Coleco?

[walter_J64bit]

Wasn't Coleco releasing 2600 when 5200 was out and if so why didn't they make any game for the 2500?

[Bryan]

Wasn't Coleco releasing 2600 when 5200 was out and if so why didn't they make any game for the 2500?

Probably because they saw the 5200 as a more direct competitor to the Colecovision than the 2600. Mattel didn't make 5200 games either.

 

Got an old system? Then buy our games.

 

Want a new system? Then buy a Colecovision.

[TrekMD]

Since the story is that they crippled the games for the 2600 to make the ColecoVision look even better, making games for the 5200 would have shown that it could make games as good as those for their own system. If they tried to cripple the games for the 5200, it would be obvious.

[Vic George 2K3]

Coleco's main third-party market was the Atari 2600 and the Intellivision, two systems that really wouldn't compete against the ColecoVision as far as similitude in arcade gaming would go.

[walter_J64bit]

You know I just had a crazy idea the 5200 could use a port of Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle the ColecoVision version.

[joeybastard]

Since the story is that they crippled the games for the 2600 to make the ColecoVision look even better, making games for the 5200 would have shown that it could make games as good as those for their own system. If they tried to cripple the games for the 5200, it would be obvious.

 

That's it, it's just a story and not true. There was interview on Coleco Nation where some guy from Coleco said it wasn't true. The site is down so I can't get you a link at the moment. It was the usual cause of bad games, too little time and development spent on them to make them good. Not to mention some of the Coleco games for the VCS are pretty good like Roc n Rope, Frontline, Venture and Mousetrap. Considering the development and manufacture costs of the VCS games it would be a really stupid business plan to try and convince people to switch based on a few bad ports.

[+Allan]

It had more to do with Coleco wanting the programmers to write SMALL games so they wouldn't have to spend more on larger chips. It's like the whole story with Pac-man. The programmer said he could do a better version with less flicker if he had more memory but Atari said no because they wanted to save money. The programmers themselves tried to make the best game with what they were given and had to work with.

 

Allan

[Vic George 2K3]

You know I just had a crazy idea the 5200 could use a port of Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle the ColecoVision version.

 

That isn't crazy. That's just I was also hoping for all along. Maybe someone can homebrew it someday.

[Tempest]

Coleco did do some Atari 8-bit games that they could have easily ported to the 5200 (Tarzan, Wargames, etc.). I guess they just didn't see the 5200 as worthwhile enough to spend resources on.

 

Tempest

[CV Gus]

Coleco released a 2600 adapter for the ColecoVision, and I think a 2600 work-alike called the Gemini.

 

They also- rather foolishly- released 2600 versions of a number of CV games for the 2600.

 

To my knowledge, Coleco never itself released any versions for the 5200.

[CV Gus]

An interesting footnote about games would be Joust, Pac-Man, and Dig Dug.

 

It's obvious that, had they been 100% completed, esp. Joust, that they were better than the 5200 versions! As was Galaxian.

 

Does this indicate that the CV was better than the 5200, and even Atari finally admitted it?

[segasaturn]

Mattel and Celeco probably thought that the 5200, as a more competiter than the 2600.

And they didn't want to help the enemy.

 

 

Another reason why they didn't make games for the 5200, was because the 5200 was probably selling poorly.

And if the made a 2600 game, they would make a lot more money.

[cryinglion]

There could be many reasons as to why Coleco didn't market games in the 5200. Donkey Kong & Donkey Kong JR would have to be really well done, and that may overshadow Coleco's own system version. Atari Computer's versions in my opion rival the ColecoVision version, and in some ways are better than Coleco's version as far as content. And we know that the 5200 is really a modified version of the Atari computer. So to make a crappy version would truly show Coleco's attempt to make itself look good. Although any Coleco port to the 5200 would suck due to Atari's own 5200 controllers anyway.

[walter_J64bit]

5200 controllers have a fix for them now. Do you even have a 5200?

Edited July 23, 2008 by walter_J64bit

[+Allan]

There could be many reasons as to why Coleco didn't market games in the 5200. Donkey Kong & Donkey Kong JR would have to be really well done, and that may overshadow Coleco's own system version. Atari Computer's versions in my opion rival the ColecoVision version, and in some ways are better than Coleco's version as far as content. And we know that the 5200 is really a modified version of the Atari computer. So to make a crappy version would truly show Coleco's attempt to make itself look good. Although any Coleco port to the 5200 would suck due to Atari's own 5200 controllers anyway.

They are still a hell of lot better that those HORRIBLE Colecovision controllers.

 

Allan

[joeybastard]

They are still a hell of lot better that those HORRIBLE Colecovision controllers.

 

Allan

 

'hell of a lot..."? I have to disagree. Neither systems stock sticks are very good but in my opinion they equal out for crappiness. For example:

 

1. Both have the uncomfortable side fire buttons. I prefer the CV ones because they actually have some movement to them and are at least responsive. The 5200 soft mushy feel is awful and I think less responsive.

 

2. Both aren't terribly comfortable to hold for a long time overall. I guess the 5200 sticks are little better in that regard because they are less wide.

 

3. The joystick handle on both have problems. The CV stick is too short making it feel really tight. Too much effort is needed to actually move it. The 5200 stick is more comfortable to hold but I find it too loose and it doesn't self-center like the the CV stick. The handle problems are easily rectified with the CV stick by just mounting it in the Roller controller if you have it. I even glued a longer handle for more leverage onto the CV stick which improved it's tight-feel a lot.

 

4. For reliability, the CV sticks win hands down. While it's possible to change out the flex circuits and dots on the 5200 stick and make it good, the CV sticks don't need that. They just need a cleaning every few years. I have to clean my 5200 sticks every couple of months to keep them working.

 

Both have good replacement sticks which is a good thing. The easily found and cheap Super Action sticks for the CV are excellent IMHO. The 5200 replacements are much harder to find and more expensive.

 

Coleco did do some Atari 8-bit games that they could have easily ported to the 5200 (Tarzan, Wargames, etc.). I guess they just didn't see the 5200 as worthwhile enough to spend resources on.

 

Tempest

 

I think that is the most likely answer over all.

Edited July 23, 2008 by joeybastard

[+Allan]

Hey Joeybastard,

I agree with most of what you said but when it comes down to it, what's important is how long I can use a controller before I start getting extreme cramps. Unfortunetly the Colecovision controllers make my hands cramp pretty quickly. The fire buttons are fine but the stick is just to hard to control over a long period of time. I like the Super action controllers a lot. I just wish they were a wee bit smaller. They almost belong to the 5200 since they match it's size.

 

Luckily on the Colecovision you can use 2600 controllers. Which is not so easy on the 5200.

 

I love everything else on the Colecovision, it's just those damn Controllers.

 

As far as the 5200 controllers, I guess it's just the size of my hands that let me use them for a long time with no problems. Plus the the Best Electronics upgrades I don't have any failure issues. I do wish that the fire buttons were made of a hard plastic and a little bigger but they are tolerable to me.

 

On a similar note, I can't use the original 2600 controllers for long either and the 7800 controllers are a nightmare.

 

Allan

[joeybastard]

I wound up changing out the fire buttons on one of my 5200 sticks to microswitches which really helped. It was pretty easy to wire them up to the white harness in the 5200 stick even for a total electronics novice like me.

 

I love the Cx40s on the VCS but have to agree on the 7800 sticks. They are torture devices. The RSI stick mod was the best thing to happen to my 7800.

[+Allan]

I wound up changing out the fire buttons on one of my 5200 sticks to microswitches which really helped. It was pretty easy to wire them up to the white harness in the 5200 stick even for a total electronics novice like me.

 

I love the Cx40s on the VCS but have to agree on the 7800 sticks. They are torture devices. The RSI stick mod was the best thing to happen to my 7800.

 

Yea, I did the NES controller mod for the 7800 and that's all I ever use now.

 

Looking back at it, Atari never really made a great controller. It was Nintendo that finally made something comfortable and reliable.

 

Allan

[DracIsBack]

I have to say, as an Atari fan in general, I never liked any of their controllers for any system.

 

I always found the 2600 controllers to be stiff and uncomfortable to hold. The 5200 issues are well documented. The 7800 controllers were always stiff to me and ergonomically weird. I learned to live with them, but you should never "learn to live" with a controller. The XEGS controller was the same as the 2600 (different color). Then the original jaguar controllers were huge, complicated and (IMO) uncomfortable. I always use pro-controllers instead.

[CV Gus]

There is no question about which had the better controllers: The CV. They self-centered.

 

The 5200 controllers were not reliable. Repairing them is a PAIN, even though I can solder the "ribbons," it's a hassle and a half. Hint- for the fire buttons, try gluing a bit of tin foil on those black discs. Works great on my paddle controller.

 

Once I built that 5200 digital controller, the difference was night and day. I scored over 20,000 points in Berzerk, because I could make those quick, precise moves. Likewise Qix. And don't even get me started on Defender, Mario Bros., Blueprint, Wizard of WOR, etc...

 

But, above all, was Coleco's decision to stick with a 9-pin port. You can use so many other kinds of controllers, including a Genesis controller. With a 5200, you can really only use ones made for a 5200. And those are NOT easy to find.

Edited July 23, 2008 by CV Gus

[Rik]

I find the CV's controllers are quite good,how good a controller works has to do with how they are programmed to work with game also IMO.I play Pitfall2 the best on the CV,using the stock CV stiks.As for the myth that Coleco made games look bad for other systems intentionally to make their CV's games look even better?silly.Coleco had nothing to prove with the CV,everyone knew its games were superior to most other systems games already.I know if i bought just one bad looking /playing Coleco game for my 2600,i sure as hell wouldnt risk spending my hard earned cash on another Coleco game.Thats really sabotaging your own reputation,and future sales isnt it?I just dont buy the notion for a minute.Companys made games to sell,not to lose sales,and profit.People bought any bad game at the time,we all know the crummy games that were pumped out,masterly programmed or not.There was no need to INTENTIONALLY put out crappy games to make ones system seem better.What was put out ,was put out,usually to meet deadlines,like the Xmas season,does that make sense?im not sure either!Anyway,thats my take on it.

Edited July 25, 2008 by Rik

[walter_J64bit]

I think that 5200 can do ports of CV games I think it would grate to see that would help out the 5200's library.

[Vic George 2K3]

I think that 5200 can do ports of CV games I think it would BE great to see that would help out the 5200's library.

 

Is that what you mean...would BE great?

[walter_J64bit]

I think that 5200 can do ports of CV games I think it would BE great to see that would help out the 5200's library.

 

Is that what you mean...would BE great?

D'oh!