This week, Intellivision Entertainment unveiled their upcoming gaming console, the Intellivision Amico.  The name Amico apparently comes from the Italian word for “friend” or “buddy”, and is not at all intended to piggyback off its linguistic similarity to Nintendo’s amiibo line. Certainly not…

You can watch the full Amico reveal trailer below.

The details from the Amico reveal have already yielded even more questions, particularly around the decision to have only an exclusive library and the controller design. How many developers feel comfortable signing exclusivity deals for a niche console from a company that hasn’t produced hardware in three decades? As for the controller, it certainly evokes a sense of retro, but are the designers too committed to tapping nostalgia at the expense of intuitive functionality?

There were some pleasant surprises in the Amico reveal video, too. I personally find the form factor of the console to be slick despite my misgivings regarding the controller. It’s also nice to see that remastered (presumably) versions of R-Type and ToeJam & Earl are in the works.

A very pleasant surprise to me was the involvement of David Perry, the former head of Shiny Entertainment and lead designer behind several timeless games including Earthworm Jim and Aladdin (the SEGA Genesis version, not the SNES wannabe). Though it’s certainly unclear if Perry’s involvement alone will be enough to craft a successful product.

While delivering the keynote address at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo over the weekend, Intellivision president Tommy Tallarico said, “We are creating a console that parents WANT to buy, not that they were asked to buy.” This sentiment is clearly echoed by the Amico’s retro design and Intellivision’s choice to only release games rated by the ESRB as appropriate for players aged 10 or older. However, I like to think I’m still a bit of a kid at heart, and those presents that my parents got me that I never really asked for? Yeah. They never got played with.

I was spoiled, though.

What are your thoughts about this unique, but puzzling console? If you’re a lover of bulleted lists of dry info, the full details of the Amico from this week’s announcements are listed below as provided by Intellivision Entertainment.

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PRICE RANGE (RETAIL)

• US $149 – $179

NORTH AMERICAN, UNITED KINGDOM AND EUROPEAN RELEASE DATE

•October 10, 2020 (1010 2020)

SOFTWARE OVERVIEW

• All games are family friendly and rated “E for Everyone” or “E10+”.
• Every game version on the console is EXCLUSIVE.
• Quality over quantity! All games must past a strict quality control seal of approval.
• Balanced gameplay and design for Equal Opportunity Gaming™ for all.
• All games are downloadable and between US $2.99 – $7.99.
• No costly DLC (Downloadable Content) add-on’s or “In-App Purchases”.
• Launch to include several built-in reimagined Intellivision Classics (pre-installed in every console) and over 20 games including both reimagined industry classics and brand new exclusive titles via the Intellivision Online Store.

CONTROLLERS

• 2 wireless Bluetooth controllers (up to 8 player compatible and connectivity)
• 3 ½ inch (2:3 aspect ratio) Color Touchscreen
• Pioneering tilting positional disc with surrounding interactive LED border
• 4 arcade-style tactile feedback buttons
• Gyroscope & Accelerometer
• Force feedback
• Controller to be used horizontally or vertically including dominant left or right hand usage.
• Qi (pronounced “CHEE”) wireless onboard charging
• Speaker
• Microphone
• Free downloadable app enables mobile phones as additional controllers (up to 8 players)

HARDWARE & TECHNOLOGY

• State of the Art 21st Century 2D Image Processing and Graphics Capability
• Intellivision Prism™ Onboard Interactive Lighting Technology.
• WiFi/BT & Ethernet Connectivity
• HDMI Video Output
• Multiple USB Ports
• System Expansion Interface.

ONLINE

• Intellivision Online Store for the ability to purchase additional software.
• Multi-player online gaming and structured multi-tiered tournament play.
• Time & Space Leaderboard System™ which includes high scores by locations and calendar.
• Trophy/Achievement rewards system which awards unique accomplishments to each player.

REIMAGINED GAMES

• Includes updated graphics, modernized audio, additional levels, multi-player modes (local and online), tournament modes AND MORE!
• Intellivision Classics REIMAGINED and REMADE EXCLUSIVELY for the Intellivision Amico™:
• Astrosmash™, Shark! Shark!™, Baseball, Night Stalker™, Skiing, Math Fun™, SNAFU™, Utopia™, Frog Bog™, Boxing, Bowling, Triple Action™, Tron Deadly Discs™, Cloudy Mountain: Crown of Kings, Star Strike™, Horse Racing, Auto Racing, B-17 Bomber™ AND MORE!
• Atari Classics REIMAGINED and REMADE EXCLUSIVELY for the Intellivision Amico™:
• Pong™, Asteroids™, Centipede™, Tempest™, Adventure™, Missile Command™, Yar’s Revenge™, Breakout™, Lunar Lander™, Night Driver™, Sky Diver™, Warlords™
• Imagic Classics REIMAGINED and REMADE EXCLUSIVELY for the Intellivision Amico™:
• Microsurgeon™, Atlantis™, Demon Attack™, Dracula™, Beauty and the Beast™, Ice Trek™, Swords & Serpents™, Dragonfire™, Truckin’™ AND MORE!

Other Games REIMAGINED and REMADE EXCLUSIVELY for the Intellivision Amico™:

• Miner 2049er™
• Super Burgertime™
• Bad Dudes™
• Caveman Ninja™
• Moon Patrol™
• R-Type™
• 10 Yard Fight™
• Lode Runner™
• Spelunker™
• Kung-Fu Master™
• MotoRace USA™
• Tropical Angel™
• Archon™
• ToeJam & Earl™

*post updated to correct an error in ESRB definitions

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