the hang of the controls, there is a fun game to be had.
Almost perfect arcade conversion.
Interesting action puzzle game where you rotate pipes so they all connect together.