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"The arcade quality video game system."

This early console was much beloved for its bright pastel graphics, almost-perfect arcade ports, and optional adapter that allowed you to play Atari 2600 games. For comparison, that would be like Nintendo releasing an adapter that allowed you to play Xbox games on the Wii. You'd think something like that would be illegal, and as it turned out, it was. But anywho, the ColecoVision had a decent library, some games of which are listed below.

In fall 2014, AtGames Digital Media released a plug-and-play console they deemed the ColecoVision Flashback. The Flashback contains an ARM chip that emulates 48–49 games licensed from Coleco Holdings and 12 homebrew titles. (Note: a special edition of the Flashback, exclusive to the American chain Dollar General, includes Antarctic Adventure as its 61st title.) Due to licensing issues, not all of the system's core titles made it onto the Flashback; did anyone believe Nintendo would allow Donkey Kong on another console these days? Indeed, only a subset of the games in the below list are included in AtGames' release.

The list[]

Box Art Title Genre Description Screenshot
Cabbage Patch Kids Adventures in the Park Colecovision cover Cabbage Patch Kids: Adventures in the Park Plaformer Don't let the name fools you, this is a difficult platformer and one of the best for the Colecovision. The game is basically a Pitfall! clone where you need to make your way to the exit of the park before sunset but bouncing balls, bees and jumping fishes won't let you leave in one piece. 0016
Donkey Kong Colecovision cover Donkey Kong Platformer OK, not the best version but it's still a must have for the Coleco collection and was the very best available at the time. Dk coleco
Donkey Kong Jr Colecovision cover Donkey Kong Jr. Platformer Best version available at the time! If you're gonna own Donkey Kong might as well get this too! 43384-donkey-kong-junior-colecovision-screenshot-gameplay-on-the
Fortune Builder Colecovision cover Fortune Builder Sim Included in ColecoVision Flashback

A milestone of it's generation, this was one of the predecessors to city-building games like Sim City. A stunning achievement in it's own right.

Fortune Builder
Frenzy Colecovision cover Frenzy Run and Gun Included in ColecoVision Flashback

The more difficult sequel to the 1980 arcade hit Berzerk receives its only offical console port. Frenzy expands upon its prequel by offering two types of walls (one that reflects shots, and one that is composed of destructible blocks), two different varieties of enemies (skeletons and tanks), and different rooms in between the mazes. The ColecoVision port is quite accurate to the arcade original, although the original's voice samples have been replaced by an original musical score.

FrenzyColecoScreen
Illusions Colecovision cover Illusions Maze An early example of video games being art, this maze-like game might confuse some but it's one of the essential titles of the ColecoVision, and one of the very few exclusive games. Illusions
Jumpman Jr Colecovision cover Jumpman Jr. Platformer Included in ColecoVision Flashback

Should probably be called, "NOT Mario Bros." this game is an interesting little tribute to Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. in a lot of ways. Some say is superior, and it does indeed have a good amount of solid levels (for a ColecoVision title). A good game in any matter.

Jumpman Jr
Ms Space Fury Colecovision cover Ms. Space Fury Platformer A joke on two arcade classics at once, Ms. Pac-Man and Space Fury, this is a homebrew effort. This game is a really solid, two-player platforming title with 20+ levels to explore. Despite it being on the ColecoVision, it has a lot of features you'd see in the more high powered arcade games back in the day including a title screen and a high score screen. Ms Space Fury
Qbert Colecovision cover Q*Bert Puzzle Oh c'mon you've heard of Q*Bert haven't you? You have to jump on all the blocks until they're the same color to advance, but watch out for the pesky snakes! The guy who made this game said himself that this is the best port. Q Bert COL ScreenShot2.jpg
Qbert Qubes Colecovision cover Q*Bert's Qubes Puzzle This unique little sequel only made it to two systems: this and the 2600. And of course this is the very best version that's pretty much arcade perfect. (The 2600 game is good too just not near as advanced as Coleco and Q*Bert for the MSX is similar)

More than likely the best game on the system!

Q Berts Qubes COL ScreenShot2.jpg
River Raid Colecovision cover River Raid Shoot 'em up A classic but this time it's on ColecoVision. You fly down a heavely guarded river to destroy enemy bridges and as if the enemies weren't enough you will need to refill your fuel on destructible fuel stations while being harceled by them. Rivraid1
Smurf Rescue in Gargamels Castle Colecovision cover Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle Platformer FUCK YEAR SMURFS! One of the most memorable and worthwhile titles for the system. A solid early example of the platforming genre. Smurfs
Steamroller Colecovision cover Steamroller Maze This game is an interesting little game where you role around crushing little heads across this maze and avoiding troubles at the same time. It's kind of like Pacman, except the goal is to crush all of the heads as quickly as possible. A solid maze game, and I think it's also exclusive to the Colecovision. Steamroller
Tarzan Colecovision cover Tarzan Action In this game you play as fucking Tarzan running around punching gorillas and shit. It plays kind of like one of the more old more realistic platforming games like Prince or Persia or Pitfall, but the screen is always frantic and there's always enemies and obstacles to avoid. One of the best titles for the system, and actually a movie tie-in. Tarzan Coleco
Wargames Colecovision cover WarGames Strategy An early attempt at the strategy genre, this game is an exclusive ColecoVision title. There was a previous title in the same genre called War Room, but this game does it so much better than that game. Some might find it primitive, but like Fortune Builder this is an achievement in hardware and gaming for it's time. Like Tarzan, this is also a movie tie-in, one of the best. War games
Zaxxon Colecovision cover Zaxxon Shoot 'em Up Included in ColecoVision Flashback

Sega's classic arcade up n' down altitude shooting game.

Zaxxon Coleco

Videos[]

Second Generation
Consoles Emerson Arcadia 2001 - Atari 2600 - Atari 5200 - Epoch Cassete Vision - ColecoVision - Fairchild Channel F - Mattel Intellivision - Magnavox Odyssey² - Bally Professional Arcade - Sega SG-1000 - RCA Studio II - Interton VC 4000 - Milton Bradley Vectrex
Handhelds Entex Adventure Vision - Nintendo Game & Watch - Milton Bradley Microvision
Computers Apple I - Apple II - Apple III - Atari 8-bit - Acorn BBC Micro - Commodore PET - Tandy TRS-80 - Tandy TRS-80 CoCo