ColecoGeneration 2
ColecoVision
1982
AU Release
1 January 1983
AU Launch Price
$299 AUD
~$1020 today
Units Sold
2M
Technical Specifications
Processor
Zilog Z80A @ 3.58 MHz
Memory
8 KB RAM, 16 KB VRAM
Storage
None (cartridge-based)
Media
ROM Cartridges
Best-Selling ColecoVision Games
Global lifetime sales
Cultural Impact
The ColecoVision arrived in 1982 as arguably the most powerful second-generation console, boasting arcade-quality graphics that left the Atari 2600 looking primitive by comparison. Coleco shrewdly bundled Donkey Kong as the pack-in game — one of the first major instances of a console using a killer app to drive hardware sales, a strategy every manufacturer has followed since. The Expansion Module #1, which allowed ColecoVision owners to play Atari 2600 cartridges, triggered one of gaming's first major legal battles, with Atari suing Coleco for patent infringement. Despite the lawsuit and the 1983 market crash cutting its life short, the ColecoVision remains celebrated for delivering genuine arcade experiences at home for the first time.
Did You Know?
The ColecoVision shipped with Donkey Kong as its pack-in game — one of the first major instances of bundling a blockbuster arcade port with hardware to drive sales
Coleco's Expansion Module #1 allowed the ColecoVision to play Atari 2600 cartridges, resulting in Atari suing Coleco for patent infringement in one of gaming's first major legal battles
The 1983 video game crash struck at the height of the ColecoVision's popularity, ending its commercial run after just two years on the market
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