Intellivision
The Intellivision is a second generation video game console developed by Mattel Electronics and published by Mattel on 1979-12-03. The name is a portmanteau of the words "intelligent" and "television." The console uses ROM cartridges as its primary form of game storage. Controllers used a unique 16-directional movement disc, four side buttons, and a 12-button telephone-style dial pad with game-specific overlays. Several variations of the console were made over the years. The Intellivision was the first 16-bit home video game console, and the first to feature downloadable games.
The console seems to have been developed in response to Atari releasing the Atari 2600, as development on the console began in 1977, the same year the 2600 was released. To distinguish themselves, Mattel Electronics was an early adopter of creating licensed video games. Dozens of titles for the console featured official licenses from sports organizations, film and TV producers, and game and toy manufacturers.
After the video game crash of 1983, Mattel sold off their electronics division to a former Mattel Electronics executive in 1984 and he formed an entity that became INTV Corporation which continued to sell the console until 1990. Official sales figures are only available for the Intellivision from 1980-1983 which estimate a respectable 3,000,000 units, making it the second best selling console of the second generation, but still only a tenth of the sales during the Atari 2600's total lifespan.
The console's CPU is a General Instrument CP1600. It runs with 1,456 bytes of RAM and 7,168 bytes of ROM. It uses a custom video chip called the Standard Television Interface Chip which is superior to the Atari 2600, but weaker than the ColecoVision. Audio is produced with an AY-3-8914, which is superior to the Atari 2600 and equivalent the ColecoVision.
Personal
I've never owned or even played an Intellivision in real life, but I have played various games from the system's catalog using emulators. I haven't really been impressed with it.
Games
- See all Intellivision Games.
Initial Games
The Intellivision shipped with Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack
The following games were available at the console's launch: ABPA Backgammon, Armor Battle, Basketball, Checkers, The Electric Company: Math Fun, Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack, Major League Baseball, and NFL Football.
Personal
Since I've never owned an Intellivision, and most of its titles are ports from other systems, there aren't any games for the system that are important to me. However, of those which are ported, I do like the following:
Hardware
- Entertainment Computer System - Added BASIC programming.
- Intellivision Controller
- Intellivoice - Voice synthesizer module.
- Keyboard Component - A keyboard, tape recorder (for storage), and microphone.
- Music Synthesizer - A musical keyboard and additional sound chip.
- PlayCable - Allowed downloading games through cable TV.
- System Changer - Could play Atari 2600 games and use the system's joysticks.
- Videoplexer - Had 8 cartridge ports and could easily switch between them.
Review
I don't know enough about the system to review it.
Media
Links
