Intellivision revealed more details about its Amico console, stating that its purpose is to make games simple again. It’s no secret that there is a demand for classic gaming, especially with many players having grown up during gaming’s golden age. When Atari posted a crowdfunded project for its VCS retro console, it raised over $2 million in the campaign’s first 24 hours. Nintendo also saw enormous success with its NES Classic Edition, which recently got a re-release.
When it comes to classic gaming, though, many tend to forget about Intellivision, which was released by Mattel in 1979. It was the first 16-bit game console and even included the first professional licensing for sports-based games. At the time, its only competitors were the Atari 2600 and Pong. In addition to sports games, Intellivision users could also play Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Night Stalker, Sub Hunt, Space Armada, Astro Smash, Checkers and several Tron games.
In 2018, Intellivision owner Tommy Tallarico, who purchased the company from the estate of the previous owner, announced that he intended to release a new Intellivision console, the Amico. At this year’s GamesCom, Intellivision released a trailer officially announcing the Amico as a system designed to make gaming simple again. Tallarico speaks in the video about the early days of gaming, when people played with family and friends, and about how modern gaming has become too complicated. Here’s the video:
Tallarico also mentioned that modern games are designed more with hardcore gamers in mind. Statistically speaking, there are about 200 million hardcore gamers in the world, but there are 3 billion people who play casual games. He stressed the importance of appealing to those players who want to play games that are simple again, as well as bring a sense of community back to gaming. However, the Intellivision Amico is also a system that will appeal to gamers who grew up during Intellivision’s initial run. Classic gaming fans can expect to see some of their favorite titles get new life on the Amico, such as Earthworm Jim.
Tallarico makes a point about modern gaming often being difficult. Some titles even market their extreme difficulties, including Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which critics touted as one of the most challenging games ever made. Although there is, obviously, a market for those kinds of games, this trend does leave more casual players out in the cold. Consoles and games are also expensive, which is where Amico is also different: the console will only cost $150 with titles running anywhere from $2.99 to $5.99 per game. Amico’s target audience is budget-conscious casual gamers. Expect the Intellivision Amico to arrive in stores on October 10, 2020.
Next: SNES Classic: Did Nintendo Fix The NES Mini’s Mistakes?
Source: Intellivision/YouTube
