IntellivisionIn 1979, the
Atari 2600 was the reigning king of the home video game market.
There were no other companies around to challenge it until December,
when Mattel Electronics, a division of the Mattel Toy Company,
released their game console, named Intellivision (standing for
"Intelligent Television"). By the end of their first year, they
found themselves sold out of approximately 200,000 units.
In 1976, Richard Chang, of Mattel Toys had the idea of manufacturing
a videogame system utilizing a General Instruments Gimini 6900
16-bit chip. In 1978, after extensive plans were made, a group from
Mattel's Design and Development team, led by Dave Chandler, began
engineering the hardware. The unique idea behind the design of the
system was in the function of allowing programmers the ability to
define new graphics for each new game. In December 1979, Mattel
Electronics introduced the Intellivision console to American
consumers. It retailed for $299. In advertisements they emphasized
the superior graphics their system offered over the Atari 2600.
In June 1980, Mattel marketed PlayCable with Jerrold, a cable
television provider. Cable subscribers who signed up for PlayCable
needed to purchase an adapter for $48. It plugged into the
Intelevision system through the cartridge port. For six to ten
dollars a month, users could select from a limited number of
Intellivision titles twenty-four hours a day. It was introduced to a
select number of cities and though it was reportedly popular,
PlayCable was discontinued in 1983.
In April 1981, Mattel unveiled plans for the Keyboard Component. By
fitting the Master Component (the original system) into the
announced Keyboard Component, users could convert the Intellivision
console into a 64k home computer. It would be capable of providing
many more purposes than just playing games. In development, it soon
became obvious that the manufacturing costs for the keyboard would
be outrageously high. It would retail for $700. Mattel discontinued
the Keyboard Component after producing only 4,000 units.
In 1982, Mattel unveiled IntelliVoice. It is a voice-synthesis
adapter. It is fastens to the cartridge outlet of the console. When
specially made cartridges are plugged into it, the games speak to
players using a human sounding voice. According to Mattel, "You
concentrate on the visual action while your IntelliVoice component
keeps you aware of depleting energy levels, shield damages, and
attacking fighters."
The games released for Intellivoice were: Tron Solar Sailor, Bomb
Squad, Space Spartans, B-17 Bomber and World Series Major League
Baseball.
Also in 1982, Intellivision II was released. The difference to the
original system is mainly in the console design. It is smaller and
sleeker. It was designed with more efficient and cheaper circuitry.
The controllers on Intellivision II are detachable and replaceable.
When it was released, several of the Coleco Intellivision games
would not play on Intellivision II. According to the Blue Sky
Rangers, designers of the Intellivision system, "The reason the
Intellivision II doesn't work with the Coleco games is that it was
designed not to." However, once Intellivision II was in stores,
Coleco programmers caught on to the design change and were able to
correct the problem.
In 1982, the ColecoVision system was introduced to the American
public. It offered superior graphics in comparison to the Atari 2600
and Intellivision systems. This fact undermined Mattel's marketing
strategy of selling Intellivision as the most advanced video game
system available. In June of 1982 Mattel privately announced that
they were in the process of developing Intellivision III, a console
designed with more advanced graphics than ColecoVision and which,
unlike Atari's ill-fated 5200, could still play all of the
cartridges for the original system. because of delays in part caused
by an attempt to install a built-in IntelliVoice, the Intellivision
III project was abandoned.
In January 1983, Mattel introduced the Entertainment Computer System
(ECS). The Blue Sky Rangers explain the motivation behind
introducing it. "The Federal Trade Commission was starting to look
into fraud charges against Mattel for not releasing the
Intellivision Keyboard Component. Key People... started looking for
something they could release in its place."
The ECS plugs into the cartridge outlet of the Intellivision II
system. It contains: (1) a Music Synthesizer, featuring a 49 key
keyboard, and a Melody Blaster cartridge application to utilize it
(note: Melody Blaster is the only cartridge application released for
the keyboard.) (2) A System Changer, which is an adapter that plugs
into the Intellivision II. It provides the ability to play Atari
2600 cartridges thus eliminating the need to purchase the rival
system. Also included are two more controller ports modified for the
use of 2600 joysticks. Unfortunately, Coleco had just beaten Mattel
by releasing the Expansion Module #1 in August 1982. It also allowed
users of ColecoVision to play Atari 2600 cartridges.
In March 1984, the rights to the Intellivision system were sold for
$16.5 million to an investment group headed by the senior
vice-president of Mattel Electronics, Terrence Valeski. In November
1984, the company was renamed INTV.
In October 1985, the INTV System III (also known as the Super Pro
System) was introduced for only $59.95. It is another repackaging of
the Intellivision master component, this time in a black case. INTV
also announced the re- release of all of the original Intellivision
titles at between $9.95 and $19.95 each.
Later, in 1987, the design of the INTV System IV was announced but
was never released.
In 1990, INTV ceased the retail sale of their system and cartridges.
They sold their products only by mail order. In 1991, after total
sales of over three million consoles, INTV liquidated its stock and
Intellivision was off the gaming market forever.
There were 125 titles released for the Intellivision and INTV
systems. The Best Games are: Thunder Castle, Shark! Shark!,
Loco-Motion, Thin Ice and Buzz Bombers
— Dave Beuscher
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