ColecoVision Review: A Pioneering Console Ahead of Its Time
Released in 1982, the ColecoVision is often regarded as one of the most impressive and underrated consoles of the early 1980s. Developed by Connecticut Leather Company (Coleco), the console offered some of the best graphics, sound, and gameplay available during its era, and it was seen as a strong competitor to systems like the Atari 2600 and Intellivision. While the video game crash of 1983 led to its relatively short lifespan, the ColecoVision left an undeniable mark on the industry and remains a beloved retro console for many collectors and fans.
Design & Build
The ColecoVision features a distinctive look, with a sleek black console and woodgrain paneling that was typical of the era. The console's design was clean and simple, and it fit neatly into any living room setup. The controller was also one of the most memorable features of the ColecoVision. It came with a large joystick and an attached keypad, allowing for a more intuitive and functional control experience compared to other consoles at the time.
While the ColecoVision's build quality was solid, it didn't have the same level of ergonomic design as later controllers. The large joystick might have felt clunky for some players, but it was very responsive and offered precise control, especially for fast-paced arcade games.
The console had a cartridge slot for easy game swapping, and it could be connected to the TV via a composite video or RF connection, making it easy to set up and start playing.
Game Library & Performance
One of the ColecoVision's standout features was its ability to offer arcade-quality games at home. Powered by a custom video chip, the ColecoVision was capable of displaying rich colors, smooth scrolling, and detailed sprites, all of which made it a powerhouse compared to its 8-bit competitors. The console's ability to provide impressive arcade ports was a major selling point, with titles like "Donkey Kong", "Zaxxon", and "Galaxian" being among the most popular games available.
- "Donkey Kong" was particularly well-received and is often cited as one of the console's finest moments. The ColecoVision's version of Donkey Kong was regarded as one of the best home ports of the arcade classic at the time, offering a nearly identical experience to the arcade machine. The arcade-quality graphics and smooth gameplay helped solidify the ColecoVision as a serious contender in the market.
In terms of game variety, the ColecoVision had a solid library of titles, including action games, platformers, sports games, and puzzle games. While it wasn't as extensive as the Atari 2600's library, the quality of games for the ColecoVision was consistently high. The console also enjoyed third-party support from major developers like Sega, Konami, and Activision, ensuring a steady stream of high-quality releases throughout its short lifespan.
The performance of the ColecoVision was exceptional for its time. Its 8-bit graphics were among the best in its class, with bright, detailed visuals and fluid animation that made games come alive. The sound chip was also superior to many other consoles of the era, producing clear, melodic tunes and punchy sound effects that enhanced the gaming experience.
Expandability & Unique Features
One of the unique aspects of the ColecoVision was its expandability. The console had add-ons that allowed it to evolve into different kinds of devices. For example, the ADAM module transformed the ColecoVision into a home computer, complete with a keyboard and cassette tape drive. Though the ADAM module was not commercially successful, it showcased the console's potential to do more than just play games.
In addition to the ADAM, Coleco also released a peripheral called the ColecoVision Super Action Controller, which offered more buttons and better ergonomics for more complex games. The Super Action Controller was designed for games like "Venture" and "Baseball", which demanded more buttons for specialized actions.
Market Performance & Legacy
Despite its impressive features and hardware, the ColecoVision faced stiff competition in a market that was on the brink of collapse. By the time the ColecoVision was released, the video game industry was already suffering from the video game crash of 1983, which led to a severe decline in console sales and the eventual discontinuation of the console.
Unfortunately, the ColecoVision's relatively short lifespan meant that it didn't enjoy the long-term success it deserved, especially compared to later systems like the NES or Genesis. However, the ColecoVision's technical achievements-such as its superior graphics and arcade-quality games-earned it a place in gaming history as one of the standout systems of the early 80s.
Today, the ColecoVision is still celebrated by retro gaming enthusiasts and collectors who admire its unique blend of performance and game quality. Its arcade-perfect ports and innovative controller continue to inspire nostalgia for those who experienced it firsthand.
Limitations & Drawbacks
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Limited Game Library: While the ColecoVision had several standout titles, its library was smaller compared to competitors like the Atari 2600 or Intellivision, especially as the system was discontinued after just a few years.
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Market Timing: The video game crash of 1983 severely impacted the ColecoVision, cutting short what could have been a longer lifespan for the system. By the time it gained traction, the market was already in decline.
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Expensive Peripherals: While the ColecoVision had some great peripherals, they were often expensive and didn't always live up to the promise of expanding the console's capabilities.
Final Verdict
The ColecoVision is a console that punches far above its weight. Despite being short-lived, it left an impressive legacy, offering arcade-perfect graphics, high-quality games, and a level of expandability that was rare for its time. Though it was ultimately overshadowed by the video game crash of 1983, the ColecoVision remains one of the most beloved consoles among retro gaming fans, who continue to appreciate its technical achievements and game library.
For those seeking a blast from the past or a chance to experience arcade classics at home, the ColecoVision offers a fantastic nostalgic trip back to the golden age of gaming.
Score: 8/10
? A highly capable console with arcade-quality ports and lasting appeal, though its success was limited by timing and market conditions.
Anthony a.yglecias@worldnet.att.net Mon, 8 Jul 2002 04:22:26
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My father started me on video games, he had them all from the very start. The Coleco Vision was the last system he purchased, until I got him back into the game with the NES. If the Video Game market hadn't crashed back in 84, Coleco Vision would be king still to this day. Having a Coleco back then, was like having a Game Cube or PS-2 compared to a Gameboy!!!
My Coleco is in mint condition, other than the controllers. I found that in most controllers, the contacts for the joystick become fatigued and fail to operate. If you know a little about soldering, you can easily replace the contacts, with cheap parts from your local electronics supply store. Once you do this, there is no stopping you, you can make your system last a lifetime. If your Coleco is in poor shape, a complete dismantaling/cleaning and re-building will make it work, and last like new. Cleaning on the catridge contacts is essential on a regular basis, since this system just turned 20 recently.
With a few adaptors, you can hook your Coleco up to any RCA-inputs, and it makes the picture look 100 times better. I play mine on a 32inch Sony Wega, and the colors/sound and picture really look great, better than the old arcade machines. Make sure to clean the RF connector on the CV deck, before attaching any new cables.
No one in the world could take my Coleco away from me, it combines the very best of video game history, with some of the fondest memeries ever. Long live Coleco!
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Maurice maurice.liberton@village.uunet on Friday, August 3, 2001 at 15:55:35
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Now my kids play on it. My favorite games are Bump and Jump and Jumoman Junior. Some games are very dificult like Bounty Bob. I love the simplicity of the games and the fun to play. Some games are however terrible boring. Lot of fun for hours and then the system of the future.
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Bryan Kielty danjen@warwick.net on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 15:33:22
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My dad got coleco back in 1980 somthing i dont know. We Were testin it out becase my dad had it in the atic for like 8 years. We took it out and the system works and we have four controllers but only one works. If have any ( that works) tell me ok thanks.
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Mark sedodgeboy@cs.com on Saturday, May 12, 2001 at 21:29:46
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I to had the coleco vision and i had the super action controlers for rocky and front line this system was my favorite out of all i had. I have had the atari 2600 the coleco vision commodore 64 nintendo and super nintendo and the nintendo 64 now i have a computer and i still long for my coleco. I have just found out that i can still buy one,and i can replace all my games that i had like front line turbo looping popye time pilot rocky among some others well long live coleco and the classics
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Aaron Bisschop bisschops@msn.com on Sunday, December 10, 2000 at 01:47:21
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Colecovision was the first and only video game system to date to use completely "off the shelf" technology. Coleco did not have any proprietary chipsets that cost big $$$ to design and manufacturer unlike Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony, etc.
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Roel van den Berg r.vandenberg3@chello.nl on Saturday, September 30, 2000 at 17:39:15
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Holland In Da HOUSE!
I still have my ColecoVision with several games (Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Smurf, Frontline (WOW!),
Microfun, TimePilot(ADDICTIVE!),
I also have Philips G7000, P2000, MSX, NES, Thompson M8 all with tons of games and stuff,
I collect old IBM-PC games like Camel, Frogger, Tank etc.
If somebody has something , please send to me!! THANKS FROM THE NETHERLANDS
PS - I'm from the same year as the IBM-PC
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Johnny Carson bowlorama@hotmail.com on Sunday, August 27, 2000 at 14:00:34
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No-one has ever mentioned the Rocky cart for the Coleco. I have got the game and the controllers shaped like boxing gloves. Does anyone else have this?
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Daniel deanospizza@msn.com on Tuesday, February 8, 2000 at 14:57:02
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Colecovision was the first system i ever bought. I have the roller controllers, the driving module w/ turbo, the expansion module #1, which lets you play atari games on you colecovision. and about 10-15 games, which are lost in my storage unit. LONG LIVE COLECO MY FIRST VIDEOGAME LOVE>
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Christian edited4content@aol.com Thursday, 27 Jan 2000 18:09:43 EST
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Nine Games I can tell you about are:
1.Donkey Kong
2.Donkey Kong jr.
3.Frantic Freddie (you were a bug that put out fires to win)
4.Smurfs (you had to move through boards and jump over objects to get to gargamel)
5.Turbo (this came with a steering wheel for better race action)
6.Congo Bongo (jungle game where a monkey throws things at you)
7.Destructor (I don't remember what this was about)
8.Defender (Kill aliens to save humans)
9.Baseball (this game came with two controls) |
Christian edited4content@aol.com on Thursday, January 13, 2000 at 11:45:33
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They also had a steering wheel for race car games and a baseball controller, a controller that had different color buttons on it and a roll pad to know what base to throw at. I will give you more information, I need to look at my system. I will write back soon. Dear webmaster the steering wheel control is called the expansion module 2 and it was not for play on the turbo game but on the destructor game sorry about the error. The baseball controllers were called super action controllers they were for play with Super Baseball.
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Trunkz pikablu_1230@hotmail.com on Tuesday, January 11, 2000 at 17:55:55
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I used to have two boxes full of celeco junk. About 5 controllers, weird hook on gadget (like game genie but added to system), and about 30 games including donkey kong, smurfs and a couple of wierd controllers. I mean I had everything!!! Who knows maybe I still have it. My favorite game was Frenzy. That game kicks 4 bit butt!!!
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