Official ColecoVision Thread

[Aswald]

My one complaint about this console, even today, is the lack of good first-person shooters.

The Atari 5200 had the tried-and-true Star Raiders, the Intellivision had Space Spartans and the superb B-17 Bomber, and the Atari 2600 had numerous titles, such as Robot Tank and Star Master.

Unfortunately, not so the ColecoVision. Dam Busters is a let-down, as are Star Wars and Subroc. I don't know about Blockade Runner; I don't even know if it's as complex as Star Raiders or not. No doubt if Phaser Patrol had been released this would not have been a problem, but, it wasn't.

[chuckwalla]

- What is your favorite game on this system?
I guess my favorite game would be Galaxian - for me it's more fun/playable than the arcade version and is an excellent port, as are many Colecovision titles

- What are some of your other favorites?
Other favorites include Popeye (I find the control the best of any system, including the arcade version), Frogger, Qbert, Venture, Ladybug, Mouse Trap, Centipede

- What games surprised you? Infuriated you?
Like many others, seeing Zaxxon with a 3-D view was very cool.
The controllers, at first, were a little frustrating to use but you get used to them over time

- Do you remember the first time you saw the system in action? What game was it? What was your reaction?
Playing Colecovision for the first time and seeing Donkey Kong in action fascinated me because the game itself had a large screen image (the 2600 version I played only took up something like 1/2 the total screen picture). Secondly, I thought how novel it was to see Donkey Kong on the opposite side of the screen, Thirdly, playing the elevator screen was a treat since my 2600 version only had the first 2 screens (but even that was ok to play!). Just to mention also, most of the arcade translations were superb and at that time that was an amazing feat for home play, plus some translations like Turbo with it's great graphics AND a wheel to play it with was unheard of at the time - great stuff!

- Did you own the system "back in the day"? How about now?
My parents could only afford a 2600 system but one of my spoiled little cousins got the Colecovision with 9 games and every chance I got to go over there and play it was a treat (and I remember how much Colecovision cost back then, let alone the 9 games including Turbo - MAN!)
About 6 or 7 years ago I started collecting classic systems and the first one was, of course, Colecovision. I now own 3 systems including one mint in the box and all expansion modules sealed in the box - my pride and joy collection

- How many games do you have for it?
I believe I now have about 45 games and I have about 30 sealed in the box

- Any stories surrounding the system that you can share with us?
Playing with my cousin for hours on end with breaks for food. Some of the best memories and nostalgia possible

[NeoZeedeater]

- What is your favorite game on this system?

It's hard to decide. Maybe DK Jr.

- What are some of your other favorites?

DK, Zenji, Congo Bongo, Mr. Do

- What games surprised you? Infuriated you?
I was disappointed how bad the Omega Race port was given how great the hardware was.

- Do you remember the first time you saw the system in action? What game was it? What was your reaction?

Yeah, I first saw Ladybug on my uncle's Coleco back in '82. I was amazed although annoyed that he only let me play briefly.

- Did you own the system "back in the day"? How about now?
At first I would just play it at others' houses. I got it a bit later.

- How many games do you have for it?
Right now about 10. I need to rebuild.

[rxd]

I've been hesitent to reply to this post but I figured I've given it enough time to be able to fairly respond.

- What is your favorite game on this system?
Probably Mr. Do!

- What are some of your other favorites?
Mouse Trap, Ladybug, Burger Time, Space Panic, Donkey Kong

- What games surprised you?
Surprised me - Space Panic I actually like it alot

- Infuriated you?
Infuriated me, well that is a bit harsh but I'm very dissapointed in alot of the games.

- Do you remember the first time you saw the system in action?
Yes, in the mall by me in 1982

- What game was it?
Donkey Kong

What was your reaction?
Great game, lousy controller that felt like a cheap piece of junk with a door knob on top.

- Did you own the system "back in the day"?
No, after saving up my money and compairing systems I bought an Atari 5200

- How about now?
Yes

- How many games do you have for it?
62

- Any stories surrounding the system that you can share with us?
Back in 1982 when the ColecoVision came out I compaired it carefully to the Atari 5200 and chose the latter. For 23 years I've been hearing how much better the ColecoVision was than the Atari 5200. Sorry guys I don't buy it. This past Christmas I decided to take the plunge and buy a ColecoVision and a ton of games for myself. Practically every game that was on both systems was better on the 5200. Miner 2049er? Don't make me laugh. Centipede? Defender? Super Cobra? Popeye? Hell I even prefer Frogger and Q-bert's control setup and the graphics and play are better also. And the Roller Controller? Hell the controls on the ColecoVision are digital and the Roller Controller is just "taped on" to the games. I mean Centipede on the 5200 is far superior to the ColecoVision then with a true analog trackball it's not even close.

Funny thing is when I bought the ColecoVision and all those games I picked up an Intellivision along the way. I actually like the Intellivision better. I don't know why, but I do. The Vectrex is cool too. But I'm still an Atari 5200 fan after all...

P.S. - If anyone has an idea of a great ColecoVision game I might have missed let me know. While I do have 62 games I could have missed some gems.

[rick weis]

What is your favorite game on this system?
well back in the day it was donkey kong but now it's space invaders collection, i'm a huge space invaders fan.


- What are some of your other favorites?
Zaxxon, lady bug, mr do., mouse trap, looping, tapper, gorf, space fury, pit stop, bc quest for tires.


- What games surprised you?
Zaxxon, at how well it was done. just blew me away...


-Infuriated you?
can't remember the game name , but it was the one that used those big hand controllers (too many buttons to remember which was for what)


- Do you remember the first time you saw the system in action? What game was it? What was your reaction? Yes, don't remember what game it was, but just thought WOW!! look how sweet that game looks.


- Did you own the system "back in the day"?
Yes, i bought it as soon as it came out.


-How about now?
Yes


- How many games do you have for it?
over 40 games, some boxed some loose.


- Any stories surrounding the system that you can share with us? no, none that i can think of


Rick

[ozyr]

ColecoVision - the 'Arcade System' of the 80's....

- What is your favorite game on this system?

Pepper II, which is the best home versions of this game ever (and it may be the only home version too?). This game is just so much fun. It's got good graphics, excellent sound affects, and great game play. And it gets rather fast paced too, which I really like. Plus, it helps that I'm really good at this game (in my opinion).

- What are some of your other favorites?

Gyruss - I never saw this in the arcade, but the Coleco version kicks butt. It's a bit odd playing it with the Coleco joystick, but beside that, the game is good. The icing on the cake is the music that plays with the game.
Q*bert - the Colceco version of this game is the best. It plays just like the arcade version (except for the missing voice)!
I also like the released Prototype game for this system - Pac-Man! A well done translation of the game for the ColecoVision.

- What games surprised you? Infuriated you?

Cosmic Avengers - the game is so awful. I'm just surprised an arcade translation would be so bad.
Dam Busters. It drown me nuts with how hard this game was - at least for me. I just could not get the hand of this game at all, after hours and hours of frustration.

- Do you remember the first time you saw the system in action? What game was it? What was your reaction?

Don't remember where, but it was the usual 'Donkey Kong'. I was blown away at how good it looked, compare to games on other systems at the time. It did think the joysticks were a bit off - and still do (they hurt my hands).

- Did you own the system "back in the day"? How about now?

Yes, It was my 2nd last system before the big crash. I still have that unit - but it has a bent cart port pin! I've got 4 other units, 3 of which have various problems. So at this point in time, I only have one that works well (thank the maker for that one).

- How many games do you have for it?

I've only got 50 games, and have only added a few in the last few years, thanks to Sean selling some of the proto-copies at a Chi-Town party.

- Any stories surrounding the system that you can share with us?

Nothing really big, other than the only thing I hate about the Coleco is that damn load time for the game. I hate that.
Oh, and the fact that Coleco games seems to be the most difficult to keep going over the years. These systems are just so picky when it comes to age. Every single time I pull it out to play some old games, I have to clean the cart port (that's how I bent that one pin last year) and use some type of cleaner on the carts too. Otherwise it's that damn scrabbled screen-as-you-play crap. Argh!

[coleco_chris]

My favorites back in the day were Zaxxon, Smurf, Q*Bert, Tarzan, LadyBug, and BurgerTime. Today's favorites are Frenzy, Steamroller(best game never released,IMHO), Up n' Down, Spy Hunter, and Montezuma's Revenge.

Steamroller was the biggest surprise ever for the CV-I just didn't expect such a fun & unique game. Too bad it didn't see the light of day until now(Thanks David Rolfe, Intv Productions, et al)!

I remember the first time I saw the system in action at a local department store mall (Arden's?). OMG-I could not believe what I was seeing! DK was phenom-especially when viewed right next to the 2600. I had to have one! The Christmas it came out, my parents looked everywhere, but alas, they were completely sold out. That was the longest 3 months of my life, having to wait until my 13th birthday in March to get my hands on this beauty.

I ended up giving my original CV to my wife's 2 younger siblings back when we were still dating, X-Mas 1988. I've since repurchased all that I gave away & then some. My collection back in the day was around 40 carts, but now numbers 75, including the 3 Atarisoft reproductions, Steamroller, Sky Jaguar, and Ms. Space Fury.

Still my favorite retro system, the CV is just as much fun now as it was back then, maybe even better due to the prices that one can pick games up for, a wide variety of sources such as flea-Bay & the like, and the homebrews being made like Sky Jaguar.