Intellivision: Difference between revisions

| release_date = {{video game release|NA|1979<ref name="atariarch" /><ref name="gamespy"/><ref name=askhal1/><ref name=timeline/>|UK|1979<ref name=tvgamerno3>{{cite magazine|magazine=TV Gamer|title=Factfile: Intellivision|url=https://archive.org/details/TV_Gamer_1983-12_Boytonbrook_GB/page/n23/mode/2up|number=3|date=December 1983|page=24|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref name="cvg_001">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-001|magazine=Computer and Video Games |title=Close Encounters of a Hazardous Kind |issue=1|date=November 1, 1981|page=71|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>|ZA|1982|DE|1982|FRA|1982<ref name="vgworld">{{cite book|last1=Wolf|first1=Mark J. P.|title=Video Games Around the World|date=2015|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=978-0-262-52716-3|page=179|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pZb5CAAAQBAJ|access-date=2017-09-01|archive-date=2023-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134104/https://books.google.com/books?id=pZb5CAAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>|JP|1982<ref name="vglibrary_intelli">{{cite web|url=http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg70-intelli.htm#page=reviews|title=Home Page|website=Video Game Console Library|access-date=2017-03-22|archive-date=2019-08-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815175304/http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg70-intelli.htm#page=reviews|url-status=live}}</ref>|BR|1983<ref name=brasil_historia>[http://www.intellivisionbrasil.com.br/Menu_Historia.htm#brasil "Intellivision Historia Brasil"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112010915/http://www.intellivisionbrasil.com.br/Menu_Historia.htm#brasil |date=2020-11-12 }} intellivisionbrasil.com.br</ref>}}

| units_sold = > 3.75 million (1980–83)<ref name="TCW" /><ref name="csmonitor" /><ref name="vgu_83oct" /><ref name = nyt84/>

| units_shipped =  

| system_on_chip =  

| online_services = [[PlayCable]]

| top_game = {{ubl|''Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack'' 1.939 million|''[[Baseball (Intellivision video game)|Major League Baseball]]'' 1.085 million<ref name=Lives/><ref name = askhal1>{{cite web |url=http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/people/askhal/askhal.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728023443/http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/people/askhal/askhal.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2017-07-28 |title=Ask Hal: Frequently Asked Questions to the Blue Sky Rangers |publisher=Intellivision Productions |access-date=November 3, 2008}}</ref><ref name="gamespy">{{cite web|url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9 |title=Mattel Intellivision — 1980–1984 |work=ClassicGaming |publisher=IGN |access-date=May 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623232114/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9 |archive-date=June 23, 2008 }}</ref> {{small|(as of June 1983)}}}}

The '''Intellivision''' (a portmanteau of "intelligent television") is a [[home video game console]] released by [[Mattel|Mattel Electronics]] in 1979. It distinguished itself from competitors with more realistic sports and strategic games.<ref name="video_198007" /> By 1981, Mattel Electronics had close to 20% of the domestic video game market, selling more than 3.75 million consoles and 20 million cartridges through 1983.<ref name="TCW" /><ref name="csmonitor" /><ref name="vgu_83oct" /><ref name = nyt84/><ref name="Lives" /> At its peak, Mattel Electronics had about 1,800 employees in several countries, including 110 videogame developers.<ref name = nyt84/> In 1984, Mattel sold its video game assets to a former Mattel Electronics executive and investors, eventually becoming INTV Corporation. Game development ran from 1978 to 1990, when the Intellivision was discontinued.

The Intellivision was developed at [[Mattel]] in [[Hawthorne, California]].<ref name=timeline>{{cite web | url=http://www.intellivisionlives.com/history.php | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623040513/http://www.intellivisionlives.com/history.php | url-status=usurped | archive-date=2017-06-23 |title=Intellivision Productions Timeline |publisher=Intellivision Productions |access-date=November 3, 2008}}</ref> By 1969, multiple research and development groups came together as the Preliminary Design department on the third floor of the head office. Mattel had a history with technology R&D as design engineer [[Jack Ryan (designer)|Jack Ryan]], who joined the company in 1955 from [[Raytheon]], led a group of engineers, chemists, and sculptors. With a large budget they were expected to be forward thinking, dubbed the blue-sky group.<ref name="B&S2024_29">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |pages=29, 35}}</ref>

===Early design concepts===

In 1975, mechanical engineer Richard Chang, a director under Ryan, contacted [[MOS Technology]] for a demonstration of their new [[MOS Technology 6502|6502 microprocessor]] in a video game application. MOS arranged for their client Glenn Hightower of APh Technological Consulting and teacher at [[California Institute of Technology|CalTech University]] to do the demonstration.<ref name="B&S2024_37">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |pages=37–44}}</ref>

 

Shortly after, Dave James, an industrial engineer under Chang, wrote a memo dated January 26, 1976, documenting two product concepts. First, a microprocessor programmed video system with "plug-in" ROM modules or cassettes, and a list of applications that include war games, gambling games, strategy and board games, video Etch-a-Sketch, driving simulator, pinball; and football with 10 player a side, defense/offense patterns and floating field background. Second, [[Mattel Auto Race|calculator based games]]. With Mattel executives skeptical, Chang's group moved forward with handheld electronic games enlisting Hightower's help with a prototype.<ref name="B&S2024_37"/>

In April 1977, David Chandler, with a doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, a career in Aerospace, also having prototyped an early word processor as well as an arcade video game, joined Prelimanary Design under Chang. Chandler shared Chang's vision for a video game system with rich graphics and long-lasting gameplay to distinguish itself from its competitors and took over responsibility for its engineering. Prior to Chandler's arrival, Chang's group had already met with [[National Semiconductor]] about their new [[video display controller]] that would be paired with an [[Intel 8080]] CPU.<ref name="B&S2024_48">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |pages=48–53}}</ref> Chandler negotiated better pricing for a simpler design.<ref name=papaint_his>[http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/CCF10232011_00016.pdf Intellivision History and Philosophy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407110016/http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/CCF10232011_00016.pdf |date=April 7, 2016 }} papaintellivision.com</ref> At the [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June 1977, Chandler saw two more video driver chipsets. One from [[MOS Technology]] lacked moving objects (sprites) which would make it difficult to program sports games. The other from [[General Instrument]] (GI), listed as the Gimini programmable set in the GI 1977 catalog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wass.net/othermanuals/|title=Other Vintage Electronic Manuals|website=www.wass.net|access-date=2017-02-19|archive-date=2017-08-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802175405/http://www.wass.net/othermanuals/|url-status=live}}</ref> The GI chipset lacked programmable graphics and Mattel worked with GI to implement changes. GI published an updated chipset in its 1978 catalog.<ref name="gimini">{{cite web|url=http://www.pong-story.com/GIMINI1978.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316160455/http://www.pong-story.com/GIMINI1978.pdf |archive-date=March 16, 2012 }} Gimini TV game circuits</ref> Mattel initially chose National Semiconductor, who wanted to postpone the project, forcing Mattel to turn to GI. Mattel corporate management reacted by putting a halt to video game development for several months. On November 9, 1977, [[Mattel]], [[General Instrument|GI]], and [[Magnavox]] (their initial contract manufacturer) met to plan contracts and production.<ref name="B&S2024_48" />

Around this same time, the previous slow sales of Mattel Electronics branded handheld electronic games reversed and began to be a hit product. Management responded by spinning off the designs to the newly formed Mattel Electronics division, with separate marketing, finance, and engineering. In September, Krakauer made Rochlis its president. Chang became director of its new Design and Development department, responsible for Intellivision software.<ref name="B&S2024_37" /> Chandler, became director of Product Engineering led a team engineering the hardware, including the hand controllers.<ref name=timeline/> In 1978, David Rolfe of APh developed the onboard executive control software named Exec, and with a group of [[California Institute of Technology|Caltech]] summer student employees programmed the first Intellivision games. [[Hal Finney (computer scientist)|Hal Finney]] of APh contributed sound and music processing routines to the Exec. Graphics were designed by a group of artists at Mattel led by Dave James.<ref name=dp_rolfe>[http://www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_david_rolfe.html "DP Interview with David Rolfe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419141121/http://www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_david_rolfe.html |date=2017-04-19 }} digitpress.com</ref> James also creating detailed game proposal documents.<ref name="B&S2024_76">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |page=76}}</ref>

The Intellivision was introduced at the 1979 Las Vegas [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] in January as a modular [[home computer]] with the Master Component priced at {{US$|165}} and a soon-to-follow Keyboard Component also at {{US$|165|1979|long=no|round=-1}}.<ref name="doteat">{{cite web |title=Intellivision - New Kid on the Blocks |url=http://thedoteaters.com/?bitstory=console/intellivision |website=The Dot Eaters | date=30 July 2020 |access-date=25 October 2020 |archive-date=21 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021191134/http://thedoteaters.com/?bitstory=console/intellivision |url-status=live }}</ref> At Chicago [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] in June, prices were revised to {{US$|long=no|250}} for each component. A shortage of key chips from manufacturer General Instrument resulted in a limited number of Intellivision Master Components produced that year.  In Fall 1979, Sylvania marketed its own branded Intellivision at {{US$|long=no|280}} in its [[GTE]] stores at Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.<ref name="atariarch">{{cite web |last1=Bunch |first1=Kevin |title=Mattel Intellivision game release dates |url=https://www.atariarchive.org/mattel-intellivision-game-release-dates/ |website=Atari Archive |access-date=24 October 2020}}</ref> On December 3, Mattel delivered consoles to the [[Gottschalks]] department store chain headquartered in [[Fresno, California]], with a suggested [[list price]] of {{US$|long=no|275}}.<ref name="papaint_his" /><ref name="Gamasutra">Barton, Matt and Loguidice, Bill (May 2008)[https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/a-history-of-gaming-platforms-mattel-intellivision A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision], Gamasutra</ref> The Intellivision was also listed in the nationally distributed [[JCPenney]] Christmas 1979 catalog along with seven cartridges.<ref name="jcp1979">{{cite book |title=JCPenney Christmas 1979 |date=1979 |publisher=JCPenney |page=463 |url=https://spritecell.com/bp3-1979/ |access-date=2020-10-25 |archive-date=2020-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027035416/https://spritecell.com/bp3-1979/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By April 1980, markets expanded to Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.<ref name="atariarch" /> It was in stores nationwide by mid-1980 with the pack-in game ''Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack'' and a library of ten cartridges.

Starting in 1981, programmers looking for credit and royalties on sales began leaving both APh and Mattel Electronics to create Intellivision cartridges for third-party publishers. They helped form [[Imagic]] in 1981, and in 1982 others joined [[Activision]] and Atari. Cheshire Engineering was formed by a few senior APh programmers including David Rolfe, author of the Exec, and Tom Loughry, creator of one of the most popular Intellivision games, ''[[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain|Advanced Dungeons and Dragons]]''.<ref name="loughry">{{cite web |last1=Goninon |first1=Mark |title=Where are they now? – Tom Loughry |url=https://www.choicestgames.com/2014/11/where-are-they-now-tom-loughry.html |website=Choicest Games |date=26 November 2014 |access-date=26 Nov 2014 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820010734/http://www.choicestgames.com/2014/11/where-are-they-now-tom-loughry.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Cheshire created Intellivision games for Activision. Third-party developers Activision, Imagic, and Coleco started producing Intellivision cartridges in 1982, and Atari, [[Parker Brothers]], [[Sega]], and Interphase followed in 1983. The third-party developers, not having legal access to Exec knowledge, often bypassed the Exec framework to create smooth 30&nbsp;Hz and 60&nbsp;Hz Intellivision games such as ''The Dreadnaught Factor''. Cheaper [[Read-only memory|ROM]] prices also allowed for progressively larger games as 8K, 12K, and 16K cartridges became common. The first Mattel Electronics Intellivision game to run at 60&nbsp;Hz was ''Masters of the Universe'' in 1983.<ref>https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-koenig-71a50412/ {{Dead link|date=January 2022}}</ref> Marketing dubbed the term "Super Graphics" on the game's packaging and marketing.

In the spring of 1983, Mattel introduced the ''Intellivision II'', a cheaper, more compact redesign of the original, that was designed to be less expensive to manufacture and service, with updated styling. It also had longer controller cords.<ref name=EGM91>{{cite magazine |title=Intellivision|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=91|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=February 1997|page=100}}</ref> The Intellivision II was initially released without a pack-in game but was later packaged with ''[[BurgerTime]]'' in the [[United States]] and ''[[Lock 'n' Chase]]'' in [[Canada]]. In 1984, the Digiplay Intellivision II was introduced in [[Brazil]].<ref name=brasil_historia/> Brazil was the only country outside North America to have the redesigned Intellivision II.

It was discovered that a few Coleco Intellivision games did not work on the Intellivision II. Mattel secretly changed the Exec internal [[Read-only memory|ROM]] program in an attempt to lock out third-party games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/intelli2_tech.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609204610/http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/intelli2_tech.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=2017-06-09|title=Intellivision Classic Video Game System / Intellivision II Console|access-date=January 1, 2017}}</ref> A few of [[Coleco]]'s early games were affected but the 3rd party developers quickly figured out how to get around it. Mattel's own ''Electric Company Word Fun'', however, will not run on the Intellivision II due to this change. In an unrelated issue but also due to Exec changes, Super Pro Football experiences a minor glitch where the quarterback does not appear until after the ball is hiked. There were also some minor changes to the sound chip ([[AY-3-8910|AY-3-8914A/AY-3-8916]]) affecting sound effects in some games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.intellivision.us/index.php?title=PSG|title=PSG – Intellivision Wiki|website=wiki.intellivision.us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://atariage.com/forums/topic/228141-lto-flash-intellivision-flash-cartridge-information/page-53#entry3596200|title=LTO Flash! – Intellivision Flash Cartridge Information – Page 53 – Intellivision / Aquarius|date=28 July 2014 |access-date=2017-03-22|archive-date=2017-03-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323054030/http://atariage.com/forums/topic/228141-lto-flash-intellivision-flash-cartridge-information/page-53#entry3596200|url-status=live}}</ref> Programmers at Mattel discovered the audio differences and avoided the problem in future games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://intellivisionaries.com/episode-28-space-spartans/|title=Episode 28: Space Spartans|date=22 July 2016 |access-date=2017-03-25|archive-date=2017-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326225806/http://intellivisionaries.com/episode-28-space-spartans/|url-status=live}}</ref>

As early as 1981, Dave Chandler's group began designing what would have been Mattel's next-generation console, codenamed ''Decade'' and now referred to as the ''Intellivision IV''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/intelli4_tech.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116102535/http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/intelli4_tech.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=November 16, 2018|title=Intellivision Classic Video Game System / Intellivision IV Console|website=www.intellivisionlives.com}}</ref> It would have been based on the [[32-bit]] [[Motorola 68000|MC68000]] processor and a 16-bit custom designed advanced graphic interface chip. Specifications called for dual-display support, 240×192 [[bitmap]] resolution, 16 programmable 12-bit colors (4096 colors), [[anti-aliasing]], 40×24 tiled graphics modes, four colors per tile (16 with shading), text layer and independent scrolling, 16 multicolored 16×16 sprites per scan-line, 32 level hardware sprite scaling. Line [[interrupt]]s for reprogramming sprite and color [[hardware register|registers]] would allow for many more sprites and colors on screen at the same time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://papaintellivision.com/docIntv4.php|title=Intellivision IV Documents – Papa Intellivision|website=papaintellivision.com|access-date=2017-07-10|archive-date=2017-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907021615/http://papaintellivision.com/docIntv4.php|url-status=live}}</ref> It was intended as a machine that could lead Mattel Electronics into the 1990s; however, on August 4, 1983, most hardware people at Mattel Electronics were [[laid off]].

Also in 1997, Intellivision Productions announced they would sell development tools allowing customers to program their own Intellivision games. They were to provide documentation, [[IBM PC compatible|PC]] compatible [[Assembly language|cross-assemblers]], and the ''Magus II'' [[IBM PC compatible|PC]] Intellivision cartridge interface. Unfortunately, the project was cancelled but they did provide copies of "Your Friend the EXEC", the programmers guide to the Intellivision Executive control software.<ref name=magus2>{{cite web|url=http://atariage.com/forums/topic/202211-rare-but-not-valuable/|title=Rare, but not valuable – Intellivision / Aquarius|date=31 August 2012 |access-date=2017-04-11|archive-date=2017-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411140638/http://atariage.com/forums/topic/202211-rare-but-not-valuable/|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2000 Intellivision hobbyists ultimately created their own development tools,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sdk-1600.spatula-city.org/old-index.html|title=SDK-1600 Release 3 Home Page: Program your Intellivision!|website=sdk-1600.spatula-city.org|access-date=2017-04-11|archive-date=2017-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411140353/http://sdk-1600.spatula-city.org/old-index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> including Intellivision memory cartridges.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

In May 2018, [[Tommy Tallarico]] announced that he acquired the rights to the Intellivision brand and games with plans to launch a new home video game console, the [[Intellivision Amico]]. A new company, Intellivision Entertainment, was formed with Tallarico serving as president.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/05/29/intellivsion-lives-tommy-tallarico-will-relaunch-1980s-console/ |title=Intellivision lives: Tommy Tallarico will relaunch 1980s console |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=May 29, 2018 |website=[[VentureBeat]] |access-date=May 29, 2018 |archive-date=May 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529160027/https://venturebeat.com/2018/05/29/intellivsion-lives-tommy-tallarico-will-relaunch-1980s-console/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Intellivision Productions has been renamed Blue Sky Rangers Inc. and their video game intellectual property has been transferred to Intellivision Entertainment.<ref name="bsr2018">{{cite web |last1=Roney |first1=Steve |title=Intellivision Productions, Blue Sky Rangers and Intellivision Entertainment |url=http://atariage.com/forums/topic/285395-intellivision-productions-blue-sky-rangers-and-intellivision-entertainment/ |website=atariage |date=26 November 2018 |access-date=28 December 2018 |archive-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424135143/https://atariage.com/forums/topic/285395-intellivision-productions-blue-sky-rangers-and-intellivision-entertainment/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Intellivision Sprint===

On May 23, 2024, [[Atari SA]] announced the acquisition of the Intellivision brand and library from Intellivision Entertainment. The deal did not include the unreleased [[Intellivision Amico]] console nor the Intellivision Entertainment company itself, both of which would be renamed. However, that company would secure a licensing deal with Atari to continue to release newer versions of Intellivision titles for the Amico.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-acquires-intellivision-brand-and-over-200-games |title=Atari acquires Intellivision brand and over 200 games &#124; GamesIndustry.biz |date=23 May 2024 |access-date=2024-05-23 |archive-date=2024-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523122632/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-acquires-intellivision-brand-and-over-200-games |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/atari-acquires-intellivision-brand-120000940.html |title=Atari Acquires Intellivision Brand |work=Yahoo Finance |access-date=2024-05-23 |archive-date=2024-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523122632/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/atari-acquires-intellivision-brand-120000940.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

 

Atari announced the Intellivision Sprint for pre-orders in October 2025, and shipping on December 5, 2025, for $150. As a retro console based on the original Intellivision design, the Intellivision Sprint will include 45 games from the original Intellivision. It will include two controllers based on the original design of the Intellivision, though both will be wireless and charged by USB ports on the console. Overlays for each of the built in games will be included. The console also supports [[HDMI]] video output and USB-A connections.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/atari-intellivision-sprint-announcement/ | title = Atari's launching a new retro console for the holidays: its one-time console war rival | first=  Claire | last = Lewis | date = October 17, 2025 | accessdate = October 17, 2025 | work = [[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] }}</ref>