Intellivision
Manufacturer	Mattel
Type	Video game console
Generation	Second generation
First available	1979 (test market) 1980 1982
Discontinued	1991
Online service	PlayCable

The Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978, less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau of "intelligent television". Image File history File links Intellivision_-_gi_1326971. ... A console manufacturer is a company that manufactures and distributes video game consoles. ... Mattel Inc. ... A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or electronic device that manipulates the video display signal of a display device (a television, monitor, etc. ... Video games were introduced as a commercial entertainment medium in 1971, becoming the basis for an important entertainment industry in the late 1970s/early 1980s in the United States, Japan, and Europe. ... This article deals with the history of the second generation video game consoles. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links European_flag. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... PlayCable was a peripheral for the Mattel Intellivision video game system produced by General Instruments in 1981. ... A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or electronic device that manipulates the video display signal of a display device (a television, monitor, etc. ... Mattel Inc. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the video game console credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. ... A portmanteau (IPA pronunciation: RP, US) is a word or morpheme that fuses two or more words or word parts to give a combined or loaded meaning. ...

Popularity

The Intellivision was developed by Mattel Electronics, a subsidiary of Mattel formed expressly for the development of electronic games. The console was test marketed in Fresno, California, in 1979 with a total of four games available, and went nationwide in 1980 with a price tag of US$299 and a pack-in game: Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack. Though not the first system to challenge Atari (systems from Fairchild Semiconductor, Bally, and Magnavox were already on the market), it was the first to pose a serious threat to Atari's dominance. A series of ads featuring George Plimpton were produced which mercilessly attacked the Atari 2600's lesser capabilities with side-by-side game comparisons. Nickname: Location in the state of California County Fresno Government  - Mayor Alan Autry Area  - City 104. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... A game of Texas hold em in progress. ... Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. ... This article is about a corporate game company. ... Fairchild Semiconductor introduced the first commercially available integrated circuit (although at almost the same time as one from Texas Instruments), and would go on to become one of the major players in the evolution of Silicon Valley in the 1960s. ... Bally Technologies logo Bally (with its distinctive Rolling Ball logo) Bally Technologies, Inc. ... Magnavox (Latin for loud voice) is a consumer electronics company that is now part of Philips Consumer Electronics. ... George Ames Plimpton (March 18, 1927 – September 25, 2003) was an American journalist, writer, editor, and actor. ...

One of the slogans of the television advertisements stated that Intellivision was "the closest thing to the real thing"; one example in an advertisement compared golf games - the others had a blip sound and cruder graphics, while Intellivision featured a realistic swing sound and striking of the ball, and graphics that suggested a more 3D look, although undoubtedly crude when compared with modern game consoles. There was also an advertisement comparing the Atari 2600 to it, featuring the slogan "I didn't know". The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the video game console credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. ...

Like Atari, Mattel marketed their console to a number of retailers as a re badged unit. These models include the Radio Shack Tandyvision, the GTE-Sylvania Intellivision, and the Sears Super Video Arcade. (The Sears model was a particular coup for Mattel, as Sears was already selling a rebadged Atari 2600 unit, and in doing so made a huge contribution to Atari's success.) This article is about a corporate game company. ... RadioShack Corporation (formerly Radio Shack) (NYSE: RSH) runs a chain of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe. ... General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) was the largest of the independent US telephone companies during the days of the Bell System. ... Sylvania literally means forest land in Latin. ... Sears, Roebuck and Company is an American mid-range chain of international department stores, founded by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck in the late 19th century. ... The Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. ... The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the video game console credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. ...

In that first year Mattel sold 175,000 Intellivision consoles, and the library grew to 19 games. At this point in time, all Intellivision games were developed by an outside firm, APh. The company recognized that what had been seen as a secondary product line might be a big business. Realizing that potential profits are much greater with first party software, Mattel formed its own in-house software development group. Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag Parliament House is the name given to two purpose-built buildings in Canberra, the capital of Australia, where the Parliament of Australia has met since 1927. ...

The original five members of that Intellivision team were manager Gabriel Baum, Don Daglow, Rick Levine, Mike Minkoff and John Sohl. Levine and Minkoff (a long-time Mattel Toys veteran) both came over from the hand-held Mattel games engineering team. To keep these programmers from being hired away by rival Atari, their identity and work location was kept a closely guarded secret. In public, the programmers were referred to collectively as the Blue Sky Rangers. Don Daglow (born ~1953) is an American computer game and video game designer, programmer and producer. ... The Blue Sky Rangers are the group of Intellivision game programmers who once worked for Mattel back in the early 1980s. ...

By 1982 sales were soaring. Over two million Intellivision consoles had been sold by the end of the year, earning Mattel a $100,000,000 profit. This was a big year for Mattel. Third party Atari developers Activision, and Imagic began releasing games for the Intellivision, as did hardware rivals Atari and Colecovision. Mattel created M Network branded games for Atari and Coleco's systems. The most popular titles sold over a million units each. The Intellivision was also introduced in Japan that year by Bandai. Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Activision, Inc. ... Imagic was a third-party maker of games for the Atari 2600 and other early video game consoles in the early 1980s. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the Japanese toy manufacturer. ...

The original 5-person Mattel game development team had grown to 110 people under now-Vice President Baum, while Daglow led Intellivision development and top engineer Minkoff directed all work on all other platforms.

Keyboard Component

Many users waited patiently for the promised release of the "Keyboard Component", an add-on computer upgrade unit touted by Mattel as "coming soon" even when the original console was first shipped. The unit featured a built-in cassette tape drive for loading and saving data. The Keyboard Component would plug into the cartridge slot on the Intellivision, and had an additional cartridge slot of its own to allow regular Intellivision games to be played in the usual way.

The upgrade had proven too expensive to develop and produce, so Mattel had repeatedly sent the engineers "back to the drawing board" to attempt to increase reliability and reduce cost. Mattel was subsequently investigated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for failing to produce the promised upgrade, and eventually ordered to pay $10,000 a day (about $25,000 in 2005 when adjusted for inflation) until it was released. Finally, Mattel offered the Keyboard Component for sale via mail order. FTC headquarters, Washington, D.C. The Federal Trade Commission (or FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. ...

The keyboard component became so notorious around Mattel headquarters that comedian Jay Leno, when performing at Mattel's 1981 Christmas party, got a huge response with his joke, "You know what the three big lies are, don't you? 'The check is in the mail,' 'I'll still respect you in the morning,' and 'The Keyboard will be out in the spring.'"^[1] James Douglas Muir Jay Leno (born April 28, 1950) is an Emmy-winning American comedian who is best known as the current host of NBC televisions long-running variety and talk program The Tonight Show. ...

After its limited release, four thousand units were sold; many were later returned for a full refund when Mattel recalled the unit in 1983 due to various support problems, including the then-innovative cassette tape unit which had never proved to be reliable. According to the Blue Sky Rangers web site, users who opted to keep theirs were made to sign a waiver absolving Intellivision of all future responsibility for technical support.^[2] In addition, the Keyboard Component could be modified into a development platform for the Intellivision, and such units were used internally for game development during the latter portion of the system's lifespan.

By this time, Mattel had set up competing internal engineering teams, each trying to either fix the Keyboard Component or replace it. The rival Mattel engineers had come up with a much less expensive keyboard alternative. The Entertainment Computer System (ECS), was much smaller, sleeker, and easier to produce than the original Keyboard Component. While the original Keyboard Component had some advantages over the small computers of its day, the new Keyboard Component was designed to be inexpensive, not functional, and was far less powerful than emerging machines like the Commodore 64. The two keyboard units were incompatible, but owners of the older unit were offered a new ECS. The Entertainment Computer System was an add-on peripheral for the Intellivision. ...

To maintain secrecy in a toy industry where industrial espionage was a way of life, many projects had code names, so documents and casual discussion did not reveal company secrets. With the video games business already staggering by the time the new Keyboard Component was planned, Daglow suggested the new device be code-named LUCKI (for "Low User Cost Keyboard Interface.") The name stuck but the good fortune did not: the cheaply manufactured ECS keyboard add-on was a retail failure. A teddy bear A toy is an object used in play. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Competitive Intelligence. ...

The Keyboard Component debacle was ranked as #11 on GameSpy's 25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming.^[3] GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game Web sites and provides online video game-related services and software. ...

Intellivoice

Intellivision II featuring the game Burgertime and the voice synthesis module.

In 1983 Mattel introduced a new peripheral innovative for the time: Intellivoice, a voice synthesis device which produced speech when used with certain games, most of which would not work without the add-on component. Top Mattel programmers including Bill Fisher, Steve Roney, Gene Smith and John Sohl were diverted to the project, slowing the previous initiative to counter Atari with new arcade-style games. Voice titles included: ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 270 KB) Picture of User:Howrealisreals Intellivision II featuring the game Burger Time. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 270 KB) Picture of User:Howrealisreals Intellivision II featuring the game Burger Time. ... Burgertime ( バーガータイム) is a 1982 Japanese arcade game created by Data East Corporation for its DECO Cassette System. ... Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Computer hardware. ... Description The Intellivoice Voice Synthesis Module was an adapter for the Intellivision, Mattels breakthrough home gaming console, that utilized voice synthesisers to generate audible speech. ... Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. ... Bill Fisher William Fisher (born 23 October 1928 in New York City) is an American journalist and retired manager of development programmes. ... Gene Ward Smith (born 1947) is an American mathematician, composer and music theorist. ...

• Bomb Squad
• B-17 Bomber
• Intellivision World Series Baseball (Intellivoice optional since the game already required the ECS keyboard)
• Space Spartans
• Tron: Solar Sailer

Other versions with foreign languages were planned for Space Spartans: they were Gli Spartani dello Spazio, Les Spartiates de l'Espace and Spartaner aus dem All. They would require the International Intellivoice unit, never released. Bomb Squad was a single-player game released by Mattel for their Intellivision console in 1982. ... B-17 Bomber was a single-player game released by Mattel for their Intellivision console in 1982. ... Intellivision World Series Baseball is a baseball video game simulation (1983), designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Mattel for Intellivision. ... Space Spartans was a game released for the Mattel Intellivision, initially programmed by Brian Dougherty, and later completed by Bill Fisher and Steve Roney. ... Space Spartans was a game released for the Mattel Intellivision, initially programmed by Brian Dougherty, and later completed by Bill Fisher and Steve Roney. ...

Intellivision II

In addition to the Intellivoice module, 1983 also saw the introduction of a redesigned model, called the Intellivision II (featuring detachable controllers and sleeker case), the System Changer (which played Atari 2600 games on the Intellivision II), and a music keyboard add-on for the ECS. The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the video game console credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. ...

Like the ECS, Intellivision II was designed first and foremost to be inexpensive to manufacture. Among other things, the raised bubble keypad of the original hand controller was replaced by a flat membrane keyboard surface. Many Intellivision games had been designed for users to play by feeling the buttons without looking down, and many games were far less playable on Intellivision II. A membrane keyboard is a computer keyboard whose keys are not separate, moving parts, as with the majority of other keyboards, but rather have only outlines and symbols printed on a flat, flexible surface. ...

Mattel also changed the Intellivision II's internal ROM program (called the EXEC) in an attempt to lock out unlicensed 3rd party titles. To make room for the lock-out code while retaining compatibility with existing titles, some portions of the EXEC code were moved in a way that changed their timing. While most games were unaffected, a couple of the more popular titles, Shark! Shark!, and Space Spartans, had certain sound effects that the Intellivision II reproduced differently than intended, although the games remained playable. Electric Company Word Fun did not run at all and INTV's later release Super Pro Football has minor display glitches at the start, both due to the modified EXEC.^[4] A screenshot of the Shark! Shark! videogame. ...

Competition and market crash

See also: Video game crash of 1983

Amid the flurry of new hardware, there was trouble for the Intellivision. New game systems (ColecoVision, Atari 5200, and Vectrex, all in 1982) were further subdividing the market, and the video game crash began to put pressure on the entire industry. The Intellivision team rushed to finish a major new round of games, including Burger Time and the ultra-secret 3D glasses game Hover Force. Although Burger Time was a popular game on the Intellivision and was programmed by Blue Sky Ranger Ray Kaestner in record time, the five-month manufacturing cycle meant that the game did not appear until the late spring of 1983, after the video game crash had severely damaged game sales. ET for the Atari 2600 is considered by many to be emblematic of the crash along with the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, or simply Atari 5200, is a video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari as a replacement for the famous Atari 2600. ... The Vectrex is an 8-bit video game console developed by General Consumer Electric (GCE) and later bought by Milton Bradley Company. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... ET for the Atari 2600 is considered by many to be emblematic of the crash along with the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man. ... Burgertime ( バーガータイム) is a 1982 Japanese arcade game created by Data East Corporation for its DECO Cassette System. ... Stereoscopy, stereoscopic imaging or 3-D (three-dimensional) imaging is a technique to create the illusion of depth in a photograph, movie, or other two-dimensional image, by presenting a slightly different image to each eye. ...

In the spring of 1983, Mattel went from aggressively hiring game programmers to laying them off within a two-week period. By August there were massive layoffs, and the price of the Intellivision II (which launched at $150 earlier that year) was lowered to $69. Mattel Electronics posted a $300 million loss. Early in 1984, the division was closed - the first high-profile victim of the crash. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Intellivision game sales continued when a liquidator purchased all rights to the Intellivision and its software from Mattel, as well as all remaining inventory. After much of the existing software inventory had been sold, former Mattel Marketing executive Terry Valeski bought all rights to Intellivision and started a new venture. The new company, INTV Corp., continued to sell old stock via retail and mail order. When the old stock of Intellivision II consoles ran out, they introduced a new console dubbed INTV III. This unit was actually a cosmetic re badge of the original Intellivision console (this unit was later renamed the Super Pro System.) In addition to manufacturing new consoles, INTV Corp. also continued to develop new games, releasing a few new titles each year. Eventually, the system was discontinued in 1991. In law, a liquidator is the officer appointed when a company goes into winding-up or liquidation who has responsibility for collecting in all of the assets of the company and settling all claims against the company before putting the company into dissolution. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Intellivision games became readily available again when Keith Robinson, an early Intellivision programmer responsible for the game TRON Solar Sailer purchased the software rights and founded a new company, Intellivision Productions. As a result, games originally designed for the Intellivision are available on PCs and modern-day consoles including the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube in the Intellivision Lives! package. A newer version of the Intellivision Lives! game is in development for the Nintendo DS, and a small number of licensed Intellivision games are available through the GameTap subscription gaming service. Also, several LCD handheld and direct-to-TV games have been released in recent years. The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... The Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. ... The Nintendo GameCube , GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... Intellivision Lives! is a compilation of various games from the Intellivision and released for the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo DS. In addition, there are three exclusive games that were never released for the original console. ... “NDS” redirects here. ... GameTap is a subscription-based video game service by Turner Broadcasting System (TBS). ...

Reviews and game guides

Ken Uston published Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games in 1982 as a guide to potential purchasers of console systems/cartridges, as well as a brief strategy guide to each cartridge then in existence. He described Intellivision as "the most mechanically reliable of the systems...The controller (used during "many hours of experimentation") worked with perfect consistency. The unit never had overheating problems, nor were loose wires or other connections encountered." However, Uston - whose reviews were based only on his own personal opinion - rated the controls and control system as "below average" and the worst of the consoles he tested (including Atari 2600, Magnavox Odyssey², Astrovision and Fairchild Channel F).^[5] Ken Uston Ken Uston (January 12, 1935 – September 19, 1987) was a famous blackjack player, strategist, and author. ... Ken Ustons Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games was published in 1982. ... The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the video game console credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. ... Magnavox Odyssey² video game console The Magnavox Odyssey², known in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States as the Magnavox Odyssey² and the Philips Odyssey², and also by many other names, is a video game console released in 1978. ... The Fairchild Channel F is the worlds second cartridge-based video game console, after the Magnavox Odyssey. ...

Statistics

• More than 6 million Intellivision consoles were sold during its 12 year run. ^{[citation needed]}
• There were a total of 125 Intellivision games released during the initial run; the Intellivision Lives! project has suggested new games may be offered in the 21st Century.^[6]

Innovations

• Intellivision was the first 16-bit game console, though some people have mistakenly referred to it as a 10-bit system because the CPU's instruction set and game cartridges are 10 bits wide. A 10-bit chunk of data is called a "decle". The registers in the microprocessor, where the mathematical logic is processed, were 16 bits wide.
• The Intellivision was also the first system to feature downloadable games (though without a storage device the games vanished once the machine was turned off). In 1981, General Instrument (manufacturer of the Intellivision's CPU) teamed up with Mattel to roll out the PlayCable, a device that allowed the downloading of Intellivision games via cable TV.
• Intellivision was the second game console to provide real-time human and robot voices in the middle of gameplay, courtesy of the IntelliVoice module. The first was Magnavox's voice module for the Odyssey². The voice chip used by both machines, the SP0256 Orator, was developed jointly by Mattel and General Instrument.^[7]
• Intellivision World Series Baseball, designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and released in 1983, was the first video game to use the concept of displaying the action in simulated 3D through "camera angles" that emulated those used in TV sports coverage. Prior games always showed a single fixed or scrolling camera view of the field. Daglow and Dombrower went on to create the Earl Weaver Baseball games at Electronic Arts in 1987.
• Intellivision was the first console to feature a controller with a directional pad that allowed 16 directions. The disc-shaped pad allowed players to control action without lifting the thumb (using motions similar to those used upon the Apple iPod clickwheel) and was considered by many Intellivision users to be a useful and novel--even revolutionary--innovation. However, the ergonomics of the "action" buttons on the side of the controller were poor, and the disc-pad was perceived by potential buyers as unfamiliar. Along with cost, this was one of the factors in making the Intellivision less popular than the Atari 2600. However, it is interesting to note that the method of controlling movement on the Intellivision (with the thumb) is emulated in many subsequent video game controllers. The joystick-style controller, as seen on the VCS, has not been widely emulated on later consoles. A third-party joystick attachment was available by around 1984 (although not at all widespread), that was installed by opening the controller and fitting the paddle over the disc. A flange around the hollow plastic conical joystick held it in securely when the controller's upper cover was replaced; and a much easier joystick control was the result. The Joystick was about three inches in height; it could not be gripped by the entire hand.
• A collection of Intellivision games was reproduced onto a PlayStation game, titled Intellivision Classic Games.

In computer science, 16-bit is an adjective used to describe integers that are at most two bytes wide, or to describe CPU architectures based on registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. ... Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 12×6. ... In computer architecture, a processor register is a small amount of very fast computer memory used to speed the execution of computer programs by providing quick access to commonly used values—typically, the values being in the midst of a calculation at a given point in time. ... A microprocessor is a programmable digital electronic component that incorporates the functions of a central processing unit (CPU) on a single semiconducting integrated circuit (IC). ... General Instrument (GI) was a diversified electronics manufacturer which specialised in semiconductors and cable television equipment. ... PlayCable was a peripheral for the Mattel Intellivision video game system produced by General Instruments in 1981. ... Magnavox Odyssey² video game console The Magnavox Odyssey², known in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States as the Magnavox Odyssey² and the Philips Odyssey², and also by many other names, is a video game console released in 1978. ... Intellivision World Series Baseball is a baseball video game simulation (1983), designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Mattel for Intellivision. ... Don Daglow (born ~1953) is an American computer game and video game designer, programmer and producer. ... Eddie Dombrower (born ~1960) is an American computer game and video game designer, programmer and producer. ... Earl Weaver Baseball is a baseball computer simulation game (1987), designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Electronic Arts. ... It has been suggested that Electronic Arts Square be merged into this article or section. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ...

Screenshots

Donkey Kong Coleco (1982) Image File history File links screenshot Intellivision Donkey_Kong, made myself. ... Donkey Kong ) is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. ... Coleco (1932 - 1989) was a company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as Connecticut Leather Company. It became a highly successful toy company in the 1980s, known for its mass-produced version of Cabbage Patch Kids and, to a lesser extent, for its video game consoles Coleco Telstar and ColecoVision. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ...

Q*Bert Parker Brothers (1983) This image is a candidate for speedy deletion. It will be deleted after Wednesday, 1 August 2007. screenshot Intellivision QBert, made myself. ... This article is about the arcade game, for the DJ, see Q-bert (DJ) Q*bert is a 1982 arcade game from Gottlieb. ... The Parker Brothers logo. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

Technical specifications

• General Instrument CP1610 16-bit microprocessor CPU running at 894.886 kHz (i.e., slightly less than 1 MHz)
• 1352 bytes of RAM:
  • 240 × 8-bit Scratchpad Memory
  • 352 × 16-bit (704 bytes) System Memory
  • 512 × 8-bit Graphics RAM
• 7168 bytes of ROM:
  • 4096 × 10-bit (5120 bytes) Executive ROM
  • 2048 × 8-bit Graphics ROM
• 160 pixels wide by 196 pixels high (5×2 TV pixels make one Intellivision pixel)
• 16 color palette, all of which can be on the screen at once
• 8 sprites. Hardware supports the following features per-sprite:
  • Size selection: 8×8 or 8×16
  • Stretching: Horizontal (1×, 2×) and vertical (1×, 2×, 4× or 8×)
  • Mirroring: Horizontal and vertical
  • Collision detection: Sprite to sprite, sprite to background, and sprite to screen border
  • Priority: Selects whether sprite appears in front of or behind background.
• 3 channel sound, with 1 noise generator (audio chip: GI AY-3-8910)

Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 12×6. ... A kilohertz (kHz) is a unit of frequency equal to 1,000 hertz (1,000 cycles per second). ... In computer science a byte (pronounced bite) is a unit of measurement of information storage, most often consisting of eight bits. ... Different types of RAM. From top to bottom: DIP, SIPP, SIMM 30 pin, SIMM 72 pin, DIMM, RIMM RAM redirects here. ... Read-only memory (usually known by its acronym, ROM) is a class of storage media used in computers and other electronic devices. ... This example shows an image with a portion greatly enlarged, in which the individual pixels are rendered as little squares and can easily be seen. ... In computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names; see Synonyms below) is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene. ... A sound chip is an integrated circuit (i. ...

Game controller specs

• Twelve-button numeric keypad (0–9, Clear, and Enter)
• "Four" side-located "action buttons" (where the top two are actually electronically the same, giving three distinct buttons)
• "Directional Disk", capable of detecting 16 directions of movement
• "Overlays" that would slide into place as an extra layer on the keypad to show game-specific key functions

The Intellivision console could detect the user pressing either the directional disk or a number on the keypad, but not both at the same time on the same controller. Some action games, such as Tron Deadly Discs and Night Stalker, used the disk to move and the numeric keypad to fire weapons, meaning players had to stop running momentarily in order to fire. However, since these games would accept input from either controller, players could avoid this disadvantage by holding one controller in each hand, with one hand operating one controller's directional disk, and with the other hand operating the numeric keypad on the other controller. This allowed continuous running while firing. This is a list of video game consoles by the era they appeared in. ... The first generation of video game consoles lasted from 1972 until 1977. ... The Magnavox Odyssey was the worlds first commercially sold video game console. ... PONG helped bring computerized video games into everyday life. ... The Telstar is a video game console produced by Coleco which first went on sale in 1976. ... The second generation of video game consoles lasted from 1976 until 1984. ... The Fairchild Channel F is the worlds second cartridge-based video game console, after the Magnavox Odyssey. ... The Atari 2600, released in October 1977, is the video game console credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in. ... The VC 4000 is an early 8-bit cartridge-based game console released in Germany in 1978 by Interton. ... Magnavox Odyssey² video game console The Magnavox Odyssey², known in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States as the Magnavox Odyssey² and the Philips Odyssey², and also by many other names, is a video game console released in 1978. ... Emerson Arcadia 2001, intended as a portable game console, the Arcadia 2001 was released by Emerson Radio Corp in mid-1982. ... The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, or simply Atari 5200, is a video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari as a replacement for the famous Atari 2600. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Vectrex is an 8-bit video game console developed by General Consumer Electric (GCE) and later bought by Milton Bradley Company. ... The SG-1000, which stands for Sega Game 1000, is a cartridge-based video game console manufactured by Sega. ... In the history of video games, the 8-bit era was the third generation of video game consoles, but the first after the video game crash of 1983 and considered by some to be the first modern era of console gaming. ... “NES” redirects here. ... The Sega Master System (SMS for short) is an 8-bit cartridge-based gaming console that was manufactured by Sega. ... The Atari 7800 is a video game console released by Atari in June 1986 (a test market release occurred two years earlier). ... In the history of video games, the 16-bit era was the fourth generation of video game consoles. ... For information on the Japanese version of this console, see PC Engine The TurboGrafx 16 is a video game console released by NEC in 1989, for the North American market. ... The Sega Mega Drive ) was a video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988, North America in 1989, and the PAL region in 1990. ... Neo-Geo is the name of a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released in 1990 by Japanese game company SNK. The system offered comparatively colorful 2D graphics and high-quality sound. ... The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australasia between 1990 and 1992. ... In the history of computer and video games, the 32-bit / 64-bit /3D era was the fifth generation of video game consoles. ... 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (most commonly referred to as the 3DO) is a line of video game consoles which were released in 1993 and 1994 by Panasonic, Sanyo and Goldstar, among other companies. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Atari Jaguar is a video game console that was released in November 1993 to rival the Mega Drive/Genesis and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a powerful next generation platform. ... The Sega Saturn ) is a 32-bit video game console, first released on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America and July 8, 1995 in Europe. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... This section needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... The sixth-generation era (sometimes referred to as the 128-bit era; see Number of bits below) refers to the computer and video games, video game consoles, and video game handhelds available at the turn of the 21st century. ... The Dreamcast , code-named White Belt, Black Belt, Dural, Dricas, Vortex, Katana, Shark and Guppy during development) is Segas final video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... The Nintendo GameCube , GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... The Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. ... In the history of computer and video games, the seventh generation began on November 21, 2004 with the United States release of the Nintendo DS. The beginning of the seventh generation for home consoles came on November 22, 2005 with the release of Microsofts Xbox 360, and continued a... It has been suggested that Xbox 360 Elite be merged into this article or section. ... The PlayStation 3 , trademarked PLAYSTATION®3,[3] commonly abbreviated PS3) is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment; successor to the PlayStation 2. ... The Wii (pronounced as the pronoun we, IPA: ) is the fifth home video game console released by Nintendo. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Keypad. ... TRON: Deadly Discs is a video game for Mattels Intellivision console. ... // Night Stalker is a great action shooting video game for the Intellivision console. ...

Fans of the game console recall that an overuse injury was possible when playing for extended periods of time due to the pressure needed to use the keypad and especially the side buttons. This was a phenomenon similar to BlackBerry Thumb today. The problem was worsened significantly when the cost-reduced Intellivision II changed from solid rubber side buttons to plastic ones with a hollow center, leaving a rectangular imprint on players' thumbs and causing pain after even short periods of play. The change was apparently made to fractionally reduce the materials cost of the units, and was never play-tested for usability due to the rush to bring the system to market in the early days of the Video game crash of 1983. Nintendonitis, known also as gamers grip, Nintendo thumb, PlayStation thumb and similar names, is a medical condition classified as a form of repetitive strain injury (RSI). ...

References

See also

• List of Intellivision games
• TV POWWW (interactive TV game show that used Intellivision)

This is a list of games for the Intellivision game system, organized alphabetically by name. ... This section may contain original research or unverified claims. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Intellivision

• Intellivision retrogaming company homepage, run by Keith Robinson and The Blue Sky Rangers (the original Intellivision game programmers)
• Intellivision Technical Wiki, put together by modern day Intellivision enthusiasts
• SDK-1600, a development kit for the Intellivision
• IntelligentVision, a group releasing cartridge versions of homebrew Intellivision games
• Article at The Dot Eaters, an extensive history of the Intellivision console and its development
• IntellivisionWorld, The more up to date Intellivision related web site, proposing a newsletter, bimonthly articles, SDK tools and home of the Official Collector's Guide
• COIN-OP TV interviews with Keith Robinson of Intellivision