Colecovision

   Aug 1982 - ColecoVision released
       1982 - Expansion Module #1: Atari 2600 Converter released
       1982 - Module #2, Driving Controller released
   Feb 1983 - Super Game Module announced
       1983 - Super Game Module demoed (non-playable) at New York Toy Show
   May 1983 - Advertising of the Super Game Module starts; runs through July
   Jun 1983 - ADAM computer introduced
   Aug 1983 - Super Game Module schedule to go on sale
   Oct 1983 - Super Game Module dropped
  Fall 1983 - ColecoVision Roller Controller released
       1983 - ColecoVision Super Action Controllers released
Winter 1983 - The video game market begins to crash
Spring 1984 - The video game industry collapses. All production stops.
   Jan 1985 - Coleco drops the ADAM computer
       1985 - Telegames picks up where Coleco left off, putting out new titles
   Dec 1985 - Nintendo NES is test-marketed in New York City
       1988 - Telegames releases the "Personal Arcade" ColecoVision clone.

- JH, JC, 03, 07, 10, 13, 14, 25, 50, & 65

2.0) ColecoVision and ADAM Specs

        ColecoVision:

             Resolution: 256 x 192
                    CPU: Z-80A
                   Bits: 8
                  Speed: 3.58 MHz
                    RAM: 8K
              Video RAM: 16K (8x4116)
Video Display Processor: Texas Instruments TMS9928A
                Sprites: 32
                 Colors: 16
                  Sound: Texas Instruments SN76489AN; 3 tone channels, 1 noise
          Cartridge ROM: 8K/16K/24K/32K

        ADAM:

             Resolution: 256 x 192
                    CPU: Z-80A
                   Bits: 8
                  Speed: 3.58 MHz
            Video Speed: 10.7 MHz
                    RAM: 64K (128K optional)
              Video RAM: 16K (8x4116)
                    ROM: 8K
Video Display Processor: Texas Instruments TMS9928A
                Sprites: 32
                 Colors: 16
                  Sound: Texas Instruments SN76489AN; 3 tone channels, 1 noise
          Cartridge ROM: 8K/16K/24K/32K
            Disk Drives: 2 * 160K (opt)
    Digital Data Drives: 2 * 256K
                  Modem: 300 Baud (opt)
                Printer: 120 wpm Daisy Wheel, 16K buffer
                  Other: Serial/Parallel Port (opt), Auto Dialer (opt)

What really distinguished the ColecoVision from other systems of the era was its 32 sprite capability. It made it easier to design sprite intensive games like Slither.

Scrolling on the Coleco was sort of chunky because they did not have special hardware for scrolling like the Atari units did - but some games (notably Jungle Hunt and Defender) _do_ manage to scroll well, so there was a software workaround of some kind.

All Coleco cartridges, and many third party titles, incorporated a patience-testing twelve second delay before the game select screen showed up. One story commonly cited (and apparently mentioned in Electronic Games magazine at the time) is the following: before ColecoVision reached the marketplace, Coleco invested heavily in advertising for the system, building up significant demand. The problem was software support. Few programmers knew the ColecoVision's quirky assembly language, and there wasn't time to train more. So the engineers at Coleco designed an emulator that allowed progammers to code in a far more common and well known language, Pascal. Coleco then hired programmers familiar with Pascal to design software for the ColecoVision, and thus were able to provide software to meet the demand. The only problem with the scheme was the twelve second delay the emulator caused while starting up.

As good a story as this makes, it's incorrect. The real reason behind the twelve second delay is a loop in the ColecoVision BIOS - the delay was purely intentional. The way companies such as Parker Brothers, Activision, and Micro Fun avoided the delay was to simply bypass the ColecoVision BIOS. - JC, 08, 10, 12, 27, 29

3.0) Hardware List

Key:

Manufacturer -
        AM) Amiga
        CB) CBS Electronics
        CE) Championship Electronics
        CO) Coleco
        HS) High Score
        PP) Personal Peripherals
        PS) Pusher Sales
        SU) Suncom
        SV) Spectravideo
        TG) Telegames
        VP) Video Product Sales
        WI) Wico

3.1) Hardware known to exist

Name                                   Manuf.   Number  Comes With...
================================================================================
Champ Adapter                              CE   CA-340
CBS ColecoVision                           CB           Donkey Kong
ColecoVision                               CO           Donkey Kong
Co-Stickler                                PS
Dust Cover                                 CO
EVE Voice Module                           ??
Expansion Module #1 (2600 Adapter)         CO   2405
Expansion Module #1 Adapter                CO
Expansion Module #2 (Driving Controller)   CO   2413    Turbo
Expansion Module #3 (ADAM Computer)        CO           Buck Rogers
Grabber Balls                              HS
Injoy-A-Stick                              VP
Joy Sensor                                 SU
Joystick, ColecoVision                     WI
Perma Power Battery Eliminator/AC Adapter  CO   2298
Personal Arcade                            TG           Meteoric Shower
Power Stick                                AM
Quickshot III Deluxe                       SV   SV103
Roller Controller                          CO   2492    Slither
Snapper                                    SU   CLC-006
SpliceVision                               ??
Super Action Controllers                   CO   2491    Super Action Baseball
Super Sketch Pad                           PP   G2500   Sketch Master

3.2) Hardware believed -not- to exist

Expansion Module #3 (Super Game Module - wafer version) by Coleco.

With 30K RAM and 128K "microwafers" shaped like miniature diskettes. The games were to have intermissions, high-score lists, and extra levels. It was to be packaged with Super Donkey Kong; later, that was changed to Super Buck Rogers and Super Gorf. It could have been an excellent addition to the ColecoVision system allowing you to play your old carts and the new Super Games, but Coleco decided to turn it into the ADAM computer. - JC, 25
Kevin Slywka submits the following:
The following is a quote from the article, One million A.C.(after ColecoVision) Brown, Michael William; Electronic Fun: Computers and Games; June 1983
-Note: The article contains several screen shots and a what appears to be a mock up of the Super Game and several game wafers. "...the Super Games are stored on mini-cassettes (which are about the length and width of a business card) called Super Game Wafers... the module has a magnetic micro-tape drive mechanism behind a slot in the front left panel. Inside the wafers is approximately 50 feet of specially formulated magnetic tape about an eighth of an inch wide." (Brown p41)
Brown claims to have played the system for 8 hours over two different days. Load time for the wafers is clocked at about 10 seconds. Super Games Brown tested: Super Donkey Kong, Super Donkey Kong Jr., Super Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle. Brown further notes better colors and additional levels in all three games. Planned titles included: Zaxxon, Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom, Time Pilot, Turbo and Sub-Roc. Brown also notes the ability to enter your initials for high score, which is then stored on the tape.
In Video Games Magazine(Feb.'84) an article on the Texas Instruments Compact Computer 40(a peripheral for the TI 99/4A) mentions the tape wafers meant for the Super Games: "...this system uses the Entrepo floppy wafer system that is in use elsewhere, and was almost part of Coleco's Super Game Module and ADAM."
The Super Game Module appeared to not have a realistic chance of success at Coleco Industries. In an interview of Coleco president, Arnold Greenberg, by Steve Bloom (Video Games, Oct. '82) Bloom paraphrases Greenberg as saying, "...it is Colecos resolve to market a keyboard (Module #3) some time next year." In Electronic Games (Jan. '83): Test Lab (Cohen, Henry B.) writes that, "...Coleco is working on a keyboard and Ram Cram for ColecoVision which should turn the system into a full-scale, high powered home computer system." Clearly Coleco intended to develop a ADAM-like computer all along, but the question remains as to why they decided to develop the Super system in the first place. If the Super module had been released it likely would have insured Colecos success for at least a while longer. Although given the cynicism of magazine writers and consumers after the Super Module failed to appear it is uncertain if it would have been enough to save Coleco from its eventual fate.
Description of the pictures in the Electronic Fun magazine article(kws):
The module shown appears to be the real thing(although almost certainly a mock-up) with a slot for the super tape wafers on the left side of the module(even a small slot that corresponds to the door on the super wafer can be seen). A small LED is near the super wafer door, probably to indicate a read\write or power light. The "Expansion Module Interface" is on the lower right of the module. The top of the unit has the ColecoVision face-plate and a reset button on the far right.
Below the module three wafers are shown: They have the appearance of micro-cassettes, they are all black and appear to have a door on the left rear of the wafer. Super Donkey Kong, Super Donkey Kong Junior, and Super Smurf (in fine print: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle) are represented. There is a game package which bears a striking resemblance to a CD jewel case(although it appears to be made of vinyl) has Buck Rogers Planet of Doom on the cover. The by-line on the case states:
        "For use with ColecoVision Expansion Module #3"
        "AN ADVANCED VIDEO GAME THAT"
        "PLAYS ALL SCREENS INCLUDING"
        "BEST SCORES AND INITIALS!"
The vinyl game case carries a part number of "#2645" - 25

Expansion Module #3 (Super Game Module - CED version) by Coleco.

A second Super Game module was also rumored. It used a format called CED, using video records - vinyl records with much finer grooves, stored in cases so as to avoid contact save by the needle of the system. In an interview with Ralph Baer, who worked on this system, he said it was really zippy and in some respects better than CDROM. - 11, 34
CED stands for Capacitance Electronic Disk system, and was pioneered by RCA. RCA used this technology in all of there CED video disk players, which competed with the Laserdisc format until 1985 when RCA discontinued all of its players. Coleco chose the CED format because RCA could create a computer controllable random access machine that was very affordable. The Coleco CED system would have come with two major components: the Coleco "controller" Module (#3) that plugs into the front of the system, and the RCA/COLECO CED player that connected to the Module and the T.V. set. Reportedly the price would be around $395-$495 for a complete set-up. Interestingly, the Coleco CED system would still play all of RCA's movie and music video disks, which was a big selling point for RCA. So you would have a Video Quality arcade system, and movie player - all in one.
From Video Games and Computer Entertainment, June 1991: 'Talk of the future reminds Baer of the aborted, ahead-of-its-time project he launched in 1982. The ideal interface, the ColecoVision video game console and an RCA CED player. "Things advanced to the point that RCA actually made a few CED peripherals. Then along came the ADAM computer and ended it all. What I'd like to see is not going to happen." He'd like to see CED revived, instead of the industry going to CD. He worries that CD will fail to deliver the full-motion video that people expect.' - 12

ColecoVision (THE ORIGINAL VERSION) by Coleco.

Remember seeing the first "glimpses" of the ColecoVision system in Electronic Games magazine? The first pictures of the system showed a much more attractive looking system than what we got as a final product. The system itself had a white faceplate where the ColecoVision logo appears now and the controllers were very different. They had blue side buttons, orange pound and star keys on the keypad, and the finger rollers that were later introduced on the Super Controllers.
The finger rollers, which were to have been located between the keypad and joystick, were supposed to be available for use as either speed controllers, or as a paddle controller. They were dropped at the last minute, though if you open up a controller you can see the schematic for it on the circuit board. - 07
The finger rollers shown in Daniel Cohen's book "Video Games", page 57, are located beneath the keypad. - 24

Intellivision Adapter by Coleco.

Coleco had plans for an adapter that would play Intellivision cartridges. Supposedly there are several working prototypes of this adapter that were shown at electronic shows. If Coleco would have only gone through with production, the ColecoVision would have been able to play Intellivision, 2600, and ColecoVision cartridges! - JC

Modem by AT&T/Coleco.

Not to be confused with the ADAM modem, which does exist.
An article in Newsweek, September 19, 1983, on page 69 announced the following: 'American Telephone and Telegraph Co. and Donkey Kong? An unlikely combination, perhaps, but one that became a reality last week when the venerable communications giant hooked up with Coleco Industries, the videogame maker, in a join effort to make entertainment software available by telephone to 25 million owners of video games and home computers.' 'Under the plan, AT&T and Coleco will develop a "modem", an electronic device that will connect a home computer or video game by telephone to a central data base. Coleco will supply the software programs, such as Donkey Kong or two of its other popular video games, Smurf and Zaxxon. The service will be offered sometime next year for about $20 a month; the modem is expected to cost $100.' - 13

Sensory Grip Controller by Coleco.

The Super Action Controllers were supposed to have a sensory feature, so that when (for example) Rocky threw a punch in Super Action Boxing, you would feel it in the handle. - 13

3.3) Review of the Telegames Personal Arcade by James Carter

INTRODUCTION:

TELEGAMES produces and sells a ColecoVision compatible system called the "Personal Arcade". The Personal Arcade was originally produced several years after Coleco stopped production of the ColecoVision. It's very small (12"x5"x1"), white, and comes with Nintendo-like gamepads. It uses a normal sized power supply (6' cord) which is less than 1/2 the size of the ColecoVision's ridiculously bulky one. It also comes with a game/TV switchbox (10' cord) like the ColecoVision. It also contains two separate expansion ports that were never taken advantage of.

COMPATIBILITY:

The ads and box say "Compatible with over 100 ColecoVision cartridges". TELEGAMES operators claim that it is compatible with 95% of all the ColecoVision cartridges, but won't provide a list of which ones it won't work with. So far I've come up with 10 after testing it on 65 cartridges. Actually, *all* the cartridges work, it's just that the "Personal Arcade" uses different joystick wiring and any cartridge made specifically for the Super Action Controllers, Driving Module, or the Roller Controller will be unplayable, among others. In fact, regular ColecoVision or Atari compatible joysticks cannot be used on the Personal Arcade either.

GAMEPADS:

The gamepads are 1 3/4" x 4 3/4" and nicely fit into the sides of the unit. The cables are 3 feet long and stiffer than normal. A personal grudge is the fact that the cables attach to the side of the gamepad instead of the rear, making it harder to comfortably grasp. They are also slightly too small and cheaply made in my opinion.

KEYPAD:

A single keypad is built into the unit and the buttons are a smaller 3/8" square, compared to the 5/8" square of the normal ColecoVision controller. It is made of a thin membrane that works with the slightest touch. The keypad has no frame like on the ColecoVision controller. It looks like the following:

      1 2 3 4 5 *
      6 7 8 9 0 #

This changed keypad size and format means overlays cannot be used. It also means it is very difficult to play keypad intensive games where quick reflexes are needed. Now you must take your hand off the gamepad, and look down to press the right key, instead of the ColecoVision joystick where you just move your thumb without looking.

NON-COMPATIBLE LIST:

The following are unplayable on the Personal Arcade due to controller problems:

Fortune Builder (needs 2 separate keypads in 2-player head-to-head mode) Front Line (Super Action Controller game) Rocky Super Action Boxing (Super Action Controller game) Slither (Roller Controller game) Super Action Baseball (Super Action Controller game) Super Action Football (Super Action Controller game) Super Action Soccer (Super Action Controller game) Super Cobra (2nd button "bomb" doesn't work) Turbo (Driving Module Game) Victory (Roller Controller game)

KEYPAD INTENSIVE LIST:

The following do work perfectly on the Personal Arcade, but are difficult to play because of the need for very quick keypad presses:

Aquattack Blockade Runner Mouse Trap Spy Hunter War Games

BUILT IN GAME:

The Personal Arcade comes with a built-in game called "Meteoric Shower". A decent shoot'em up game in which you have a ship in the middle of the screen and you shoot waves of enemy ships that attack from above and below.

DISPLAY:

The Personal Arcade removes the famous multi-colored "ColecoVision" opening screen from all of Coleco's cartridges, replacing it with a green background and Japanese writing, with the words "1986 BIT CORPORATION". Other publisher's opening screens are unaffected.

FINAL THOUGHTS

PROS:

The best thing the personal arcade has going for it is the price. Only $39.95 for a brand new system, with a decent built in game, and you get to choose 1 brand new cartridge ($19.95 or less, about 40 to choose from) also. If you prefer gamepads, then that is a plus also. The smallness of the system makes it much easier to store and move around.

CONS:

If you have a perfectly working ColecoVision there is really no reason to buy the Personal arcade, unless you want a back-up system. (...or you have a burning desire to play Meteoric Shower. - JH) The gamepads are less than desired, and no other joysticks can be used in their place. The fact that you can't use Super Action or Roller Controller games (not to mention others) is a big thumbs down for those that already invested in those controllers and cartridges. The keypad on the system may be great for choosing levels, but is a pain to use keypad intensive games.

NOTE: Telegames lost all of their Personal Arcade stock to a tornado in April, 1994.

3.4) Hardware Tidbits

Atari Touch Pad / Children's Controller / Star Raiders Controller -

The following buttons and/or combinations of buttons correspond to various inputs on the ColecoVision:

    DESIRED      PRESS THIS ON
    COLECO KEY   ATARI TOUCH PAD
    -----------------------------------------------
      1          * position
      2          7 position
      3          1 + * + 7.  The 7 may not be necessary.
      4          1 + 4 + 7 + *.
      5          4 + 7.
      6          1
      7
      8
      9
      *          4 + *
      0          1 + 4
      #          1 + 7
    Left button
    Right button 1 + 3, or 4 + 6, or 7 + 9, or * + #. - 20

CBS ColecoVision -

Looks and operates just like my 'standard' ColecoVisions, but the metallic faceplates are different. On top, it says "1 / 0" instead of "Off / On", and the front plate reads:
    ________________________________________________________________________
    CBS  Coleco   Video Game/Home Computer System     [expansion slot]   CBS
         Vision
    Electronics
    ________________________________________________________________________
CBS Electronics bought out the Coleco rights when Coleco bit the bullet. They marketed mostly in Europe. You can find most if not all of the Coleco games with a CBS label. They are all or mostly all PAL games. However, since the ColecoVision doesn't care, it doesn't matter. Plug them in and they play like NTSC! - 20, 22

CBS ColecoVision - France -

The front plate for the French ColecoVision reads:
    ________________________________________________________________________
    CBS  Coleco   Ordinateur de jeuz Multi-Services   [expansion slot]   CBS
         Vision
    Electronics
    ________________________________________________________________________
In France, the Coleco system was introduced as a Micro-Computer, and remained in stores until 1985. The ADAM was very lightly marketed in France. - 61

Champ Adapter -

A near exact duplicate of the Coleco Keypad, minus the upper half that contains the joystick. Instead it has a 9-pin slot so you can plug in your favorite joystick and still have use of the keypad. It also can double as a joystick extension cable since the Champ Adapter cable is 6' long. - JC

Co-Stickler -

Plastic "snap" on joysticks for the standard ColecoVision controllers. - JH

EVE Voice Module -

A seperate white box which plugged in to the expansion port on the ADAM. - 60

Expansion Module #1 -

The following Atari 2600 cartridges are incompatible with the 2600 Adapter:
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - JH
Most Tigervision titles - 19 (but Miner 2049'er works - JH)
All Supercharger games - 19 (will work, but only if cover of expansion module has been removed) - 26

Expansion Module #1 Adapter -

This device plugs into Expansion Module #1 (2600 Adapter) to allow some Atari 2600 cartridges which have compatibility problems to be played. Supposedly it was only sent through the mail to those customers who called Coleco with complaints of 2600 cartridge problems. - JC

Expansion Module #2 -

The driving controller can be used to play Victory, which officially requires the Roller Controller. - 46

Grabber Balls -

They're red balls of a stick that snap on the ColecoVision controller, making it more arcade-style. Work *fantastic* when locked into the Roller Controller, and played with Robotron on the 7800. - JC

Injoy-A-Stick -

Replacements for the standard ColecoVision knob joysticks, which are considerably longer. - 63

Joy Sensor -

A lot like an Intellivision II controler. Has a membrane kepad area and a membrane joystick, plus what appear to be rapid fire controls that might be variable. Well made. - 41

Perma Power Battery Eliminator/AC Adapter -

Replaces the batteries in Expansion Module #2 (Driving Controller) - JC This is a _weird_ device. Since the only way to power the unit is with batteries (there's no alternate for a power source, so the connection is required), the "Battery Eliminator" is shaped like batteries. - JH

Power Stick -

A great joystick for non-keypad, one button games. Having the keypad and second button above the joystick makes it awkward for those games, though. - JH

Roller Controller -

To use the Roller Controller on a game which doesn't require its use (such as Centipede or Omega Rage), leave the Joystick/Roller switch in the Joystick position. - JH
Driving Module games can be played with the Roller Controller by doing the following:
1) Switch the setting to "Joystick". 2) Choose the game you wish to play. 3) Switch the setting to "Roller Controller". 4) Go. The leftmost button acts as the accelerator.

Direction can be changed using the joystick in some as-yet undetermined manner. - 24
You can get very strange behavior by using the roller controller for joystick games? Try wiggling it around while playing Smurf and you can move above or under the proper "ground" area so that none of the enemies can kill you! - 14

Snapper -

Joystick height extenders which snap onto the joysticks. Of limited usefullness, as they come off easily. - 63

SpliceVision

An apparently unauthorized ColecoVision knock-off released in Brazil. - 64

Super Action Controller -

To play games that require the Driving Module with the Super Action Controllers Roller acts as steering wheel except when you roll it left the car turns right and vice versa. Up on the joystick is to shift gears to make the car go faster. Gas pedal is either automatically pressed down or try the buttons on the controller. - TC

Super Sketch Pad -

Came in a box with a black background and a horizontal rainbow across the top, marked "Super Sketch". In addition to the ColecoVision version, there were Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, & TI 99/4A models. The ColecoVision version has a silver sticker on the top right corner that says Model G2500 For Use with Colecovision. The Sketch Unit itself is white with a brown plastic piece used for the drawing. One of the strangest things about it is that it does not plug into the joystick port. The cable is attached directly to the right side of the cartridge. The cartridge label is mostly silver with Super Sketch with the horizontal rainbow with it.
The sketch unit it has 5 controls. Two "Lift" buttons, one on each side, allow drawing to be turned off. "Select" allows selection of colors and menu items on the left side of the screen; "Menu" brings the menu up and/or removes it.
The program itself say Super Sketch while fluctuating through different colors upon power-up. Just below that it says:
                Copyright 1984 Personal Peripherals, Inc.
                                Irving,Texas
                              By: Steve Roubik
                           Press MENU to proceed.
The program really is nothing more than a doodle program. Menu options are:
        Clear
        Swap
        Expert
        Brush

        (The 16 Colors)

        Eraser
        Draw
        Fill
        Show
It comes with a large white envelope that says Super Sketch starter kit. Inside is the owners manual, quick reference card, 6 drawings to trace with, and a warranty card. - 42

Telegames Personal Arcade -

The Personal Arcades were originally made by the Bit Corporation, and marked as DINA units with a second cartridge slot for some unknown purpose. - 30
The joypads that come with the Personal Arcade are 2600 compatible; they also have an irksome quirk for anyone used to the ColecoVision: they're reversed (i.e. right is left, left is right).
Besides the games listed above, Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle is incompatible with some Personal Arcades, and the 2600 Adapter will not work due to power and RF cable positioning.
The pause switch is incompatible with ColecoVision cartridges, so it is apparently used by cartridges which go in the second slot. - 14, 52
At least two different version of the Personal Arcade (with different power supplies) exist. - JH

4.0) Cartridge List

Key:

Name -
        (d) Demo
        (p) Prototype
        (C) End label notes the cart is for ColecoVision
        (CA) End label notes the cart is for ColecoVision and ADAM
        (C/CA) Both end label varieties are available
        (S) Came with Silver and Blue SierraVision label
        (W) Came with White SierraVision label
        (S/W) Both SierraVision label varieties are available

Manufacturer -
        20) 20th Century
        AC) Activision
        AT) AtariSoft
        BC) Bit Corp.
        BR) Broderbund
        CB) CBS
        CO) Coleco
        CV) ColecoVision Reverse-engineering Society
        EP) Epyx
        FP) Fisher Price
        FS) First Star
        IM) Imagic
        IN) Interphase
        KO) Konami
        MA) Mattel
        MF) Micro Fun
        OD) Odyssey
        PB) Parker Brothers
        PP) Personal Peripherals
        PR) Probe 2000
        SE) Sega
        SI) SierraVision
        SP) Spinnaker
        ST) Starpath
        SU) Sunrise
        SV) Spectravideo
        SY) Sydney
        TG) Telegames
        TI) Tigervision
        XO) Xonox

Yr - Year of Release

Number - Part Number

Cn (controller) -
        C)  Standard ColecoVision Controller _only_
        D)  Driving Controller
        Do) Driving Controller (optional)
        P)  Super Sketch Pad (Personal Peripherals)
        R)  Roller Controller
        Ro) Roller Controller (optional)
        S)  Super Action Controllers -only-
        So) Super Action Controller (optional)
        The default is Standard Coleco -or- Super Action Controller.

K (memory, in kilobytes) -
         8)  8KB ROM
        16) 16KB ROM
        24) 24KB ROM
        32) 32KB ROM

O (overlay) -
        X) Overlay Exists for Standard Controller
        Y) Overlay Exists for Super Action Controller
        Z) Overlay Exists for Standard Controller _and_ Super Action
           Controller

R? (rarity) -
        C)  Common
        U)  Uncommon
        R)  Rare
        ER) Extremely Rare
        UR) Unbelievably Rare
        NA) Not Available

Rating -
        1) Awful
        2) Poor
        3) OK
        4) Good
        5) Very Good
        N/A) Not Applicable

        Format: Rating/# of people rating.
                For example, 3.3/4 would mean 4 people had rated the
                cartridge, with an average rating of 3.3.

Type -
        Adv    - Adventure Game
        Avoid  - Shot Avoidance Game
        Card   - Card Game
        Chase  - Chase Game
        Defend - Defensive Shoot 'em Up Game (i.e., you can only shoot shots)
        Demo   - Demonstration Cartridge
        Drive  - Driving Game
        Educ   - Educational Game
        Ladder - Games Which Require Climbing to an Objective
        Maze   - Maze Game
        Misc   - A Combination of Various Game Types
        Pinbll - Pinball Game
        Pool   - Pool Game
        Puzzle - Puzzle Game
        Round  - Collect Items Game
        Shoot  - Shoot 'em Up Game
        Split  - Split & Recombine Game
        Sport  - Sports Game
        Strat  - Strategy Game
        Test   - Test Cartridge
        Text   - Text Adventure

Note - Telegames owns the rights to manufacture many ColecoVision cartridges, and still does so. As a result, many games listed below are also available from Telegames in assorted cases (many reused) with varied labels. Games listed below for Telegames are either (1) only available from Telegames, (2) only available from Telegames and Bit Corp, or (3) are marketed by Telegames under a different name.

Games Telegames owns rights to are: Alcazar The Forgotten Fortress, Beamrider, H.E.R.O., Keystone Kapers, Pitfall, Pitfall II, River Raid, Rock 'N' Bolt, Zenji, Decathlon, Gustbuster, Rolloverture, Campaign '84, Quest for Quintana Roo, Mountain King, Skiing, Amazing Bumpman, Tank War, Strike It, Meteoric Shower, Wing War, Fathom, Moonsweeper, Nova Blast, Tournament Tennis, Dragonfire, Kung Fu Superkicks, Motocross Racer, Sir Lancelot, Artillery Duel, Tomark the Barbarian, Robin Hood, AquaAttack, Blockade Runner, Sewer Sam, Squish-em Sam, Boulderdash, AstroChase, and Centipede. - TC

Note - CBS produced games for Coleco for European release. As a result, many Coleco titles listed below are also available from CBS in PAL format. Games listed below for CBS are those marketed by CBS under a different name.

Note - CBS also produced many "prototype" games in Europe. These cartridges have been packaged and sold in many places; on the list below, prototypes produced in quantity by CBS are marked (p - CBS).

4.1) Carts known to exist

Name                        Manuf.  Yr  Number  Cn  K   O  R?   Rating  Type
================================================================================
2010: The Graphic Action        CO  84  2618        32  X  R    3.8/5   Puzzle
    Game (CA)
A.E. (p)                        CO                         UR           Shoot
ADAM Demo Cartridge (d)         CO                         UR           Demo
Alcazar the Forgotten Fortress  TG      TC-201      32     R    4.0/1   Adv
Alphabet Zoo                    SP  83  ABC-CV      16     R    3.0/2   Educ
Amazing Bumpman                 TG                  16     R    2.0/1   Educ
Antarctic Adventure (CA)        CO  84  2429        16     U    4.0/4   Drive
Aquattack                       IN  84  2-004       16     ER   3.0/1   Shoot
Artillery Duel                  XO  83  99022       16     R    4.5/4   Strat
Artillery Duel/Chuck Norris     XO  83  6233        16/16  UR     N/A
    Superkicks (double-end)
B.C.'s Quest for Tires (S)      SI  83  OTL-902     16     U    4.0/7   Adv
B.C.'s Quest for Tires II:      CO  84  2620        24     R    3.5/4   Adv
    Grog's Revenge (CA)
Beamrider                       AC  83  VS-003      16     U    4.6/5   Shoot
Blockade Runner                 IN  84  2-002       16     R    2.5/4   Shoot
Boulder Dash                    TG      TC203       16     ER           Ladder
Brainstrainers (CA)             CO      2696        16     R    2.0/2   Educ
Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom (CA) CO  83  2615        24     C    2.8/4   Shoot
Bump 'n' Jump (CA)              CO  84  2440    Do  24     U    3.4/5   Drive
Bump 'n' Jump (p)               MA      7575        16     UR           Drive
BurgerTime (CA)                 CO  84  2430        16     U    4.0/6   Ladder
BurgerTime (p)                  MA      7514               UR           Ladder
Cabbage Patch Kids              CO  84  2682        16     U    3.0/5   Adv
    Adventure in the Park (CA)
Cabbage Patch Kids Adventure    CO                  16     UR           Adv
    in the Park (p)
Cabbage Patch Kids Picture      CO  84  2600        32  X  R    2.0/3   Educ
    Show (CA)
Campaign '84                    SU  83  1604        16     ER   3.3/3   Strat
Carnival (C)                    CO  82  2445        16     C    3.3/7   Shoot
Centipede                       AT  83  70004   Ro  16     C    4.1/7   Shoot
Choplifter! (CA)                CO  84  2690        16     ER   3.8/4   Shoot
Chuck Norris Superkicks         XO  83              16     R    2.5/2   Adv
Congo Bongo (CA)                CO  84  2669        24     U    3.4/5   Ladder
Cosmic Avenger (C)              CO  82  2434        16     C    2.9/10  Shoot
Cosmic Crisis                   BC      PG901       16     UR           Maze
Cosmic Crisis                   TG                  16     R            Maze
Dam Busters, The (CA)           CO  84  2686        32  X  R    2.0/3   Shoot
Dance Fantasy                   FP      DCF-CV      16     ER   2.0/1   Educ
Decathlon                       AC  83  VS-006      16     U    3.5/6   Sport
Defender                        AT  83  70002       24     U    3.5/8   Shoot
Destructor (CA)                 CO  83  2602    D   32     U    2.7/7   Shoot
Dig Dug (p)                     AT                         UR   3.0/1   Maze
Dr. Seuss: Fix-Up the Mix-Up    CO  84  2699        16  X  R    3.0/3   Puzzle
    Puzzler (CA)
Donkey Kong (C/CA)              CO  82  2411               C    3.5/11  Ladder
Donkey Kong Junior (C)          CO  83  2601        16     C    4.1/9   Ladder
Dragonfire                      IM      O6611       16     R    3.0/1   Adv
Dukes of Hazzard (CA)           CO  84  2607    D   32     R    2.0/3   Drive
Escape From the Mindmaster (p)  EP  83  6200               UR
Evolution (CA)                  SY  83              16     R    4.0/2   Misc
Facemaker                       SP      FMK-CV      16  X  R    1.0/2   Educ
Fall Guy (p - CBS)              20              Do  16     UR           Drive
Fathom                          IM      O6205       16     R    3.0/1   Adv
Final Test Cartridge            CO                  16     UR   2.0/1   Demo
Flipper Slipper                 SV      SE291       16     R    2.0/1   Pinbll
Flying Brassieres (p)           AT                         UR           Shoot
Fortune Builder (CA)            CO  84  2681        32  X  R    4.3/4   Strat
Fraction Fever                  SP  83  FRF-CV      16     R    2.3/3   Educ
Frantic Freddie                 SV      SE232       16     R    3.0/1   Ladder
Frenzy (CA)                     CO  84  2613        24     U    4.3/6   Shoot
Frogger                         PB  83  9830        16     U    4.0/4   Ladder
Frogger II Threedeep!           PB  84  9990        16     R    2.8/5   Ladder
Front Line (CA)                 CO  83  2650    S   24  Y  U    2.8/5   Shoot
Galaxian                        AT  83  70006       32     ER   4.5/2   Shoot
Gateway to Apshai               EP  84  610R        16     R    3.4/5   Adv
Gorf (C)                        CO  83  2449        16     C    3.5/11  Shoot
Gust Buster                     SU      1601        16     ER   2.0/2   Adv
Gyruss                          PB  84  9980        16     R    4.2/6   Shoot
H.E.R.O.                        AC      VS-005      16     U    5.0/5   Shoot
Heist, The                      MF  83  MCL520      24     U    3.5/4   Chase
Illusions (CA)                  CO  84  2621        16     R    3.3/3   Split
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll         XO      99062       16     ER   1.0/2   Text
James Bond 007                  PB  83  9900        16     R    3.0/3   Adv
Joust (p)                       AT                         UR   4.0/1   Shoot
Juke Box                        SP      JUK-CV      16     R    3.0/2   Puzzle
Jumpman Junior                  EP      590R        16     U    4.5/6   Ladder
Jungle Hunt                     AT      70007       24     ER   3.7/3   Adv
Ken Uston Blackjack / Poker (C) CO  82  2439            X  C    2.7/7   Card
Kevtris                         CV  96                     ER   5.0/1   Puzzle
Keystone Kapers                 AC  84  VS-004      16     R    2.7/3   Chase
Kung Fu Superkicks              TG  83              16     R    3.0/1   Adv
Lady Bug (C)                    CO  82  2433        16     C    4.0/10  Maze
Learning with Leeper (S/W)      SI      LLL-901     16     R    2.5/2   Educ
Linking Logic                   FP  84  LNL-CV      16     ER   5.0/2   Educ
Logic Levels                    FP      LLV-CV      16     ER   5.0/1   Educ
Looping (C)                     CO  83  2603        16     C    3.0/9   Shoot
M*A*S*H (p - CBS)               20                  16     UR           Avoid
Make-A-Face                     SP                  16  X  UR   1.0/2   Educ
Masters of the Universe: The    MA  84  7759               UR
    Power of He-Man (p)
Masters of the Universe II (p)  MA  84                     UR
Memory Manor                    FP      MEM-CV      16     ER   3.0/1   Educ
Meteoric Shower                 BC  86              16     NA   2.7/3   Shoot
Miner 2049er                    MF  83  MCL521      24     C    3.9/7   Ladder
Mr. Do! (C/CA)                  CO  83  2622        24     C    3.9/10  Maze
Mr. Do!'s Castle                PB      A9820       16     R    4.5/4   Ladder
Monkey Academy (CA)             CO  84  2694        32     R    3.3/3   Educ
Montezuma's Revenge             PB  84  9660        16     U    4.3/6   Ladder
Moon Patrol (p)                 AT                         UR           Shoot
Moonsweeper                     IM  83  O6207       16     U    3.8/4   Shoot
Motocross Racer                 XO      99026       16     ER   3.0/3   Drive
Motocross Racer/Tomarc the      XO  83              16/16  UR     N/A
    Barbarian (double-end)
Mountain King                   SU  84  1605        16     ER   3.3/3   Ladder
Mouse Trap (C)                  CO  82  2419        16  X  C    3.6/10  Maze
Music Box Demo (d)              CO                  32     UR           Demo
Nova Blast                      IM  83  O6607       32     U    3.5/4   Shoot
Oil's Well (S)                  SI  83  OWL-901     16     R    3.8/4   Maze
Omega Race (CA)                 CO  83  2448    Ro  16     C    3.8/9   Shoot
One-On-One                      MF  84              24     R    3.0/1   Sport
Pac-Man (p)                     AT  83  70001              UR   5.0/1   Maze
Pepper II (C/CA)                CO  83  2605        16     C    3.4/8   Maze
Pitfall!                        AC  83  VS-001      16     U    3.2/5   Adv
Pitfall II                      AC  84  VS-008      16     U    3.5/2   Adv
Pitstop                         EP  83  600R    Do  16     U    3.0/6   Drive
Popeye                          PB  83  9810        16     C    3.3/10  Adv
Porky's (p)                     20                         UR
Power Grabber (p)               SY                         UR
Q*Bert                          PB  83  9800         8     C    4.2/10  Maze
Q*Bert's Qubes                  PB      9950        16     ER   5.0/3   Puzzle
Quest for Quintana Roo          SU  83  1603        16     R    3.7/3   Adv
River Raid                      AC  84  VS-002      16     U    3.4/5   Shoot
Robin Hood                      XO  83  99023       16     R    3.7/3   Adv
Robin Hood/Sir Lancelot         XO  83              16/16  UR     N/A
    (double-end)
Roc 'n Rope (CA)                CO  84  2668        24     U    3.6/5   Ladder
Rock 'n' Bolt                   TG      TC-202      16     R    5.0/1   Puzzle
Rocky Super Action Boxing (CA)  CO  83  2606    S   24  Y  C    3.3/6   Sport
Rolloverture                    SU      1602        16     ER   3.0/1   Puzzle
Root Beer Tapper (CA)           CO  84  2616        32     R    3.7/6   Shoot
Sammy Lightfoot (S)             SI      SLL-901     16     ER   3.0/2   Ladder
Schtroumpfs                     CB      4L1939      16     ER   3.1/9   Adv
Sector Alpha                    SV      SE220       24     ER   2.5/2   Shoot
Sewer Sam                       IN  84  2-001       24     ER   3.2/5   Shoot
Sir Lancelot                    XO  83  99024       16     ER   3.0/2   Adv
Sketch Master                   PP      G2500   P          UR   4.0/1   Educ
Skiing                          TG                  16     ER           Sport
Slither (CA)                    CO  83  2492    R   16     C    4.2/9   Shoot
Slurpy                          XO      99061       16     ER   2.5/2   Shoot
Smurf Paint 'n' Play            CO  84  2697        32  X  R    2.0/3   Educ
    Workshop (CA)
Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's      CO  82  2443        16     C    3.1/9   Adv
    Castle (C)
Space Fury (C)                  CO  82  2415        16     C    2.7/7   Shoot
Space Panic (C)                 CO  82  2447        16     C    2.6/8   Ladder
Spectron                        SV  83  SE234       16     R    3.5/2   Shoot
Spy Hunter (CA)                 CO  84  2617    So  32  Z  R    4.5/5   Drive
Squish'em featuring Sam         IN  84  2-003       16     U    3.7/3   Ladder
Star Trek: Strategic            CO  84  2680    So  24  Y  U    4.0/7   Shoot
    Operations Simulator (CA)
Star Wars: The Arcade Game      PB  84  9940        16     U    3.5/6   Shoot
Strike It                       TG                  16     R    2.0/1
Subroc (CA)                     CO  83  2614        24     C    2.4/9   Shoot
Super Action Baseball (C/CA)    CO  83  2491    S   32  Y  C    3.1/7   Sport
Super Action Football           CB              S       Y  ER           Sport
Super Action Football (CA)      CO  83  2422    S   32  Y  C    3.0/3   Sport
Super Action Soccer             CO              S   32  Y  ER           Sport
Super Cobra                     PB  83  9850         8     R    2.5/4   Shoot
Super Controller Test Cartridge CO                         UR           Test
Super Cross Force               SV      SE237       16     R    3.3/3   Shoot
Super Front Line Demo (p)       CO                         UR           Demo
Tank Wars                       BC      PG902       16     UR           Shoot
Tank Wars                       TG                  16     R            Shoot
Tarzan (CA)                     CO  84  2632        24     R    3.0/5   Adv
Telly Turtle (CA)               CO      2698        16     R    2.3/3   Educ
Threshold (S)                   SI  83  THQ903      16     ER   2.7/3   Shoot
Time Pilot (C/CA)               CO  83  2633        16     C    3.0/7   Shoot
Tomarc the Barbarian            XO      99025       16     ER   2.0/1   Adv
Tournament Tennis               IM  84  O6030       32     ER   3.0/1   Sport
Tunnels & Trolls (d)            CO      2441        32     UR           Demo
Turbo (C)                       CO  82  2413    D   16     C    2.9/9   Drive
Tutankham                       PB  83  9840        16     R    3.5/4   Adv
Up 'n Down                      SE  84  009-21      16     ER   4.7/3   Drive
Venture (C)                     CO  82  2417        16     C    3.9/10  Adv
Victory (CA)                    CO  83  2446    R   24     U    3.3/7   Shoot
Video Hustler (p - CBS)         KO                  16     UR   3.0/1   Pool
War Games (CA)                  CO  84  2632    R   24  X  C    3.9/7   Defend
War Room                        PR  83  2153CL  Ro  32  X  U    4.3/6   Defend
Wing War                        IM  83  O6209       16     U    4.3/4   Shoot
Wiz Math (W)                    SI      WML-900     16     ER   2.0/1   Educ
Word Feud                       XO      99060       16     ER   3.0/1   Educ
Yolk's on You (p - CBS)         20                  16     UR   3.0/1   Round
Zaxxon (C)                      CO  82  2435        24     C    3.2/9   Shoot
Zenji                           AC  84  VS-007      16     R    5.0/1   Puzzle

4.2) Carts believed -not- to exist

Coleco was infamous for not putting out advertised cartridges. Several of the carts were shown in the catalog that came with the ColecoVision. It is not known if the screen shots shown were simple artist renditions, or if somewhere an actual demo or prototype of the cartridges exist. - JC

Being in the toy business, Coleco was a marketing-driven company. All kinds of screens, demos, and such were developed to be shown at various trade shows (CES, Toy Fair) and if the wholesale buyers didn't bite, they wouldn't get produced. Additionally, the box art was *always* produced months before the real game art was even designed properly (due to the print lag time), so by the time the box was printed, the game art probably had changed significantly. - 56

In the specific case of 2010: The Graphic Action Game a brochure with a picture of a screen shot was produced before any coding had begun. - 65

The following cartridges, put out by the listed manufacturer, reportedly do not exist, even as a prototype or demo cart. Solid evidence of their existence would be greatly appreciated.

Name                         Manuf.  Number  Notes
================================================================================
005                             CO           (Unreleased)
9 to 5                          20           (Unreleased)
Air Defense                     OD   2153CL  (Released as War Room by PR?)
Alcazar the Forgotten Fortress  AC           (Only Telegames release exists)
Apple Cider Spider              SI           (Unreleased)
Aquatron                        IN           (Released as Aquattack?)
Armoured Assault                SV   SE232   (Unreleased)
Astro Chase                     PB   9860    (Unreleased)
Barbados Booty                  PB           (Unreleased)
Boulder Dash                    FS           (Only Telegames release exists)
Bung the Juggler                SY           (Wiz game - never finished)
Cabbage Patch Playground        CO           (Unreleased)
Capture the Flag                CO           (Unreleased)
Caverns and Creatures           OD   2147CL  (Unreleased)
Chess Challenger                CO   2438    (Unreleased)
Choplifter!                     BR           (Only Coleco release exists)
Circus Charlie                  PB           (Unreleased)
Crash Dive                      PB   66013   (Unreleased)
Crisis Mountain                 MF           (Unreleased)
Destruction Derby               CO           (Working title for Destructor?)
Dimensional Puzzles             CO           (Unreleased)
Dino Eggs                       MF           (Unreleased)
Domino Man                      CB   80013   (Unreleased)
Donkey Kong 3                   CO           (Unreleased)
Dot to Dot Zot!                 SY           (Unreleased)
Dracula                         CO   2608    (Unreleased)
Dragon's Lair                   CO           (Unreleased)
Dragonstomper                   ST   6400    (Unreleased)
Dungeons & Dragons IV           MA   7861    (Unreleased)
The Earth Dies Screaming        20           (Unreleased)
Flashlight                      MA   7863    (Unreleased)
Flashpoint                      OD   2148CL  (Unreleased)
Globe Grabber                   MF           (Unreleased)
Grog!                           SY           (Working title for B.C. II)
Head to Head Baseball           CO   2423    (Super Action BB released instead)
Head to Head Football           CO   2422    (Super Action FB released instead)
Horse Racing                    CO   2442    (Unreleased)
Hydroplane                      MA   7866    (Unreleased)
Illusions                       MA   7760    (Sold to Coleco for release)
Jawbreaker                      SI           (Unreleased)
Journey                         CO           (Unreleased)
Lord of the Dungeon             PR           (Unreleased)
Lunar Leeper                    SI           (Unreleased)
M.A.S.H. II                     PB   66015   (Unreleased)
Maddenness                      CB   80122   (Unreleased)
Magic Carpet                    MA   7865    (Unreleased)
Master Builder                  SV   SE233   (Unreleased)
Masters of the Universe         MA           (Unreleased)
Ms. Pac-Man                     AT           (Unreleased)
Missile Command                 AT           (Untested Prototype ROM exists!)
Mr. Cool                        SI           (Unreleased)
Mr. Turtle                      CO   2432    (Unreleased)
Mountain King                   CB           (Only Sunrise release exists)
Necromancer                     CO           (Unreleased)
Number Bumper                   SU           (Unreleased)
Pastfinder                      AC           (Unreleased)
Phaser Patrol                   ST   6100    (Unreleased)
Phoenix                         CO           (Unreleased)
Pink Panther                    PR   2152CL  (Unreleased)
PizzaTime                       MA   7864    (Unreleased)
Pole Position                   AT           (Unreleased)
Power Lords                     PR   2149CL  (Unreleased; advertisement exists)
Rainbow Walker                  CO           (Unreleased)
Rip Cord                        CO   2431    (Unreleased)
Rock 'n' Bolt                   AC           (Only Telegames release exists)
Round Up                        CO           (Unreleased)
Satan's Hollow                  CB           (Unreleased)
Scraper Caper                   TI           (Unreleased)
Short Circuit                   MF           (Unreleased)
Side Trak                       CO   2418    (Unreleased)
Silicon Warrior                 EP           (Unreleased)
Skiing                          CO   2436    (Only Telegames release exists)
Smurf Plan and Learn            CO   2444    (Unreleased)
Smurfette's Birthday            CO   2444    (Unreleased)
Spacemaster X-7                 20           (Unreleased)
Spectar                         CO   2421    (Unreleased)
Spook Maze                      SY           (Working title for Wiz Math)
Stunt Flyer                     SI           (Unreleased)
Summer Games                    EP           (Unreleased)
Sword & the Sorcerer            CO   2619    (Unreleased)
Tac-Scan                        CO   2635    (Unreleased)
Temple of Apshai                EP           (Unreleased)
Time Runner                     MF           (Unreleased)
Toy Bizarre                     AC           (Unreleased)
Wild Western                    CO           (Unreleased)
Wings                           CB           (Unreleased)
Wizard of Id's Adventure        SY           (Unreleased)
The Wizard of Oz                CO   2636    (Unreleased)
Wizard of Wor                   CB   2421    (Unreleased)
Wiz Lab                         SY           (Unreleased)
Wiz Music                       SY           (Unreleased)
Wiz Type                        SY           (Unreleased)
Wiz Words                       SY           (Unreleased)
Wiz World                       SY           (Unreleased)
Wrath of Quintana Roo           SU           (Unreleased)

4.3) CBS product numbers - 55

Coleco games for the European market were produced by CBS Electronics in England. The carts have the same size as the US ones, but the upper end has a different shape. There is a finger-thick indentation on each side, probably to make it easier to get the cart out of the system slot. The labels are black; on the upper half there's the CBS/Colecovision character and the name of the game. Below is a white box with a lot of writing, copyright and production information, the model number (4Lxxxx), and often the sentence "for use on pal-tv-system only". Sometimes the labels are multilingual.

Cartridge                                       Coleco #        CBS #
=========                                       ========        =====
2010: The Graphic Action Game                   2618            ???
Antarctic Adventure                             2429            ???
B.C.'s Quest for Tires II: Grog's Revenge       2620            ???
Brainstrainers                                  2696            ???
Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom                      2615            4L4448
Bump 'n' Jump                                   2440            ???
BurgerTime                                      2430            4L4454
Cabbage Patch Kids Adventure in the Park        2682            ???
Cabbage Patch Kids Picture Show                 2600            ???
Carnival                                        2445            4L2007
Choplifter!                                     2690            ???
Congo Bongo                                     2669            ???
Cosmic Avenger                                  2434            4L2024
Dam Busters, The                                2686            ???
Destructor                                      2602            4L4460
Dr. Seuss: Fix-Up the Mix-Up Puzzler            2699            ???
Donkey Kong                                     2411            4L1922
Donkey Kong Junior                              2601            4L1980
Dukes of Hazzard                                2607            ???
Fortune Builder                                 2681            ???
Frenzy                                          2613            4L4311
Front Line                                      2650            ???
Gorf                                            2449            4L1905
Illusions                                       2621            ???
Ken Uston Blackjack / Poker                     2439            ???
Lady Bug                                        2433            4L2039
Looping                                         2603            4L2330
Mr. Do!                                         2622            4L2073
Monkey Academy                                  2694            ???
Mouse Trap                                      2419            4L1990
Omega Race                                      2448            4L4305
Pepper II                                       2605            4L1878
Roc 'n Rope                                     2668            ???
Rocky Super Action Boxing                       2606            4L4254
Root Beer Tapper                                2616            ???
Slither                                         2492            4L4255
Smurf Paint 'n' Play Workshop                   2697            ???
Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle / Schtroumpfs 2443            4L1939
Space Fury                                      2415            4L1998
Space Panic                                     2447            4L1952
Spy Hunter                                      2617            ???
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator       2680            ???
Subroc                                          2614            ???
Super Action Baseball                           2491            ???
Super Action Football                           2422            ???
Super Action Soccer / Super Action Football     ???             4L4505
Tarzan                                          2632            ???
Telly Turtle                                    2698            ???
Time Pilot                                      2633            ???
Tunnels & Trolls                                2441            ???
Turbo                                           2413            4L2057
Venture                                         2417            4L1973
Victory                                         2446            4L4065
War Games                                       2632            ???
Zaxxon                                          2435            4L1956

4.4) Cartridge Tidbits, Tips, and Easter Eggs:

2010: The Graphic Action Game -

Jim Wolf and two colleagues included an easter egg in the game which causes their names to scroll across the screen. To see it, power up all 5 communication circuits in skill level 5 before powering up any other circuits, then squeeze both firing buttons simultaneously. - 65

Alcazar the Forgotten Fortress -

This game was designed by Activision, but never released by them. All known copies were released by Telegames, but with a combined Activision/Telegames label.

B.C.'s Quest for Tires II: Grog's Revenge -

The following secret codes can be used to change levels: - 17
    Mountain 1:   2,2 in cave 3
                  3,3 in cave 5
                  4,4 in cave 1
                  5,5 in cave 1

    Mountain 2:   2,2 in cave 1
                  2,3 in cave 1
                  4,4 in cave 1
                  4,5 in cave 5
                  6,2 in cave 10
                  7,8 in cave 5

    Mountain 3:   3,1 in cave 5  (hint: "as easy as pi", ie. 3.1415925)
                  4,1 in cave 7
                  5,9 in cave 8
                  2,5 in cave 8
[Editor's note: I just realized - for whatever reason, the value of pi given here is wrong. It's 3.14159265; the last digit should thus be 6, or perhaps 7 if rounding, but not 5.]

Blockade Runner -

Need the manual - 01

Bump 'n' Jump -

Pales in comparison to Intellivision version, with off-key music, washed-out colors, sluggish control, unforgiving collision detection, and other errors and annoyances. - 20
There is a bonus of 50,000 points when you complete a level without bumping off any emery cars. You can also cheat by speeding up at the very beginning of a level and jumping off to the side of the screen where you can't see your car. Landing there, you can cruise through the whole level without doing anything. If you play it to a million the letter G appears by the number of guys you have left. You can now have infinate lives for one or two levels. - 60

BurgerTime -

After completing the first round of boards, the game speeds up. Thus, pepper is in short supply as well as your patience. Includes six boards, two _more_ than the arcade version (the Intellivision version actually includes still two more). Based upon the arcade game by Data East. - 24 To do well at BurgerTime, you need to let your Chefs get killed when you have an excess and reserve you peppers till when you really need to use them. It is much easier to gain extra lives than it is to build up a big supply of peppers. Extra lives come quickly and easily in the game, peppers don't. Go to the screen where there are two long ladders on the right side of the screen. Use this screen to build up your supply of peppers. Enemies can be easily avoided on this level. Just run around avoiding enemies and wait for peppers to pop up and grab them. Do this over and over until you have an ample supply then finish level. If you let yourself get killed instead of using up all your peppers to stay alive you can play this game for as long as you like. The hardest part of the game is that it is impossible to fake out the enemies by going one way and then switching directions. They never fall for it. - 60

Cabbage Patch Kids Adventure in the Park -

Prototype is an enhanced version of the released product, not a predecessor. - JH

Carnival -

Shoot the hardest targets (pipes and letters) first; once you get down to a few targets the ducks come out in volume, leaving little time or ammunition to shoot the harder stuff. - JC
Based upon the arcade game Sega. - 24

Centipede -

Atarisoft made a perfect port of Centipede for ColecoVision. With roller controller, you have the arcade version at home! Based upon the arcade game by Atari. - 24 In the Centipede cart rom, there is a message at the end of the code:

        IF YOU ARE READING THIS, AND YOU WORK AT COLECO,
        THEN PLEASE TELL GEORGE KISS I SAID HELLO.  THANKS.

                                   SINCERELY, LARRY CLAGUE

        PROGRAMMED BY:              L CLAGUE
        GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION BY:  L CLAGUE
        SOUND DATA SUPPLIED BY:     A FUCHS
        START DATE:                 04/20/83
        COMPLETION DATE:            08/23/83 - 31

Chess Challenger -

From the catalog: - 24
Chess Challenger by Fidelity (Chess Challenger (C) 1977) Strategy Game Cartridge #2438
This game uses the World Champion Chess programs by Fidelity. Plan your defense with care -- the computer is a formidable opponent. But don't get too confident -- he'll never play the same way again!

Chuck Norris Superkicks -

Also released as Kung Fu Superkicks, by Telegames. - JC

Congo Bongo -

Based upon the arcade game by Sega. - 24

Cosmic Avenger -

With some skill, you can make the homing missile that come at you strike the UFO's by dodging the missile so it goes in front of you, then moving up and down, using it like a guided missile. - JC
For a completely different gaming experience, trying seeing how long you can survive using bombs _only_. - JH
Based upon the arcade game by Universal. - 24

The Dam Busters -

This game is damn near impossible without the manuals - 01
Survival tips:
Don't fly over the icons on the map. These are German bases that will throw up a bunch of flak.
Don't let your engines overheat, turn down the throttle after takeoff.
If an engine catches fire extinguish it and shut down the corresponding one on the other wing. If you don't the Lanc. will be difficult to control. Don't do this a second time.
You must come in at a certain altitude and airspeed to drop the bomb. Don't forget to get the bomb spinning or the indicators will not come up on the pilot's window.
Be certain to retract the landing gear after takeoff.
To shake fighters, try a corkscrew maneuver (downward spiral). - 17
Barnes Wallace, who was involved with the WW II Lancaster Dambusters, was the technical consultant for the game. - 57

Dig Dug -

Programming of this game was completed. - 53
All-in-all, the ColecoVision version of this classic was reasonable. Given that I'm not the world's foremost authority on Dig Dug, it doesn't really seem to stand out from the Intellivison or Atari 5200 versions. - JH

Defender -

Since the ColecoVision could not handle scrolling very well due its electronic design, the scrolling leaves Defender to be desired. However, it keeps true to the Williams arcade game. - 24

Donkey Kong -

Move Mario up the first broken ladder then bring him back down, walk him to the left so that his back is almost touching the same broken ladder, and then move him a step of two to the right and jump. Depending on the version you have, he'll fall through the bottom and land in screen 2, or after several seconds he'll appear on the top girder next to Kong. This apparently doesn't work with all versions of the cartridge. - JC
In the 3rd screen, get to the top right hand part of the screen where the purse is. Below is a short ladder, get right above it and wiggle up & down, you'll fall through the metal floor. - JC
When climbing up or down any ladder, you can move at super speed by pausing momentarily (allowing the joystick to center), and then continuing your climb. - JC
Perfect port of the original game except for two flaws. First, Donkey Kong is on the wrong side of the first board (easy for anyone to pick up). Second, there is no mudpie level which means the rivet and elevator (with no "bouncing springs") levels are repeated. Based upon the arcade game by Nintendo. - 24
You can score for jumping when underneath a rolling barrel. On the fourth girder (one level below Donkey Kong), wait until a barrel one level above comes to the lower end of the girder. As it comes across, follow it, and jump while underneath it. - 24
On the elevator screen, go up to donkey kong instead of climbing the ladder. He won't kill you; you could climb the second ladder and jump around him and make his face turn brown. - 48

Donkey Kong Jr. -

Uses the same music for the key-n-lock level as used for the final level on Popeye for ColecoVision. Based upon the arcade game by Nintendo. - 24
In the screen containing pelicans, you can actually climb through the dirt. To do so, get underneath a patch of dirt, and climb all the way up to the dirt. At that point, move Donkey Kong Jr. left, right, and left again. You can then climb right through the dirt. - 32
On the springboard birds screen, jump to the top ledge on the right of the screen, and approach the gap. Walking off the ledge, Junior grabs an invisible vine that let you climb up to the celing in midair. - 48

Dot to Dot Zot! -

Originally created for the Nabu Home Computer network, a ColecoVision conversion was rumored but never completed. - 17

Dragon's Lair -

Right before the crash, Coleco had the rights to Dragon's Lair, and was going to release an expansion unit to let you hook up an LD player. The idea was the controller would be the ColecoVision, and you could play Dragon's Lair in its entirety. - 16
A version of Dragon's Lair was released for ADAM. - JH

Dungeons & Dragons IV -

The Intellivision D&D game then in development, Tower of Mystery, was the third D&D game from Mattel, so apparently this game was envisioned as an original. Started 11/28/83. - 36

Epyx games -

Two case variants, one has a normal rounded case end and the other has a tapered end much like Imagic carts. Gateway To Apshai is normally the regular case and the other two normally have tapered cases." - 01

Escape From the Mindmaster -

Of note: the startup screen is an EPYX screen, not an Arcadia or Starpath screen, so this effort apparently occured after Starpath had been acquired by Epyx. - 5

Facemaker -

It's Mr. Potato-Head on a cartridge! - 01
Also released as Make-A-Face. - JC

Flashlight -

Conversion of an Intellivision/Atari game then in development. Scheduled start: 12/19/83. - 36

Flying Brassieres -

Never intended for release, this prototype is actually a privately burned variation upon Moon Patrol, with a different variety of objects (including bras) to shoot at. - 22

Fortune Builder -

The mother of all Sim* games! But you need both the manual and the "Strategy Guide" to play - 01
And the overlays certainly don't hurt, either. - JH

Frenzy -

Pressing "#" during the game resets the game. - 24
Killing Otto in the Big Otto maze is a deadly mistake - Big Otto sends out hordes of super-fast Ottos to get you. - 24

Frogger -

Perfect port of the arcade game by Sega. - 24

Frontline -

You can get away with using a normal controller by hitting 1-2-3 at once on the keypad to launch a grenade/get into the tank - 01
You can move through the holes in the wall by rotating and pushing forward at the same time. - JC

Galaxian -

The following dedication is coded into the ROM for the cart:
    DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE
    I LOVE YOU JENEANE (sp?) - 08

Gateway to Apshai -

Manual helpful but not necessary - 01

Gorf -

Loses points for not having the "Galaxian" stage like the arcade game. - 01
The "Galaxian" stage for Gorf was programmed by Jim Wolf and Joe Clark at Nuvatec, Inc., but was dropped by Coleco to keep the cartridge to 16K. - 65
Based upon the arcade game by Bally/Midway. - 24

Horse Racing -

From the catalog: - 24
Horse Racing by Fidelity (Original copyright is (C) 1982) Casino Game Cartridge #2442
They're off and running! Watch the board as the odds change. The horses start out of the gate -- then jockey for position on the straightaway. Which horse will win ... place ... show? For the next race, the computer changes the entries and if you want, even the track conditions! It's a different race every time!

Hydroplane -

A point-of-view speedboat race, based on an Intellivision game in development at the time. Program start 11/21/83. - 36

Illusions -

Very surreal game once you figure out what to do... - 01
And it makes -no- sense until you do... - JH

Journey -

In 1983, Electronic Games magazine reported that Coleco had purchased exclusive rights to the Bally/Midway Journey arcade game (not to be confused with Journey Escape for the 2600). - 38

Joust -

Programming was completed for this game. - 53
I've had one report that Joust was released, but absolutely no independent confirmation of this. I have played the completed prototype, and it's quite good - better than the 5200 or NES versions, IMHO. The control is a bit less responsive than I'd like, and the version I played had no sound, but it's still the best of what I've always considered a weak lot of conversions. - JH

Ken Uston's Blackjack/Poker -

Very good party game to play with friends. Overlays are a bit helpful during a Blackjack game but not all that neccessary for a Poker game. Up to 4 players at a time. - TC

Kung Fu Superkicks -

Also released as Chuck Norris Superkicks, by Xonox. - JC

Lady Bug -

This is (IMHO) the BEST arcade conversion available on the ColecoVision. - 18
Based upon the arcade game by Universal. - 24

Linking Logic -

Imagine this: a man on a pedestal sitting on the left side of the TV screen. You, his faithful fowl pet, are sitting on the other side on a similar pedestal at the same height. Your mission: help your master make it through the room maze using parts lying around. Can you fly around placing the parts in the right spots before your master sets foot into the maze?
Like Sierra On-line's "The Incredible Machine," you must place the parts (such as a ladder or crossover board) to help your master safely pass through the maze. You have a limited amount of time, though, because the pedestals raise up every few seconds. When it gets to the top floor, your master will go through the maze.
Designed by Freida Lennekerker. - 24

Looping -

Similar to the later game, Sopwith, for PC, you fly a plane around the screen and shoot at things. What Sopwith lacked in graphics, this game lacked in gameplay. Based upon the arcade game by Venture Line. - 24

Magic Carpet -

Scheduled to begin 2/6/84. Since the Nice group continued working after 1/20/84, it's possible that a playable version of this game was developed. - 36

Make-A-Face -

Also released as Facemaker. - JC
Listed as a pirated version in the Digital Press Price Guide. - JH

Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man -

Programmed by Steve Roney, based upon the original Atari version of the game. The game was completed just before Mattel Electronics closed down, but was never released. - 36

Masters of the Universe II -

Being programmed by Eric del Sesto based upon the original Intellivision version (which was never released by Mattel, but instead reworked by INTV Corp. using different characters and released as Diner, a sequel to BurgerTime). Unfinished. - 36

Meteoric Shower -

Not released as a cartridge, the game is only available in the built in version that comes with the Telegames Personal Arcade. - JH

Missile Command -

A playable version was never developed. Only a title screen was created. - 53

Mr. Do! -

If you drop two adjacent apples and get crushed by the first one, you are squished but don't die. You then have to restart the game. - JC
The pause button is "*". Hit it once for a blank screen with repetitious music; hit is twice more to begin play again. Based upon the arcade game by Universal. - 24
You can fire through thin walls at short distance in Mr. Do!, and can freeze all enemies by taking the "treat" in the middle when the Extra apple at the top of the screen is on a red letter. - 54

Mr. Do!'s Castle -

In order to get the most alphamonsters in "Mr. Do!'s Castle", hit one or two of the key blocks with your hammer as you cross the board. After destroying all the monsters except for two or three, you can hit the last key block and run up to the top of the board and stand near the door. Wait for the unicorns to get near you and get the door "prize" and hammer away! This was an old arcade trick I used quite frequently, and it still works for this game.
In "Castle", red unicorns are the tamest ones. Green unicorns are a bit wilder, and both red and green unicorns can be knocked down a level. However, the blue unicorns are the meanest, and a lone unicorn will double into two blue unicorns if it gets stuck in a hole or cannot find you. This can work to your advantage if you have reached the door "prize" and let a lone unicorn get stuck in a hole. When it doubles and turns blue, they will immediately come up to you at the top of the castle so you can grab the prize and knock two of the letters out really quickly.
"Castle" is the best arcade translation of all the ColecoVision games. It also proves that Coleco's version of Mr. Do! could have been better, looking like a rush job in comparison. However, both Mr. Do! games are worth getting because they have a lot of replayability in them. - 24
Most boards have sections with skulls such that you can kick a ladder away, leaving only one path for the unicorns to approach from. To take maximum advantage of these setups, do the following:
1) Knock out the frontmost skull (on the side enemies will approach from).
2) Hammer the frontmost cherry.
3) As red unicorns approach, simply knock them through the hole. There's no need to waste the skull traps on them, since they are easy to deal with.
4) When a lone green unicorn lands in the hole, knock it through. It will turn purple, but don't worry! Back up to the next cherry, and hammer it as the newly formed purple unicorn dashes forward, crushing it.
5) Back up and repeat the process until there are no cherrys left, several green unicorns approach at once, or one or more purple unicorns storm into the trap. As soon as there are purples approaching, continue retreating and hammer free any remaining cherries, then hit the final skull to kill all squirming purples as well as any unicorns unfortunate enough to be standing below the platform.
With good timing, it is possible to hammer a unicorn that is rising out of a hole just as the new block forms, and kill it (or knock it back into the hole if it is a purple one). This is helpful when you are cornered in a tight spot.
To maximize the number of letters you catch on any given stage, try the following strategy:
1) Hammer two of the keys, leaving the key closest to the top of the screen.
2) Hammer as many holes as you can while luring the unicorns downwards, until you have a free path from the third key to the magic door at the top of the screen. Avoid killing the unicorns unless necessary.
3) Hit the final key, and immediately dash to the top of the screen, turning the unicorns into letters. The longer you wait after grabbing the third key before touching the magic door, the shorter the period of time that the unicorns will remain as letters. Conversely, if you do it quickly, the unicorns will remain letters for a very long time!
4) The letters will flee towards the bottom of the screen. Chase them, dropping down the holes you already made whenever possible (this is quicker than climbing down ladders, and better yet you can land on top of letters and squish them).
With this method (even on the difficult levels later in the game), you can easily grab 3 or more letters per screen. It's even possible to get a full "EXTRA" all on one stage! - 45
Mr. Do!'s Castle contains a bug in the programming which provides infinite lives when triggered. Norman Sippel describes how he once triggered it:
"During scene 3, there was one last red unicorn to destroy. I grabbed the prize at the top of the castle right after I hit the third key block, and went to the second floor. I was going to hit the letter enemy with a block but instead fell through the hole, squashing him."
"When he squashed, it was on level one. The letter "X" completed my "E-X-T-R-A", and the game paused with music. When it came back, the guy was resquashed--this time he came out of the prize door on level seven and fell down into level six. I thought "no sweat" because I still had two lives left."
"During the next level, I died twice. I thought "Game Over" but instead the game continued on. After dying again, I realized I triggered off the infinite lives bug."
"The game messes up at level 32 in numbering levels. It goes like this:
31 -> 3: -> 3; -> 42... (normal counting)... 46 -> 42... (normal)... 53
"I was on level 53 when I quit. I was stuck on it because I killed off the last unicorn, but the game messed up when I hit it over the head with a block. Instead of going to the next board, the monster and block became a blotch on the screen (covering up a window) and I was free to terrorize at will. By accident, I trapped myself out of the last cherry to complete the board." - 24

Mr. Turtle -

From the catalog: - 24
Mr. Turtle (TM)
Action Game Cartridge
#2432
Mr. Turtle (TM) comes to life on the screen, but needs your help on his treasure hunt. His goal is to collect the prizes that are located on both land and under water. But -- each prise is guarded by an animal, some firece, some funny. Mr. Turtle (TM) must outwit the creatures to obtain each treasure and score points.
Coleco had produced Mr.Turtle pool toys before the idea of this game, the idea for the game probably came from this. - TC

Mouse Trap -

Since there's no pause feature in this game, you can trap yourself in one of the rooms if you need a break. You can also trap the cats in rooms to make it easier for you to do the maze. - JC
The keypad gets in the way of the gameplay. The 2600 version is more fun because it has one button, but Coleco could have chosen to make the doors open using one button and eating the biscuit being the other button. Based upon the arcade game by Exidy. - 24
Also if you are in a big hurry to get a door open and you press the wrong number on the keypad, its lights out for you :) - TC

Nice Ideas -

At one time a division of Mattel Electronics located in Nice, France. Due to French laws, Mattel was not allowed to shut down their Nice office on January 20, 1984 with the rest of Mattel Electronics - instead, they were required to find a buyer for the division. The programmers stayed on the Mattel payroll working on their games until finally the division found investors that enabled them to buy the operation themselves, renaming it Nice Ideas. They sold two of their completed Intellivision games to INTV Corp. and three of their completed ColecoVision games (Bump 'n' Jump, BurgerTime and Illusions) to Coleco. - 36

Nuvatec, Inc. -

Nuvatec, Inc., located in Downers Grove, IL, programmed several games for the ColecoVision under contract including Turbo, Cosmic Avenger, Gorf, Slither, Time Pilot, Looping, 2010: The Graphic Action Game, and Frontline. - 65

Omega Race -

If you use Roller Controller for the two play game, you will make both ships mirror the other's actions. One RC controls both ships! Based upon the arcade game by Bally/Midway. - 24
In a one play game, rotate your ship so that it points straight up or down, and thrust until you bump into one of the walls. You will then keep bouncing between the top and bottom, and can rotate your ship toward the right hand side of the screen, and fire away. Works well until you get to higher levels. - 54

Parker Brothers -

There are two boxes used by Parker Bros. One is the typical "boxed" game with two box parts that open up to reveal the game and instructions. The other is a clone of the standard Coleco box with Parker Bros. written on it instead. - 24
Parker Bros. used the same serial numbers for their games around the world with one exception--for foreign release, a "A" was added to the serial number of the game. - 24

Pac-Man -

Has the same aspect ratio as the 2600 (and 5200 - JH) version; plays really well, and maintains all the bonuses and intermissions. The title screen includes a neat dissolve-in of "Pac Man". Atari did not release the cartridge because of their advertising campaign at the time, which boasted "you will only be able to play Pac-Man on the Atari!". - 53
The _best_ home version of Pac-Man I've ever played. Scores over the competition on the basis of:
2600 - absolutely everything (no big surprise)
5200 - better detail (the ghosts have eyes) and better control
NES - better control (which outweighs the aspect ratio and attract screen advantages of the NES version in my opinion)
Seems to be 100% complete and ready for release. - JH

Pepper II -

Graphics are very similar to those of the unreleased Side Trak. Based upon the arcade game by Exidy. - 24
Nice game though can easily be rolled over. - TC

Pitfall! -

You can walk through some walls by jumping at them. - JC

PizzaTime -

The _real_ sequel to BurgerTime, started 1/3/84. Since the Nice group continued working after 1/20/84, it's possible that a playable version of this game was developed. - 36

Popeye -

Very good port, but the characters needed a bit more detail (which I'm sure the ColecoVision could have handled). On the other hand, this is the only port I know of which has the Sea Hag and Sweet Pea. Based upon the arcade game by Nintendo. - 24

Porky's -

The cartridge shell looks like a bare Epyx/Spinnaker style case, with a plain white rectangular hand written label. Inside, there is a standard board with 2 EPROMs.
The start up screen is all blue, with a 1983 "Fox Electronics" copyright notice, and skill options at the bottom of the screen. According to a guy who has the Porky's programmer for an instructor, he never made a 2600 port, so that was done after he had left.
The game play is similar to the 2600, only with better graphics and sounds (yes, the female showering looks more female). The first Screen is the Frogger-like sequence in the same order, just with improved graphics. The second screen is the "pole-valut-over-the-lake" screen. You still have to build the ladder wrung by wrung; and Porky is himself is walking around the ledges beneath the ladders. Porky is particularly well-animated--with a black ten-gallon hat, white T-shirt, blue jeans, and a cigarette in his mouth.
The third screen, the "girls shower room" had the girl scrubbing up in the shower, she was slightly more rounded and womanlike than the 2600 version; the silhouette was dark gray, and the shower curtain light gray. When Mrs. Ballbricker comes after you, she is also well-done; with gray hair, a green shirt, and blue pants. She also clearly has tweezers she is pinching in the air. Only two different objects can be retreived from the shower room to stop the objects in the Frogger-like screen: the detonator, and either a coil of rope or a fork or a wrench. These objects alternate for each row of the first screen; the first object stopped the odd rows, the second the even rows.
In the last screen, "The girders beneath Porky's", still had Porky walking around, making a nusciance out of himself, and it still had those annoying arrows supposedly to point you in the right direction to climb.
The only problem with the game is that after getting past the locker room screen to the screen underneath Porky's--you cannot go anyplace. - 01, 43

Q*Bert -

Just like the arcade game by Gottlieb. - 24
Playing this game after a long game of Q*Bert's Qubes can be rather frustrating because of the difference in gameplay and the speed of gameplay. - TC

Q*Bert's Qubes -

Very fun puzzle game. As Q*Bert moves, he turns six-sided cubes around. To win a level, you need to match up tic-tac-toes of cubes. The "Coily"-like mouse will chase you around the diamond playfield, but will fall of if he lands on a turning cube. Sam and Slick are a real pain on the higher levels. The pause button is "0". Based upon the arcade game by Mylstar.

Level One -- Two sides orange, four sides blue Win 1 tic-tac-toe

Level Two -- Three sides orange, three sides blue (1st two screens) Six colors (white, red, blue, orange, yellow, green) (3rd and 4th screens) Win 1 tic-tac-toe

Level Three -- Six colors and win 2 tic-tac-toes

Level Four -- Six colors and win 3 tic-tac-toes

Level Five -- Six colors, win 1 tic-tac-toe, but you can undo completed cubes

The label on the cart is the logo of Q*Bert's Qubes with no picture of Q*Bert or the playfield. Unlike the first Q*Bert, the label is designed to be read while inserted into the ColecoVision on the correct side. (Q*Bert's Qubes & Mr. Do!'s Castle are the only two Parker Brothers releases with this style of label design. - JH) - 24

If you'd like to try the arcade version, there was one up and running at HersheyPark (Hershey, PA) as of 1994. The ColecoVision version is a wonderful port. - JH

To skip to level 2 of gameplay, press the '#' key on the keypad at the level select screen. -TC

To make lines go down the screen on the beginning of any level when the cubes flash, (use super action controller) press down all 4 buttons on the controller. The cubes also dissapear and the gameplay is slowed down. -TC

Quest for Quintana Roo -

Manual helpful but not necessary - 01

Rip Cord -

From the catalog: - 24
Rip Cord (TM) by Exidy (Original game copyright is (C) 1978)
Arcade Game Cartridge
#2431
This sky diving game puts you in charge of a parachutist. You've got to time his jump, and allow him to free fall as long as you dare. Then, pull his rip cord, and get him to land exactly on one of the targets. But watch out - the sky is full of dangerous helicopters.

Roc 'n Rope -

Based upon the arcade game by Konami. - 24

Root Beer Tapper -

When at the end of bar grabbing a tip, just tap the joystick and you instantly appear back at the front of the bar. - JC

Sammy Lightfoot -

Plays just like the old Apple II version. This should _not_ be taken as a compliment... B^) - JH

Schtroumpfs -

A French release of Smurf Rescue. - JH

Side Trak -

From the catalog: - 24
Side Trak (TM) by Exidy (Original game copyright is (C) 1979)
Arcade Game Cartridge
#2418
You must direct the locomotive down the track and pick up passengers along the way. In doing so, you must avoid a deadly runaway train that is out to demolish your locomotive! Can you stay on the track and score?

Skiing (Coleco) -

From the catalog: - 24
Skiing
Sports Game Cartridge
#2436
See the course right through the skier's goggles! He must race down the snow covered slopes, nogotiating the sharp curves with precision and avoiding the treacherous moguls, trees, and other obstacles. His goal is to traverse the course and reach the finish in record time!

Skiing (Telegames) -

Telegames Skiing does not have the same graphics as the Coleco Skiing which was in the introductory catalog. Whereas Coleco's catalog showed a 1st-person perspective, Telegames' Skiing is more like Activision Skiing for the Atari 2600. - 08

Slither -

Based upon the arcade game by Century II. - 24

Smurf Play and Learn -

From the catalog: - 24
Smurf Play and Learn Cartridge by Peyo (Smurf (TM) Peyo (C) 1982)
Play & Learn Cartridge
#2444
This educational cartridge with Smurf (TM) characters bring basic learning concepts to the screen and encourages children to solve the problems and situations. Their zany antics make learning fun!

Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle -

At the last screen with the skull and Smurfette, leave the room and Smurfette will drop her dress. - JC
If you come up to a hard screen, go back to the screen you just came through, and then return - the screen will change shape each time, so you can do it until an easier one appears. - JC
On game 4, move back and forth between screens 1 & 2 for about a minute, and you'll receive 919,500 points. - JC
The original cartridge was created not by Peyo (the originator of the Smurfs), but by Belokapi, a French company. - 61

Space Fury -

Save the best dock for last, since you'll be stuck with it for the rest of the game. - JC
If you wanted to get a feel for some of the docks during the game, pick a dock to use and then when you come back to the bonus docking screen, let the time run out and you can use the dock you still have. BTW, you can change docks next time you come to that screen. - TC

Space Panic -

The stupidest game I have ever played, IMHO. Why would you want to dig holes, let a monster fall in, and they fall down a level and die? Stupid! Based upon the arcade game by Universal. - 24

Spectar -

From the catalog: - 24
Spectar (TM) by Exidy (Original game copyright is (C) 1980)
Arcade Game Cartridge
#2421
You must direct an armoured car through a tangled maze - negotiating sharp turns at high speeds. But as you traverse the terrain, a variety of tank-like vehicles emerge to attack and destroy your car.

Spy Hunter -

At the fork in the road, the left path give's you the oil supply truck, and the right gives you the missiles. You can use the supply truck as a weapon by not entering it and moving it back and forth so it collides with your enemies. When in the boat, it's safer to stick to the right; you don't get attacked as much and that's the side the exit is on. - JC

Squish'em featuring Sam -

If you like 20th Century Fox's 2600 game "Fast Eddie," you will like Squish'em. It has similar gameplay plus has, IMHO, the first "sound- byte" included in it. Sam actually talks to you (i.e., "Ouch!" "Wow!"). It's worth the price of admission! Also of note is the fact the cart has a hanger built into it. - 24

The following dedication is coded into the ROM for the cart:

This space dedicated to all those hackers who program in 8K but are given 16K and to all accountants who want 15K promos - 8

Star Wars: The Arcade Game -

Explosion of death star not as impressive as other versions - 01

Subroc -

Sega could not decide whether to make a submarine or an airplane game. So they compromised. Based upon the arcade game by Sega. - 24
This game is highly underrated and if you like this game, try using the Super Action controller to play. It gives an arcade feel and can get you feeling in the zone easily. -TC

Super Action Football (CBS) -

This is equivalent to Coleco's Super Action Soccer. - JH

Super Action Football (Coleco) -

My copy of the instructions give the part number as 2422 - the intended number (per the ColecoVision catalog) for Head to Head Football. - JH

Super Cobra -

"Missing levels" - 01

Sydney Development -

While Sydney only released one game on their own (Evolution), they were a major player in the ColecoVision arena. Many, many games were created or translated for ColecoVision by Sydney. Among these:
River Raid
Keystone Kapers
B.C.'s Quest for Tires
B.C.'s Quest for Tires II: Grog's Revenge
Wiz Math
The Dam Busters
The company survived past the video game market crash by switching over to the Commodore 64 and IBM PC. - 17

Tac-Scan -

The first two stages of Tac-Scan were completed at Nuvatec, Inc., by Jim Wolf and Joe Clark before Coleco instructed that all work on it be stopped. - 65

Tarzan -

If you are low on energy, keep punching the hunter at the campsite until you are at full strength. - JC
Designed by Lawrance Schick - 51

Time Pilot -

"Handles like its constipated" - 01
Different feel using the ColecoVision controller than the arcade game, which was put out by Konami. - 24
The Roller Controller works much better; with it, Time Pilot has the feel of the original. - 20

Tunnels & Trolls -

Only contains opening title. - JC
From the catalog: - 24 Tunnels & Trolls (TM) by Flying Buffalo, Inc. (T&T (C) 1975)
Fantasy Game Cartridge
#2441
Your expedition involves your entrance into a dungeon made up of hallways and chambers. But -- the underground is populated by monsters. Choose to fight or run! Select a weapon, cast magic spells or use your wits to defeat the monsters and claim the treasures! For one to four players.

Turbo -

Based upon the arcade game by Sega. - 24

Unnamed Shoot-em-up Space Game -

Jim Wolf programmed an original shoot-em-up space game which never got released. It consisted of a top-down view of a spacefighter flying through fields of asteroids looking for enemy fighters to shoot down. Additional obstacles included an occasional meteor tumbling down from the top of the screen at high speed, and lethal electric "fences" which suddenly appeared between two enemy space stations masquerading as two meteors lazily floating through space. - 65

Venture -

Move in and out of a room several times very fast, and a demon outside will appear from nowhere and kill you. - JC
Based upon the arcade game by Exidy. - 24

Victory -

Based upon the arcade game by Exidy. - 24
The CBS release of Victory has the Quarks (and other features) that were missing in the Coleco release. - 40

Video Hustler -

Nearly finished. - JC

War Games -

"Need the manual" - 01
Roller Controller is used for 2 player game only. - JH

War Room -

"Manual helpful but not necessary" - 01

Wing War -

Though it is not exactly known what triggers the egg, the designers initials appear in the sky. - JC

Wiz Type -

A Commodore 64 version was finished, but buried by Sierra. The ColecoVision version was never done. - 17

Zaxxon -

Based upon the arcade game by Sega. - 24
Tips from ColecoVision Experience magazine:
As each round opens, your ship approaches the first asteroid, which is topped by a high wall. To avoid crashing into the wall, use your laser cannon to confirm your flight path. Since the laser cannon fires straight ahead, the position where your shots detonate indicates the path of your ship. If your opening shots strike the wall, move until they pass through the center area of the wall's opening. This will ensure that you enter the asteroid safely.
As you fly along the surface of the asteroid, stay low enough (about the first mark on the altimeter scale at left) to hit the turrets and tanks on the asteroid surface. Keep to the left as much as possible, destroying enemy turrets first, and fuel tanks after you've eliminated the turrets that defend them. The turrets fire both forward and sideways, and theirmissiles move rapidly, so you'll almost certainly be hit if you get close to a turret without destroying it. Fire at the turrets from a distance, then weave back to the right to hit fuel tanks. Remember to keep an eye out for the vertically rising missiles that come out of the ground silos - and don't forget the equally deadly missiles launched from the turrets. Don't climb unless necessary to avoid a missile or a wall - even two seconds at high altitude will bring a fast, hard-to-avoid homing missile down on you.
As you leave the first asteroid to enter deep space, move toward the center of the screen to give yourself maximum maneuverability. Then wait for the first of the enemy fighters. You'll find that they're very hard to hit until they approach and prepare to launch their missiles. The best technique for survival in deep space is 1. Wait until crosshairs appear in front of your ship. 2. Fire instantly. 3. Dive or climb immediately. Don't fire and remain still - even if you hit the enemy fighter its missile will still destroy you. Practice this wait-fire-move sequence until you can confidently destroy the enemy fighters. By the way, it can't hurt to start firing at enemy fighters as soon as they appear on the edge of the screen. Unfortunately, long distance hits are hard to come by.
The action will abruptly slow as you approach the mighty ZAXXON. Move your ship to the right to draw ZAXXON over toward that side of the asteroid so you can fire at it. Then rise to an altitude of about 2 1/2 marks on the screen altimeter, and begin firing as rapidly as possible. When ZAXXON launches a homing missile, try to hit it several times to neutralize it (you'll see it change color), then continue to fire at ZAXXON itself. Remember, only multiple hits at the right height can destroy ZAXXON - and earn you points. If you can't score these hits and destroy the homing missile, your fire will at least drive ZAXXON back and you can begin another round of attack. - 35

Zenji -

Manual is roughly the size of a bookmark, and is completely unnecessary. - JH

4.5) Cartridge Hardware Cheats

As in many systems, a careful change to the right address can significantly change the flavor of a game. For those using a ColecoVision emulator, data at the following addresses can be changed with various effects.

Antartic Adventure - 49

    Addresses 0AEA-0AEBh - Rest Dist.   - Decimal Digits
    Addresses 0AEC-0AEDh - Time         - Decimal Digits; bytes are reversed

B.C.'s Quest For Tires - 31, 49

    Address        0388h - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum
    Address        22EAh - Lives Check  - Set to 00h for infinite lives

B.C.'s Quest For Tires II: Grog's Revenge - 31, 49

    Address        032Fh - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum
    Address        0351h - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum
    Address        037Dh - Lives Check  - Set to 00h for infinite lives

Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom - 49

    Address        0104h - Areas Left   - 00 = 01 = Skip round 1

BurgerTime - 31

    Address        01F4h - Lives Check  - Set to 00h for infinite lives
    Addresses 127C-127Eh - Monster Gen  - Set all to 00h for no monsters
    Addresses 1332-1334h - Hit Detect   - Set all to 00h to become invincible

Carnival - 49

    Address        01D7h - Bullets      - Max 3C = 60

Cosmic Avenger - 49

    Address        00ADh - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum

Donkey Kong - 31,49

    Addresses 01FB-01FDh - Lives Check  - Set all to 00h for infinite lives
    Addresses 0560-0561h - Score        - In hex; max 06 27 = 9990 (0 added)
    Addresses 05AA-05ABh - Bonus Score  - In hex
    Address        186Ch - Extra Lives  - For harder levels
    Address        1875h - Extra Lives  - For easy levels

Donkey Kong Junior - 31

    Address        020Ch - Extra Lives  - For harder levels, player 1
    Address        0216h - Extra Lives  - For easy levels, player 1
    Addresses 034D-034Fh - Lives Check  - Set all to 00h for infinite lives

Frantic Freddy - 49

    Address        044Fh - Enemies Left - Enemies needed to kill on level

Frenzy - 49

    Address        06EDh - Movement?    - 01 = move to next screen

Frogger - 49

    Address        1612h - Extra Lives  - FFh = 255 maximum

Galaxian - 31, 49

    Addresses 0240-0242h - Lives Check  - Set all to 00h for infinite lives
                                          (Setting 0242h to any number but 03
                                           is sufficient)

Gorf - 31

    Address        0133h - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum
    Address        28E8h - Lives Check  - Set to 00h for infinite lives

Jumpman Junior

    Address        0394h - Extra Lives  - FFh = 255 maximum
    Address        0399h - Level

Lady Bug - 31,49

    Addresses 0125-0127h - Lives Check  - Set all to 00h for infinite lives
    Address        0390h - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; FEh = 255 maximum
    Addresses 0393-0395h - Score        - Decimal digits; 999,999 maximum

Looping - 49

    Address        0171h - Extra Lives  - 80h = 128 maximum

Moonsweeper - 49

    Address        1A4Dh - Extra Lives  - FFh = 255 maximum

Mouse Trap - 31, 49

    Address        0362h - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum
    Address        0365h - Dog Biscuits - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum
    Addresses 0366-036Bh - Score        - Decimal digits; 999,999 maximum
    Address        08A1h - Transform    - Set to 00h, become dog permanently
    Address        2A38h - ???          - Set to 00h, "Score becomes crazy"

Pepper II - 49

    Address        00F0h - Extra Lives  - Maximum FDh = 254
    Address        00FFh - Extra Lives  - For Player 2
    Addresses 020B-020Dh - Score        - Hex; max 9F 86 01 - 99999 (0 added)
    Addresses 0216-0218h - Score        - For Player 2

Popeye - 49

    Address        00D4h - Extra lives  - Maximum 3Fh = 15
    Address        00D9h - Round        - Maximum 39h = 9

Q*Bert - 49

    Address        005Bh - Level/Round  - 19 = 1/1, 1F = 1/7, 20 = 28 = 2/0
    Address        05B4h - Coordinates
    Address        0638h - Lives Check  - Set to any but 05h for infinite lives

Root Beer Tapper - 31

    Addresses 2963-2965h - Lives Check  - Set all to 00h for infinite lives

Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle - 49

    Address        00A2h - Extra lives  - Maximum FFh = 255
    Address        0167h - Energy       - Maximum FFh = 255

Spy Hunter - 49

    Addresses 0053-0055h - Score        - Maximum 3Fh 42h 0Fh = 999,999
    Addresses 0056-0057h - Bonus Timer  - Maximum E7h 03h = 999

Super Cobra - 49

    Address        0108h - Level        - Range: 1-11
    Address        0176h - Extra Lives  - Maximum 55h = 86
    Address        01BFh - Fuel         - Maximum 6Fh = 111; 0B/full, 78/error

Tutankham - 31

    Address        0161h - Lamps        - Maximum 0Fh = 15
    Address        0876h - Extra Lives  - For easy level, player 1; max 15
    Address        087Eh - Extra Lives  - For hard level, player 1
    Address        0880h - Extra Lives  - For medium level, player 1
    Address        0882h - Extra Lives  - For easy level, player 2
    Address        0886h - Extra Lives  - For medium level, player 2
    Address        0888h - Extra Lives  - For hard level, player 2
    Address        0B69h - Monster Gen  - Set to 00h for no monster generation
    Address        2269h - Monster Move - Set to 00h to keep monsters in nests

Up 'n Down - 49

    Address        01C5h - Extra Lives  - Maximum FFh = 255

Venture - 31, 49

    Addresses 032E-0330h - Lives Check  - Set all to 00h for infinite lives
    Address        09B3h - Extra Lives  - FFh means "None"; 254 maximum

Zaxxon - 31,49

    Addresses 0085-0086h - Score        - Maximum E7 03 = 999 (00 added)
    Addresses 011A-011Bh - Score        - Player 2
    Address        01B9h - Extra Lives  - For easy levels
    Address        01BDh - Extra Lives  - For harder levels
    Address        01E4h - Status       - 00/player 2 left, 02/player 1-2 lives
    Address        01E6h - Lives Check  - Player 2
    Address        02CEh - Lives Check  - Set to 00h for infinite lives

4.6) ColecoVision and ColecoVision/ADAM catalogs

Unlike Atari and Mattel, Coleco didn't put out catalogs regularly. The catalog was included with the unit is better known for the titles that _didn't_ turn up than those that did. A second catalog with a mixture of ColecoVision and ADAM items appears to have been released shortly before the death of both systems, as it appears to include nearly all of the late ColecoVision releases. The contents of each catalog:

    1982 catalog: -24

        Introduction to ColecoVision
        Introduction of Expansion Module #1 and #2 coming soon
        Donkey Kong (# 2441, Ninendo, Arcade)
        Space Fury (The Official, # 2415, Sega, Arcade)
        Venture (# 2417, Exidy, Arcade)
        Side Trak (# 2418, Exidy, Arcade)
        Mouse Trap (# 2419, Exidy, Arcade)
        Spectar (# 2421, Exidy, Arcade)
        Rip Cord (# 2431, Exidy, Arcade)
        LadyBug (# 2433, Universal, Arcade)
        Cosmic Avenger (# 2434, Universal, Arcade)
        Zaxxon (The Official, # 2435, Sega, Arcade)
        Carnival (The Official, # 2445, Sega, Arcade)
        Turbo (The Official, # 2413, Sega, Arcade)
        head-to-head baseball (# 2423, Sports)
        head-to-head football (# 2422; Sports)
        Skiing (# 2436, Sports)
        Horse Racing (# 2442, Fidelity Electronics, Inc., Casino)
        Blackjack/Poker (Ken Uston) (# 2439, Casino)
        Tunnels & Trolls (# 2441, Flying Buffalo, Inc., Fantasy)
        Chess Challenger (# 2438, Fidelity, Strategy)
        Smurf (# 2444, Play & Learn)
        Smurf Rescue In Gargamel's Castle (# 2443, Action)
        Mr. Turtle (# 2432, Action)
        Expansion Module Descriptions
          1 -- Atari 2600 adapter # 2405
          2 -- Driving Module # 2413

        Note that _none_ of the pictures appear to be actual screen
        shots; there are subtle differences between the pictures and
        the actual games in the case of every released game.

    1984? catalog: - JH

        * - ADAM only

        ColecoVision Video Game System (#2400)
        ADAM The ColecoVision Family Computer System (#2410)
        *ADAM 5 1/4 Disk Drive (#7817)
        *ADAMLink Direct Connect Modem (#7818)
        *ADAM Second Digital Data Drive (#2409)
        *ADAM 64K Memory Expander (#2562)
        ColecoVision/ADAM Super Action Controller Set (#2491)
        ColecoVision/ADAM Roller Controller (#2492)
        ColecoVision/ADAM Expanstion Module #2 (#2413)
            (The Perma Power Battery Eliminator, #2298, is mentioned)
        *ADAM Blank Digital Data Pack (#2564)
        *ADAM Replacement Ribbon Cartridges (#7806)
        Brain Strainers (#2696)
        Telly Turtle (#2698)
        Mokey Academy (#2694)
        Smurf Paint 'N' Play Workshop (#2697)
        *Electronic Flashcard Maker (#7662)
        *Flash Facts: Vocabulator (#2900)
        *Flash Facts: Flashbacks (#2901)
        *Flash Facts: Trivia (#2902)
        *Expertype (#7602)
        Fortune Builder (#2681)
        *Wacky Word Games (#7657)
        *Richard Scarry's Best Electronic Word Book Ever (#7658)
        Cabbage Patch Kids Picture Show (#2600)
        Dr. Seuss Fix-Up The Mix-Up Puzzler (#2699)
        *ADAMCALC (#7831)
        *Smartletters & Forms (#7805)
        *ADAM Home Software Library (#7826)
        *Smartfiler (#7813)
        *Recipe Filer (#7814)
        *Address Book Filer (#7815)
        *Smartlogo (#7600)
        *CP/M 2.2 and Assembler (#7832)
        *Dragon's Lair (#2683)
        *The Official Zaxxon (#2623)
        *Donkey Kong Junior (#2629)
        *Donkey Kong (#2628)
        *The Best of Broderbund (Choplifter & A.E.) (#7850)
        *2010: The Text Adventure Game (#7849 - Data Pack; #9659 - Disk)
        *The Best of Electronic Arts (Hard Hat Mack & Pinball Construction
                Set) (#7852)
        *Family Feud (#7710)
        *Jeopardy (#7716)
        2010: The Graphic Action Game (#2618)
        Root Beer Tapper (#2616)
        Illusions (#2621)
        The Dam Busters (#2686)
        BC's Quest For Tires II: Grog's Revenge (#2620)
        Omega Race (#2448)
        Victory (#2446)
        Roc 'N Rope (#2668)
        The Official Carnival (#2445)
        The Official Buck Rogers Planet of Zoom (#2615)
        Bump 'N Jump (#2440)
        The Official Congo Bongo (#2669)
        Donkey Kong (#2411)
        The Official Zaxxon (#2435)
        Exidy's Mousetrap (#2419)
        Front Line (#2650)
        The Official Space Fury (#2415)
        Looping (#2603)
        Donkey Kong Junior (#2601)
        Gorf (#2449)
        Venture (#2417)
        Time Pilot (#2633)
        Star Trek Strategic Operations Simulator (#2680)
        The Official Subroc (#2614)
        Super Action Football (#2422)
        Rocky Super Action Boxing (#2606)
        Choplifter (#2690)
        Destructor (#2602)
        The Dukes of Hazzard (#2607)
        Antarctic Adventure (#2429)
        Tarzan (#2632)
        War Games (#2637)
        Cabbage Patch Kids Adventures in the Park (#2682)
        Burgertime (#2430)
        Mr. Do (#2622)
        Cosmic Avenger (#2434)

4.7) The BEST cartridges

Just what the best cartridges for any system are is largely a matter of taste. One person's favorite is often another's dust collector. However, the following cartridges have all been rated highly by a significant number of FAQ contributors, and therefore might be most worth seeking out by a collector new to ColecoVision.

Antarctic Adventure
Artillery Duel
B.C.'s Quest for Tires
Beamrider
Burgertime
Centipede
Donkey Kong Junior
Fortune Builder
Frenzy
Frogger
Gyruss
H.E.R.O.
Jumpman Junior
Lady Bug
Mr. Do!'s Castle
Montezuma's Revenge
Q*Bert
Slither
Spy Hunter
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
War Room
Wing War

4.8) The most popular cartridges

ColecoVision Experience magazine (see 5.2.1) ran a "most popular/ best selling" titles list in each issue.

        Spring, 1983; most popular:

        1. Donkey Kong
        2. Zaxxon
        3. Venture
        4. Ladybug
        5. Cosmic Avenger
        6. Mouse Trap
        7. Carnival
        8. Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle

        Fall, 1983; best selling as of June 1983:

        1. Donkey Kong Junior
        2. Zaxxon
        3. Gorf
        4. Space Fury
        5. Mouse Trap
        6. Space Panic
        7. Lady Bug
        8. Pepper II
        9. Cosmic Avenger
        10. Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle

        Winter, 1984; best selling as of September 1983:

        1. Donkey Kong Junior
        2. Zaxxon
        3. Space Fury
        4. Mouse Trap
        5. Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle
        6. Space Panic
        7. Gorf
        8. Looping
        9. Pepper II
        10. Lady Bug

4.9) Rare gems

The following cartridges haven't been rated by enough people to justify including them among the "BEST" cartridges, but have received great support from those who have rated them. Worth taking a second look at, should you have the luck to happen upon them...

Galaxian
Kevtris
Linking Logic
Logic Levels
Pac-Man
Q*Bert's Qubes
Rock 'n' Bolt
Up 'n' Down
Zenji

4.10) High scores

ColecoVision Experience magazine (see 5.2.1) included a high score list in their Winter, 1984 issue:

    Lady Bug
        Level - 139
        Score - 3,714,220

        Chris Heverman
        Montgomery, AL

    Donkey Kong Junior
        Score - 232,700

        Gary Reimer
        McAlester, OK

    Pepper II
        Score - 1,837,930

        Elizabeth Kaleita
        Sterling Heights, MI

    Venture
        Score - 1,985,000

        Richard Abate
        New Haven, CT

    Smurf Rescue In Gargamel's Castle
        Score - 451,000

        Jim Brogan
        St. Paul, MN

5.0) WWW sites

5.1) Instructions

The instructions for many ColecoVision games are available via WWW at Greg Chance's History of Home Video Games Homepage:

URL - http://videogames.org/

5.2) Books and Periodicals

A list of books and periodicals covering classic videogames is maintained by Lee Seitz, and is available via WWW at: URL - http://fly.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/cvg/cvglit.shtml

5.2.1) ColecoVision Experience

Of particular note among ColecoVision literature is the ColecoVision Experience magazine, brought out by Coleco. Three issues came out, containing ColecoVision news, new products, best seller lists, high scores, strategy tips, and articles about such subjects as the ADAM computer, the making of War Games, and intervies with game designers. - 35

5.3) ColecoVision Homepage

A ColecoVision Homepage created by Norman Sippel can be found at: URL - http://www.infinet.com/~ngsippel/cv.html

5.4) John Dondzila's ColecoVision Projects

John Dondzila, a modern day Vectrex game designer, has turned his attention to the ColecoVision. Current information and screen shots can be found at:

http://www.monmouth.com/~pcjohn/

5.5) ColecoVision High Score Page

Sam Hartmann maintains a video game high score page at:

http://members.aol.com/pbjurman/highscores.html

The ColecoVision high score page can be found at:

http://members.aol.com/pbjurman/colecovision.html

6.0) ColecoVision Emulators

Emulators are pieces of software which emulate a hardware platform. A few ColecoVision emulators have popped up, and the following is a listing of the most popular ones. If you're new to the world of emulation, you may want to read the Classic Gaming Newbie Guide at http://www.classicgaming.com/cgng.

ADAMEm

Platform: DOS
Homepage: http://www.komkon.org/~dekogel/adamem.html
Description: An ADAM Computer \ ColecoVision emulator that runs pretty much anything you throw at it.

ColEm

Platforms: Acorn ARM, DOS, MacOS, OS/2, Unix
Homepage: http://www.komkon.org/fms/ColEm/
Description: The first ColecoVision emulator, available for many platforms.

MESS

Platforms: Acorn ARM, Amiga, DOS, MacOS, Solaris
Homepage: http://internetter.com/titan/mess/index.html
Description: MESS is a multi-console system emulator that happens to have a ColecoVision driver.

Mission

Platform: MSX
Homepage: http://www.komkon.org/~dekogel/mission.html
Description: A ColecoVision emulator the MSX home computer.

Virtual ColecoVision

Platform: Java, Win9X\NT
Homepage: http://www.classicgaming.com/vcoleco/
Description: By far the most full-featured and easy to use ColecoVision emulator, but has a few minor compatibility problems. Lots of nice extras, such as save states and a cheat system.

These emulators do you no good without ROM images. Since ROM images are technically illegal to distribute due to copyright laws, this FAQ does not provide links to pages that have them.

7.0) Stickers

When the ColecoVision arrived, part of the hype was sets of puffy stickers. One sheet contained stickers for Mr. Turtle, Head-To-Head Football, Mouse Trap, and Rip Cord; another contained Head-To-Head Baseball, Spectar, Side Trak, and Venture. Each had a screen shot.

Some notes of interest:

o Spectar and Rip Cord are the same pictures as the ColecoVision box.

o Head-To-Head Baseball, other than the diamond itself, doesn't share the same graphics as Super Action Baseball.

o Side Trak looks an awful lot like Pepper II. Instead of a man running around the track, a track cart is running on the tracks trying to pick up little men. - 24

8.0) Technical Details

8.1) ColecoVision Memory Map

        0000H - BIOS ROM
          .
        1FFFH
        2000H - Expansion port
          .
        3FFFH
        4000H - Expansion port
          .
        5FFFH
        6000H - Start of RAM (1K mapped into an 8K spot)
          .
        7FFFH
        8000H - Cart ROM (broken into 4 sections, each enabled seperately)
          .
        FFFFH

8.2) ColecoVision I/O Map

        00-1F - No Connection
        20-3F - No Connection
        40-5F - Video
        60-7F - Video
        80-9F - No Connection
        A0-BF - No Connection
        C0-DF - Sound
        E0-FF - Controllers; E2 is special, as well as E0 - E0 appears
                to be the readback, and E2 appears to be the scan - 39

8.3) ColecoVision BIOS Details

The ColecoVision contains a ROM which essentially acts as a BIOS for the system. Upon startup, it begins to execute code at 0000H. The first step executed is a check to see if a cart is plugged in. This is performed by checking two locations in the cart's memory - if the two bytes read are 55H and AAH then the ColecoVision knows a cart is in the system. Otherwise, it displays the standard "Turn Power Off Before..." screen.

If a cart is in the system, the BIOS passes control to the cart. The cart can then use some, all, or none the functions found in the BIOS. Some of the functions provided in the BIOS include the title screen and game select screen.

The famous twelve second delay is part of the title screen routine. - 8

The address range for cartridges is 8000H to FFFFH, a total of 32K. - 29, 31

8.4) ColecoVision Video RAM Details

The video RAM is broken up into tables which are user movable. The tables which exist include:

The Name Table (this tells us what is in the background)
The Pattern Table (this tells us how each 8x8 character looks)
The Color Table (this tells us what colors to use for a given 8x8 pattern)
The Sprite Table (this tells us where sprites are, what they will look like, their color, and how many to display)
The Sprite Pattern Table (this defines the 8x8 or 16x16 pattern for a sprite)

Four video modes exist:

A text 40x24 mode.

A multi-color mode w/ sprites (multi-color breaks the backgroun into 4x4 squares of 1 color per square. Smurf Paint 'n Play uses this mode.)

Graphics 1 mode w/ sprites (32x24 8x8 character background. Each character is made up of 1 color only.)

Graphics 2 mode w/ sprites (same as Graphics 1 mode except each character can have different colors for each of it's 8 rows.)

The Video RAM is accessable _only_ through the I/O ports, which is why scrolling is difficult. - 8, 39

8.5) ColecoVision Programming Tips

9918A Programming Information - Extracted from the TI Editor/Assembler manual by Tursi - tursi@vip.net (pages 326-340)

This applies to the TI-99/4A, but most should apply to the ColecoVision, too. I'm uncertain if it's the 9918 or the 9918A in there, but the only difference is that that 9918A has bitmap mode and the other doesn't. ;)

************************
VDP Write-Only Registers
************************

NOTE: -bit 0 is MSB (ie: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, 0=128 and 7=1)
      -"enables" are active when set to 1
      -">" represents a hexadecimal number (ie: >400 = 400 hex)

Register 0 - Bits 0-5   - Reserved, set to 000000
             Bit  6     - Mode bit 3 (M3) - sets bitmap mode
             Bit  7     - Enable external video source (replaces
                          color 1 (transparent))

Register 1 - Bit  0     - 4/16k switch, if set, uses 16k
             Bit  1     - blank enable (blanks display)
             Bit  2     - Interrupt enable
             Bit  3     - Mode bit 1 (M1) - sets text mode
             Bit  4     - Mode bit 2 (M2) - sets multicolor mode
             Bit  5     - reserved - set to 0
             Bit  6     - sprite size - 0=normal (8x8), 1=large (16x16)
             Bit  7     - sprite magnification enable

Register 2 - Base address of the Screen Image Table. Multiply this
             value by >400

Register 3 - Base address of the Color Table. Multiply this value
             by >40

Register 4 - Base address of the Pattern Descriptor Table. Multiply
             this value by >800

Register 5 - Base address of the Sprite Attribute List. Multiply
             this value by >80

Register 6 - Base address of the Sprite Descriptor Table. Multiply
             this value by >800

Register 7 - Bits 0-3   - Foreground color in Text mode only
             Bits 4-7   - Background color in all modes

The mode bits, M1, M2 and M3 determine the mode of the display. If they are all 0, the display is in Graphics mode. Else as listed above. Below the various modes are explained.

*************
Graphics Mode
*************

Graphics mode uses an array of 32 columns by 24 lines. Each position may have one of the 256 patterns in the pattern table (usually including ASCII characters). Foreground and background colors may be set for the characters, and sprites are available.

PATTERN DESCRIPTOR TABLE

This table contains descriptions for each of the 256 patterns. Each takes 8 bytes, for a total size of 2048 bytes. Character 0 is located at the base address, character 1 at the base+8, and so forth.

To define a character, you must convert the pattern to hexadecimal bytes (at least, this is easiest). If you define the character in an 8x8 grid, simply treat dots as 1 and background as 0's, and convert the binary to hexadecimal. For instance, a man may look like this:

   ##    = 0001 1000 = 18  So the series of bytes to enter would
  ####   = 0011 1100 = 3C  be: >18, >3C, >3C, >18, >7E, >18, >24, >42
  ####   = 0011 1100 = 3C
   ##    = 0001 1000 = 18
 ######  = 0111 1110 = 7E
   ##    = 0001 1000 = 18
  #  #   = 0010 0100 = 24
 #    #  = 0100 0010 = 42

In case hexadecimal makes no sense, here's a quick conversion chart:

Binary          Hex             Decimal

0000    =       0       =       0
0001    =       1       =       1
0010    =       2       =       2
0011    =       3       =       3
0100    =       4       =       4
0101    =       5       =       5
0110    =       6       =       6
0111    =       7       =       7
1000    =       8       =       8
1001    =       9       =       9
1010    =       A       =       10
1011    =       B       =       11
1100    =       C       =       12
1101    =       D       =       13
1110    =       E       =       14
1111    =       F       =       15

To find the base address for a character description, multiple the character by 8 and add the table's base address (remember that you can do a faster multiply by 8 by shifting left by 3 (8=2^3))

COLOR TABLE

This table contains the foreground and background colors of all the characters. The high nibble is the foreground color, and the low nibble is the background color. Each byte represents a group of 8 characters (ie: the first entry is for characters 0-7, the second for characters 8-15, etc). The table is 32 bytes long.

The colors are: (in hex)
Transparent  = 0                Medium Red   = 8
Black        = 1                Light Red    = 9
Medium Green = 2                Dark Yellow  = A
Light Green  = 3                Light Yellow = B
Dark Blue    = 4                Dark Green   = C
Light Blue   = 5                Magenta      = D
Dark Red     = 6                Gray         = E
Cyan         = 7                White        = F

To determine which color group a character is in, divide it's number by 8 (or shift right by 3). Remember that you affect all 8 characters if you change the entry.

SCREEN IMAGE TABLE

This specifies which character occupies each position on the screen. It is 768 bytes long. Whatever byte is at each position is what appears at that location.

To calculate an address from X and Y, use (Y*32)+X (or (Y<<5)+x) and add the base address.

***************
MULTICOLOR MODE
***************

In multicolor mode, the screen is 48 rows, and 64 columns wide, with each 'box' being 4 pixels by 4 pixels. There are thus 3072 boxes, each of which can be a different color with no restrictions. Sprites are available.

The general way to set up is like so:

SCREEN IMAGE TABLE

Initialize the Screen Image Table so that the first >80 bytes contain >00 through >1F repeated 4 times, the next >80 bytes contain >20 through >3F repeated 4 times, and so on, so that the last >80 bytes contain >A0 through >BF repeated 4 times.

PATTERN DESCRIPTOR TABLE

The pattern descriptor table now contains colors, instead of patterns. They are still organized in 8-character blocks, with each byte describing the colors of two boxes. The high nibble is the first block, and the low nibble is the block to it's right.

The first byte defines the first two blocks in row 1. The second byte is the first two blocks in row 2. This continues until the eighth byte (the first two blocks in row 8), and then goes back to row one. This continues until the first 32 eight-byte segments have been defined, describing all the blocks in the first 8 rows.

It's very messy... but draw yourself a picture and it should make sense.

Essentially, each entry in the screen image table still points to an 8-byte 'definition', but the definition defines the colours, not the pixels, now, making each character a 2x8 colored group. :) Initializing the screen image table as above lets you change the screen by editing the pattern descriptor table, but it's not the only way. :)

*********
TEXT MODE
*********

Text mode is 40 columns by 24 lines, and sprites are not permitted.

The layout of the tables is the same as in graphics mode, however, each character is only 6x8, instead of 8x8. Also, the screen image table is now 960 bytes instead of 768. The last two bits of each definition are ignored to make the smaller characters.

Only two colors are allowed in text mode, as defined by VDP register 7.

***********
BITMAP MODE
***********

Bitmap mode allows independantly defining each of the 768 screen positions, and allows a bit more color freedom as well. Sprites are also allowed. As normal, the patterns for each position are in the Screen Image Table, the descriptions are in the Pattern Descriptor Table, and the colors are in the Color Table.

SCREEN IMAGE TABLE

As before, each entry is a single byte from >00 to >FF defining which pattern to place at each location. In bitmap mode, however, it is divided into 3 sections of 256 bytes each, each pointing essentially to a different character set. The first section uses the first 256 entries in the pattern and color table, the second section uses the next 256 entries, and the third uses the last 256 entries. Normally this table is set at >1800 (assuming 16k VDP ram) (VDP register 2 = >06)

PATTERN DESCRIPTOR TABLE

It works the same as in graphics mode, except that there are now 3 sections, each 256 patterns long, allowing 768 possible patterns. It's size is 6144 bytes.

The first section is for the first third of the screen, and so on.

It should normally be placed at either >0000 or >2000 (VDP register 4 = >00 or >04). The color table will sit at the other address.

COLOR TABLE

The color table works much like it did in graphics mode, except that each entry now defines a single character, and every row of that character has it's own color entry. It matches byte-for-byte the entries in the pattern descriptor table, with the high nibble being the foreground colour, and the low nibble being the background color for that row of the pattern.

It is also divided into three 256 character sections, and each entry is also 8 bytes long. It is 6144 bytes long, and should be placed at either >0000 or >2000, whichever the PDT is not at. (VDP register 3 = >00 or >04).

DISCUSSION of bitmap mode

For using bitmap mode, it is usually easiest (but not fastest!) to initialize the Screen Image Table with >00 through >FF three times, and then alter the entries in the Pattern Descriptor table and Color table.

Thus, to alter a pixel on the screen, you must calculate the byte and bit to be changed in the pattern descriptor table. The same offset will let you alter the color table.

I don't know what processor the Coleco uses, but here is a psuedo code for a weird and wacky formula that will calculate the byte offset and bit offset of a given coordinate, ready to be indexed into the appropriate table. :) Note this is all 16-bit math. Don't ask me why it works, but it does seem to. :)

XIn = X coordinate 0-255
YIn = Y coordinate 0-191
ByteOut = Byte Offset into tables
BitOut = Bit offset into byte in pattern descriptor table

1. Copy YIn to ByteOut
2. Shift ByteOut left 5 times (ie: multiply by 32)
3. OR YIn into ByteOut
4. AND ByteOut with >FF07
5. Copy XIn to BitOut
6. AND Bitout with >0007
7. Add XIn to ByteOut
8. Subtract BitOut from ByteOut

*******
SPRITES
*******

Sprites are independant of the screen and their patterns can be in addition to those in the pattern descriptor table (or the sprite descriptor table can be set up to overlap). There can be up to 32 sprites and there are 4 available sizes.

SPRITE ATTRIBUTE LIST

This list defines the position and color of each of the 32 sprites, 0-31. To move a sprite, you must update the entries in this table. Sprites may be located at any visible position (0-255 and 0-191), or off the bottom of the screen (y>191).

Each definition is 4 bytes long, thus the table is 128 bytes long. The first row on the screen is >FF, the next is >00 and so on to >BE. (so it says!) :)

Byte 1 - Y position of the sprite. >D0 means end of the sprite list, so
     be aware if allowing sprites off the bottom.
Byte 2 - X position of the sprite. >00 - >FF
Byte 3 - pattern of the sprite, from >00 to >FF, in the SPRITE
Descriptor Table
Byte 4 - 
	   Bits 0-2 = apparently undefined
         Bit  3   = Early clock attribute - Normally, the coordinates
                    indicate the top left corner of the sprite, and
                    sprites can scroll smoothly off the right side of
                    the screen. If this bit is set, the early clock
                    is enabled, and the sprite is shifted 32 pixels
                    to the left, and scrolls smoothly off the left
                    of the screen.
         Bit  4-7 = Sprite color

SPRITE DESCRIPTOR TABLE

This table is defined exactly the same way as the pattern descriptor table in graphics mode. However, sprites can be double-sized or magnified. A magnified sprite simply has each pixel twice it's normal size. A double-size sprite uses four consecutive characters, laid out like this:

1 3
2 4

Sprites thus range from 8x8 pixels to 32x32 pixels, but only 16x16 pixels of detail.

8.6) Cartridge Slot Pinout

Looking from the top of the unit:

 D2   D1   D0   A0   A1   A2   SHLD A3   A4   A13  A5   A6   A7  E000 GND
  1    3    5    7    9   11   13   15   17   19   21   23   25   27   29
  2    4    6    8   10   12   14   16   18   20   22   24   26   28   30
C000  D3   D4   D5   D6   D7   A11  A10 8000  A14 A000  A12  A9   A8   +5

Pin 13 is the shield ground. It is connected to a screw post, but not to a signal The four chip selects are active low. - 29

8.7) ADAM Printer/Power Port

(Colors of COLECO wires are indicated after voltage ratings)

    1  2  3  4  5
     6  7  8  9

Pin 1 = 12V BROWN
Pin 2 = 12V RED
Pin 3 = 5V  ORANGE
Pin 4 = -5V YELLOW
Pin 5 = Ground GREEN
Pins 6, 7, 8 = Serial Data Clock, Serial Data, Signal Ground?
Pin 9 = No connection - 13

8.8) ADAM Programming Tips

Computers and Electronics April 1984 issue includes a number of programming tips and ideas for the ADAM, including a number of projects. - 44

9.0) Separate Audio/Video Hack by Sean Kelly

(The following is a modification which can be used to improve your ColecoVision. The authors of this list and this modification can not be responsible for any damage done to your unit or person as a result of attempting this modification.)

This is a rather feeble attempt at describing the hack to the ColecoVision video game system to give separate audio and video outputs to the system. I am what I call an "Electronics Tinkerer" meaning I have no formal education in electronics and basically only know what I have been able to figure out by ripping apart everything I own !

I am a collector of Classic video games and systems and ran across this hack on one of the many ColecoVision systems I own. It actually works quite well and gives the on-screen images a much crisper look to them. Audio is generally pretty poor on the ColecoVision and this hack doesn't do much to help it.

In order to get things started you have to open up the ColecoVision by removing the 8 screws on the bottom of the case. With the screws removed, the case is still something of a pain to open because of the lip on the expansion port, but just keep working at it and it will eventually come apart. Next thing is to remove the screws holding down the motherboard itself (three of them I believe) and take the motherboard out of the case. On some versions of the ColecoVision the aluminum cover is soldered to the circuit board. If this is the case on yours, you will have to desolder it and remove both the top and bottom parts to the aluminum cover. Set everything but the motherboard aside and you are ready to get to work.

The person that did the hack on this system uses a small automotive-type fuse block terminal to mount the components of the circuit board on. I have located it in the 1992 Radio Shack catalog (page 150) and it is RS part #274-688. It comes in a package of four for $1.29. Here is a list of the components used: AGAIN - I have no formal electronics education and don't really know how to read all the weird symbols on the parts. I will do my best to describe them (I have also labeled them on the line below for future reference - take note):

  Transistor - No part # markings at all.  Only thing on it is a white, red,
  (T1)         and green stripe in that order from top to bottom.  I assume
               this tells what kind/type it is?

               POSSIBLE (!) RS Part #276-1617   $1.98 (pkg. of 2)

  Capacitor  - Electrolytic type with  part #N8408 on it.  It also has the
  (C1)         marking "470uf 35v", but the "u" is one of the funny symbols
               that I have no idea what it means.

               RS Part #272-1030    $ .99

  Capacitor  - Ceramic Disc type.  Only marking on it is an underlined "47".
  (C2)

               RS Part #272-121   $ .39 (pkg. of 2)

  Resistor   - I know these are defined by the colored stripes (See - I'm
  (R1)         not a complete idiot!!  haha).  The stripes are: Orange,
               Orange, Brown, and Gold.

  A/V Cable  - One Audio/Video cable with the RCA plugs cut off on one end.

You will also need about 5 small pieces of wire around 4" long each.

We're looking at a total of about five bucks to do this so for parts that do not come in packages of two or more, I would suggest buying an extra one, unless you know what you're doing, in case you screw something up.

The center connector on your terminal will be the ground for all the components because it is the only terminal that sticks out on both sides of the block. The part the extends on the bottom will be used to mount to terminal to the ColecoVision motherboard. Directly to the right of the RF modulator (big silver box on the motherboard) right under the letter of the revision of the motherboard (the one I am looking at is "J") you will have to scrape off a section of the green coating so you can solder the terminal on the bottom to the motherboard. After soldering this bend the terminal block so that it is standing straight up from the motherboard.

Since many of the components will be "tied" together, you might want to connect them all to the posts first and then solder them later. The way I am going to describe how to connect them will (hopefully) make it as easy as possible to understand. The following is a listing of each post numbered from 1-5, left to right, looking at the terminal block from the back of the motherboard. Looking at the "back" you will be looking at the channel 3-4 switch as well as the RCA plug that is used to connect the ColecoVision to the TV/Game switch now. Here is what goes on each post:

  Post #1 - The LEFT "leg" of the transistor.  I am looking at the
            transistor on the side that is curved - where you can see the
            color bands.

            One of the small pieces of wire goes from this post to the right
            leg of the disc capacitor on the ColecoVision motherboard
            itself marked "C22".

  Post #2 - The CENTER "leg" of the transistor.

            One "leg" from the Disc capacitor.

            One of the small pieces of wire goes from this post to the
            underside of the ColecoVision motherboard.  It will be EXTREMELY
            hard for me to explain where to connect this on the bottom of
            the motherboard since there are no markings on this side.  The
            only way I can describe it is to say that it is being connected
            to one of the components in the RF modulator.  The RF modulator
            is "outlined" in a sense on the bottom of the MB with solder
            because of grounding.  You need to connect it to the pin that
            has the marking "+12" at about 5 O'Clock.  This is the closest
            pin to he "+12" marking.


  Post #3 - This is the GROUND post.  One side of the resistor is connected
            here.

            The two ground wires from the RCA cables must be connected here
            also.  Each Audio/Video wire has two wires inside of it.  In
            general, one is shielded in plastic and the other is not.  The
            unshielded wire is the ground.  Connect the unshielded wire from
            each cable to this post.


  Post #4 - The side of the Electrolytic capacitor (C1) that the arrow
            printed on the capacitor points to.

            This is where I am sort of unable to help you.  The positive
            wire from the Audio or Video wire needs to be connected to this
            post.  Since the RCA ends are cut off the cable I don't know
            which is which.  It should not damage anything by connecting
            them the wrong way, so you will have to take a guess.  One of
            them goes on this post and the other goes on post #5.

  Post #5 - The other of the positive Audio/Video wires gets connected here.

            One of the small pieces of wire goes here.  This one is even
            harder to describe than the one on post 2.  The "outline" in
            solder around where the RF modulator is mounted on the opposite
            side is where you are going to connect this wire.  Looking at
            the bottom of the MB with the expansion port facing you the part
            of the "outline" you need to connect this wire to will be on
            your left.  It's  small section of solder (compared to the
            section on the right) and is about 1.5-2 inches long.  Connect
            this wire anyplace here.

You now have one leg of the transistor (T1), one leg of the resistor (R1), and one leg of each capacitor just hanging there right? Connect all of these together, but do not connect them to any of the posts. Just sort of let them hang there.

The person who did this to my system also has one other wire connected to the bottom of the motherboard, but the other end of it has been cut and is not connected to anything. I assume this serves no purpose.

10.0) Automatic RF Switch

Creating an automatic RF switch (similar to that found on the NES and Super Nintendo) is relatively simple. Just add a 220-330 ohm 1/2W resistor from 12V thru a 180uh inductor to the center terminal on the modulator's output. The resistor limits the current in case the cable gets shorted, and the inductor keeps the RF out of the power supply, and interference out of the signal. The inductor size isn't too critical; anything from 80uh-330uh should do the trick. - 39

Alternatively, a 47 ohm resistor can be used; a 100pf DC blocking capactior is also recommended. - 29

11.0) Replacing The ColecoVision ROM

This procedure can be used either to replace a bad ROM, or to install a custom programmed EPROM.

Parts needed:

28 pin IC socket 2764 EPROM chip programmed with the COLECO.BIN file Two short pieces of wire Soldering iron, solder, desoldering iron, etc.

(Note: If you haven't opened your ColecoVision before, you may have to use the desoldering iron to suck up some solder so that you can open up the RF shield and get to the circuit board. Also, you may want to consider repairing your power switch. Desolder it, take it apart, clean it, pack it with "dielectric grease" from an auto supply store, reassemble it, then resolder it.)

1) Desolder the old ROM chip. (U2) If you haven't desoldered chips before, get some practice or buy a pizza and split it with a friend who has. (See end of this section for tips on how to desolder an IC chip.) Also suck the solder out of the four extra holes, and out of the holes marked "WJ4" and "WJ5".

2) Insert the 28 pin socket into the holes and solder it down. Test your work by putting the ROM chip back in and turning the unit on. If the "COLECOVISION" screen comes up, everything is okay.

3) Solder short pieces of wire into the WJ4 and WJ5 holes.

4) On the underside of the circuit board are two small "bumps" in two short traces coming from the WJ5 holes. Cut the traces. Do NOT cut the long trace that ends in a "Y" next to a WJ5 hole.

5) Program a 2764 EPROM with the contents of COLECO.BIN, which can be found with the ColecoVision emulator.

6) Put the 2764 EPROM into the socket and test everything by turning on the unit and checking for the "COLECOVISION" screen. Now you're done!

Hints for desoldering:

* I use a Radio Shack desoldering iron. This has a red rubber bulb on it and a hollow tip. It's cheap and works well.
* Use a fresh tip for important projects! It's not worth trying to save two bucks only to ruin a circuit board or a chip. Tinning your tip is a good idea, too.
* Wait for the joint to completely melt before sucking out the solder. If you suck too soon, you may not be able to melt the joint properly any more. Wait about four seconds, or five for the four "corner" pins.
* When you have sucked out the solder from all of the holes, push all the pins to "crack" them off of the remaining solder.
* If you have done everything right, the chip should practically fall out of the board. - 29

12.0) Copying ColecoVision Cartridges

Some ingenious hackers figured out a way to copy the ADAM Computer's Super Data Packs to blank cartridges that then can be used on the ColecoVision. Most of the ADAM Super Data Packs were duplicates of ColecoVision Cartridges, but contained an extra screen or other extras the cartridge version lacked. - JC

FWIW, I've now seen both a Super Donkey Kong and Super Donkey Kong Junior cart. The only extras I saw in Super DK Jr. were music during the level selection, and a fourth screen, but Super Donkey Kong adds some end-of- screen graphics (the carry-away after screen 1 and falling girders after screen 2) in addition to its fourth screen. - JH

Note that copying cartridges or software is a violation of copyright law unless permission to do so has been received from the rights holder.

Also note that pirated and reproduction cartridges for ColecoVision do exist. Some dealers sell them; some refuse to. Not surprisingly, pirated cartridges are considered to have very little collectible value, so be aware that they exist - particularly if you run across demo carts and/or extremely rare titles.

13.0) Repair Tips

The following are suggestions for solving problems with your ColecoVision. The authors of this list and these tips can not be responsible for any damage done to your unit or carts as a result of attempting these fixes.

13.1) To fix a rolling picture/video problems:

The problem is with the power switch. You'll notice that if you were to jiggle it a little without turning the system off that it will make a complete mess of your screen. What I suggest is that you desolder the power switch from the circuit board, take the metal cover off of it and clean all the contacts and re-grease them after cleaning them. Make sure the metal cover is REALLY TIGHT when you put it back on though. From then on if you are very careful when turning the unit on/off it should work OK for you.

If you still have a problem go to an electronics store... and get a similar switch and replace it. Nothing else you can do really. - 05

Sorry if this is stating the obvious, but you seem to have a combination of an intermittent open and a heat sensitive component.

Get a can of "cold spray" made for isolating thermal intermittents: should be a couple of bucks at a local electronics shop. If you can get the box open and get to all the components, it should be fairly straightforward to figure out which one is the bad guy.

Actually, by your description (starts good, goes bad after 2 minutes, can be affected mechanically) leans towards a bad solder connection (or socket it the darn thing has them). It may be as easy as touching up a few solder connections. - 06

If the video problem is simply vertical lines dragging behind the sprites, it can sometimes be solved by using a different power supply. - 16

A number of problems (warping sprites, lack of audio, lines in sprites, etc.) can, in many circumstances, be solved simply by assuring a solid connection between the power supply and unit. This can require hardwiring the power supply to the unit. - 33

In some cases, sprite problems can be solved by cleaning the cartridge in question. But if the startup screen has letters screwed up, such as CKHACK, you probably have a bad DRAM. U10 is D7 and U17 is D0. CKHACK indicates a bad D2 line, which would be U15. General directions for replacing a bad chip can be found in Section 10.3. - 29

13.2) To avoid an automatic level select problem:

One common ColecoVision trouble is that the controller ports break down easily, causing symptoms such as the ColecoVision thinking the keypad is constantly being pressed (which can cause the a game to be automatically started, as the level select is essentially instantaneous). A frequent source for this problem is the high sensitivity to static electricity which the controller port pins exhibit. To avoid the problem, simply don't touch the controller port pins unless properly grounded. - 08

13.3) To fix an automatic level select problem:

One possible piece which can be blown by static electricity at the controller ports (see 10.2) is the SN74LS541N chip, a 3-to-8 decoder. If this is the chip that's blown, then replacing this chip (a generic component, available at any good electronics store) can solve the problem. - 13, 15

Parts:

A good soldering iron (with a very thin tip) Computer solder (thin) Solder wick Needle nose pliers An SN74LS541N chip Two 2.2K K27 resistor packets (optional/recommended)

Getting started:

Plug in and turn on the Coleco with a Donkey Kong cart inserted. When the game automatically goes into play mode, note if the Mario moves without touching the joystick. If so, then the 1st player chip is definitely damaged. If a two player game is the one automatically started (which seems to be the prevalent fail mode) automatic movement of the second player's Mario likewise indicates that the 2nd player chip is certainly damaged. Lack of automatic movement does not rule out the possibility that either or both chips are damaged; indeed, given the automatic select problem, it's likely that at least one chip is damaged. But determining that one chip is certainly damaged can minimize your work.

Surgery:

1) Turn off and unplug your ColecoVision, removing the cartridge.

2) Make certain that you are properly grounded, if possible.

3) Open the plastic casing for the unit.

4) Remove the metal cover from the board by desoldering it. It just gets in the way so its better to remove it. It is not essential to the working of the game, though it can be resoldered later if desired.

5) the bare board upside down and find the soldering connections for the SN74LS541N chip that you wish to replace.

6) Note the orientation of the SN74LS541N you intend to replace, so that you can be certain that you provide the same orientation for the replacement chip.

7) Take the soldering iron and solder wick. Place the wick on one of the solder connections on the board. Press the solder iron on the wick. The iron will heat up the wick which will heat up the solder. The solder will turn liquid and be absorbed by the wick. This takes some practice before you get the hang of it.

8) Absorb as much of the solder as possible from all of the connections to the chip you're removing as possible.

9) Flip the board back over and take the pliers. This is where you have to get tough with your Coleco, and let it know who's boss! Growl at it occasionally to let off steam. Now, being careful not to harm any other components on the board, grip the defective chip with the pliers and pull and pry. It's OK to break the chip because it's defective garbage anyway.

*** Note - it's a good idea to wiffle each of the pins to pop them off any remaining solder. In fact, if the chip really is dead, it's better to just snip or Dremel all the pins off first, _then_ desolder the pins individually. - 29

10) After forcibly removing bits of the defective chip from the board, remove any broken pins stuck in the board, extra solder, etc. so that the area that was occupied by that chip is clean. Suck up the solder from the pinholes with the wick so that you can see right through the board through each pinhole. Gee, your ColecoVision never looked better!

11) Take the new SN74LS541N chip and gently install it in the board, inserting the pins in the pinholes. Make sure that the chip is oriented in the same direction that the original chip was! Gently bend the pins if necessary so that they all go in the holes. Be careful not to press too hard as you might bend some pins that aren't properly aligned with their holes.

12) Flip the board over. Take the solder iron and the computer solder and solder each connection carefully. Isn't this fun? Don't you feel like a computer technician now? :)

13) Optional/recommended: Replace the resistor packets on the port in a similar (though much easier) manner. For these parts, note the DOT orientation when replacing.

14) Put the board back in the plastic case to avoid shock.

13.4) To fix a broken roller controller:

When a roller controller will not register movement in one pair of directions (up-down or right-left), the problem might be with the infrared motion detectors. The pair of sensors appropriate to the direction simply need to be replaced with new off the shelf send and receive sensors.

Jumping and contact problems can usually be traced to the bearings. Sometimes these problems can be solved by cleaning the bearings; often, however, the problem can not be solved. - 11, 14

13.5) To fix a poorly responding controller:

A simple cleaning with a can of compressed air and TV tuner cleaner can greatly improve the responsiveness of the standard controllers.

13.6) To fix a dead cartridge:

Most cartridge problems are a result of bad (or no) contact between the cartridge and the system. Cleaning the cartridge and system contacts with alcohol usually solves the problem. As a last resort, a pencil eraser can be used on the contacts of the cartridge. - JH

14.0) ColecoVision Dealers

ColecoVision cartridges are nearly always cheapest when purchased from a thrift store or flea market. For example, I've purchased a great majority of the carts I own, including a number of difficult to find titles, for $1 to $5. However, when you can't find a cartridge, there are a number of dealers who sell (via mail order) a line of ColecoVision cartridges:

Note: the following are listed alphabetically. An attempt has been made to provide basic information about their ColecoVision lines. Inclusion on this list carries with it no recommendation, either positive or negative, about the dealer. Additional dealers who sell a line of ColecoVision products via mail order will be gladly added to the list.

We have no idea how up-to-date this information is. If you find any of this information to be outdated, please contact us at the address listed at the top of this FAQ. Thanks. - KB

Adam's House
        Snail Mail: 1829 County Road #130
                    Pearland, TX 77581-9503
        Phone (9 AM - 6 PM Central Time): (713) 482-5040
        Email: coleco@flash.net
        WWW: http://www.flash.net/~coleco/ (Site appears to be down - KB)

        Carry a wide range of cartridges and hardware, all new.  Take
        MC/VI.  Cartridge review manual available free with any order.

        Note: According to Adam's House, a number of the titles in
        their catalog are reproductions, produced under a European
        license and imported.  If you want to know whether a title
        is the original version or a reproduction, ask them.

Dayton Discount
        Snail Mail: Hwy 92
                    Belleville, WI 53508
        Phone: (608) 424-6111

JerryG Visionaries
        Snail Mail: 663 S. Dodge
                    Gilbert, AZ 85233
        EMail (preferred): jerryg@hevanet.com
        WWW: http://www.Atari2600.com/

        Carries a wide range of cartridges and hardware, new and used.
        Catalog available via email.  Takes MC/VI.

Sean Kelly
        Snail Mail: 5789 N. Milwaukee
                    Chicago, IL 60646
        Phone: (708) 583-1552
        EMail: skelly@xnet.com
        WWW: http://www.xnet.com/~skelly/

        Carries a wide range of cartridges and hardware, new and used.

MP Games
        Snail Mail: 2 Rock Ridge Dr.
                    Norwalk, CT 06854
        Phone: (203) 866-5946

        Carries a small selection of used cartridges and hardware.

Steve Reed
        Email: SteveR@ior.com
        WWW: http://www.ior.com/~stever/ (Link does not work - KB)

        Carries a small selection of used cartridges and hardware.

Telegames UK
        Snail Mail: Wigston
                    Leicester
                    LE8 1TE
                    England
        Phone: 011-44-533-880445

        Carry a wide range of cartridges and hardware, all new.  Take
        MC/VI.  Overseas shipping is #10.00 and up (U.S. - #12).
        Note: Telegames has legitimate parts for games they do not
        have cases for, and will package said parts in other cases.

Telegames USA
        Snail Mail: Box 901
                    Lancaster, TX 75146
        Phone: (214) 228-0690
        WWW: http://www.telegames.com/

        Carry a wide range of cartridges and hardware, all new.  Take
        MC/VI.  Note: Telegames has legitimate parts for games they do
        not have cases for, and will package said parts in other cases.

Then Games (Scott Stone/Mark Terry)
        Snail Mail: 100-23 West Milton Road
                    Milton, Vermont 05468
        Phone: 6-9pm EST (802) 893-3004 ask for Scott -or-
                         (802) 879-0210 ask for Mark
        EMail: TAFOID@delphi.com

        Carry a moderate variery of new and used cartridges.  Catalog
        available via email.

Steven J. Tucker
        Snail Mail: 9897 York Road
                    North Royalton, OH 44133
        EMail: dh395@cleveland.Freenet.Edu

        Carries a moderate variety of used cartridges and hardware.
        Catalog available via email.

Video Game Advantage (Michael Novak)
        Email: vga2000@ix.netcom.com
        WWW: http://www.io.com/~vga2000/

        Carries a small selection of used cartridges and hardware.

Video Magic (Frank Polosky)
        Snail Mail: P.O. Box 9542
                    Pittsburgh, PA 15223
        Phone: (412) 781-2241

        Carries a wide range of cartridges and hardware, new and used.

Gregg Woodcock
        Phone: (214) 684-7380
        EMail: woodcock@bnr.ca

        Carries a small selection of cartridges and hardware, new and
        used, including the Telegames Personal Arcade.

In addition, numerous collectors will post carts for sale or trade on rec.games.video.classic and rec.games.video.marketplace.

15.0) ADAM Dealers, User Groups, and Bulletin Boards

The following list was posted by Joey McDonald. Others to include additions/corrections/etc. include:

Geoff Oltmans

Note: We have no idea how up-to-date this information is. If you find any of this information to be outdated, please contact us at the address listed at the top of this FAQ. Thanks. - KB

--- ADAM VENDORS ---

Howard Pines, Oscar's Computers
224-F Eglin Parkway
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
(904) 862-1007

Terry Fowler, ADAM's HOUSE
Rt. 2, Box 2756, 1829-1 Co. Rd. 130
Pearland, TX 77581
(713) 482-5040

Alan Neeley, ADAM-LINK-OF UTAH
2337 South 600 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
(801) 484-5114

Steve Major, The ADAM Connection
P.O. Box 562, Mason Road
Champlain, N.Y. 12919-0562

--- USER GROUPS ---

ECAUG
P.O. Box 4934
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549-4934

--- ADAM BBS's ---

ADAM CASTLE - MO
300 Baud-9pm/9am-7days
314-431-5722
sysop: Shawn Merrick

ADAM CONNECTION BBS - NY
300/1200/-24 hours
(518)298-4294
Sysop: Steve Majors

ADAM EXCHANGE BBS - OH
300/1200/2400/-24 hours
(216)883-9355
Sysop: George Koczwara

ADAM-LINK BBS - AZ
300/1200 Buad-24hours
(216)936-3892
Sysop: Rusty Gillott

ADAM-LINK BBS - UT
300/1200 6pm/9am+wkends
(801)484-5114
Sysop: Alan Neeley

ADAM LINK BBS - NJ
300-24 hours
(201)224-5764
Sysop: Fred Vicente

ADVENTURE LINE - MICH
300 24hours
(313)445-1313
Sysop: ?

AWAUG BBS - VA
300/1200 24hours
(202)561-2475
Sysop: Jeff Jodoin

CAT'S LAIR BBS - VT
300/1200 24hours
(802)295-4831
Sysop: Pete Ames

COLECO DEPOT BBS - NY
300 8pm/12mid/7days
(718)848-3066
Sysop: Daryll Quinn

GAS STATION - TX
300/1200 24hours
(817)265-8938

IEAUG - CA
300/1200 24hours
(714)775-1603
Sysop: Larry Overman

INNER CIRCLE - FL
300/1200 24hours
(305)227-9643

LAS VEGAS ADAMLINK - NV
300 24-hours
(702)873-8056

MACH-I BBS - WI
300/1200
(414)762-0492

MAINE BBS - ME
300/1200
(207)583-4923

MICRO INNOVATIONS BBS - VA
300/1200/2400 (24hourswkends)
(703)264-3908

MSB BBS - AZ
300/2400 24hrs
(602)395-9726

NORTHERN LINK BBS - CAN
300/1200 24hrs
(403)246-4086

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BBS - CO
300/1200 24hrs
(719)783-9046

ST. LOIS BBS - MO
300/1200
(314)383-3617

TAPPS - CAN
300/1200
(416)741-2432

THOMAS ELECTRONICS - CAN
300/1200/2400 24hrs
(306)384-7682

TRADING POST - OH
300/1200 24hrs
(216)791-4022

VOICE OF AN EAGLE - KY
(615)431-9833

ColecoVision FAQ Version 3.12
http://www.classicgaming.com/colecofaq