GT
ColecoVision

ColecoVision

Manufacturer
Coleco
Production
1982–1985
Generation
Gen 2
Type
Home
Region
US
Launch price
$175
Units sold
2.0M

About ColecoVision

The ColecoVision is a second-generation home video game console developed by Coleco and launched in North America in August 1982. It was released later in July 1983 in Europe by CBS Electronics as the CBS ColecoVision.

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Read about the ColecoVision in the Chapter 1: Foundations era of our long-form console history.

Library & collector facts

Software library

145licensed games

  • North America: 145
Best-selling game
Donkey Kong

Pricing

Launch price (1982)

🇺🇸 USD
$175

Controller

Joystick + numeric keypad / Roller Controller

Launch titles & exclusives

Launch titles

Donkey Kong · Cosmic Avenger · Lady Bug · Mouse Trap · Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle · Venture · Zaxxon · Carnival · Looping

Pack-in game

Donkey Kong (1982–1984 launch SKUs)

Notable exclusives

Donkey Kong · Donkey Kong Jr. · Frenzy · Super Action Football · Mr. Do! · Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom · Cabbage Patch Kids: Adventures in the Park · Smurf: Rescue · Time Pilot

Final licensed game

Coleco exited gaming in 1985; CollectorVision Games and Telegames produce homebrew-era cartridges to this day

Most valuable collectible

Cabbage Patch Kids: Adventures in the Park (~$200+ CIB); Sir Lancelot (~$300+ CIB); Tarzan (~$250 CIB); modern CollectorVision homebrews command premium runs

Hardware specs

Cpu
Zilog Z80A
Gpu
TMS9928A (NTSC), TMS9929A (PAL)
Ram
1 KB Scratchpad memory, scratchpad RAM, 16 KB video RAM, 8 KB ROM
Sound
SN76489
Storage Internal
8/16/24/32 KB

Hardware revisions

  • Original ColecoVision(1982)

    only base-console hardware revision Coleco shipped

  • ColecoVision Adam Computer(1983)

    controversial computer expansion that turned the console into a full keyboard-based PC — faulty tape drives and a power-on electrical surge problem damaged software

Launch colorways & special editions

Launch colors
Black with red and white accents
Special editions
  • None significant; Adam Computer expansion (1983) was treated as a platform variant

Modding scene

Difficulty
soft-mod
Custom firmware
N/A; modern flashcarts: AtariMax SD Multicart, CollectorVision Phoenix (full FPGA recreation)
Three official expansion modules existed — Expansion Module #1 (Atari 2600 compatibility), #2 (driving controller), #3 (Adam computer); the CollectorVision Phoenix is a modern FPGA recreation that runs the library natively

Reception & legacy

Launch reception

Strong launch — Donkey Kong pack-in was a defining killer app and quickly outsold the Atari 5200

Notable controversies

Atari sued Coleco over the Expansion Module #1 (Atari 2600 compatibility cartridge) and lost; the Adam computer expansion was a commercial disaster — faulty tape drives, electrical issues at power-up, and an inflated launch price contributed heavily to Coleco's gaming exit

Cultural significance

First home console to ship with an arcade-perfect Donkey Kong; proved consoles could deliver authentic arcade experiences; its rapid 1985 collapse mirrored the broader post-crash industry retreat

References

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