kingpong Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 I've been looking for an Evolution for a while, but the only ones I've seen for sale for the last year or so have been Telegames releases - the ones that don't have the Coleco logo on the end. I've been holding out for a Coleco version, as I don't consider Telegames versions of anything as legitimate/collectable (though I always thought it was interesting that their Evolution label otherwise looked like the real thing, as opposed to the silver labels on other games). A non-working one showed up on Ebay recently, I figured it was worth it because I wanted one with the original label, working or not, as I could always put it on a Telegames version and not feel too bad about it. It came today and I think it is a repro label. Rather than being glossy like a normal Coleco label, it is much more matte (though not completely), and looks to be thinner. Has a little bit of wear on it, so it doesn't look like it was just printed, but it doesn't have rounded corners, and the end is slightly miscut. Nothing about it looks or feels like a traditional Coleco label. Before I trash the label to see what is inside I want to make sure it isn't an original label. Can anyone who has a real Coleco Evolution confirm that the label should be like other Coleco releases, or that it is cheaper looking/feeling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbai Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 Coleco Inc. releases were not all "glossy" in the first place. Several could also possibly be considered "cheap" in terms of manufacture. That being said, the release history of Evolution is itself somewhat odd. The non-Telegames label for this title does not possess a gloss finish. You likely have an authentic label. I do not recall anyone bothering to manufacture a replica for it, and most (if not nearly all) replica labels have various tells that permit rapid identification. That the donor cartridge is inoperable may itself lend support to it being a wholly legit non-TG release, for other reasons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 What mumbai said. The official Evolution carts seems to have not aged well for whatever reason and one is awfully lucky to acquire a working one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikrananka Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 I had around three copies of Evolution at one point (two original boxed and one Telegames release) and as mumbai states, the original carts came with a rather matte finish label while the Telegames carts had a bright glossy label. I only have one original left in my possession and just verified that the label on that cart is matte. Also, as NIAD states, be aware that the original carts seem to be about the most prone to failure of any Coleco carts that I have come across. Not sure if the one I have left is still working but I know one of the two originals I had wasn't working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UANITO Posted September 9, 2022 Share Posted September 9, 2022 On 9/4/2022 at 10:56 PM, Ikrananka said: I had around three copies of Evolution at one point (two original boxed and one Telegames release) and as mumbai states, the original carts came with a rather matte finish label while the Telegames carts had a bright glossy label. I only have one original left in my possession and just verified that the label on that cart is matte. Also, as NIAD states, be aware that the original carts seem to be about the most prone to failure of any Coleco carts that I have come across. Not sure if the one I have left is still working but I know one of the two originals I had wasn't working. so there are two types of labels, one glossy, one matte, I hope you can see it in the photo:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikrananka Posted September 9, 2022 Share Posted September 9, 2022 3 minutes ago, UANITO said: so there are two types of labels, one glossy, one matte, I hope you can see it in the photo:) Yes, and the glossy one on the left was produced by Telegames and the one on the right is the original Coleco Canada release. Note the use of a Coleco cartridge shell with the original release whereas Telegames used whatever cartridge shells they had available at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UANITO Posted September 9, 2022 Share Posted September 9, 2022 26 minutes ago, Ikrananka said: Yes, and the glossy one on the left was produced by Telegames and the one on the right is the original Coleco Canada release. Note the use of a Coleco cartridge shell with the original release whereas Telegames used whatever cartridge shells they had available at the time. That's right, I'm happy to have learned another interesting story about ColecoVision games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UANITO Posted September 9, 2022 Share Posted September 9, 2022 since we talked about Telegames Games and I'm trying to collect all the variations of the cartridges are there any other editions to those in the photos?Unfortunately I miss Tank War:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbai Posted September 9, 2022 Share Posted September 9, 2022 29 minutes ago, UANITO said: since we talked about Telegames Games ... are there any other editions to those in the photos? Other than Tank War as noted, yes. Amazing Bumpman, etc. There are many, depending on the degree of difference from "standard" releases counted as significant to you. The last two pictured are not strictly TeleGames, but aftermarket relabelings by Jerry Greiner using the label-free MotoX and Tennis carts you sometimes see floating about. This might be best asked as a new topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UANITO Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 Thanks for your reply, I'll try to make a more detailed list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 23 hours ago, UANITO said: Thanks for your reply, I'll try to make a more detailed list There is a detailed list already that I and later Ikrananka have maintained for years… check the pinned thread “Collectors List”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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