It’s been over four years since I last wrote about the Colecovision console, the games and peripherals I owned for it, and the thrill of the hunt for additions to my collection. It was time to dust off (not literally, as I keep my consoles in dust-free totes when not in use) the old system and revisit some of the games I bought in the four years since I last touched on it here.
I definitely went through a Colecovision phase in 2017. It was exciting to win a huge eBay bidding war that included a boxed console, giving me a back-up to the one I’ve owned since the early 2000s. In addition, this boxed console bid came with the following:
- Antarctic Adventure
- BC’s Quest for Tires
- Bump n’ Jump
- Ken Uston’s Blackjack & Poker
- Looping
- Nova Blast
- Omega Race
- Space Fury
- Space Panic
- Star Trek
- Tapper
- Venture
That is an excellent list of games, with my preferences landing squarely on Bump n’ Jump, Nova Blast, Space Panic, and Tapper as the highlights of that haul. However, there are always going to be more titles to pick up if I desired. At 129 games officially released in North America, the Colecovision is undoubtedly a system that an inspired gamer could collect a complete set of. However, as I sit at 36 games in my collection, I wouldn’t even be one-third of the way to a complete set as it stands today.
Some games that I would like to add to my collection in the near future:
- Mr. Do’s Castle
- Pitfall II
- Dragonfire
- Galaxian
- Tutankham
- Up n’ Down
- Frenzy
- Jumpman Jr.
I’d also like to add the Colecovision’s Adam computer add-on (complete in massive box, ideally), but the idea of hooking up 40-year-old computer tech doesn’t appeal to me in 2021 the same way it might have in 2011. Nevertheless, I’ll keep plugging away, adding more games here and there when the mood strikes, and we’ll see where I’m in another four years.
As far as Colecovision’s place in popular culture, it didn’t reach the same levels of popularity and ubiquity as the Atari VCS/2600. Still, the Colecovision made its presence known in the 1984 Drew Barrymore starring vehicle, Firestarter. The movie was filmed in 1983, which was Colecovision’s top sales year after being released in late 1982 and before the big video game crash. Things were looking up for this premiere console, but we all know how that ended – in a giant fireball explosion of lousy timing.
More recently, the Colecovision was part of a sight gag in the animated show Family Guy and the 2018 film adaptation of the best-selling novel, Ready Player One.
Ready Player One 
Family Guy
Cartridge Corner 
Extraordinary console e the best games. Adam tapes were arcade perfect conversions! I owned an Adam computer module (but after few years it burned in) and I still own a working console purchased bundled with Adam. Sometimes I enjoyed playing one of the 22 games I owned (+3 Adam tapes now unolayable): Congo Bongo, Star Trek, Rock’n’Rope and Popeye are my favourite ones.
I am Italian and in my country Colecovison is forgotten. A few remember Intellvision, the most Atari. Colecowhat? 😜
It is not easy to buikd a Coleco collection: games are expensive on European eBay. Purchase on US is too expensive because of taxes and custom fee.
In an old post published on my blog you can are an Italian advertising for Adam computer module and the best games boxes ever built in the history of videogames: Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. for Adam. You have to see these boxes! 😜
https://redbavon.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/good-old-games-ads-4-quando-i-pc-non-erano-per-tutti/
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Yes! I love the Colecovision and its truly one of the best from this era. It’s unfortunate that you can’t find games easily, but thankfully emulation allows for some playing.
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Yes it’s true: Coleco emulation works like a breeze, but it’s not the same experience because of the keypad like Intellivision games. I purchased the Coleco Flashback console and it is worthy for the price. It is equipped with two joystick-keypad, a little smaller than the originals. The only drawback is the output that is composite. Better than the original RF signal but almost impossible to connect to modern TV. Luckly I still own a Toshiba 32’’ CRT and Colecovision is still alive and kicking. Nothing compares to insert tha cartridge in the slot and play it on the original console. I know you can understand what I mean 😜
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I’m sorry for English mistakes. I’m writing on smartphone and my fingers are too big for this tiny keyboard 😜
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